Archives

From the Desk of Lee Marrs, Volume 2, Issue 3

In our 25th year, we held our 24th Annual General Members’ Meeting on September 23, 2009. In 1984, our first year, we were too busy to have an annual meeting – and besides, we didn’t have any members!

This year our chair, Del Wendt with Oncor Electric Delivery, gave introductory remarks and then made 3 big announcements:

• Texas 811 – Beginning on January 1st of 2010, TESS will begin advertising as Texas 811. Through this effort, TESS will help to make the damage prevention message uniform across the US. In the New Year, Texas 811 will become the symbol of damage prevention in Texas. We join the one-call systems in Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, and others in this rebranding effort.
• Texas Damage Prevention Summit – The first annual Texas Damage Prevention Summit will be held the last week in February 2010 at the convention center in Mesquite, Texas. We’re bringing together industry experts and the practitioners of the art of excavating and damage prevention in this exciting Texas-style event. Highlights will include accredited training, technical sessions, and a locator rodeo featuring a challenge from the reigning Houston-area locating champion. Joe Berry with CenterPoint Energy is coordinating this locating throw-down.
• The 2009 Annual Meeting will be the last Annual Meeting held in September. Beginning in 2010, these get-togethers will be held in February, in conjunction with the Damage Prevention Summit. While this will mean the next meeting will be coming up shortly, the new date will allow the membership to receive financial and operational results closer to the end of the year. We anticipate that the TESS Golf Classic will remain an autumn event.

Speaking of the golf classic, due to the generosity of our sponsors and golfers, we raised over $21,000 for the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. This facility, located in Dallas, cares for Texas children with orthopedic conditions, and certain neurological and learning disorders. Since 1921, no patient family or insurance company has ever received a bill for services. Since the mid-90s when the TESS Golf Classic began supporting the hospital, we have raised nearly $125,000 for this very worthy institution.

We send our thanks to all of you who have responded so favorably to our magazine. We especially thank those who have supported our efforts through advertising with us. We are confident that sending the consistent message of working together to promote a safer Texas is the right thing to do.

Finally, I hope all of you had the happiest of holidays and look forward to working with you in the upcoming year. I look forward to seeing you at the Summit!