More than 200 events planned for SteelDay

Chicago, Building on the success of 2009, this year’s SteelDay is expected to grow to more than 200 events. Planned for Sept. 24, 2010 and hosted by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) and its members, SteelDay is a national event featuring free networking and educational opportunities for the design and construction community. Last fall, more than 7,000 architects, engineers, contractors, owners, developers, and university faculty and students attended educational presentations and toured more than 170 different facilities in the U.S., including mills and fabrication shops where they saw advanced technologies in action. “It was a great opportunity for designers and others to see first-hand how the structural steel industry is building high-performance and sustainable projects,” explained Roger E. Ferch, P.E., AISC’s president. To ensure that people in major metropolitan areas have more convenient access to events this year, AISC and its members are offering special events in New York City, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. In Chicago, AISC is inviting industry professionals to cruise Chicago on SteelDay with a free boat cruise on the Chicago River. The tour includes lunch and networking while sailing past some of Chicago’s most famous steel framed buildings. The evening prior, AISC is welcoming guests into its headquarters to meet staff and receive an introduction on 2010 AISC publications in a seminar by AISC Vice President Charlie Carter, P.E., S.E., Ph.D. SteelDay 2010 has already received significant government involvement and recognition. Governor Pat Quinn of Illinois and Governor Mark Parkinson of Kansas have proclaimed September 24, 2010, as SteelDay in their respective states, acknowledging the critical role of structural steel in the country’s infrastructure, economy, and employment. In addition, several state and local government officials plan to attend SteelDay events on September 24.