“You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future”

-Steve Jobs

“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”

-John Shedd

 

This President’s Message isn’t just about change; it’s about adapting your plan to change that has already happened around you and within you. 

I had a hard-scrabble childhood.  Welfare, hand-me-downs, you know the drill.  I wasn’t starving, but I missed out on a lot of childhood experiences that I saw others having.  My naturally competitive tendencies had no outlet socially or athletically but really took off academically.  As a teen, I set about defining myself as the smartest kid in the classroom.  Any classroom, every classroom.  Math, science, history, English literature; it didn’t matter.  I kept at it until I had the best test scores, the best essays, the best experiments, the best solutions to the proofs.  It was my identity.

But the world is not a classroom, and “be smart” is not much of a strategy for success in life.  When I got to Cal Poly, I was no longer in the safe harbor of my hometown.  I found myself surrounded by people who had goals and plans.

The high performers were different in every classroom because their goals were different.  They didn’t show up and just wing it with their brilliance.  They didn’t just do the work, they did the homework before the work, and the pre-work before the homework.  I found myself outclassed by planners.

I couldn’t be the best at everything, and because I’m stubborn I had to fall to the point of not being very good at anything before I came to grips with the world around me and set about making a plan for my place within it.  I found myself on Academic Probation.  Twice.  In the midst of that crisis, I found that I loved classes on Architectural History.  It wasn’t like high school history or English, but there were stories to be told through structure, and I connected with that.  In my personal life, I found that I had intentionally or unintentionally surrounded myself with architecture students, who were developing the vision and skills to create places and spaces.  I kept a sketchbook and developed my own style; not because I wanted to compete with architects to be the best at sketching and graphic design, but because I found it satisfying to pay attention to the details of the world around me and use that to find stories in structure.

I have the highest respect for those of you who thrive on the intensely technical side of structural engineering, but I’ve found my happy place.  I still lose my way.  I still have to look back to connect the dots and chart my next step forward.  I still have to answer the question “what am I about?”, and use that answer to evolve.

SEAOC is an organization populated with brilliant structural engineers.  Both within the technical committees that strive to advance the practice, and within the companies that turn improbable architectural visions into reality.  SEAOC as an organization has been an innovator and leader in all aspects of the Structural Engineering profession.  We pre-date ICC, NCSEA, SEI, EERI, FEMA, NIST, and ATC.  We were founded at a time when the first building codes were being written.  We’ve been around nearly as long as ACI and AISC.  In those early years, it was easy to be the best at all things Structural Engineering.  But in our first (nearly) 100 years, slide rules and tables gave way to punch card programs and spreadsheets; then PC’s, finite element analysis, dynamic analysis, and other highly sophisticated tools.  The original seismic chapter in the building code was laughably concise.  Technology and connectivity have evolved slowly, quickly, and finally ludicrous speed.  The world has changed around us, and an alphabet soup of specialized partners have emerged to help push the boundaries of what is possible for structural engineers.

Looking back, you can connect the dots to see changes that we’ve made to not just stay true to who we are, but to improve where we can.  Ken O’Dell recently reminded me that the founding documents for our state organization envisioned a connected and integrated SEAOC.  As the world and associated technology has caught up, we’ve laid the groundwork for better integration.  The College of Fellows is a single, unified, statewide organization.  With the advent of Zoom, Teams, and platforms like Basecamp, we’ve taken steps to meet more often, do more things, and engage more people.  Technology and connectivity have made it possible to transition our annual Convention from isolated productions that had to be re-learned when volunteers left or retired, to a sustained and integrated effort that makes use of professional help. 

It's true that we haven’t written the seismic chapter of the code since the 1997 UBC.  It’s true that with all of those emerging partners, we have had to compete for members in ways we didn’t when we were the only game around.  But SEAOC is not stubborn, and we need not get so low as Academic Probation before we do the work of looking back of looking back as where we’ve been, who we are, and where we’re going.  What does that mean, exactly?  It’s SEAOC, version 3.0.  If you’ve heard a little bit of rumor about what this is and wondered what it meant, read on.

 

SEAOC 3.0 – Honoring Our Roots, Evolving for the Future

 

If you’ve been around SEAOC for a while, you’ve likely felt what makes this organization special: the people, the spirit, the local energy, the technical excellence, and the deep care we all bring to our profession. Whether it’s a quirky trivia night, a student outreach event, or passionate code discussion, SEAOC has always thrived on meaningful engagement—rooted in our chapters and amplified through statewide collaboration.

But as we look ahead, it’s clear: how we operate needs to evolve to match the caliber of who we are and what we can be. Over the past two years, SEAOC leaders from all four Member Organizations have come together to envision a future where we reduce redundancy, elevate impact, and deliver a stronger, more consistent experience for all members—regardless of where they live or how they engage.

This work has grown into what we’re calling SEAOC 3.0—a bold but thoughtful re-imagining of our organizational structure, built on shared purpose, improved efficiency, and expanded opportunity. It’s not a top-down change. It’s a result of deep listening: through committee chair workshops, member feedback, leadership retreats, and lots of honest conversations. And it’s grounded in the belief that we can be stronger together—without losing what makes us great.

Why Now?

Our current model—with separate operations, memberships, committees, and management teams across four MOs—has served us well for decades. But it also creates inefficiencies, silos, and uneven member experiences. It’s harder to move quickly, harder to elevate regional ideas to statewide initiatives, and harder to ensure all members feel equally supported and represented.

We’re not the same profession we were 20 years ago—or even five years ago. The pace of change in our industry, the demands on our time, and the expectations of younger engineers call for an organization that’s nimble, united, and built for the long game.

What Is SEAOC 3.0?

At its core, SEAOC 3.0 proposes a more unified SEAOC—one membership, one operational structure, one coordinated statewide voice, with strong local chapters continuing to lead on community engagement, events, and relationships.

Here are some of the key shifts:

•  Chapters, Not MOs: Our four current MOs would become SEAOC chapters—retaining local identity, leadership, and event programming, while functioning within a unified nonprofit structure.

•  Statewide Committees with Local Subcommittees: Committees would be streamlined at the state level, with flexibility for regional subcommittees to keep local nuances alive.

•  Centralized Membership and Events: A single membership platform and statewide calendar would make it easier to register, find events, and stay engaged—while maintaining the in-person, fun, and quirky culture we love.

•  Professional Staff Support: SEAOC will invest in dedicated staff to support communications, events, lobbying, and chapter programming—freeing up volunteers to focus on the technical and community work that matters most.

•  Financial Transparency and Equity: Dues will be standardized statewide, with the ability for chapters to add local fees. A five-year transition ensures fairness, stability, and time to adapt.

What’s In It for Members?

This isn’t about bureaucracy—it’s about making your membership feel seamless, rewarding, and easy to navigate. You’ll get:

• Better access to events and resources, regardless of your chapter size or location

• Less duplication—so we can spend more time building, mentoring, advocating, and innovating

• A clear path to get involved, from local to state to national levels

• Recognition, support, and connection across the state and beyond

And most importantly, your day-to-day chapter experience won’t go away. We’re keeping the local spirit alive—because it’s what makes us who we are. You’ll still get together with your chapter friends, work on projects that matter to your community, and enjoy the mentorship and traditions that shaped you.

What’s Next?

We’re currently refining the details and inviting your feedback. This fall, we’ll release a complete draft of the SEAOC 3.0 structure, with opportunities to ask questions, share concerns, and help shape the final model.

Our goal is to bring this to a formal vote by the end of 2025.

In the meantime, here’s my ask: Lean in. Share your voice. Help us build the SEAOC we all want to be part of. The best parts of our history—the collaboration, the camaraderie, the shared pursuit of excellence—are also the best guides for our future.

Let’s do this, together.