American Council of Engineering Companies of Florida: How ACEC Florida Engineers Are Giving Back

The Florida Engineering Leadership Program

ACEC Florida, in conjunction with the Florida Engineering Society, administers the Florida Engineering Leadership Institute (FELI), a beacon of excellence, education and community engagement in the engineering profession.

Designed to transition engineering professionals into leaders within their communities, workplaces and the broader society, FELI offers a unique opportunity for engineers to develop and hone their leadership skills while giving back to the community.

The program’s structure is intentionally crafted to be immersive and hands-on. Over the course of 10 months, participants engage in a series of 6 sessions held in key cities across Florida, each focused on a different aspect of leadership. The comprehensive curriculum ensures that participants learn about leadership in theory and practice it in real-world scenarios.

Recognizing that engineers possess not only technical expertise but also the potential to make a significant impact on society, FELI’s creators developed the program to enhance leadership capabilities and provide a clear pathway for engineers to serve both their profession and their communities.

Each FELI Class engages in community projects as part of their leadership training to not only enhance their own careers but also contribute to the betterment of society. This instills a sense of responsibility and a commitment to giving back, ensuring that the leadership skills developed through FELI are used to benefit the broader community.

Ongoing initiatives serve as a shining example of how engineers can lead by example, giving back to the communities they help build and sustain. Most recently, the FELI Class of 2024:

• Promoted the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) STEM Outreach Solutions program across the state. This included partnering with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to purchase 100 STEM Outreach Boxes valued at $100,000. These “boxes” are hands-on educational modules geared towards introducing students to the diverse array of careers in transportation and infrastructure. This partnership is set to continue over the next five years.

• Raised over $140,000 and created an endowed fund to ensure teachers can attend training and refill box materials as required.

• Organized and participated in a Central Florida teacher training session to explain how the boxes can be incorporated into their curriculum.

• Attended Florida Construction Career Days to identify teachers across Florida interested in teaching STEM in the classroom.

• Fed the body and mind of the community by volunteering at food banks in Tallahassee, Orlando, Jacksonville, Miami and Tampa.

• Funded scholarships for public engineering employees to attend future FELI programs.

The FELI Class of 2023 raised $100,000 in contributions to support the Class’s chosen charitable programs –helping Hurricane Ian ravaged communities. The 2022 Class adopted two charitable programs – Sleep In Heavenly Peace, which helps ensure no child sleeps on the floor, and Feeding Florida, the food bank network of Florida – and raised $66,000 for them, and built about 100 bunk-beds.

FELI is more than just a professional development program; it is a catalyst for change. Through its focus on leadership, community service and networking, FELI is shaping the future of Florida’s communities by empowering engineers to take on leadership roles and make a positive impact.

As engineers transition from technical professionals to community leaders, they carry the lessons learned and the connections made through FELI. This ongoing commitment to leadership and service ensures that the benefits of FELI extend far beyond the individual participants, reaching into the heart of Florida’s communities and contributing to a brighter future for all.

Giving Back Through Philanthropy

Another way engineers give back is through philanthropic efforts in their local communities. ACEC Florida President Andy Lauzier is also a Senior Vice President at HDR, whose foundation provides grants throughout the year to local organizations making a difference in the communities where we work and live.

One such program is the All-Kids Bike program, a national movement led by the Strider Education Foundation to place learn-to-ride programs into PE classes at targeted public schools for free. The HDR Foundation just awarded a $324,000 Impact Grant to fund the successful learn-to-ride bike program at 36 schools during the 2024-2025 school year. Since 2022, the HDR Foundation now has granted $834,000 to bring the program to more than 100 schools across the U.S.

In Florida, HDR’s Pensacola Office provided bikes to students at Warrenton and Sherwood Elementary. The Tampa office sponsored Dubar Elementary and Woodson K-8, and the Tallahassee office sponsored Bond Elementary School.

Changing Lives Globally

Engineers have the power to change lives for the better, developing critical infrastructure projects that ensure people have everything from safe roads to clean water. We can make impacts here at home and across the globe.

Such is the goal for ACEC Florida Public Relations Committee Chair Rick V. Baldocchi, P.E., who works for ACEC Florida member firm AVCON and started Agua Viva Serves, Inc. (AVS), a non-profit organization dedicated to providing clean water and improving health conditions in Central America.

Working primarily in Costa Rica, AVS employs local staff in Costa Rica who are supported by mission teams from around the U.S. to install water wells and systems serving areas that do not have access to clean water. The group has completed over 100 wells and developed 7 full water systems that serve an estimated 1,200 residents in Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

For more information on AVS, please visit their website at avs.ngo or contact Rick at rvb9036@gmail.com.

The work done by engineers daily impacts the lives of many, and this organization is just one example of how ACEC Florida members are volunteering their time and resources to assist those in need.