Specifier's Share Group

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Author Message David Axt, AIA, CCS, CSI Senior Member Username: david_axt Post Number: 328 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 11:55 am:    How many of you specifiers meet outside of CSI to discuss technical information and discuss issues? Margaret G. Chewning CSI CCS Senior Member Username: presbspec Post Number: 26 Registered: 01-2003 Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 12:11 pm:    The only other discussion resource I have available to me is SCIP. Richard L Matteo Senior Member Username: rlmat Post Number: 45 Registered: 10-2003 Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 12:18 pm:    Orange County, CA has a "Specifier's Forum" that meets monthly and has no direct connection to the Orange County Chapter of CSI other than most of those who attend are members of the Chapter. Some are also members o SCIP. David Axt, AIA, CCS, CSI Senior Member Username: david_axt Post Number: 329 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 01:03 pm:    Puget Sound Chapter is trying to start a share group. Over the years, we have had several starts and stops. Hopefully this time we can keep the group going. We do have had a Friday lunch where a small group of CSI members meet at a local tavern. Many people did not like to attend this lunch because of the smoke, greasy food, and loud atmosphere. We invited anyone and everyone to join us. Therefore, we usually ended up talking about sports, celebrities, politics, and other nonjob realated stuff. With the share group, the idea is to be able to talk candidly about CSI, products, reps, and technical issues. I know there was a group of representatives in Honolulu that would regularly get together and talk about architects and give each other tips on upcoming projects, etc. BTW, I understand that Portland (Oregon) has a share group. John Regener, AIA, CCS, CCCA, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: john_regener Post Number: 172 Registered: 04-2002 Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 01:20 pm:    The Orange County (CA) "Specifiers Forum" is intentionally informal. We meet in the conference room of a local architectural firm and have pizza and soft drinks. $5 covers the cost. It doesn't require having a dinner meeting, electing officers, publishing a newsletter or spending money. It just requires showing up and contributing to the discussion. It also is implied that those who participate are willing to network and share information, such as example specifications and suggested resources. Criticism of product manufacturers and representatives, in our experience in Orange County, has not been important enough to discuss very often. When it is a matter of discussion, the consequences to the product manufacturer are severe and long-lasting. It's always a good idea to stay on the favorable side of specifiers. Product manufacturers who are involved and support CSI and SCIP activities build up long-lasting goodwill. David Axt, AIA, CCS, CSI Senior Member Username: david_axt Post Number: 330 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 01:38 pm:    John, We don't always criticize product reps. Sometimes we praise their efforts and recommend them to other specifiers. There are several good reps that I help "sell" to other professionals. John Bunzick, CCS, CCCA Senior Member Username: bunzick Post Number: 249 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 02:16 pm:    Here in Boston there has been a very informal specifiers lunch group for many, many years. After lying fallow for quite a few years, it has recently been resurected. No membership, no formality, no structure. We try to have a topic set up beforehand to discuss. It's by invitation, but is not really designed to exclude specifiers who are interested. It has been very useful to me in a number of ways. We also don't usually discuss reps, as I don't think that's perceived as a problem. Robert Swan (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 04:30 pm:    New Orleans has an informal monthly lunch meeting for specifiers - Specheads - started in '97 or '98. Believe Nashville and Memphis now have a similar program. Steven T. Lawrey, AIA, CSI, CCS, CCCA (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 01:38 pm:    There was talk of forming such a group in Philadelphia near the end of FY 2003-04. Time will tell if it has enough momentum to take hold. Phil Kabza Senior Member Username: phil_kabza Post Number: 58 Registered: 12-2002 Posted on Friday, August 20, 2004 - 11:25 am:    Charlotte has had such a group for about 6 years. It is comprised of CCS folks and others whose job is primarily specification related. It's a valuable time together, often followed by email exchanges during the month. Our topics are typically centered on practice liability and code issues. When Mr. Dennis Hall attends, we sometimes talk about that number thing he's been working on.