ASCE Technical Region Director Candidate Profiles

Max Porter

Max L. Porter, PE, Ph.D., Hon. M. ASCE, F. ACI, F. TMS, Parlm. Dipl. ASFE, has served as president of five professional organizations, including the Structural Engineering Institute.  He has served as a non-voting ASCE Executive Committee and Board Institute representative, chaired several ASCE committees, the ASCE codes and standards rules and policy committee and the Council of Institute Leaders for ASCE.

Dr. Porter is primary author, co-author or responsible committee chair/vice chair of 27 books or chapters of books, 117 refereed and 218 non-refereed publications.  He was PI of over 100 research projects and investigator on 17, totaling $10.5 million, and taught over 200 courses, national workshops and seminars. A professor of civil engineering at Iowa State University in Ames, IA, he has worked for the County of Los Angeles, and the American Bridge Division of U.S. Steel.  He has served as consultant to over 200 firms or individuals.

Candidate’s Statement:  Experience within the ASCE structure at many levels, as well as with many other societies and organizations, provides me with a unique background to represent the membership on the ASCE Board of Direction.  I have been fortunate to already have had appropriate experience in this area and can immediately be an effective representative. A challenge to ASCE is to continue to productively work with the institutes.  On the ASCE Board, I want to promote institute projects and activities; enhance the ASCE structure and growth; and continue to encourage civil engineering professional development and professional image.    Included in this promotion of projects are those that benefit this country’s infrastructure related to civil engineering and improve the ASCE Report Card. Therefore, I would sincerely appreciate your support to elect me as your Technical Region Director to the Board.

Thomas Rachford

Thomas M. Rachford, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE received BSCE and MSCE degrees from the University of Kentucky and a PhD degree from Stanford University.  He is Vice President and  Corporate Quality Officer for Gannett Fleming, Inc., a national engineering and planning firm headquartered in Camp Hill, PA.  He has been an active ASCE volunteer for over 30 years. He has chaired the Session Programs Committee and the Executive Committee for the former Environmental Engineering Division and the TAC Management Group D. He was a founding member of the EWRI and its first Treasurer.  He was an elected officer in the EWRI for four years, including a term as President during the 2003-2004 FY.  His ASCE national committee memberships have included the TAC Operations Task Committee, the TAC Planning Committee, the TAC Reorganization Task Committee, the Institute Task Force, the Council of Institute Leaders and, more recently, the CERF Reengineering Task Committee.

Candidate’s Statement: “…there must be a spirit of teamwork and cooperation and clear lines of communication between the ASCE Board of Direction and the Institute Boards of Governors. The Boards must work in harmony to benefit the profession and the Society, to develop products and services that are valued by members, and solve concerns, issues, and problems.” In simple terms, these words from the 2003 Report by the Task Committee on Institute Operating Procedures set the agenda for a Technical Region ASCE Board member … to facilitate the contribution of the Institutes as the primary technical arm of ASCE while balancing the Society’s overall mission and geographical interests.  Within this context, the Technical Region Directors must help set Society policy, be an agent for change, actively participate in strategic planning, engage in focused and relevant debate and help ASCE staff and member volunteers work agreeably and productively toward shared goals.