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Jacobs is honored to begin his term as UCA Chair. The association's past chairs have done an outstanding job, setting a high bar for him to continue building upon. He would like to thank Mike Rispin for his diligent dedication. Mike completed his term of service on July 1.2025, concluding 11 years with the UCA. He will continue forward by leading their bid for the 2030 World Tunneling Congress. In addition to this leadership transition, they will also be welcoming a new SME Executive Director, Melissa Russell, as David Kanagy approaches his well-deserved retirement after more than 22 years in the position. The UCA is built on the efforts of volunteers. He encourages all their members to get involved and make the UCA their own. While he may be at the helm, it is the Executive Committee, the Conference Committee, and their many other volunteers who are the driving force behind the UCA. Transitions present valuable opportunities for all of them to reflect on their accomplishments, reassess their goals, and plan for the future.
I honored to begin my term as UCA Chair. The association's past chairs have done an outstanding job, setting a high bar for me to continue building upon. I would like to thank Mike Rispin for his diligent dedication. Mike completed his term of service on July 1,2025, concluding 11 years with the UCA. He will continue forward by leading our bid for the 2030 World Tunneling Congress. In addition to this leadership transition, we will also be welcoming a new SME Executive Director, Melissa Russell, as David Kanagy approaches his well-deserved retirement after more than 22 years in the position.
The UCA is built on the efforts of volunteers. I encourage all our members to get involved and make the UCA your own. While I may be at the helm, it is the Executive Committee, the Conference Committee, and our many other volunteers who are the driving force behind the UCA. Transitions present valuable opportunities for all of us to reflect on our accomplishments, reassess our goals, and plan for the future.
We have an exciting start ahead with many things to look forward to, including SME's update of its strategic plan. This update will provide us with the opportunity to reflect on our past accomplishments, validate our progress, and reassess our focus areas. As we move forward, we hope to incorporate the voices of all our members by gathering feedback through surveys.
In November, we will kick off our conference schedule with Cutting Edge, followed by the George Fox Conference in January 2026, and concluding with the North American Tunneling Conference (NAT) in June 2026. These conferences are phenomenal opportunities for professional development and industry engagement, and I strongly encourage your participation.
In addition to our regular conference lineup, we announced at the International Tunneling and Underground Space Association's (ITA) May 2025 meeting in Stockholm our intent to bid for hosting the 2030 World Tunneling Congress (WTC) in Miami. The UCA set the standard when it last hosted the WTC in conjunction with NAT in 2016, and we are eager to raise the bar again. Mike Rispin has graciously volunteered to lead our WTC Bid Committee in developing a winning proposal, which will be considered at the ITA's May meeting during WTC 2026.
On my end, I will be attending the SME Midyear Conference in September 2026, where I will present to the SME Board of Directors the UCA's accomplishments and future vision. This opportunity will broaden the Board's understanding of UCA activities and strengthen support for our budgeting needs.
In the broader construction world, innovation continues at a remarkable pace. The utilization of underground space for transportation, environmental, and energy solutions is growing at an unprecedented rate. The size, value, and complexity of these projects are also increasing. I cannot recall another period that has experienced such steady growth in our field. Just as one procurement is completed, another is advertised. To keep pace with these rapid expansions, we must continue to grow both our industry and our association by engaging the next generation. Supporting our younger colleagues and students means supporting the future of underground construction.
At the same time, we must recognize the importance of worklife balance, while also highlighting the profound rewards of advancing our society's infrastructure and environmental goals. These values are at the heart of the UCA's Workforce Development initiatives, a tall challenge, but one that we can collectively strive to meet.
I am deeply grateful to my mentors. Their guidance has shaped my professional and personal growth and helped me reach where I am today. Those who have had similar experiences know the value of mentorship. Each of us has a responsibility to mentor our younger members, and equally, if not more importantly, to guide students who are considering careers in the underground industry.
In closing, I urge you to get involved; participate, volunteer, and help grow our industry, which in turn will strengthen and grow our association.
Copyright Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc. 2025