Washington State Chapter APWA History, Part 1-1955-1966 Bob Moorhead, Chapter Historian [Editors Note: This is the first of five articles outlining the history of the Washington State Chapter during its 50 th Anniversary Year.] A petition to establish the Washington State Chapter was developed in a meeting of engineers and public works directors held in 1955. As a result of that meeting 23 founding members signed a petition asking the national American Public Works Association for permission to form another Chapter and on July 26, 1955 James R. Robinson, a principal engineer with the Seattle Engineering Department, received word that the application had been accepted. The American Public Works Association (APWA) was formed from the 1937 merger of two organizations. The oldest of these, the American Society of Municipal Engineers, originated in the midst of the economic depression that followed the financial panic of 1893. The APWA's second parent, the International Association of Public Works Officials, was formed in 1919. 18 years later the two parents joined to form the American Public Works Association. The first meeting of the Washington State Chapter was held at the Chinook Hotel in Yakima in May of 1956. William A. Stancer, City of Tacoma, won election as the first Chapter President. Among topics discussed were increasing the membership among private and public sector practitioners in the construction and maintenance of public works facilities. The attendance at this first state-wide conference was an impressive seventy people. Year President Spring Conference Fall Conference 1956 William A. Stancer Chinook Hotel, Yakima None 1957 Chester E. Murray Leopold Hotel, Bellingham None 1958 Roy W. Morse AGC, Seattle Ridpath Hotel, Spokane 1959 Chester L. Waggener Elks Temple, Port Angeles Cascadian Hotel, Wenatchee 1960 Myron Calkins Cascadian Hotel, Wenatchee Leopold Hotel, Bellingham 1961 Peder Hemstead Olympic Hotel, Seattle Davenport Hotel, Spokane 1962 Jean L. Despain Commercial Hotel, Yakima Tyee Motor Inn, Tumwater 1963 W. E. Cameron Holiday Motor Hotel, Yakima Smitty s Pancake House, Pasco 1964 Herbert Higgins Alderbrook Inn, Union Aggie s Motel, Port Angeles 1965 Robert Anderson Cascadian Hotel, Wenatchee Holiday Inn, Spokane 1966 Dominic Roletto Tyee Motor Inn, Tumwater Renton Inn, Renton James Robertson, one of the founding members, died in 1961. In his honor, the Chapter established the James Robertson Award for Outstanding Service to the Chapter and to the Public Works profession. The first award was made posthumously to James Robertson in 1962. In the next four years, the honorees were Robert Anderson, George R. Fisher, Roy W. Morse, and Herbert C. Higgins. The young Chapter was also active on the national level. During its first ten years, three members were honored with the National Top Ten Public Works Leader of the Year Award: Roy W. Morse in 1960; William A. Bugge in 1961, and Walter F. Winter in 1965. Roy Morse and Myron Calkins went on to become National APWA presidents in 1965 and 1971, respectively. By the tenth year, the Chapter membership had grown to over 300, and the tradition of holding two statewide conferences each year was firmly established. References: Building Washington by Paul Dorpat and Genevieve McCoy; APWA Website www.apwa.net;
Washington State Chapter APWA Website www.apwa-wa.org.
APWA Chapter History Part II, 1967-1976 By Bob Moorhead, Chapter Historian Editor s Note: This is the second of five articles outlining the history of the Washington State Chapter during its 50 th Anniversary Year In its second decade, the Chapter continued to grow, both in numbers and in influence nationally as well as in Washington State. Membership reached 391 in January, 1968. Seven members of the Washington State Chapter became National Top Ten Public Works Leaders of the Year : Glen Yake (1968), Everett G. Henry (1969), Charles V. Gibbs (1971), Arthur E. Knutson (1973), George H. Andres (1974), J. Garth Anderson (1975), and Jean L. DeSpain (1976). In 1969, Charles V. Gibbs received the national Charles Walter Nichols Award for Environmental Excellence. Chester J. Woods was recognized nationally with the Harry S. Swearingen Award for service to APWA in 1974. Myron Calkins, chapter president in 1960-61, served as National President in 1970 after moving from Washington State to Kansas City, Missouri. Gilbert Schuster of Tacoma was serving as National President at the time of his death in 1974. Chapter Delegates in this decade included Chet Woods, Gilbert Schuster, and John Wardner. Serving as National Directors were Gilbert Schuster, Ken Meng, Dave Morris, and Jean DeSpain. Publications introduced or updated in this decade include a loose-leaf membership directory, Standard Specifications for Municipal Public Works Construction, and the Construction Manual for Municipal Public Works. The chapter boasted 24 active committees in 197. By 1976 attendance at the Spring Conference in Bellevue soared to 209, and to 167 at the Fall Conference in Wenatchee. Year President Spring Conference Fall Conference 1967 J. Garth Anderson Leopold Hotel, Bellingham Marcus Whitman Hotel, Walla Walla 1968 Chester J. Woods Monticello Hotel, Longview Chinook Hotel, Yakima 1969 Chester J. Woods Aggie s Motel, Port Angeles Ridpath Hotel, Spokane 1970 John B. Wardner Cosmopolitan Airtel, Portland Red Lion Hotel, Pasco 1971 Edwin Henken Cascadian Hotel, Wenatchee Evergreen Inn, Olympia 1972 Yoshio Kosai Aggie s Motel, Port Angeles Marcus Whitman Hotel, Walla Walla 1973 Joseph Thornton Holiday Inn, Yakima Leopold Hotel, Bellingham 1974 E. W. Kortnik The Quay, Vancouver Ridpath Hotel, Spokane 1975 David Morris Ocean Shores Convention Center Hanford House, Richland 1976 Pat Nevins Holiday Inn, Bellevue Thunderbird Hotel, Wenatchee Notes: (1) In 1969, the terms for chapter officers was changed to the calendar year, so Chester J. Woods served through December 1969. (2) Joseph Thornton died while serving as President in 1973, and Vice President E.W. Kortnik completed that term. References: Building Washington by Paul Dorpat and Genevieve McCoy; APWA Website www.apwa.net; Washington State Chapter APWA Website www.apwa-wa.org
APWA Chapter History Part III, 1977-1986 By Bob Moorhead, Chapter Historian This is the third of five articles outlining the history of the Washington State Chapter in its 50 th Anniversary Year The third decade of the Washington State Chapter saw continued growth in membership and increased participation in chapter activities. In 1977, with 34 active committees, President Phil Buswell decided to share the liaison duties among the ten members of the Board of Directors. Membership reached 684 in 1978 during the chapter s 22 nd year. Also in 1978, the national organization recognized the many contributions of Roy Morse, presenting him an Honorary Membership. Culminating with the presentation of their chapter banner, the Washington Chapter was instrumental in the formation of the Public Works Association of British Columbia (PWABC) as an affiliate of APWA in 1979. This international professional friendship has continued through the years, with joint board meetings from time to time, and joint conferences held in 1991, 1995, and 2003 on alternate sides of the border. June Rosenstreter was the first woman to be elected as President of the Washington State Chapter in 1982. She continued to serve APWA and became the first female president of the international organization in the fall of 1986. June was the manager of administrative services for the City of Vancouver during her active years with the Washington State Chapter. After retirement, she moved to the Astoria, Oregon, area and served as a County Commissioner and as a volunteer on various boards and committees. After developing its own Standard Specifications for Municipal Construction over a period of years, 1984 marked the first edition of the joint APWA-WSDOT Standard Specifications for Road, Bridge and Municipal Construction. This coordinated effort continues into the 21 st Century through the efforts of the chapter s Standards Specifications Committee. National awards continued to recognize the chapter and its members during this decade. Four members were named Top Ten Public Works Leaders of the Year (Paul Wiatrak in 1978, Pat Nivens in 1982, Allan Kimbel in 1984, and Richard Sandaas in 1986). The Harry S. Swearingen Award for service to the organization went to Dominic Roletto in 1979. The chapter was honored with the President s Plaque in four consecutive years, 1977-1980, and again in 1986. [On a personal note, I ve had the distinct pleasure of working for two of the chapter leaders of this decade: Al Kimbel at the City of Olympia, and Jerry Fay at the Transportation Improvement Board. Both served as Chapter Presidents, and both have been named Top Ten Public Works Leaders. Al signed me up with APWA in 1988, and my first real involvement in the chapter came when Al announced my interest in filling the vacant Membership Chair at the 1989 Spring Conference in Vancouver. Jerry Fay encouraged my participation as a chapter board member from 1994 to1997, as well as my service as a chapter officer from 2000 to 2004.] Year President Spring Conference Fall Conference 1977 Philip Buswell Sheraton Inn, Renton Town Plaza/Yakima Center 1978 Jan Rosholt Greenwood Inn, Olympia Black Angus, Walla Walla 1979 Allan Kimbel Holiday Inn, Bellingham Sheraton Inn, Spokane 1980 Ken Fujiki Hyatt House, King County Red Lion Inn, Pasco 1981 Lee Sphar The Quay, Vancouver (w/oregon) Hallmark Inn, Moses Lake 1982 June Rosenstreter Ocean Shores Inn, Ocean Shores Thunderbird Inn, Wenatchee 1983 Jerry Fay Red Lion Inn, Bellevue Thunderbird Inn, Wenatchee 1984 Warren Gonnason Ramada/Everett Pacific Hotel Cavanaugh s Inn, Spokane
1985 Jan Klippert Westwater Inn, Olympia Cavanaugh s Inn, Kennewick 1986 Jack Garner Sheraton Inn, Tacoma Coeur d Alene Resort (w/rocky Mtn.) References: Building Washington by Paul Dorpat and Genevieve McCoy; APWA Website www.apwa.net; Washington State Chapter APWA Website www.apwa-wa.org; Personal collection of Allan Kimbel; John Ostrowski.
APWA Chapter History Part IV, 1987-1996 By Bob Moorhead, Chapter Historian This is the fourth of five articles outlining the history of the Washington State Chapter in its 50 th Anniversary Year After just one woman served as President during the Chapter s first three decades, the fourth decade saw three women leaders ascend through the officer ranks to the Presidency: Edwina Carlson, Karen Brooks, and Gwenn Maxfield. It is also notable that of the ten presidents in this era, six are still active in the State or National organization. Chapter membership grew from 936 in 1989 to 1,052 in 1991. It has remained at about 1,100 ever since, making the Washington chapter the fifth largest of the 67 APWA chapters. Attendance at the conferences also grew, with such events as a tour of Hanford Works in the Fall of 1994 and a dinner cruise at Semiahmoo Resort in the Fall of 1995. Two joint conferences were held with the Oregon Chapter (1989 and 1993) in Vancouver and Portland, and two with the Public Works Association of British Columbia (1991 and 1995) in Penticton, British Columbia, and in Spokane. During this fourth decade, three Washington members were named national Top Ten Public Works Leaders: Donald LaBelle in 1987; Jerry Fay in 1992; and Jack Pittis in 1993. Three members won the national Meritorious Service Award: Tom Gibbs in 1991; Dick Warren in 1995; and Dale Poussier in 1996. Jerry Fay, president in 1983, was elected to APWA national Board of Directors in 1993, serving in that capacity until 1998. The Washington Chapter continued its coordination with the Washington State Department of Transportation in producing the Standard Specifications for Road, Bridge, and Municipal Construction in 1988, 1991, 1994, and 1996. In the 1988 edition, a separate APWA Amendments to Division I was published, denoting the contract administration differences of local agencies and WSDOT. In 1996, these provisions were incorporated in to the Standard Specifications as Division 1-99. Also in 1996, the manual was available in both English and Metric versions. In preparation for the Washington State Centennial in 1989, the chapter undertook the challenge of developing a history of public works in Washington. The proceeds from the sale of the book were to be dedicated to the Chapter s scholarship fund. No one could have imagined that this ambitious project would end up taking a dozen years to complete, but the final result, Building Washington by Paul Dorpat and Genevieve McCoy, is a remarkable volume. (More on the book in our final installment.) [Editor s Note: Yes we have copies for sale.] On the national level, the Chapter s activities were recognized with the award of the President s Plaque at the International Congress in 1990 for its programs and activities in 1989. This was the eighth time the Washington Chapter had received the top award since its initiation in 1963. Year President Spring Conference Fall Conference 1987 Larry Southwick Nendel s, Bellingham Town Plaza, Yakima 1988 John Ostrowski Sheraton Inn, Renton Wenatchee Convention Center 1989 Richard Warren The Quay, Vancouver (w/oregon) Ridpath Hotel, Spokane 1990 Jack Pittis Red Lion Inn, Bellevue Red Lion Hanford House, Richland 1991 Edwina Carlson Sheraton Inn, Tacoma Penticton Conv. Centre (w/bc) 1992 Karen Brooks Sheraton Hotel, Seattle Quality Inn, Clarkston 1993 Dave Ford Red Lion/Portland (w/oregon) Cavanaugh s, Kennewick 1994 Dennis Covell Westwater Inn, Olympia Red Lion Inn, Pasco
1995 Gwenn Maxfield Inn at the Park, Spokane (w/bc) Inn at Semiahmoo, Blaine/Bellingham 1996 Craig Olson Meydenbauer Conv. Ctr. Bellevue Wenatchee Convention Center References: Building Washington by Paul Dorpat and Genevieve McCoy; APWA Website www.apwa.net; Washington State Chapter APWA Website www.apwa-wa.org.
APWA Chapter History Part V, 1997-2006 By Bob Moorhead, Chapter Historian This is the fifth of five articles outlining the history of the Washington State Chapter in its 50 th Anniversary Year During its latest ten years, the Washington State Chapter membership has stabilized at over 1,100 members, making it the fifth largest Chapter in the American Public Works Association. Attendance at the semiannual Chapter Conferences, however, has seen steady growth. For west side spring locations, attendance has risen from about 200 at Tukwila in 1997 to over 325 at Tacoma in 2005, and to a record 460 plus 70 vendors at the joint conference with the Oregon Chapter at Vancouver in 2006. Fall conferences on the east side have grown from about 175 at Wenatchee in 1998 to 275 in Yakima on 2005. The Chapter continues to be recognized by the National association for its many activities, programs, and member services. As of this writing, the Presidential Award for Chapter Excellence (PACE) has been bestowed for three consecutive years, 2002-2004, with the 2005 submittal due at Kansas City on June 1, 2006. Members recognized as Top Ten Public Works Leaders of the Year include Larry Southwick (1997), John Ostrowski (1988), John Trent (2001), and Roger Flint (2005). Several Washington State public works projects have won National awards over the years. During this decade, several members have served in national offices. Past chapter president Jerry Fay was installed as President of the American Public Works Association at the International Congress and Exposition in Denver in September 1999. Currently serving as the National Director for Transportation is our own John Okamoto. And past chapter president Jack Pittis served as Region IX National Director from 2002 until his untimely death in February 2006. In the fall of 1999, after more than a dozen years of effort, the Chapter published Building Washington, by Paul Dorpat and Genevieve McCoy. Profusely illustrated and with more than 400 pages on public works history in Washington State, the first edition also includes an additional one hundred pages of Chapter and sponsors histories. The project was initiated in 1987 as a way to commemorate the 100 th Anniversary of Washington statehood in 1989, but took ten years longer than anticipated! The long-term effort was spearheaded by past chapter presidents Jan Klippert and Dick Warren, with many volunteers contributing photographs, anecdotes, and proofreading skills over the years. A limited number of copies are still available from the Chapter or author Paul Dorpat. Under President Dick Andrews s leadership in 2002, the Chapter developed a Strategic Plan for its future. Each President since then has taken the lead on two or three aspects of the Strategic Plan, and review and refinement of the Plan occurs annually. In 2003, the role of the Washington Chapter as a leading resource of public works information and knowledge was confirmed when Governor Gary Locke invited the Chapter to submit nominations for the Transportation Performance Audit Board, which had been created by the state legislature. One of our nominees, John Ostrowski, is now in his fourth year on the Board. Another Chapter member, Rich Perteet, served as the nominee of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Washington. This concludes the series of five articles on the history of the Washington State Chapter s first fifty years. There were only 23 charter Chapter members in 1955. Since that time, tens of thousands of public works professionals have been involved with the Chapter over the decades. Many have dedicated great efforts to the benefit of the Chapter, and many more have received great benefits from the Chapter s offerings. Let s start dedicating our collective energies for the benefit of our members and the profession for the next fifty years right now!
Year President Spring Conference Fall Conference 1997 Jerry Copeland Doubletree Suites, Tukwila Vancouver Red Lion/Columbia River (w/or) 1998 Gary Wheeler Sheraton Hotel, Tacoma Wenatchee Convention Center 1999 Carol Osborne Ocean Shores Convention Center Yakima Convention Center 2000 Mike Deason Wenatchee Convention Center Red Lion Hotel, Kelso 2001 Al Grieve Everett Pacific Hotel Marcus Whitman Hotel, Walla Walla 2002 Dick Andrews Skamania Lodge, Stevenson (w/or) Inn at the Park, Spokane 2003 Bob Moorhead Semiahmoo Resort, Blaine/Bellingham Penticton Convention. Centre (w/pwabc) 2004 Bill Goodwin Red Lion Hotel, Olympia Three Rivers Convention Center, Kennewick 2005 Dick McKinley Tacoma Convention Center Yakima Convention Center 2006 Katherine Claeys Vancouver Convention Center (w/or) Wenatchee Convention Center References: Building Washington by Paul Dorpat and Genevieve McCoy; APWA Website www.apwa.net; Washington State Chapter APWA Website www.apwa-wa.org.