April 2026 SEAOCC President's Message
If you’ve ever wondered why our newsletter arrives mid-month rather than at the beginning, there’s a reason grounded in our bylaws and process. Our board meeting is held on the same day as our Second Tuesday dinner meeting, and during that board meeting we review new membership applications. Per our bylaws, those applicants must then be published in the newsletter, initiating a 28-day member review period during which objections may be raised. After that period, and a final board review, membership is approved and published again. This sequencing is why the newsletter timing may feel delayed; it’s a function of ensuring a transparent and consistent membership process. That same timing creates an interesting challenge for this message. By the time you read this, our April dinner meeting has already taken place, yet there is little time to report on it in detail. So I’ll do what I often do, acknowledge it in retrospect and trust that it was a successful and enjoyable evening. Our April meeting was our Annual Student Night and Scholarship Awards, held at Urban Roots here in Sacramento. This event remains one of the highlights of the year, bringing together seasoned professionals and the next generation of structural engineers for an evening of connection, mentorship, and community. We were also proud to recognize this year’s scholarship recipients:
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Aaishah Al Haidari (CSUS)
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Clifton Heatlie (UC Davis)
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Greg Crabtree (University of the Pacific)
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Eric Zaragoza (CSU Chico)
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Merryn Anderson (UNR)
Congratulations to all of our awardees. And a sincere thank you to Jim Carlson for coordinating the scholarship program. We did not receive entries from Fresno State this year, hopefully we can re-engage them in the future. On the topic of students, Alban made a strong effort this year to revive the SEAOCC student competition. While timing challenges prevented it from coming together, substantial groundwork has been laid. That positions us well for a successful return in 2027, complete with the hands-on, build-and-break competition we all enjoy. Looking back briefly, March’s dinner meeting featured an excellent presentation by Eric Fuller on the transformation of the Eastern Star Lodge into an upscale hotel, a SEAOCC SEE Award winner also presented at the 2025 SEAOC Convention. The project highlighted the complexity of modernizing a historic structure while preserving its architectural character. Having visited the completed building, I can confirm it is an exceptional result. Speaking of SEE Awards, this is your reminder: The FINAL submission deadline is this Friday, April 17. If you have a project to showcase, I strongly encourage you to submit. We look forward to recognizing outstanding work at our annual awards dinner in June at Mulvaney’s, always one of the best events of the year. Our Younger Member Forum (YMF) continues to stay active. They hosted a bowling event in March, and a Topgolf event is scheduled for May 1. These events are a great opportunity for emerging professionals to connect, and I encourage you to spread the word. Many thanks to Francisco Rodriguez and Catherine Moore for their continued leadership, our emerging professional “powerhouse.” Looking ahead:
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May 14: SEAOCC Annual Golf Tournament. Whether you have a foursome or are signing up individually, we’ll get you on a team. Thank you to Nick Herskedal for organizing this event yet again. (Full disclosure, I’ve never attended before, but I plan to change that this year.)
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August 26–28: SEAOC Convention in Scottsdale, AZ
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October 27–30: NCSEA Summit in San Francisco, right in our backyard this year
In addition to events, you’ll soon see two ballots grace your email in-box:
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Bylaws Revision Ballot. Our bylaws have not been updated in many years and need modernization. Please take the time to review and vote.
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Annual Elections Ballot. As always, your participation is important. If you have nominations, please share them with the committee.
I started this message wondering what to write, but as it turns out, there was quite a bit to cover this month after all. And as always, I welcome your feedback: suggestions, ideas, and constructive input are encouraged. Thank you for everything you contribute to this profession.
Warmly,
Sonia Eliseo, SE
SEAOCC President