Message From the President – October 2019

October 15, 2019   I would like to take the opportunity to introduce myself as the new President of the Michigan Society of Professional Engineers. I received my BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1988, worked for the City of Los Angeles for a couple years, and then after some travel opportunities, ended up in Kalamazoo Michigan working for Wilkins & Wheaton Engineering Co. beginning in 1992. Wilkins & Wheaton was then bought by Prein&Newhof in 1997, and I have been working with them since. My work is mainly municipal with clients which include townships, cities and villages in the Kalamazoo County area. I have been a member of MSPE since 1995 and have been active at both the chapter and state level, including the Southwestern Chapter Secretary and President (twice) and as state Regional VP twice. I also am currently the SW chapter MATHCOUNTS chair (pray for good weather this year!). My involvement in MSPE has been rewarding on a professional level as we promote and sometimes defend the profession of engineering. I have also developed long standing friendships among the members that I have had the pleasure of working with. I look forward to continuing these relationships and getting to know more of you over the next year. I also look forward to the help I know I can count on from the Board of Directors. One of our main goals is to update our three-year strategic plan. I have enlisted Ivan Ivanof, President Elect (President next year) to help lead this task. We hope to have a draft completed in January and a call for comments in February. We look forward to membership comments so that we can ensure that the Society is responsive and relevant to our members. We have already rolled up our sleeves and started to move MSPE forward. Your continued support (and help) is both welcome and necessary for our success. Enjoy the fall in our beautiful state. Thomas C. Wheat P.E. MSPE President