Latest News

“’Cause there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues.” 

It’s a great oldie, but a totally inaccurate statement…especially when you’re active in the Minnesota Chapter of APWA - there is always something fun and engaging happening. I’ll lead off with our 2022 Summer Golf Classic, the Chapter’s signature summer event welcomed 192 golfers to Bunker Hills for a spectacular day of camaraderie, networking, and friendly competition. There was outstanding representation at the event by Chapter sponsors on every one of the 27 holes at the course, and over $3,000 was raised toward the Chapter’s scholarships for engineering students who aspire to enter the public works industry after college. Visit the photo gallery here.

Have I mentioned what an outstanding Young Professionals group we have in the Minnesota Chapter? We are seen as a leader in many areas of APWA, and the YP group has been one of the most shining examples. This group is always working hard to strengthen networks within their cohort, with students who will soon be in the workforce, and with the more experienced professionals in the Chapter. The YPs have shown their success is in the many social outings that they organize, including a recent outing of mini golf at the Centennial Lakes course in Edina, another highly popular summertime event that challenged the 26 attendees with undulating greens!

And then there is the granddaddy of them all, PWX!  If you didn’t know, PWX 2022 will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina just over a month from now. The Chapter always sends a strong contingent to APWA’s marquis event, and we hope that 2022 is no exception. To date, our Chapter has 80+ members registered to attend, and we’d love to get this number into the three-digit territory. Registration is still open – it is a fantastic event with a lot to offer for everyone in our industry

While we’re in Charlotte, there will be no shortage of chances to network, and the Chapter has two great events set up to enjoy each other’s company and celebrate our successes. First off, in recognition of Chapter members who are recipients of national-level awards, we’ll hold a reception on Monday, August 29th just after the PWX Awards ceremony. We’re about to secure a space that is within just a few minutes' walking distance of the conference center. We’d love to fill the room and raise a few toasts to the accomplishments of our award winners!

The second event is the always highly-anticipated Chapter Dinner. This year, we’ll get together at Haymaker, another gorgeous venue within a few minutes’ walk of PWX central. If you are attending PWX, but haven’t signed up for the Chapter Dinner yet, I strongly encourage it – to date, there are about 20 spots left, but they will go quickly!

Shifting gears to other noteworthy items – big news within our Executive Committee ranks when it comes to administrative support. Long-time Chapter Admin Assistant Pat Schutrop is going to begin winding down her career and she’ll be stepping away from her role at the end of this year. There is a silver lining for us though – Pat will be staying on board in a lighter capacity, as she’ll continue with handling the Chapter’s regular and routine financial management components. I don’t know where to begin in thanking Pat for her services. To say that Pat’s contributions and efforts have had an immeasurably positive impact on all that we do feels appropriate, but yet I don’t think it fully represents the gratitude I feel for all that she does. Thank you, Pat, – we have been so lucky to have you aboard, and we’re happy we get to hang onto you for a little while longer! 

Pat’s transition away from the Admin Assistant role leaves some huge shoes to fill, but we were able to recruit just the right person for the job. Mary Detloff is a name that many of you are familiar with for her work in organizing and facilitating our recent conference events. Not only does Mary have some great skills in event planning, but she also served for 20 years as Executive Director of Engineering Alliance Foundation Minnesota (formerly known as the Minnesota Society of Professional Engineers), with an earlier stint as Assistant Executive Director of the American Council of Engineering Companies/Minnesota, so she’s no stranger to our industry, or to how an organization like ours operates. We’re very excited to work Mary into her new role and Pat will begin passing the baton starting early this fall, with Mary assuming full-time responsibilities starting in January. Welcome, Mary! 

Back to upcoming events – we’re very excited to announce that the Fall Conference will be moving to a new location. The Mystic Lake Event Center will play host to the 2022 MN Chapter Fall Conference. Our work in seeking a new facility has been a long time in the making, as we’ve realized that we were outgrowing the Earle Brown Heritage Center and set our sights on expanding the scope of the fall conference itself. I want to give a shout-out to the Conference Planning Committee, particularly the leadership of Committee Co-Chairs Matt Saam and Monica Heil, and conference planning consultant Mary Detloff for her research and scoping work to make this transition happen a reality. Look for an announcement opening registration in mid-September.  

There is so much more to talk about, but I will save that for the next issue this fall! Have a wonderful remainder of summer, and I hope to see you at PWX!

Nick Egger, PE
​​2022 APWA-MN Chapter President