What It Means To Be A Member of the NCS Board

For this special feature we had asked NCS Board members, "What has it meant to you to be a member of the NCS Board?" The universal theme from the feedback you will discover below was “personal and professional development.” The specific themes that each focused on for development however were unique:

  • Giving back to community and profession;
  • Writing in a way that engages the reader;
  • Exposure to fiscal management;
  • Broadening of horizons;
  • Lasting friendships; and
  • Sense of pride in serving the needs of fellow professionals.

If you are or have been an NCS Board member, I encourage you to share your story with our members. Write a few paragraphs about your experience, include a biographical note and a photograph and email Ranjit Sahai so we can include the narrative about your experience here.

Board Member Feature

L.J. Sauter, Jr., Newsletter Editor (2010-2013)

Joining the NCS Board as the newsletter editor has provided me with an opportunity to “take charge” of the newsletter (sort of like being responsible for environmental impact documents in my previous life, but without having to defend the results to a perpetually angry public). I enjoy preparing reports that make the reader want to read; not so highly technical that folks loose interest, and filled with photos and graphics that draw the reader’s attention and help explain the issue.
On the Board, I get to associate with eager, young, smart professionals, all P.E.s (or on the way to becoming P.E.s), who work in exciting positions doing some incredible work on projects with clear societal value. Being a Board member puts me directly in the middle of everything the Section does, from scheduling speakers to budgeting to sponsorship and outreach. As a volunteer organization, I can participate in virtually any of the NCS’ functions. And there’s always more help needed than there are volunteers to assist with NCS activities and initiatives!

Being on the BOD inspires me to come to more of the monthly meetings than I probably would otherwise because I feel a responsibility to the Section as a Board member. So I’m treated, on a monthly basis, to a presentation on some facet of civil engineering (sort of like a nerdy show-and-tell). While some of the presentations are not as fascinating as others, it’s hard not to be inspired when someone who knows what they’re talking about shares their insights on a particular topic. And many of the presentations are flat-out captivating.

L.J. retired as a Senior Project Manager from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Office of Energy Projects in 2013, where he worked for 38 years as a sanitary (and then environmental) engineer. His work involved conducting environmental impact reviews of interstate natural gas transmission facilities, natural gas storage facilities, and liquefied natural gas import terminals. L.J. graduated from the University of Maryland with a B.S. in Civil Engineering and a M.S. in Engineering. He currently lives a quiet life with his wife in Arlington, VA.