The Student Professional Awareness Conference, or S-PAC, is a lecture series consisting of speaker presentations regarding different aspects of the engineering profession, such as career growth, working, ethics and social responsibility, self-management, public policy, and your role in the professional society.  The speakers explore subjects that affect your career and facilitate advancement for your approaching professional career.  Think you’re prepared?  Learn from varied experiences of successful engineers that will help you gain a more positive and informed outlook on expectations for your future.  The S-PAC will allow you to gain valuable management experience and self-confidence.

Questions and Comments

To register for this event or view the registration details and options please refer to the registration page.  Additional information about the S-PAC can be obtained at the registration desk at the conference.

SPAC speaker #1 - Lirel Holt, CEO U, Inc. will talk about Enterpreneurship.  www.poweredbyU.com

Why Aren’t More Engineers Entrepreneurs AND Billionaires?

 Lirel Holt promises to “shake you up!”    

He is President of the Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program, CEO of Unincorporated, an online training company with 15,000 client organization, the founder and former Chairman and CEO of CARSTAR Automotive which he grew to over 325 locations in the U.S. and Canada with sales of $375 million.  

Because of his work success and voluntary contributions related to automotive business, safety, environmental and automotive education, he was named "One of the Top 25 most influential Leaders of the 20th Century" in his segment of the automotive industry.  He is one of only four lifetime Chairmen Emeritus of ICAR, the largest technical training organization for standards of repair in the automotive industry.  Lirel has been an Inc. Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year, and has been profiled in numerous magazines (Inc) and on National Public Radios "Marketplace."

His current company was named one the Best Places To Work in Kansas City and was one of only three Kansas City area businesses nominated for the American Business Ethics Award and a national finalist.   U Inc. has offices in Overland Park, Kansas and Chennai, India.

With success as a serial entrepreneur Mr. Holt has promised to challenge and provoke the audience to consider their thoughts and ideas

Lirel Holt was Co-Chair of Entrepreneurship week in Kansas City, sponsored by Kaufmann, Starbucks, the New York Times and Inc. Magazine.  Personally, he loves cars and drives in open road races.  He is energized when discussing emerging information technology, mentoring and business. 

SPAC speaker #2 - Mitch Krysa, P.E. will talk about the Professional Engineer's Licensure.

Mitch has been practicing Engineering at Aquila since graduating from the University of Missouri – Rolla in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.  He served as a field Engineer responsible for electric, gas and water distribution including water filtration plant operations and one hydro power station.  Later he was responsible for all T & D engineering for Electric and Gas overseeing all Transmission, Substation and Distribution Engineering activities.  This made for an easy transition to performing audits and due diligence services for Aquila proposed acquisitions in Kansas, Colorado, New Zealand and Australia.  When FERC ordered the separation of Transmission and Merchant functions of Electric Utilities, Mitch moved over to design and placed into operation new generation control centers and new off system sales and transaction scheduling systems.  He currently is in IT at Aquila assisting with preparing for the utility to enter into new energy markets such as SPP, MISO, PJM and ERCOT.  Mitch passed the EIT exam in 1972 and became a registered Professional Engineer in the state of Missouri in 1976.  He has been a member of IEEE and the Missouri Society of Professional Engineers and the National Society of Professional Engineers since 1972 and currently serves as a Chapter Director and Program Chairman for the Western Chapter of the Missouri Society of Professional Engineers.  Mitch earned his Masters Degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia working through the UMKC engineering campus in 1991.  He has also been a NERC Certified System Operator. 

Presentation:

 Benefits of Professional Registration for Engineering Graduates

In the competitive world we live in today, each individual must do something to distinguish themselves and provide opportunities for their careers.  Professional registration is a key that can and does open doors.  The NCEES is responsible for overseeing the Fundamentals of Engineering and the Professional Engineers examination.  The presentation will describe information about the exams and the overall benefits for becoming registered.