Dear SEAoO Members,

As I step into the role of President of the Structural Engineers Association of Ohio, I would like to begin by thanking Lara for her leadership and service as Past President. Her hard work and dedication have kept SEAoO on a strong and positive path, and I am grateful for the foundation she—along with the presidents before her—has built. I look forward to continuing the momentum she has helped establish.

I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to all of our board and committee members for their time, energy, and commitment to the organization. SEAoO’s success is made possible by the many volunteers who contribute behind the scenes, and their efforts do not go unnoticed.

As we look ahead, my goal is to continue strengthening our professional community and supporting technical excellence by providing valuable topics at the Annual Conference and our webinars. I am honored to serve as President and to work alongside such a dedicated group of professionals.

Thank you for your continued involvement and support. I look forward to a great year ahead.

Sincerely,
Abby Lehmenkuler

As I conclude my term as President of the Structural Engineers Association of Ohio (SEAoO), I want to express my sincere gratitude to our members, volunteers, and board for the opportunity to serve this community. It has been an honor to help guide the organization through a year centered on growth, engagement, and meaningful progress toward a more sustainable future for our profession.

A major focus of my presidency has been strengthening SEAoO’s leadership in sustainability for structural engineers. Together, we advanced conversations around low‑carbon design and continued building momentum around sustainable practice across Ohio. I’m proud of the strides we’ve made—and even more excited for what lies ahead as our Sustainable Design Committee continues expanding its impact.

Another highlight of this year was the successful rollout of our renewed conference location and new event app for the Annual Conference. These improvements enhanced the attendee experience and supported PDH tracking. Your positive feedback and enthusiastic participation made this transition more than worthwhile.

Throughout my term, I have been continually inspired by the dedication and talent within SEAoO. Encouraging greater member participation has been a priority, and I am thrilled to see so many new and returning voices stepping forward—volunteering, presenting, contributing to committees, and helping shape the future of our association.

Although my role as President is coming to a close, my commitment to SEAoO is not. I am excited to continue partnering with the SEAoO Sustainable Design Committee and contributing to the planning and execution of future Annual Conferences. There is much important work ahead, and I look forward to staying actively involved as we continue to elevate our profession and support one another.

Thank you again for the opportunity to serve, for your trust, and for the collaboration that made this year exceptional. It has been a privilege—and I can’t wait to see how SEAoO continues to grow.

With gratitude,
Lara Stroup

2026 is HERE and it is time to renew your membership! *Early Bird rates have been extended through January 31!

Please visit https://seaoo.org/ and log-in under the “Member Area”. Click “Renew Membership” on the lefthand side menu.

New to SEAoO or renewing as an associate member (see below)? Click on the "Join Now!" button at the top right of the page and fill out the application.

📢 Membership Dues Update for 2026

For the first time in over a decade, SEAoO will be adjusting membership dues to keep pace with rising costs from NCSEA and to continue delivering high‑quality education and networking opportunities.

2026 Membership Dues

Professional & General Members:  $70 before Jan. 31st, $80 after

Associate Members:   $40 before Jan. 31^st, $50 after Jan. 31^st (no increase)

Students:   Free

Associate Membership Update

To better support young engineers, Associate Membership has been extended from one year after graduation to the first five years after graduation (or until you pass the PE exam).

Membership Benefits

• Free access to SEAoO continuing education webinar events, including PDH certificates
• Reduced cost for the annual conference
• NCSEA membership (with additional benefits linked here)
• The lowest SEA membership dues in the region—neighboring states charge up to $195 annually!

👉 Renew this month and continue enjoying the benefits of SEAoO membership!

We’re excited to share a preview of upcoming webinar topics that are currently in development. Dates and registration details will be announced soon—please keep an eye out for future emails.

Upcoming Webinar Topics:

Additional details, including dates, times, and registration links, will be shared as each webinar is finalized.

We look forward to offering these sessions and hope you’ll plan to join us when registration opens.

Lifetime Achievement Award Nominations

We are looking for nominations for a deserving engineer for Lifetime Achievement in 2026.  If you know of a local SEAoO member who has made an impact on your community and helped advance the profession, please let us know at [email protected].  

Student chapters have been busy all of Fall 2025. 

The Basic Education Committee is pleased to announce the kick-off of the 2026 Education Awards.  This year will be an all-new, all-different format based on the feedback of young members.  Rather than the traditional written report, the 2026 Education Awards will be a video-recorded format allowing students the chance to generate visual content for their topics.  

Look out for the formal opening of the 2026 Education Awards coming at the beginning of February with a revamped application.  Students will need to formally apply for the scholarship in February and then complete the recording by the end of March.  All the details will follow soon. 

Join the SEI Sustainability Symposium — February 11, 2026

SEI will host its 2nd North American Structural Engineering Sustainability Symposium on February 11, 2026, from 12:00–3:30 PM EST. This free virtual event offers sessions on evolving sustainability policies, effective communication of low‑carbon design strategies, and the economics of sustainable practice—all aimed at helping engineers reduce the climate impact of structural systems. Register here: SEI's 2nd North American Structural Engineering Sustainability Symposium - Sustainability and Resilience

Come join SEAoO Young Members group by volunteering at the ASCE Central Ohio STEM Expo! ASCE Central Ohio STEM Expo is a free education outreach event for students in Kindergarten through 8th grade, featuring fun, interactive activities and exhibits within STEM. This year the event will take place at The Point at Otterbein University on Saturday, February 28th from 9:00am to 1:00pm. We are looking for volunteers for two time shifts: set-up @ 8:00am with expo from 9:00am to 11:00am & expo from 11:00am to 1:00pm with clean-up until 1:30pm. Please RSVP for a headcount, and email [email protected] for any questions.

Save the Date for the 2026 Annual Conference!

Mark your calendars for September 10 - 11, 2026 for our next statewide conference. We will be returning to the Blackwell at The Ohio State University based on a positive experience last year.

Have a topic or speaker suggestion or a project case study you would like to present? Contact [email protected] with your suggestions.