After 20 years of loyal and dedicated service, Jeanne Vogelzang has announced her retirement. She will step down as Executive Director of the National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA) effective June 30th. Fortunately, Jeanne will continue serving NCSEA until the 2016 NCSEA Summit in September. She will work from Orange Beach, Alabama, where she and her husband, Marc Barter, will reside. We are delighted that Jeanne and Marc will no longer have to endure the trials of a long-distance relationship, and will be together and surrounded by family while Jeanne pursues and enjoys more personal interests like scuba diving and becoming a sommelier.
Jeanne is well known as a tireless advocate and fearless fighter for what is best and right for the structural engineering profession and, more specifically, for the practicing consulting engineer. She was often heard saying “Consulting structural engineers work harder than anyone I know and seldom get the respect and financial reward they deserve.” While consulting structural engineers work diligently making a living, Jeanne works tenaciously, often behind the scenes, to make sure structural engineers and the structural engineering profession are well represented.
The late Gene Corley brought Jeanne to NCSEA. He knew her from her role as Structural Engineers Association of Illinois’s executive director and knew that she was the kind of person NCSEA needed. Hired in 1995, Jeanne took over a fledgling organization that had little to no financial foundation. Her first instruction to the NCSEA Board was to raise the sum of $12,000, her yearly salary, which they did by writing personal checks. She then proceeded to take the organization from 17 member associations to the 44 we have today. Jeanne has worked with every past president but one, Jim Cagley, the first. Moreover, while Jim had left the board before Jeanne’s tenure, he was always a strong supporter of her work, recognizing that she took very good care of his idea, NCSEA.
NCSEA needed a Negotiator
While reminiscing about Jeanne’s firm resolve to represent the best interests of the profession, Michael J. Tylk, S.E. (NCSEA President 2001-02), recalled, “Jeanne, by herself, walked into a very contentious meeting with a CEO, CFO, and two attorneys and came out of the meeting with everything NCSEA wanted plus some.”
William D. Bast, P.E., S.E. (NCSEA President 2009-10) concurs. He emphasized that “Jeanne is a very formidable negotiator – something we often heard about and were fortunate to experience firsthand!” He added that “She is the type of advisor any President would want in their cabinet or on their board – smart, confident, never afraid to stand up to anyone, honest, truthful, wise, and gracious. She was never a Yes Woman – she could agree with you one minute on one topic, and vociferously disagree with you the next minute on a subsequent topic, without batting an eye.”
NCSEA needed an Advocate
“Jeanne is exactly what NCSEA needed during our formative years,” said Ben Nelson, P.E., SECB (NCSEA President 2012-13). He continued, “She advocated for NCSEA in our profession as fiercely and professionally as NCSEA advocates for the practicing structural engineer.”
Jeanne’s determination was an essential characteristic and vital to the success of NCSEA, as noted by Emile Troup, P.E., SECB (NCSEA President 1998-99). He said, “Jeanne helped NCSEA weather some tough early years as we were trying to expand the member base and survive, grow the magazine, and justify NCSEA as THE organization to represent structural engineers through their local member organizations.”
NCSEA needed a Visionary
Sanjeev N. Shah, P.E., J.D. (NCSEA President 2002-03), when reflecting on Jeanne’s influence at Board meetings, said, “Jeanne Vogelzang, while the quietest one in a meeting, kept us on track by asking simple probing questions to keep us focused on what we were trying to achieve. Jeanne brought moments of levity and a whole lot of clarity into what, many times, would have become tedious (and yes, contentious) meetings.” He continued, “Though her title was Executive Director, she was more of a strategic advisor and facilitator.” He concluded by saying, “I learned a lot from Jeanne – be clear, be concise and, most importantly, walk the talk and have fun.”
Reflecting on Jeanne’s many contributions to NCSEA, Carrie Johnson, P.E., SECB (NCSEA President 2013-14) said that, “What strikes me is her passion for making NCSEA better. She constantly looked at things and thought ‘how could we do this better’ or ‘in what direction should we head in the future?’ Without Jeanne’s passion, NCSEA would not be where it is today.”
Brian Dekker, P.E., S.E. (NCSEA President 2015-16) said, “There is no doubt that she has contributed more to this organization than any other individual. She spent the last 20 years setting us up for the next 20 years of success.”
NCSEA needed a Leader and Confidante
James T. Slider, P.E. (NCSEA President 1997-98), referring to Jeanne, said that, “She was unflappable and always a lady. Jeanne is my friend, and I will always treasure that.”
Recalling his time serving with Jeanne, Greg Robinson, P.E. (NCSEA President 2006-07) said, “Jeanne worked tirelessly to return every call and email promptly. She worked way into the late evening hours and was back at work early the next morning. Jeanne, once given an idea, would act on it and carefully and methodically consider the options and implications. She always treated every idea with respect. It was that ability that allowed NCSEA to grow and become what it is today.” Greg summed up his impressions about Jeanne by stating, “No one has encouraged, inspired and challenged our profession more than Jeanne.”
NCSEA needed Jeanne
Jeanne came to NCSEA with impressive credentials. She is a licensed attorney, CPA, has an advanced degree in accounting and business management, and started her working career as a math teacher. At NCSEA, she worked as Executive Director, Chief Executive, Chief Financial Officer, Accountant, In-house Counsel, Program Marketer, Investment Advisor, Negotiator, and NCSEA‘s Spokesperson/Politician/Diplomat/Ambassador. She is the Chief Member Organization Liaison, Chief Committee Chair Liaison, and Entrepreneur and Champion of New Programs. During Jeanne’s 20 years of service, she handled all of NCSEA’s legal work. The organization never hired outside legal counsel for any reason. Also, Jeanne has served as Executive Director of the Structural Engineering Certification Board (SECB), NCSEA Media VP of Operations, and Executive Editor of STRUCTURE.
James Malley, P.E., S.E., SECB (NCSEA President 2010-11) summed up Jeanne’s tenure with NCSEA when he stated, “Jeanne has been the one constant throughout the history of NCSEA. Presidents and Board Members come and go, but Jeanne has been the thread that tied together the organization over the past twenty years. The continuity that she brought, with an institutional history, was critical to each year’s President and Board as NCSEA grew and developed.”
On behalf of all who have worked with Jeanne, I would like to express our most sincere gratitude and appreciation for her commitment to the improvement of the structural engineering profession and the continuous improvement of NCSEA into the fine organization it is today. Thank you, Jeanne, for your vision, passion, and devotion. We wish you all the best during your retirement.▪