Dear Members,

Welcome to September! For many this means we have kids going back to school after a long summer break or others possibly have a longer commute now with more people on the road. Either way, I always feel as though the Labor Day Weekend is the starting point to the stretch run for home and push for the end of the year. There is still lots to do at SEAOSC before we close out 2023 and I can't wait!

We had a busy August at SEAOSC starting with our golf tournament at Friendly Hills Country Club. What a successful event we had led by our Chair, Dan Fox, as well as the team from Stratiscope with a big shout out to Lilly Naveira for her hard work pulling all the fun together. We raised thousands of dollars for SEAOSC with a portion of the proceeds going to the SEAOSC Foundation. Great job team!

We also showcased our first SEAOSC movie premiere, Something from Nothing, at the Garry Marshall Theatre in Burbank. We had a great panel discussion along with the movie and it was a wonderful night enjoyed by all who attended.

Many of us should be in Maui right now and I should be writing this report from my hotel balcony, but unfortunately the fires in Maui and the devastation to the town of Lahaina changed things. Many of us were planning to attend this year's convention in Hawaii to hear the latest in structural engineering, meet with colleagues, and possibly enjoy a bit of rest & relaxation on vacation too. But now is not the time to be visiting Maui and canceling the convention was the right decision. There is a tremendous amount of rebuilding and support needed for the community and that is where the focus is and should be. If you are interested in supporting Maui relief efforts, please see these links on the State convention website (click here).

The disappointment of having to cancel our convention in Maui this year reminds me about GRATITUDE, one of my words from the card I keep on my desk. Being thankful and thoughtful about the good things in life is so important. We cannot always control the things in front of us and sometimes we may take them for granted. Taking a moment to reflect on how lucky we are is important for ourselves in recognizing what we have done when something good happens, but also what we have when something that didn't go as planned. As leaders in our companies, within SEAOSC or any other organization, gratitude affects your attitude and can uplift the attitude of others in your circle. I challenge each of you to take a minute and think about gratitude. Why or what can you be grateful about right now?

Here is one of my favorite quotes on gratitude. It's short, but right on point…..

"Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness….." - Amy Collette

And now on to September! It is a busy month for our association. Don't miss out on upcoming events:

9/20 - Structured Connections in Santa Barbara

9/27 - SEAOSC Committee Showcase - In-N-Out food truck

10/18 - OC Membership Breakfast

10/21 - SAP training

10/25 - Structured Connections - Inland Empire

11/30 - 12/3 - SoCal Gingerbread Challenge

1/17/24 - Northridge Earthquake Symposium - 30yr Anniversary event

Hope to see you soon!

Craig Chamberlain, S.E.
SEAOSC President 2023-24