The Structural Engineers Association of Illinois (SEAOI) is a professional group of structural engineers in the state of Illinois

Illinois

Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

founded in 1965. SEAOI is part of the world wide Structural Engineers Association. Its purpose is to exchange information in structural engineering in Illinois. This association also seeks to reinforce rights in the Structural Engineering Acts. SEAOI holds many events which promotes the education of younger engineers and keep excellence in the profession. Events include either workshops and lectures, as well as various dinner meetings. Competitions are also set up in order to motivate professionals to strive in their careers.

History and Mission

SEAOI is a branch from SEA founded in Illinois in 1965. It was founded by the following practicing structural engineers: Frank Cooper, George Ellis, Nissim Eskenazi, Henry Miller, Ken Naslund, John Parmer, and Frank Wells, who was first president. The SEAOI was founded with the purpose to exchange information on structural engineering in Illinois and help achieve excellence either in practice or structural exams. The members of SEAOI set up an annual competition between structural engineering firms. Each firm was to submit a project, which was then judge by the SEAOI Board members. The winners were announced in the SEAOI Awards Banquet. A Structural Engineer Refresher Course was also instituted in order to aid the younger engineers prepare for the Structural Engineer examination. Both the course and the competition are still held presently. The SEAOI members also sought to improve and reinforce their rights in the Structural Engineering Act. Their first actions consisted of voicing their opinions building authorities that they should be able to design and work on in any construction project as long as it was within their professional training.

The mission of SEAOI can be summed up in the following list:

1. Ensure the Structural Engineering Act and its purpose.
2. Encourage structural engineering education and advance its sciences.
3. Enforce the honor and dignity of the profession.
4. Ensure public safety and needs.

Dinner Meetings

The Dinner Meetings are held in Cliff Dwellers Club in Chicago, every first Tuesday of the month. The purpose for the event is to exchange information through presentations of various firms' projects. This event is not held during June, July, or August, as they are summer months. Two out of the meetings during the year are replaced with lectures of the Structural Engineers Foundation Lectures.

Annual Awards Banquet

The Annual Awards Banquet is held annually in June. In this banquet, the winners of the Excellence in Structural Engineers competition are announced. Various firms enter construction projects, which are then judged by the Board members in May.

Seminars and Workshops

The seminars and workshops are held throughout the year in the Chicago area. The purpose for these events are to aid practicing engineers achieve the educational standards. This is an event that can last from 4 to 8 hours.

Annual Trade Show

The Annual Trade Show is an even for the public, where various companies give information and short presentations on their works. Held annually in January, the event lasts from 8 in the morning until noon.

Refresher Course

The Refresher Course are courses held during the winter months with the purpose of preparing candidates for the IL SE Exam.

Building Codes

This committee reviews and recommends new codes in structural engineering. The new recommendations consist of developments in the design specifications of structures.

Government Relations

This committee oversees the conditions of the Structural Engineers Act. Recommendations are made to ensure the integrity of the practices within this law.

Membership

The membership committee directs the membership list and publishes membership directory. It also has the mission to recruit more members from the structural engineer profession.

Public Relations

The public relations committee observes the needs and safety of the public. It is also the link between the public and the society, as it communicated with the media to ensure the public's satisfaction with the profession practices.

Young Engineers

This committee has the purpose to recruit young structural engineers in SEAOI. It also seeks to aid the younger engineers with preparing for the state license exam.

Disaster Response

The disaster response committee is in charge of training structural engineers in the case of a disaster due to either earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.