…from your Director Here we are once again with a new year filled with hope, dreams, goals and anticipation. Now that the holidays are behind us, it is time to get back to work...what am I saying? You have already done that; it is just me that is lagging behind, so I need to catch up with you. As you read this newsletter, pay particular attention to the President’s reports – Region 7 members know how to get things done! I am very proud of our members and your commitment to NAWIC and our communities. You are always a step ahead of me, keeping me challenged and for that I am grateful. Those fabulous “Versa-Undies Girls” in Tulsa are putting together a great program for our Annual Forum on April 24 & 25. They are a wealth of talent and imagination that will boggle your mind! In order to reap the full benefit of this event, plan on arriving on Thursday, April 23 because we have workshops scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. on Friday. Registration, sponsor forms, and more details will be mailed the first week of February. Remember we will be electing our 2009 -2011 Director at this Forum. Sandy Field with the Houston chapter declared her intention to run for Director at APC and she will represent us well. Of course, should you have an interest in running for this position, it is not too late to file the proper forms. Just let me know your intention and I will be happy to guide you through the process. Julia Campbell SPECIAL NOTE FROM PORT ARTHUR: We want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who contributed to the Hurricane Ike Disaster Relief Fund. We received $3,600 in cash and gift cards from all over the country. A committee met to decide how to distribute the funds. All the recipients have been contacted and most of the funds have been distributed. You have all been so generous and caring. So…a great big THANKS to all our NAWIC sisters from all of us in the Port Arthur-Golden Triangle Chapter #377. NAWIC CORE VALUES: BELIEVE in ourselves PERSEVERE with the strength of our convictions DARE to move into new horizons NAWIC CORE PURPOSE: To ENCHANCE the success of WOMEN in the Construction Industry

DATES TO REMEMBER: January

Ø 01 – Happy New Year!

Ø 05 – Deadline for Region newsletter articles

Ø 10 – Deadline to submit information requests to Director for Mid-Year Board Meeting

Ø 30 – Deadline to submit IRS 990 Certification Forms to NAWIC Office and Director

February

Ø 7 – NEF Testing

Ø 16 – IRS e-Postcard and return deadline

Ø 26 thru 28 – NAWIC Mid-Year Board Meeting, San Antonio

Ø Elect Forum Delegates

Ø Plan WIC Week activities

March

Ø 2 thru 7 – WIC Week

Ø 20 – Crystal Vision nominations due

Ø NAWIC Director Candidate forms due to NAWIC Exec VP Dede Hughes 30 days before Forum

April

Ø 24 & 25 - Region 7 Annual Forum, Tulsa

2009 NAWIC Annual Convention August 26 – 29 Phoenix, AZ 2010 NAWIC Annual Convention September 1 – 4 Louisville, KY 2011 NAWIC Annual Convention August 31 – September 4 St. Louis, MO ALWAYS

Ø Be courteous and mindful of commitments

REGION 7 CHAPTER PRESIDENTS

Austin #7 Laura Culin laura_culin@austinlumbercompany.com

Corpus Christi #4 Darlene Lee-Omana, CCA, CIT, CCRRC darlenedarlee@aol.com

Dallas #3 Tamara Crooks tcrooks1@aol.com

Fort Worth #1 Pat Meadors pat@quoin.org

Houston #3 Sandy Field sfield@cadencemcshane.com

Port Arthur-Golden Triangle #377 Betty Keith bskeith@bechtel.com

San Antonio #11 Jennifer Swinney, CIT, CDS jswinney@esc-safety.com

Tulsa #76 Joani Kelly jkelly@smallbuildingsystems.com

Waco #14 Ginger Ritchison ginger@centexagc.org

REGION 7 COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Construction Profession and Education Emilie Hins, Tulsa #76 hinshouse@sstelco.com

Membership Robynn Lehr, Fort Worth Chapter #1 rlehr@tsbyrne.com

PR/Marketing Becky Wynne, CDT, San Antonio Chapter #11 wynnewhite@aol.com

Safety & Health Jennifer Swinney, San Antonio Chapter #11 jswinney@esc-safety.com

Strategic Planning Gracie Narey, CIT, Fort Worth Chapter #1 gnarey@lantanacom.com

WIC Week Pat Briggs patbriggs@sbcglobal.net

REGION 7 NEF REPRESENTATIVES

CAD/Drafting Barbara Taylor, Corpus Christi #4 barbara@barcom.cc

Block Kids Tracey Hart, CIT, Fort Worth Chapter #1 thart@tsbyrne.com

Fundraiser Martha Simpson, San Antonio Chapter #11 mcsnawic@yahoo.com

Liaison Judy DeWeese, CIT, San Antonio Chapter #11 judenawic@aol.com

REGION 7 FUND COMMITTEE

Judy DeWeese, CIT, San Antonio Chapter #11 judenawic@aol.com

Ginger Ritchison, Waco Chapter #14 ginger@centexagc.org

Vickie Thompson, Corpus Christi Chapter #4 texwicvic@juno.com

NAWIC OFFICE Executive Vice President Dede Hughes Office/NAWIC Store Manager Theresa Price Bookkeeper Kate Bowling Website/IT Specialist Tim Elmore Membership Director Sandy Fite Membership Assistant Laurie McCullough Communication Director MistyHart Communication Assistant Michelle Milner Marketing Director Julie Lyssy Education Director VACANCY 2008-2009 NAWIC OFFICERS President Pat McDonald, CCA, CIT President Elect Robin Fulton-Meyer, CIT Vice President Debra Gregoire, CIT Secretary Judy DeWeese, CIT Treasurer Cindy Johnsen, CDS, CIT Immediate Past President Tamie Taylor, CDS, CDT, CIT

NAWIC COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Bylaws Tamie Taylor, CDS, CDT, CIT

Construction Profession and Education Jill Melancon

Finance Cindy Johnsen, CDS,CIT

Membership Antonette Walker

PR/Marketing Rebecca Wynne, CDT

Safety & Health Awareness Lisa Losness

Strategic Planning Christine Parsons, CDS, CIT

Parliamentarian Linda Young, CIT

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

: Austin Chapter #07

Alyxis Fuentes afuentes@clp.com

Brandie McBride brandie.mcbride@fsgl.com

Dee Woolf dwoolf@clp.com

Corpus Christi Chapter #4

Bonnie Zamora bonnie@coastalbendhb.com

Dallas Chapter #02

Courtney Emich courtneyemich@beckgroup.com

Kris Wright mwinc@koyote.com

Fort Worth Chapter #1

Cynthia Cox cyndy@blueskymechanical.com

Tina Roark tina.roark@hwy-tech.com

Houston Chapter #03

Lori Gallegos lori.gallegos@clarkconstruction.com

Katrell McNeil katrell.mcneil@rscrental.com

Marie Prince marie.prince@clarkconstruction.com

Jessica Rice Jessica.rice@clarkconstruction.com

Anne Sarofallyeng anne.sarofallyen@clarkconstruction.com

San Antonio Chapter #11

Kelly Rae Garrahy krgarrahy@wgyates.com

Deborah George freemanscott5140@sbcglobal.net

Alexandra O’Connell aoconnell@wgyates.com

Tulsa Chapter #76

Kendra Harlow kharlow@burnsmcd.com

We welcome each of you to NAWIC and hope you take advantage of the many benefits available to our members. Please feel free to contact any member should you have questions or comments.

AROUND THE REGION: Austin #7 – Laura Culin

Ø Focus on educational speakers

Ø Participating in various professional seminars, after hours socials, networking

Ø Plans for WIC Week are under way

Ø Recognition in local trade publications

Corpus Christi #4 – Darlene Lee-Omana

Ø January speaker is addressing Lien Laws

Ø Hosting Block Kids competition on January 20

Ø February program will be “Fix-It” presented by Home Depot

Ø Plans for WIC Week are in the works

Ø Recognition in local trade publications

Dallas #7 – Tamara Crooks

Ø Food drive during the Thanksgiving holidays generated thirty (30) bags of food as well as cash donations, delivered to North Dallas Shared Ministries

Ø Researching various fund raising opportunities

Ø Plans for WIC Week are in the works

Ø Recognition in local trade publications

Fort Worth #1 – Pat Meadors

Ø In addition to building a playhouse for CASA, plans are under way for a special joint project with CASA to raise Scholarship Funds

Ø Plans for WIC Week are well under way to include an Amazing Race, Scavenger Hunt, and luncheon for our chapter sponsors

Ø Participation in the Backpacks for Kids program with the Tarrant County Food Bank on February 11

Ø Recognition in local trade publications

Houston #3 – Sandy Field

Ø Our “Christmas for the Bridge” program was a huge success, providing toys, gifts, and donations for The Bridge

Ø Plans are under way for a room makeover for The Bride

Ø Hosting Block Kids competition on February 6

Ø WIC Week plans are under way with an Industry Appreciation Dinner to bring WIC Week to a close

Ø MAGIC Camp plans for a June event are ongoing

Ø Recognition in local trade publications

Port Arthur-Golden Triangle #377 – Betty Keith

Ø Business EXPO booth on January 22, hosted by the Port Arthur and Beaumont Chambers of Commerce

Ø WIC Week plans are under way

Ø Preliminary plans to participate in building a home with Habitat for Humanity of Jefferson County

Ø MAGIC Camp plans are under way with Lorinda Kirk as chairman of the committee

San Antonio #11 – Jennifer Swinney

Ø We had a successful Mystery Dinner Christmas party

Ø Donated cash, toys, food, clothing to our NAWIC Wounded Warriors project

Ø January meeting included an after Christmas gift exchange and a fun new member installation

Ø Hosting Block Kids competition in February

Ø WIC Week plans are under way

Ø Recognition in local trade publications

Tulsa #76 – Joani Kelly

Ø Donated educational toys, school supplies, office supplies to The Little Lighthouse, a developmental center for grade school students with special needs

Ø Introduced a “Member Spotlight” for our chapter newsletter

Ø We have secured a domain name for our Chapter Website – and, yes, we are pleased to join you in the current century!

Ø WIC Week plans are under way

Ø Plans for Annual Forum on April 24-25 are coming together

Ø Recognition in local trade publications

Waco #14 – Ginger Ritchison

Ø Our Christmas party was a success, with two guests

Ø January speaker will be Chip Thompson with Level One Technology, a telecommunications infrastructure company

Ø Block Kids contest will be coming up in February

Ø WIC Week plans are under way, including a proclamation from the City of Waco and an announcement in the AGC Newsletter

Ø Recognition in local trade publications

Candidates for National Office:

NAWIC is seeking qualified members to submit for candidacy for the national offices of President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. We encourage any member interested in a leadership role with NAWIC to apply. To obtain an application or to learn more about the guidelines and qualifications, go to www.nawic.org/images/document/memberforms/OfficerCandidateGuidelines . Qualified applicants must postmark their applications by February 1. All candidates will be verified and announced prior to February 15. REMINDERS:

Utilize the NAWIC website at www.nawic.org – there is a tremendous amount of information available to you with just a click of the mouse! Check out the following:

Ø Member information

Ø Chapter Officer Handbooks

Ø Committee Handbooks

Ø Programs In-A-Box

Ø Convention Information

Ø Magic Camp

Ø NEF

Caring… I would like to remind everyone to remember our friends and loved ones who are going through difficult times, no matter what the cause. We all know someone having health issues, financial problems, or the loss of a loved one and if we take a moment to let them know we care, it makes their world a little brighter. Let us never forget our brave men and women in the Armed Forces who put their lives on the line every day in order to preserve our safety and freedom. And to all our veterans, a heartfelt THANK YOU! …until next time, Best wishes and safe travels, Julia