At this year’s Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) Annual Conference in Kansas City, Missouri, I was honored as the outgoing vice president of the ASFPM Foundation and named a Foundation Fellow. The foundation seeks and directs funds to help ASFPM meet its goals to support effective floodplain management. While the organizations are mutually supportive, the foundation is a separate entity. My appointment as a Foundation Fellow is for life and enables me to stay engaged and active with both organizations for years to come.
Foundation Fellows are recognized at the ASFPM annual meeting in Kansas City.
The Personal Impact
I have been an active member of ASFPM for the past 15 years and a part of its foundation for 14. These organizations have given me the opportunity to meet and work with passionate volunteers that put their heart into solving major flood-related issues and challenges that affect our country almost every single day. I’ve watched and learned as new policies have been conceptualized and developed, and witnessed the influence they’ve had—both large and small. I’m still learning as new problems arise and innovative solutions are proposed. Ultimately, I feel fortunate to reap the many benefits these groups have given me.
The Legacy
ASFPM aims to promote education, policies, and activities that mitigate current and future losses, costs, and human suffering caused by flooding, and to protect the natural and beneficial functions of floodplains—all without causing adverse impacts. In 1996, the foundation was developed to help raise money and support these initiatives. Dewberry engaged in the formation of the foundation and has continuously been involved with both organizations. We were the very first diamond donor to the foundation. I am the second Dewberry employee to be named a Foundation Fellow. Previously, Larry Olinger served as a president of the foundation and was later named Dewberry’s first Foundation Fellow. We’ve also had employees serve other roles, Jerry Sparks is the current secretary and a member of the Executive Board of Trustees, and Deb Mills is currently an associate. Beyond that, many Dewberry employees have been engaged with ASFPM, both the national organization and the numerous state chapters. We’re proud of our efforts to find better ways to prevent and mitigate the impact of flooding. It’s meaningful work that aims to minimize the intense damages communities may experience after a flood event.
The Value
Other than the obvious outright value both organizations bring in terms of addressing policy issues with floodplain management, they also serve as a forum to share information and generate discussions. The ASFPM Annual National Conference is recognized as the most important floodplain conference in the U.S., with more than 120 speakers and 1,200 participants. At this event, industry experts can network, share, and listen to presentations, and hold discussions on all aspects of floodplain management. ASFPM also offers a variety of continuing education resources and tools on both the state and national level. Additionally, it established the Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) program, which helps qualify individuals to address the issues surrounding floods. Currently, there are more than 13,000 CFMs nationally and 90 at Dewberry.
I’m excited to see where our involvement with these organizations may go. Even more so, I look forward to witnessing their policy and industry successes throughout the nation. By serving Dewberry, ASFPM, and the ASFPM Foundation, I have benefitted greatly on a personal and professional level. You can do the same by getting engaged with a local state chapter of ASFPM or volunteering to help with the foundation.
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