All members, families and friends of Polish-American Engineers Association are cordially invited to attend our January meeting.

                  
        DATE:      Friday, January 20, 2006

        TIME:      7:30 p.m.

        PLACE:     Holiday Inn O’Hare”
                   8201 West Higgins Rd.
                   Chicago, Illinois

 
        SPEAKER:   Mr. Jan S. Plachta, P.E., S.E.
                   Structural Engineer
                   U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
                   Chicago District

        TOPIC:     Chicago Shoreline Project

Mr. Jan S. Plachta is a Structural Engineer, Chicago District Corps of Engineers. Has M.S. degree in Structural Engineering and a PhD degree in Soil Mechanics. Worked on great variety of Chicago District flood control projects. Participates as a structural team member on periodic inspection of Corps of Engineers major civil works projects whose failure could endanger public safety. He is a recipient of numerous performance awards, In 1995 was elected Finalist as an Outstanding Professional Employee in the Chicago Metropolitan Area. His hobby is history of American Bridge Building, especially bridges build by Ralph Modjeski. Has numerous technical publications in professional periodicals. Is a member of the Urban Search and Rescue team. Fellow member of the Society of American Military Engineer, Polish American Engineers Association, American Society of Civil Engineers and Western Society of Engineers.

Chicago Shoreline of Lake Michigan is its most precious natural asset. The talk will provide historical background information, development of the lake shore park system, shore protection structures and the present construction status. The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency (IHPA), the City of Chicago and the Chicago Park District are considering a revised shoreline restoration for Promontory Point. The IHPA recommends preservation of the existing stone block revetment on the south side of the Promontory Point. A Promontory Point Community Task Force has been established. This task Force works very closely with the design teams to prepare a mutually acceptable revetment plan. This talk will also present inspection results of the completed revetment sections.

A business meeting will precede the technical presentation. Coffee and pastries will be served during the intermission.

SPECIAL INVITATION for Polish engineers and technicians who recently came to Chicago.

WASHINGTON AWARD: The Washington Award Banquet will take place on February 24, 2006, at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, 2233 South Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Chicago. Tickets are $75.00 per person. Reception 5:30 pm, dinner at 6:30 pm. John W. Alvord, a past president of the Western Society of Engineers, in 1916 created an honorary award to recognize the “devoted, unselfish, and preeminent service in advancing human progress.” It was named the Washington Award as a reminder that the nation’s first president was an engineer. The elected commission of the award is made up of representatives from Western Society and six other engineering societies. It is conferred annually upon an engineer whose professional attainments have advanced the welfare of all peoples. The Washington Award is one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious engineering awards in the country. This year recipient of the Washington Award is Professor Henry Petroski, Chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Duke University in Durham, NC. He is a leader among engineers who write about engineering. His books, well researched and beautifully written have been translated into many languages. The list of recipients speaks for itself. A few of the honorees from 1919-2005 include:

The Western Society of Engineers, administers the Washington Award. WSE was founded in 1869, when Chicago was the country’s western frontier.