SAVE International® 49th Annual Conference
"SAVE at 50: Celebrating Our Past, Driving Future Value"
June 29 – July 2, 2009
Detroit, Michigan USA
Registration Information
Early Bird Discount
Register early and save! SAVE International® offers a discount on conference registrations received by the business office before 5:00 p.m. Friday, May 25, 2009. Registrations received afterward will not be discounted.
Registration for SAVE International's 49th Annual Conference is open.
Registration Types
SAVE International® offers the following types of conference registrations:
- SAVE International® Member: Members of SAVE International® and affiliate organizations enjoy a discounted registration fee. If you are not a member, you may join with your conference registration to take advantage of this preferred discount.
- Non-Member: Individuals who are not members of SAVE International® will receive full registration access and a one-year complimentary membership with payment of the non-member conference registration.
- Group: Businesses and organizations can send five employees for the price of four member registrations.
- Guest: Guest registration covers meal functions for friends and family members accompanying conference attendees.
- Module I: Individuals who attend the Module I basic certification training workshop need not register for the conference. The Module I registration fee includes the continental breakfasts, general assembly lunches, President’s Reception, Awards Banquet, Joint Social Event, and Government VM Conference.
- Government VM Conference: Individuals attending the SAVE 2009 Annual Conference are automatically admitted to the 2009 Government VM Conference. Paid registrations include the Joint Social Event on July 1. Registration is $150 for individuals who will attend the Government VM Conference ONLY.
Special Discounts
SAVE International® offers special discounts as follows:
- Sustaining corporate members receive one complimentary conference registration during the calendar year in which their memberships are paid.
- Affiliate member organizations receive one complimentary conference registration for an official representative of that organization.
- Engineering Society of Detroit: If you are a member of the Engineering Society of Detroit or other professional engineering association based in the State of Michigan, you may attend the SAVE 2009 Annual Conference at the SAVE member discount.
New members (since February, 2007) may redeem discount vouchers for $100 off conference registrations. Discount vouchers may be redeemed up to two years after joining SAVE International® and may only be used once.
Technical program speakers may redeem voucher discounts of $200 toward their conference registrations. Discount vouchers may only be redeemed for the conference dates indicated on the coupons.
Session moderators, forum panelists, and workshop instructors are not eligible for speaker discounts.
Families & Friends Policy
SAVE International® welcomes families and friends who accompany attendees. We invite them to enjoy the conference program. Attendees must register these guests. Admission is $300 for each guest accompanying an attendee and include the President’s Reception, Awards Banquet, and general assembly meals.
Deferred Payment Option
Those who register online may opt to have their credit card payments held until Monday, June 15, 2009.
Registation Policy
Full payment must accompany all conference and workshop registrations before they will be processed. SAVE International® accepts payment via cash, check, credit card (MasterCard, Visa, American Express), or wire transfer. Payment must be in United States currency. Make checks payable to SAVE International®. For wire transfer information, please contact the SAVE International® Business Office at (937) 224-7283 or at info@value-eng.org.
Conference and workshop registrations are generally processed within two business days of receipt by the business office. Should your payment be declined for any reason, your registration will be canceled immediately and the business office will mail you an invoice for the outstanding charges, plus a service charge of $75.
Confirmation of Registration
The society business office will send written receipts upon request for conference and workshop registrations.
SAVE International®’s web server automatically confirms successfully submitted conference and workshop registrations made online. If you register for the conference online and do not receive this electronic confirmation, then your registration was not successful. Please try again.
Please remember, no information delivery process is infallible. Glitches in technology and lost email unfortunately may cause some registrations not to be received by the business office. To confirm the receipt of your conference registration, please contact the business office at (937) 224-7283 or at info@value-eng.org.
Cancellation and Refund Policy
Conference, workshop, and other event cancellations must be received in writing to be eligible for a refund. SAVE International® assesses a $75.00 cancellation fee against all conference and workshop registrations canceled no later than May 25, 2009, even if the deferred payment option has been selected. No refunds will be given for any cancellations received after May 25, 2009.
Program Cancellations
In the event of a program cancellation involving a workshop or other optional event, SAVE International® will attempt to notify those registered for that event. Notices will offer to credit the event registration fee paid to another program event or refund the registration fee for that particular event. Program cancellations will be posted on the society’s conference details web page.
Hotel Information
Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center
Renaissance Center
Detroit, Michigan 48243 USA
Phone: 1-313-568-8000
Fax: 1-313-568-8146
Soaring 73 floors above the Detroit River, the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center is a premier city center hotel that rises to meet the needs of business, leisure and meeting guests alike. This downtown Detroit hotel’s location in the GM Renaissance Center provides guests with easy access to a variety of shops, restaurants and services. And its convenient connection to major downtown attractions by the city’s “People Mover” public transportation system makes this Detroit hotel an ideal location for meetings and events. Floor-to-ceiling windows and dramatic views highlight guest rooms that also feature Marriott s Revive® bedding, new 37 flat panel TVs and high-speed Internet access. The hotel’s downtown Detroit restaurant offers something for everyone in a contemporary atmosphere overlooking the Detroit River and Windsor, Canada.
Making Hotel Reservations
The Marriott Detroit offers SAVE International® 2009 Annual Conference attendees the discounted room rate of $139 per night, plus applicable state and local taxes.
Conference attendees are responsible for their own travel and lodging arrangements and expenses. To reserve a room at the Marriott Detroit at the group discount call toll-free at (800) 228-9290 (USA and Canada only) or dial (313) 568-8000.
Government Per Diem Reservations
The Marriott Detroit will only accept government per diem reservations through the SAVE International® Business Office. Government per diem rates apply only to United States residents who are currently employed by a municipal, state, or federal government agency. Call (937) 224-7283 or send your arrival and departure information to info@value-eng.org to reserve rooms at the government per diem rate. The government per diem rate is $105 per night, as of the contract date. All government per diem room requests must be received by the society business office no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on June 4, 2009.
Reservation Deadline
No discount room reservations will be accepted by the Marriott Detroit or SAVE International® after June 5, 2009.
Room Cancellations
Individuals may cancel their room without penalty up to 72 hours prior to check-in.
Hotel Check-in/Check-out
The hotel’s check-in time is 3:00 p.m. and check-out time is 11:00 a.m. If rooms are requested prior to check-in time, the hotel will make a reasonable effort to accommodate early arrivals.
Reimbursable Expenses
SAVE International® will reimburse lodging, meal, and travel expenses only for pre-conference and certification training course instructors, per the society’s Policy on Seminar Reimbursements. Technical program speakers, session moderators, and forum panelists are not eligible for reimbursement of lodging, meal, or travel expenses.
To request a copy of the society’s Policy on Seminar Reimbursements, please call the society business office at (937) 224-7283 or send an email message to info@value-eng.org.
Travel Information
The Marriott Detroit website offers detailed travel information online: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/maps/travel/dtwdt-detroit-marriott-at-the-renaissance-center/. The hotel does not provide shuttle service.
Customs Information
Visitors to the USA must show evidence of their country of residence. This is most easily accomplished with a passport. Citizens of some countries must obtain a temporary visa to enter the USA. Visitors should ask about visa requirements and valid travel documents at the American embassy, consulate, or mission in their home countries before departing.
If you are traveling with a minor child (less than 17 years old), you should carry identification, similar to that mentioned above, for each child; a letter of permission from the child’s parent or legal guardian when traveling with a child who is not legally your own; and, copies of legal documents regarding custody rights if you share custody.
Climate
June in Michigan is typically warm and humid with cool nights. Please remember that the hotel meeting rooms may be air conditioned and quite cool, so you may wish to bring a sweater or jacket.
Conference Attendee Benefits
Full registration to the SAVE International® Annual Conference includes a copy of the conference proceedings; admission to the President’s Reception, awards banquet, and attendee meals and refreshment breaks; and admission to conference technical sessions and forums and exhibits.
Guests
Are you bringing a guest to the conference? Guests may accompany attendees to the technical sessions; however, separate admission tickets must be purchased if your guest wishes to accompany you to the President’s Reception, awards banquet, or other optional event.
Special Meal Requests
The Detroit Marriott will make every reasonable attempt to accommodate dietary restrictions when plated meals are served. If you have diabetic, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, or other special dietary requirement, please notify in writing the SAVE International® Business Office no later than May 7, 2009.
Special Assistance
SAVE International® will be pleased to assist you with any special needs. Conference attendees requiring special assistance are asked to notify the business office in writing prior to May 7, 2009, so that their needs may be properly accommodated.
Dress Code
Business casual attire (shirt, slacks for men; skirt or slacks for women) is recommended for conference sessions, workshops, and the President’s Reception. Attire for the awards banquet is generally more formal.
Conference Forums
Don’t miss out on the 2009 conference forums! Conference forums offer interactive panel discussions on topics of interest.
Affiliates Forum (June 29): The Affiliates Forum features state of progress reports, highlighting the achievements and challenges, of the society’s affiliate members. All SAVE members are encouraged to participate for this update on VM endeavors around the world.
Certification Forum (June 29): The Certification Forum theme is “Roadmap from AVS to CVS”. The forum discussion will include ideas on encouraging and mentoring others through the certification process, as well as helping Associate Value Specialists help themselves. Certification Board directors will inform the audience on progress on certification and workshops. Changes and updates to program initiatives and policies will also be presented.
Construction Forum (June 30): SAVE International®’s close and continuing association with the Design-Build Institute of America will be highlighted. VP-Construction Stuart Sokoloff, PE, will lead the discussion on successfully integrating VM with design-build.
Energy Forum (July 1): The Energy Forum will examine how the convergence of peaking petroleum production, energy cost, climate change and global energy security has impacted industry, how energy consumption is becoming a performance factor in design, and an attendee discussion on the role of the value methodology in improving energy performance.
Manufacturing Forum (July 2): VP-Manufacturing James D. Bolton, PE, CVS, PVM, will report on the advances made by VM in manufacturing, with a focus on the automotive industry. He will address the complementary nature of using VM with other popular quality and cost management tools, such as TRIZ, Taguchi, Lean, etc.
Membership Forum (June 30): VP-Membership Dan Fanning, PE, CVS, will report on areas of membership growth and address membership concerns, with a particular focus on member recruitment and retention. Participants will be solicited for ideas and commitments to help SAVE International® grow and remain vital.
Transportation Forum (June 30): This is the must-do forum for all government employees and value practitioners who work on public infrastructure projects. There will be brief overviews relative to value engineering programs at Virginia DOT and Florida DOT, the use of Qualitative Performance Measures, and application of a condensed study format. An interactive Q&A session with audience members will follow.
Exhibit & Sponsor Opportunities
You can support the educational and programmatic endeavors of SAVE International® through a conference sponsorship or exhibiting at the annual conference. SAVE International® offers increasing levels of recognition corresponding to increasing levels of support. Your generosity can be repaid in complimentary exhibit space, complimentary advertisement space, and printed, electronic, and verbal recognition.
There are two ways to commit your sponsorship or to reserve an exhibit space.
All exhibit space reservations and sponsorships received by the society business office will be acknowledged in writing.
SAVE International® greatly appreciates your generosity and your involvement in our 49th Annual Conference.
Conference Sponsors
Conference-wide Sponsor
SAVE International® Certification Board
Silver Sponsors
Value Management Strategies, Inc. (Program Advertisement)
Cascadia Chapter (July 1 Morning Networking Break)
Friends of SAVE International®
RH & Associates, Inc. (50th Anniversary Lapel Pins)
Emad Shublaq, Ph.D., CVS, CPEng., FIEAust., FASCE (50th Birthday Pens)
Pre-Conference Workshops
Module I Basic Certification Training Workshop
Saturday, June 27 through Wednesday, July 1
This 40-hour, introductory course is required for SAVE International® certification as an Associate Value Specialist (AVS), Value Methodology Practitioner (VMP), or Certified Value Specialist (CVS). Participants will learn the basics of the Value Methodology, as well as apply the VM methods to a project. Training session materials will include a workbook of course materials, example and blank forms, and reference materials. Each student will receive a certificate of completion.
The exam for AVS certification will be held at the conclusion of the course. Those who will take the exam must register for it on the registration form and remit the application fee, or submit a certification application and payment separately.
Attendees in this course are eligible to receive 40 Professional Development Units (PDU) in support of Project Management Institute’s (PMI) continuing certification requirements (CCR).
The Module I Training Workshop will be held concurrently with the SAVE International® Annual Conference. Registration for the Module I workshop will include the President’s Reception, continental breakfasts, general assembly lunches, Awards Banquet, Joint Social Event, and Government VM Conference.
Ginger R. Adams, CPF, CVS-Life, FSAVE is the primary instructor. She has more than 30 years experience managing and facilitating a variety of workshops and meetings. Michael S. Adams, NCARB, AIA, CSI, PP, CVS-Life, is the co-instructor. He has more than 40 years experience as an architect, planner, partnering facilitator, and certified value specialist.
Module II Advanced Certification Training Seminar
Saturday, June 27 through Monday, June 29
The Module II Advanced Certification Training Seminar is required for certification as a Certified Value Specialist (CVS). The 24-hour course is conducted by Les M. Thomas, PE, CVS-Life, who has served as the executive director for the SAVE Certification Board for the past six years. In this capacity, he has reviewed seminar workbooks and promises that this course will bring the best aspects of other courses, plus address those areas where emphasis is typically lacking. The course includes instruction on FAST diagramming. It concentrates on training students so that FAST diagramming is second nature by removing their fears and teaching simple techniques. Life cycle costing will also be emphasized. It is a key element of the value methodology and requires understanding for its proper application. Students will receive a computer program that takes the guesswork out of life cycle cost analysis.
This Module II seminar is basic, straightforward, and will keep everyone’s attention. Co-instructors are Randy Thomas, CVS, and Luis Venegas, PE, CVS-Life. Ms. Thomas is recently certified and has several years of experience assisting Les Thomas on value studies and workshops. Mr. Venegas is a past chairman of the SAVE Certification Board with many years of experience conducting workshops and leading value studies.
Individuals seeking to attend this course should note that Certification Board policy requires a minimum period of six months between participation in the Module I workshop and Module II seminar.
Choosing by Advantages: The Cornerstone Principles of Sound Decisionmaking
Sunday, June 28
Decades of research led to the discovery that sound methods of decisionmaking do not base decisions on the importance of factors, criteria, goals, roles, objectives, categories, attributes, advantages and disadvantages, or pros and cons. Instead, sound methods base decisions on the importance of advantages.
Choosing by Advantages is a decisionmaking system. The CBA system includes a wide variety of decisionmaking tools, techniques, and methods—sharing just one set of definitions, principles, and models. Because CBA is a system (not a collection of methods) and because the CBA methods are sound methods, CBA greatly simplifies sound decisionmaking.
This one-day introduction will present the basic definitions, principles, and methods of CBA. It will also briefly present the history of how the CBA system was developed during the past three centuries. It will introduce the sound tools, techniques, and methods that set CBA apart from decisionmaking approaches in wide use today, and will outline how CBA and the value analysis are mutually supportive.
Primary instructor Michael S. Adams, AIA, PP, CVS-Life is an architect and planner and is the principal in the firm of Enlign Consultants, Fort Collins, CO. He has training certificates in Sound Decisionmaking, Congruent Decisionmaking, and Facilitating the CBA Process and has written extensively on the integration of CBA and VA.
Co-instructor Jim Suhr has a degree in civil engineering from Utah State University. His graduate studies in economics, ecology, and organizational behavior helped him to develop the CBA system. He is the president of the Institute for Decision Innovations. Suhr is the author of the book The Choosing By Advantages Decisionmaking System.
Getting Comfortable with FAST
Sunday, June 28
Function Analysis System Technique (FAST) is a powerful function mapping and modeling tool that clearly identifies both the basic and supporting functions of a process, product, or project for use in creative problem solving. Using only active verbs and measurable nouns to describe these functions and then mapping or modeling them in a progressive and precedent logical graph enables and enhances the communication and creative problem solving for a multi-disciplined team.
This one-day workshop will help the practitioner learn the basics of FAST and what it can accomplish (its functions and benefits). We will review the history and evolutionary development of FAST through the years. We’ll discuss how value is related to function, and how other attributes may impact the logic model. Participants will learn the basics of various types of FAST diagramming, as well as the principles for using it, and will learn how to apply the knowledge gleaned from the diagram to apply to creative problem solving.
This workshop will begin with lecture. The second half of the day will be constructing and analyzing FAST models.
Course instructor Bruce L. Lenzer, CVS Life, FSAVE, CQM, is the executive in charge of quality assurance, contractor assurance, and continuous improvement at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, VA. As president of his own company, Synergy Value Solutions, LLC, he has worked for the government and private sectors both nationally and internationally, constructing and analyzing FAST models. He has served SAVE International® in several capacities, including president, and is now serving as the Executive Director of the L.D. Miles Value Foundation, which is dedicated to preserving and promoting education of the Value Methodology worldwide.
Structured Brainstorming Using TRIZ
Sunday, June 28, through Monday, June 29
Most value engineering projects use FAST diagrams to reveal cause-and-effect in a system. Following this, traditional brainstorming methods are used to identify opportunities to improve system functioning. Traditional brainstorming is limited by the experiences of the participants in the room and is often plagued by psychological inertia.
This workshop will provide a structured approach to brainstorming that is based on the fundamentals of TRIZ.
TRIZ is the Russian acronym for Theory of Inventive Problem Solving. This theory is based on a 60-year study of over two million worldwide patents. The application of the fundamentals of TRIZ will be integrated into FAST diagrams. The benefit of this approach is to break down psychological inertia by applying a structured set of abstract solution principles to the functions resulting in more innovative ideas generated in less time.
Students should bring a laptop computer. Students may also bring a sample problem which they can work on in the second half of this workshop.
Primary instructor Pete Hanik, PE, AVS has a bachelor of science in chemical engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology and an MBA from the University of Chicago. He also co-authored a paper, titled “VE-TRIZ: A Technology Partnership,” with J. Jerry Kaufman, CVS-Life, FSAVE.
Co-instructor John Borza, PE, AVS, has a bachelor of science in electrical engineering and an MBA from the University of Michigan. He is a Pretium-certified TRIZ Master Black Belt.
Advanced FAST Modeling
Monday, June 29
FAST is a powerful mapping technique that models projects in function terms. It is an organized method for exploring complex products, processes and business systems re-engineering opportunities in a logical, step-by-step process. The FAST model displays the study project in function terms, addressing function dependencies which serve as the foundation for exploring the means to resolve the study issues. The language of FAST allows interdisciplinary teams to effectively communicate and resolve complex technical and managerial issues. This is an important feature since problems are rarely single dimensional.
As an active participant you will reinforce your knowledge of FAST, the intuitive logic principles that drives FAST and how to make practical use of this powerful process. You will learn FAST from its origin in the Fuzzy Problem Solving Technique, to Function Hierarchical Modeling, to Random Function Determination, and how these diverse techniques were molded into the Function Analysis System Technique. Most important, you will learn how to dimension FAST Models and use those models as an effective problem solving process. The lecture portion will include discussions of many real world examples and case studies. The one-day workshop will be equally divided into tutorial and hands-on application and assessment. Working in small teams you will progress from simple hardware examples, to a product evaluation, to a complex non-hardware abstract problem, using FAST to resolve the problem (opportunity) issues.
Advanced FAST Modeling will be taught by J. Jerry Kaufman, CVS-Life, FSAVE. Kaufman is a VM and SAVE pioneer who has taught many FAST courses and presented many papers over a distinguished career spanning several decades.
Quantitative Risk Analysis for Design & Construction
Monday, June 29, 2009
This course is designed to introduce value methodology practitioners, project managers and other professionals in the design and construction field to quantitative risk analysis. The specific approach that will be used is one currently used by several state departments of transportation utilizing MS Excel based templates. This is an excellent course for any level of experience regarding the application of quantitative risk methods to design and construction projects of any type and any size.
Quantitative Risk Analysis for Design & Construction directly complements VM as risk analysis is often performed in conjunction with it. VM is a natural approach to address risk response planning.
Participants will be furnished with a risk management handbook and a Microsoft Excel®-based risk analysis software. Participants are encouraged to bring a laptop computer installed with MS Excel® 2007 or later version.
Instructor Robert B. Stewart, CVS-Life, is a project management professional with over 20 years of experience in leading value studies and risk analysis workshops in the design and construction industry.
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