Building Bridges: My Journey Continues... A Foundation for Our Success
Authors: Cobb Bill 
Published: February 2015

President's column

Have you visited SPE's website for technical resources or to participate in a Technical Interest Group? Attended a section meeting where an SPE Distinguished Lecturer spoke about a leading-edge technology? Did you know SPE provides scholarship programs that help more young people enter the industry, and educates the public about our industry and careers through the www.energy4me.org energy information website?

SPE provides all of these valuable services for members with the generous financial support of the SPE Foundation. Established in 1977, the SPE Foundation works to supplement SPE's normal funding capabilities to allow SPE to offer key programs that benefit members and the profession. Since that time, the Foundation has annually provided significant support for the very popular Distinguished Lecturer Program (now at some 400 presentations per year); scholarships and fellowships for undergraduate and graduate students; student programs like student-paper contests, student travel to SPE meetings, and the Ambassador Lecturer program; and energy education through Industry Ambassadors presentations, mini-grants to teachers for materials to be used in science classes, and the energy4me website. Additionally, the Foundation takes on major fund-raising activities, such as the effort in the early 1980s to construct the SPE building in Dallas and the campaign in 2002–05 that raised USD 6.5 million to expand and strengthen the capabilities of SPE.org.

The Foundation is composed of former SPE presidents. They have done an amazing job of managing and growing an endowment that befits a world-class professional organization. With our rapidly increasing membership and many new opportunities to enhance our members’ professional competence, we recognize that the time to fund the programs of the future is today. We're asking all SPE members to help make that future possible by giving a gift to the SPE Foundation General Endowment Fund through the "Moving Forward, Giving Back" initiative.

Many of our members may not be aware that the Foundation even exists, or may have the mistaken impression that the Foundation is only interested in major gifts from large corporations. The fact is, the Foundation welcomes all gifts, large or small, and individuals are encouraged to support this vital effort to provide programs that will serve this and future generations.

I urge you to consider making a gift now to the Foundation. Your gift to the SPE endowment fund will be gratefully received. Special recognition will be provided at SPE's Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition in September 2008 for those who donate, by 1 September, USD 100 to USD 1,000, and for those who give USD 1,000 to USD 10,000. Those who give USD 10,000 or more receive lifetime recognition as Omega Association members.

You can find out much more about the SPE Foundation, programs funded by the Foundation, and how you can participate at www.spe.org/giving (click on How To Give in the box on the left). You can help SPE move forward by giving back to the society and your profession.