Dear Members,

This summer I was selected by Region XI to be in the LeaDRS program. The LeaDRS program is an opportunity for YEA members (ASHRAE members under 35) to shadow one of the Board of Directors of the ASHRAE organization at the Winter or Annual (summer) meetings. The current Region XI director is Blake Ellis. I shadowed Blake throughout his meetings covering ASHRAE business as diverse as the precise wording of the new BACnet IT standard, to the decision about how or if to reward chapters for having female Board of Governor members, to the upcoming requirement for yearly chapter financial audits. I met with David Underwood, the former president of ASHRAE, and Tim Wentz, the current president of ASHRAE. It was 5 days of meetings from 8 am to 5 pm with evening social gatherings until late into the night. I encourage anyone under 35 to consider applying for this opportunity! Feel free to contact me with any questions (stephen.forner@trane.com)!

ASHRAE society conducts an enormous amount of business to keep the chapters up and running each year. Almost all the work was performed by volunteers with support from the families and companies. Of the 1,800 members conducting society business this summer, only two were from the New Mexico chapter. I hope to help change the level of involvement in the New Mexico chapter and at the society level. Here are some ideas:

-If you are interested in standards and want to get updates on the most recent developments in standards you care about, join a Technical Committee!

-If you like organizing events and being at the center of the action, join a Standing Committee!

-If you like (or don’t like) the New Mexico chapter’s activities, join the New Mexico Board of Governors (e-mail me Stephen.forner@trane.com)!

-If you think the ASHRAE Journal got something wrong, tell the editor (jayscott@ashrae.org)!

I look forward to hearing about all the ways our chapter contributed to ASHRAE this year!

Comments? E-mail me at stephen.forner@trane.com with your thoughts.

Sincerely,

Stephen Forner
NM ASHRAE President
2016-2017