TISP is changing in a way that engages the great opportunities we have to address critical infrastructure challenges as we continue to develop the concept of critical infrastructure resilience.
Recently, the baton of Secretariat of TISP was passed from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) to the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME). The SAME Board of Direction approved the incorporation of TISP as an organization within the SAME structure in August and the TISP Steering Committee was officially dissolved in September to enable a smooth transition.
Many thanks to ASCE for its superb support to TISP during the past seven years. We have come a long way since September 2001, evolving our organization and strategic plan as events such as the Homeland Security Act and hurricane Katrina continued to shape the nation's homeland security structures, priorities and doctrine. The publication of the TISP Regional Disaster Resilience Guide in June 2006 continues to be a significant accomplishment that embraces our all-hazard approach to homeland security. We are now well postured to move TISP forward as a key facilitator for high-level discussion of the concepts and strategies of disaster resilience, system approach and sector interdependencies with respect to the nation's critical infrastructure concerns. All these issues continue to emerge as high-level priorities for the next administration and Congress. Our initial focus will be on dams and levees, water, transportation, energy and national defense infrastructures.
I have agreed to stay on as TISP Chair through the transition process, and I have been working with Dr. Bob Wolff, SAME Executive Director, and other TISP leaders to develop an exciting program of future TISP activities.
Part of moving TISP forward will include initiating a series of quarterly forums addressing issues related to the nation's infrastructure and featuring panel discussions with a wide variety of leaders. You will find more details in this edition. I will provide more information on the TISP transition and upcoming activities in the next newsletter. For now, let me invite you to provide any insights or ideas you may have as we look forward to a very productive and engaging 2009!
