APWA Minnesota Chapter

Spring Conference

May 9-11, 2012
Grand View Lodge, Nisswa, Minnesota

Welcome!

Although the weather has brought us an early end to “winter,” and the promise of an even earlier arrival of summer, you just can’t call the spring complete without our annual gathering in Nisswa! The Minnesota Chapter of the American Public Works Association will be holding our Spring Conference from May 9-11, 2012 at Grandview Lodge on the shores of beautiful Gull Lake. Your conference committee has once again succeeded in forming a
program that is sure to satisfy your needs in many areas.

Professional development and useful management tools - Our keynote speaker is Shari Harley, the founder and president of an international business management training firm helping organizations get and keep the right customers and employees by creating better business relationships. She has led training for such companies as Dale Carnegie Training, J.P. Morgan Chase, and Oppenheimer Funds. For more information, please visit www.leadershipandsalestraining.com. In addition to her keynote address on Wednesday evening, Shari will stay and lead a second session the following morning, giving attendees two opportunities to benefit from the management and leadership techniques she is known for across the country and internationally.

View a video developed for our members, by Shari Harley, or click play below.

Broader Perspective - Two sessions at the conference promise to describe significant economic trends, both globally and regionally, that affect our lives and our work. Our infrastructure is by definition local, but the community and businesses it supports are affected from the outside, from as far away as China to as close as North Dakota. Getting a glimpse of these trends helps us anticipate and understand what our future infrastructure must adapt to and support.

Governmental Updates - We have once again secured our friends and leaders at the League of Minnesota Cities, the Transportation Alliance, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation to update us on ongoing or potential changes to law and policy at the state level. Given the timing of the conference relative to the legislative session, these speakers never fail to provide up-to-the-minute news on activities and progress at the Capitol.

APWA Refresher - We will hear from the APWA national president-elect, Elizabeth Treadway, on Wednesday evening, and anticipate attendance at the conference by our Regional Director Larry Stevens. In addition, we will once again host the Leadership Academy graduation ceremony and hold a first-ever presentation of committees heading up the strategic initiatives of the Minnesota Chapter. These sessions touch on the function and purpose of APWA, and renew our sense of commitment and appreciation for our great organization. But most importantly, the Spring Conference gives us all a chance to come together, away from our daily menu of communication and management tasks. The ability to connect to our peers, in a relaxed atmosphere, away from interruptions at the office, is the real value of the conference. Ideas are shared and relationships are built on a foundation of time together: at meals, at cabins, and at events such as the Brainerd International Raceway technical tour. In today’s environment of increased demands on budget and time, the Spring Conference is a valuable cog in the development of any public works professional.

See you in Nisswa!

Jeannine Clancy, President, American Public Works Association – Minnesota Chapter; City of Golden Valley
Bob Cockriel, Conference Co-Chair; City of Bloomington
Jupe Hale, Conference Co-Chair; WSB & Associates

2011-2012 Planning Committee

Robert Cockriel, Co-Chair, City of Bloomington
Jupe Hale, Co-Chair, WSB & Associates

Bryan Bjorgaard, City of Alexandria
Sherri Buss, TKDA
Jeannine Clancy, Co-Chair, City of Golden Valley
April Crockett, Minnesota Department of Transportation – Metro District
Beverly Farraher, Minnesota Department of Transportation – Metro District
Jim Grube, Hennepin County
Lee Gustafson, City of Minnetonka
Brad Henry, Civil Engineering, University of Minnesota
Jon Horn, Kimley-Horn & Associates, Inc.
David Juliff, SRF Consulting Group, Inc.
Mark Kasma, Bolton & Menk, Inc.
Adam Kramer, Progressive Consulting Engineers
Mark Maloney, City of Shoreview
Mike Marti, SRF Consulting Group, Inc.
Mike Martinez, HDR
Sue Mason, Short Elliott Hendrickson, Inc.
John Mazzitello, City of Mendota Heights
Bridget Rief, Metropolitan Airports Commission
John Rodeberg, Short Elliot Hendrickson, Inc.
Matt Saam, City of West St. Paul
Tom Thompson, Stanley Consultants, Inc.
Doug Trangsrud, Bonestroo
Don Volk, Automatic Systems Co.

Future Conference Dates

November 14, 2012 - Fall Workshop
November 15-16, 2012 - Fall Conference
May 8-10, 2013 - Spring Conference
November 20, 2013 - Fall Workshop
November 21-22, 2013 - Fall Conference

Other Training Opportunities and Conferences

Center for Transportation Studies
City Engineers Association of Minnesota
Intelligent Transportation Society of Minnesota (ITS Minnesota)
Minnesota County Engineers Association

For Conference Information, contact

Emily Strong
University of Minnesota
612-624-3492
cceconf3@umn.edu

For APWA Minnesota Chapter Member Information, contact

Kathy Warren
APWA Minnesota Chapter
651-351-7432
kwarren@usinternet.com