Future Focus Task Force

Focuing On The Future

CHAA Background

CH2M HILL is remembered as one of the most influential firms in the environmental and infrastructure design and construction industry. Much of this legacy remains alive today through the former CH2M HILL staff who are actively engaged in the CH2M HILL Alumni Association (CHAA) and others who are continuing their careers within Jacobs and other similar firms. The CHAA has grown out of an effort to document and sustain the firm’s history and legacy. Our purpose is to preserve and expand the many relationships and friendships between former CH2M HILL employees, our clients, and industry organizations that were built over the years, to celebrate the firm’s commitment to build a better world, and to sustain the value of our legacy. 

Future Focus Task Force

Over the last several years, more and more of our members have joined the “Oldies but Goldies” club. The CHAA Board launched a Future Focus Task Force (FFTF) in 2023 to explore ways to make the legacy of CH2M HILL live on long after most of our current members have gone to their reward. Its two-year mission was to gather information from members on how best to create a lasting legacy, consider the options, and formulate strategies that can be implemented. Three primary paths forward emerged.

Regional Reunions, Gatherings, Fellowship

A major thrust of the FFTF this year has been to further nurture regional networking and gatherings. While numerous reunions uniting the entire organization have been held over the years, regional gatherings appear to have more traction with the current membership. They attract colleagues who worked together over the years, are alumni of many similar universities, and share more common ground than broader gatherings. One important outcome is that CHAA’s Regional Networks/Reunions Committee recently created a best practices document and an experienced member support team that will enable organizers to select from several successful models and avoid having to reinvent the wheel to recreate enjoyable events.

Pay It Forward Activities

The FFTF also identified the importance of recognizing and nurturing the good work alums are doing that fulfills the “build a better world” elements of our heritage. Both the accomplishments of individuals as well as those of groups of alums who join with industry and community projects merit celebration. 

Defining approaches for Inclusion of younger alumni who are still actively working within Jacobs and other organizations has been another key strategy.   Many of these younger alumni are also active in professional societies and industry organizations like Engineers In Action, Bridges to Prosperity, or Water for People.  Finding and creating synergy between retired and younger alumni towards Pay-it-Forward endeavors can be an important future path.

Legacy Gift Fund

During the remainder of 2024, the FFTF and several other alumni will be assisting the CHAA Board in completing the setup of the CHAA Legacy Gift Fund (LGF). Our goals are to create initial funding during 2024 and facilitate Board action in January 2025 to fully stand up and begin administering the Fund.   

A lot of details still need to be addressed and captured in a LGF Framework Guidance Document, including creating a clear vision, and governance, communication, fund raising, and operational details. A Board Committee is now established to chart a path forward to achieve our goal for legacy longevity and to develop and administer a Framework Guidance Document for the Fund. 

This will include a draft 3-year plan for evolving a more substantial fund in the future.  The Legacy Gift Fund will be entirely separate from the operating accounts of CHAA and will be dedicated solely to legacy-related activities. 

Preliminary thinking sets a first-year donation target amount of $15,000 to be raised by year end. These funds will then be allocated in 2025 to scholarships in College and University STEM pursuits and perhaps one project grant activity. The standing Board committee administer the Fund and report to the Board and donors.  As the graphic at the right indicates, as of October substantial donations to the Legacy Gift Fund have already accumulated, and significant additional pledges will be received from CHAA Board members.    As the Framework is developed, donations in any amount to  the Fund are vitally important and will be hugely appreciated!     Donations can be made by ..

• CH2M HILL Legacy Fund Single Donation.   Use this link to donate $10 or more in an amount of your choosing.  You can use the link multiple times – whenever you wish to donate,

CH2M HILL LEGACY FUND SINGLE DONATION

or

• CH2M HILL Legacy Fund Recurring Donation.  Use this link to set up a recurring MONTHLY donation.  The amount can be from $1 to $99 per month based on the “Quantity” selected – the default is a Quantity of 5 which yields a donation of $5 per month.  If you want to increase (or decrease) the monthly amount, look for the  quantity biller monthly in the lower left of the payment form that pops up when using the link and click the “v” down arrow and choose a “Quantity” from 1-99 to set the desired MONTHLY donation dollar amount. The transaction will be processed at the beginning of each month until cancelled,

CH2M HILL LEGACY FUND RECURRING DONATION

or

• Mailing a check made out to CH2M HILL Alumni Association, c/o Scott Trusler, 1003 Rangeview Dr., Black Hawk, CO  80422,

or 

• Donating via your individual charitable gift account (Such as Fidelity Charitable) and denoting our federal charity ID number 82-5325424, or 
• Making a tax-free distribution from your IRA account.  Our CHAA treasurer, Scott Trusler (ch2mhillaa.treasurer@gmail.com) will gladly help. 

Stay tuned for more information about the Legacy Gift Fund and CHAA’s efforts toward sustaining the good work of CH2M HILL.

What is the Future Focus Task Force?

What’s Our Future? How Can You Contribute?
It’s been a great ride!   We have surely made this a better world through the projects completed with our clients, innovations, and professional service.  During this ride, many strong and cherished friendships evolved amongst employees, family members and colleagues. But where do we go from here? To answer that question, a “Future Focus” Task Force is leading efforts to help define aspects of what CHAA members want our future to be, and to help forge that future working together with Board of Directors leadership.  This new segment on our web site will provide information about this initiative, and how individuals can be involved.

Future Focus Task Force (FFTF) Vision and Mission
The FFTF was convened in February. with guidance from Rick Luebbers to start with the foundation and concepts of the Association to date but with the directive to be creative going forward. Rick provided the following poignant statements in a document launching this task force:

“It is becoming increasingly clear that CHAA, as it is now configured, has a limited lifespan. We are at a turning point and need to decide if the future course is to continue current services to existing and potential CHAA members for as long as possible, and let the organization expire as comfortably as possible.  Or should CHAA change directions and begin to focus on relationships and activities beyond the current organization, with the goal of extending the future of CHAA, in some form, well into the future.

“It is proposed to initiate a Task Force to investigate options for growing beyond the current limits of CHAA. The vision is to share our CH2MHILL legacy more broadly and to facilitate a long-term future for the organization.  As the future of CHAA is re-envisioned, the goal is to make the organization more attractive to a wider range of people. In the process, we will have to revisit our current goals, mission, and value proposition. Membership in CHAA must provide some intrinsic value to current, and especially to prospective, members to remain viable over time.”

As a result, a team was formed to consider the possibilities for the CHAA’s future.

Overview
The following graphic, which morphed from the January brainstorming session, provides an overview of the task force’s focus and schedule.  The intent is to work closely with alumni association committees through which changes in our organization will ultimately flow, particularly the reunions/regional activates and membership committees.

Phase 1 – 2023
The initial thrust will be towards recognizing and nurturing Pay it Forward endeavors by alumni. Such activities can provide continued growth of our legacy, and most importantly enhance opportunities for purposeful sharing, communication, and nurturing. There is urgency in so doing as a part of sustaining our membership growth at this pivotal time.

Phase 2 – 2024
Activity extending into 2024 will focus on identifying organizations envisioned to endure beyond that of CHAA, within which CH2MHILL’s history and legacy might be sustained.

Future Focus – Living the Legacy and Paying It Forward
Included in Exhibit 1 is a sampling of examples wherein alumni have and/or are Paying it Forward. Their contributions include skills, knowledge, and wealth-sharing which in many cases can largely be attributed to their careers with CH2MHILL.

The purposes of this exhibit are to briefly recognize the amazing accomplishments already being achieved by alumni, to encourage other alumni to share their examples, and especially to inspire others to undertake similar endeavors. The intent is this exhibit will become a “living document”, updated periodically along with progress reports by the FFTF, and a permanent listing of Pay it Forward contributions by CHAA members.

CHAA Future Focus – Paying It Forward Examples

We hope that the individuals listed in the exhibit will eventually provide articles that provide more details of their activities, and enrich the educational and inspirational value. There are already a number of articles posted on our web site over years wherein alumni have shared in greater detail their Pay it Forward type endeavors. A link is provided to a listing of such articles, with coupled links to the articles. https://ch2mhillalumni.org/alumni-history/alumni-contributions/#proBono.

Future Focus Task Force Members
The current members of the Future Focus Task Force are presented in the table below, along with their roles, and email contact information. The membership reflects one of the task force’s early adopted tenets, to proactively start integrating the development of Pay it Forward aspects with other priority initiatives. These include sustaining membership and membership growth with an emphasis on regional bonds and activities as a valued part of our future.

The CHAA belongs to all of us and all of us can share in its mission. To get involved and contribute, contact any of our task force members.