Autumn greetings!!!

This is my first column as “Past Prez” of FHI. We are so pleased that our transition of both ownership and leadership has moved forward so smoothly. It is gratifying to see all our plans come to pass, particularly when we continue to hear that transition can be fraught with pitfalls. We are truly delighted to have made a seamless transition, free from pits and falls!

A few weeks ago, I was sitting in our conference room with books, reports, laptop and other paraphernalia spread all around me on the table. A client in our office for a meeting (you know who you are) poked his head in the door and said “I see retirement is going well, Ruth.”

No, I’m not retired. Far from it. But I am enjoying a new phase of work, focusing mainly on project work and taking a bit more time off. One of the things I greatly enjoy is seeing Susan and the rest of our management team rise so competently to the challenge of leading FHI. I feel proud that both my “babies” are launched and doing well (see photos below). We are also blessed with active and engaged staff who work hard to keep FHI in demand as a project partner by adding value to every project situation.

Two successful launches in the past few years!

My 25 year old son, Mike, and my 24 1/2 year-old company (ownership group shown)

Although I hate to see summer in my rearview mirror, I do love the energy of fall. There is lots of hustle and bustle around FHI. The past few years seem to be characterized by feast and famine--ups and downs--and this year is no exception. While 2010 was a successful year for us, 2011 got off to a very slow start. Maybe the same was true for you. But we’re delighted that our active workload picked up again this summer with a vengeance, and, despite lots of very iffy news on the economy, we have a lot of work in our pipeline. We do keep our fingers crossed, however, and remain cautious about the future, as the funding stream on both the federal side and for all our client states is so uncertain. We look on with interest (a vested interest!!) as some states make an attempt to solve budget issues (instead of using the smoke and mirror approach so common in recent years). Their level of success in doing this affects all of us in different ways. So, we watch with interest..and with our fingers crossed...

Stay tuned...


Innovative Planning - Better Communities
	From the (Past) Prez
In this Issue: From the (Past) Prez: Autumn Greetings! Renovating an Historic Bridge with a Very Unusual Name New Vision and Action Plan for Mohawk-Erie Corridor High Speed Field Work for High Speed Rail The Final Beam Is In! Gateway Community College Update Greater Connectivity in Norwalk, CT FHI Staff Notes	Autumn greetings!!! This is my first column as “Past Prez” of FHI. We are so pleased that our transition of both ownership and leadership has moved forward so smoothly. It is gratifying to see all our plans come to pass, particularly when we continue to hear that transition can be fraught with pitfalls. We are truly delighted to have made a seamless transition, free from pits and falls! A few weeks ago, I was sitting in our conference room with books, reports, laptop and other paraphernalia spread all around me on the table. A client in our office for a meeting (you know who you are) poked his head in the door and said “I see retirement is going well, Ruth.” No, I’m not retired. Far from it. But I am enjoying a new phase of work, focusing mainly on project work and taking a bit more time off. One of the things I greatly enjoy is seeing Susan and the rest of our management team rise so competently to the challenge of leading FHI. I feel proud that both my “babies” are launched and doing well (see photos below). We are also blessed with active and engaged staff who work hard to keep FHI in demand as a project partner by adding value to every project situation. Two successful launches in the past few years! My 25 year old son, Mike, and my 24 1/2 year-old company (ownership group shown) Although I hate to see summer in my rearview mirror, I do love the energy of fall. There is lots of hustle and bustle around FHI. The past few years seem to be characterized by feast and famine--ups and downs--and this year is no exception. While 2010 was a successful year for us, 2011 got off to a very slow start. Maybe the same was true for you. But we’re delighted that our active workload picked up again this summer with a vengeance, and, despite lots of very iffy news on the economy, we have a lot of work in our pipeline. We do keep our fingers crossed, however, and remain cautious about the future, as the funding stream on both the federal side and for all our client states is so uncertain. We look on with interest (a vested interest!!) as some states make an attempt to solve budget issues (instead of using the smoke and mirror approach so common in recent years). Their level of success in doing this affects all of us in different ways. So, we watch with interest..and with our fingers crossed... Stay tuned... Ruth