Construction Project Management Leaders Receive Recognition and Insight at the Meridian Systems User Conference
Technology-focused track sessions, customer case studies, and product demonstrations rounded out the 2009 program
FOLSOM, Calif. (May 29, 2009) – Meridian Systems, the Plan-Build-Operate technology solutions leader for project-based organizations, focused on the future of project management technology and honored construction industry leaders at its 12th annual user conference, which took place in Nashville, May 4-6. This annual customer gathering featured keynote speaker, Norbert W. Young, Jr., Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA) and president of McGraw-Hill Construction, and introduced Meridian’s Hall of Fame customer recognition program.
John Bodrozic, president of Meridian Systems, kicked off the conference by discussing three key factors that are driving strong adoption of construction project management and infrastructure lifecycle management solutions. For Architecture/Engineering/Construction (AEC) firms and capital project building owners, these factors include the resurgence of infrastructure, the federal stimulus package and increasing pressure on organizations to be more competitive.
Mr. Bodrozic’s keynote also spotlighted two new products, the Prolog® Oversight Pack and the Proliance® Government Stimulus Package software. These packs combine GSA schedule pricing with several value-added components that include collaboration tools and specialized reports to help contractors and public agencies meet the accountability requirements associated with The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (The Recovery Act).
Norbert Young highlighted areas for growth and discussed The Recovery Act as well. According to the most current data from www.recovery.gov, The Recovery Act has allocated approximately $130 billion for infrastructure, public building and energy grid construction projects, and although no funds were officially allocated for education construction, individual states are expected to allot funds for individual projects. Mr. Young also took an opportunity to discuss green building. Although it is only about two and a half percent of last year’s total construction ($29 billion of $1.2 trillion according to McGraw-Hill), LEED specifications are increasingly becoming prevalent in construction projects.
New to this year’s program was the Meridian Systems Hall of Fame customer recognition awards. The Hall of Fame program recognizes project-based organizations who are best-in-class when it comes to managing infrastructure-intensive capital building programs and construction projects. Each day, several Meridian customers were recognized and inducted into the Meridian Systems Hall of Fame. Inductees included: Adolfson & Peterson, Alberici Construction, Barton Malow, Costanza Builders, Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM), Haskell Company, Hunt Construction Group, Ryan Companies US Inc, Torcon, and The Weitz Company.
In addition, attendees received demonstrations of Meridian field solutions which included Prolog software working on a new Trimble® Yuma™ ruggedized tablet PC. This technology demonstration was enabled using the Prolog Connect Web Services platform.
More than eight case studies were presented from Meridian customers and partners, including Ontario Power Generation (OPG), Chevron Energy Solutions, Progress Energy and the electronic Project Management (ePM) implementation at the San Diego Regional Airport authority and the US General Services Administration Public Building Service.
Finally, the Meridian Systems User Conference featured the support and participation of several Meridian authorized partners as event sponsors:
- Platinum Sponsor: McGraw-Hill Construction’s Project Document Manager (PDM)
- Gold Sponsor: PSSGroup
- Silver Sponsor: The Cram Group
- Exhibitor Sponsors: American Reprographics Company, Construction Imaging Systems, Data Builder, Morpheus Technology Group, Trimble and Vela Systems
Attendees are invited to fill out a post conference survey and can receive materials from the conference by visiting: http://my.meridiansystems.com/infocenter09.
About Meridian Systems
Meridian Systems, a Trimble Company (NASDAQ: TRMB), is the Plan-Build-Operate technology solutions leader for project-based organizations (PBO2). Building owners, construction and engineering firms, and public agencies use Meridian software to effectively manage capital building programs and facility assets. Meridian offers construction project management and infrastructure lifecycle management solutions that reduce project costs and schedules across the plan-build-operate project lifecycle. To learn more about how project-based organizations are benefitting from Meridian solutions, download a user study from FMI by visiting: www.meridiansystems.com.
Meridian Contact
Tamara Kaestner, Marketing Programs Manager
(916) 294 2375,
tkaestner@meridiansystems.com
