Hall and Wolfe named to CSI Distinguished Membership

At this year’s CONSTRUCT & the CSI Annual Convention, two longtime members will be elevated to Distinguished status. Dennis J. Hall, FCSI, Lifetime Member, CCS, CCCA, FAIA, and Sheldon Wolfe, RA, FCSI, CCS, CCCA, CSC, were voted by the Board of Directors to receive the Institute’s most prestigious honor. The title is conferred on individuals who have “performed distinguished services to the construction industry in fields of activity related to the purposes of CSI.”

Hall, a CSI member since 1984, was nominated by the Charlotte Chapter for his service to the construction industry through development of industry standards and practice tools, and for sharing knowledge that has educated the profession, improved communities, and advanced the construction industry.

Wolfe, a CSI member since 1987 and member of The Construction Specifier’s editorial advisory board, was nominated by the Minneapolis-St. Paul Chapter for a career dedicated to educating all members of the construction industry, and for his selfless commitment to the industry by serving in many leadership positions on all levels.

Ahead of the Distinguished Member ceremony (taking place September 8 in Austin, Texas, as part of the Honors & Awards event), we spoke briefly with both men.

The Construction Specifier: Congratulations! How did you find out you were to receive the honor?

Dennis Hall: I received a call from CSI President Lane Beougher advising me of the CSI Board of Director vote and congratulating me on the honor. I thanked him, and remembered making this same call to Dick Eustis, when I was CSI President. I told Lane I had the pleasure to lead some great CSI teams and I was accepting this award on behalf of all folks that made our accomplishments possible.

Sheldon Wolfe: I received a call from President Beougher on a weekend afternoon. When he said his name, I knew what the call was about—I don’t get many calls from presidents! I had been trying to not think about it, but I was surprised by my reaction; it isn’t often I can’t find words. I’ve seen a number of people receive Distinguished Membership. Most, if not all, said something about feeling humbled, but I didn’t grasp the full meaning until now.

TCS: What inspires you to get so involved with CSI? Why did you join?

DH: That’s easy! Working with great people who are really smart, happy to share their knowledge, and want to make a positive difference in the industry. It is the strong friendships and common goals that bind us together. Why did I join in the first place? My boss was CSI Charlotte Chapter president—he ‘suggested’ it. After attending my first CSI Convention, I felt this group had a lot to offer anyone who wanted to improve themself, but after getting appointed to a CSI national Committee, I was hooked.

SW: I joined CSI because my boss said it would be a good idea. (That was back in the day when any suggestion coming from the boss was tantamount to an order.) It wasn’t until later I learned my boss was one of the founding members of my chapter. Beyond that, two people were responsible for my continued membership and the beginning of my active involvement in CSI.

The first is Alana Griffith. When I went to my first chapter meeting, I knew only a couple of reps who were members. When the dinner bell rang, I felt like a stranger in a strange land. Alana, seeing my obvious lack of direction, asked me to join her and introduced me to other members at the table. Since then, I often have wondered what would have happened had she not done that. Would my first meeting have been my last?

The second was Doug Lingren, the local Dean of Specifiers, who was always ready to help with any question or problem. He also taught certification classes, and suggested I join the education committee. I was fortunate to know other local leaders who showed the value of active membership: John C. Anderson, Dale Moll, Gary Betts, and more. Whenever I start to feel that CSI is taking too much time I think of them, slap myself in the face, and tell myself to quit whining and get back to work.

TCS: What’s your relationship like with your local chapter, and with the larger institute itself?

DH: I just completed a three-year term as a member on the CSI Charlotte Foundation Board and several members and former members of my firm serve in leadership positions on the Chapter Board. It was the Charlotte Chapter that nominated me for this honor and that championed my advancement to Distinguished Member. In regard to the Institute, I currently serve as a CSI representative on the BSD Board of Directors, liaison to the ICC/ANSI A117.1 Committee, and as a member of the CSI Practice Guide Task Team. I’m also on the Institute’s 2017 AIA Contract Document Review Task Team.

SW: There’s a lot to be said about being the past-president or past-committee-chair. After the sometimes overwhelming effort that comes with being president or committee chair, it’s nice to relax, look at what’s going on, and offer advice without the pressure of being in charge. I’m still directly involved as a member of the Editorial Advisory Board, and I enjoy the feedback I get from my articles and blog posts, so I feel like I’m in touch with members and leaders at all levels.

TCS: What’s next for you?

DH: All my current CSI assignments have exciting work going on—there’s the new ANSI standard being completed later this year and the publication of the expanded CSI Project Delivery Practice Guide next year. BSD has recently hired a new CEO to replace the retiring Rob Dean and BSD has a very bright future. I have a few future projects/activities in mind, but they are still in the formation stages.

SW: Each year, the Chair of the Jury of Fellows makes some remark to the effect that FCSI stands for “Future Contributions and Service to the Institute”—in other words, becoming a Fellow doesn’t mean you’re done and you can quit. The same applies to Distinguished Membership; it’s a high honor but it’s not the pinnacle. There is more to be done and I’ll keep on keeping on.