Latest News on AIChE Move
Following is a letter from 2011 AIChE President, Maria Burka, on AIChE's upcoming move. The letter can also be downloaded.
September 29, 2011
Dear AIChE Member:
AIChE’s lease for its current office in New York is expiring in 2013.
For some time it’s been apparent that we will need to relocate our offices and, in fact, we’ve had a space planning team, composed of a number of volunteer leaders and staff, working on this issue. Additionally, while we’ve had discussions with “sister” organ-izations on possible combined solutions, they haven’t proved possible.
Earlier this year the Board of Directors commissioned a study by Quatt Associates, an independent consulting firm. We charged them with examining multiple locations as well as the option of remaining in the Greater New York area. The study found that the costs of a move from the New York area (with attendant severance, retention, recruit-ment and staff transition expenses) would be prohibitively high and could not be recouped any sooner than 2022, depending on the location selected.
With the Board focused in recent years on strengthening the Institute’s reserves, drawing them down so dramatically--with such long-term payback--is just not prudent. Additionally, the Board is sensitive to the potential disruptions to member services during staff transitions. Therefore, the Board of Directors has voted to seek new AIChE offices in the Greater New York area when the current leases expire.
The Board wants to assure you that only the best interests of the Institute and its members are at the heart of our decisions. We intend to be as transparent as possible about this move, so please look for additional information about this study, as well as progress reports on the relocation project, on AIChE’s website shortly after the annual meeting. If you would like to comment on the relocation, please write us at nyrelocation@aiche.org. We thank you for your feedback and appreciate your understanding and support.
