ASHRAE REGION VIII

Director and Regional Chair's Message

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This will be my third and last year as your Director and Regional Chair. We all know that it has been difficult to meet in person the past two years due to Covid. But it seems that we have turned that corner and I hope to make it “out and about” more often.

Region VIII is blessed with very talented and dedicated volunteers who contribute many hours of time for the success and growth of our Region, as well as for ASHRAE worldwide. We have fifteen great Chapters (3 in Mexico, 2 each in Arkansas and Oklahoma, and 8 in Texas) and each Chapter has a rich history of performance for ASHRAE. You will find many of our regional members involved at all levels of the ASHRAE organization.
 

As we continue through the remainder of this 2022-2023 Society Year, many chapters continue to implement new ways of doing Chapter business and holding meetings. Many are going back to Face-to-Face meetings, but due to financial constraints some are continuing with hybrid and/or virtual meetings for the short term.  I know many are still doing virtual meetings for smaller needs like Board of Governor (BOG) meetings. Zoom and Teams meetings are efficient and viable methods of communication and will not go away ever again.
 

My MBO goals are the same for the Region this Society year of 2022-2023, and they are to assist Chapters in:

1. Increasing “Active and Diverse” membership.

    a) The main key is diversity! With diversity, equity and inclusion will follow.

2. Assuring each Chapter’s financial stability

    a) Financial stability of the Chapter, and being able to support your members first, is
        key to being able to help the Region, Society, and any/all others you desire.

3. Promoting each Chapter’s historical archives.

    a) Please remember and “document” your historical past.  And, as stated best by past
        DRC Leo Stambaugh, “Honor those who deserve to be Honored!”.

    b) If you have not done so, make sure you have a Chapter Historian(s) and an       

        Honors & Awards Committee Chair or Chairs.  

 

ASHRAE’s Annual Meeting just finished up in Toronto this past June. A new President Farooq Mehboob took over leadership on July 1st and has many goals for “securing our Future”.  All our Chapters should be reviewing their own goals for maintenance and securing its future, and their members futures as well.

 

Please start planning now to attend the Spring 2023 Chapter Regional Conference (CRC) in beautiful Monterrey Mexico on April 27, 28, and 29, 2023. The host Monterrey Chapter already has great events planned for all of us.  Even though Mexico does not require six months of validity on your passport, all foreigners, regardless of nationality, are required to present a valid and not expired passport or travel document when entering Mexico. Please ensure your passport is up to date. We want everyone to attend CRC and enjoy the hospitality of the Monterrey Chapter!
 

Finally, if you are not an active member, please become one! Active members are the life’s blood of ASHRAE. ASHRAE, and you, will get better with active members getting involved, volunteering time and resources all for worthy causes. 
 

Join our ASHRAE Region VIII family and increase your technical knowledge, expand your network connections, and grow both your career and your lifetime experiences.

Welcome to 2022-2023!
 

Let’s ride!
 

Respectfully,
 

Randy Schrecengost, DRC 2020-2023