SAE Newsletter – 2014-10 – Volume 4, Issue 4

Showcases the candidates and voting procedures for the upcoming SAE leadership term while exploring the vast economic potential of Afghanistan’s untapped mineral resources.

SAE Newsletter – October 2014, Volume 4, Issue 4, Mizan 1393

A QUARTERLY UPDATE FROM THE SOCIETY OF AFGHAN ENGINEERS
P.O. Box 11097 Alexandria, Virginia 22312 http://www.afghan-engineers.org/index.html

Dear Colleagues:

This issue of the SAE eNewsletter (newsletter) features the progress report regarding the election of the Society Officers (President and Board of Directors) for the years 2015-2017.

The Election Committee’s message regarding the voting ballot, list of the candidates and their biographies are included.

The SAE General Assembly will be held on Saturday, December 20, 2014. The meeting announcement is included. There are membership news, Afghan community news, and responses to our colleagues’ questions and comments.

We hope that you find this issue of the newsletter informative. Please contribute to your newsletter by sending us technical news, articles, comments, suggestions, questions, and opinions about SAE and this publication.

Very Truly Yours,
Ghulam Mujtaba
G. Mujtaba, MS-CE, P.E., CPM;
Editor-In-Chief, SAE eNewsletter

“This issue of the SAE eNewsletter (newsletter) features the progress report regarding the election of the Society Officers (President and Board of Directors) for the years 2015-2017.”

Inside This Issue

  • Greetings from SAE President
  • Responses to Readers’ Comments
  • Technical News from Afghanistan
  • Afghanistan’s Minerals
  • Afghan Professional Community News from Abroad
  • The 2014 SAE Annual General Assembly
  • The Society of Afghan Engineers’ 2014 Election
  • Membership News
  • New Members
  • Dr. M. Naser Omar Keshawrz’s Memoir

Greetings from the SAE President

Dear Members of the Society of Afghan Engineers:

The publication of this issue of newsletter is coinciding with a few major Afghan community events. Eid-ul-Adha (Eid-i-Qurban) celebration is on October 4, 2014. The Editorial Board of the SAE eNewsletter is wishing you and your respected families a joyful and blessed Eid.

The inauguration for the newly elected President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was on September 29, 2014. Dr. Ashraf Ghani swore as the new President. He will share power with Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, who will serve as his Chief Executive officer. On behalf of the Society of Afghan Engineers I congratulate Dr. Ashraf Ghani, Dr. Abdullah, their Deputies, and members of the cabinet for their election and appointments.

As we reported in the last issue of the newsletter, this year is the election year for the positions of the SAE President and 9 members of the Board of Directors. The Election Committee has received nominations for all vacant positions and has emailed the list of the candidates with their biographies to the SAE members within Afghanistan and abroad to vote for the candidates of their choices. I respectfully request all SAE Members to actively participate in the voting process.

Thanks to all of members who participated in the nomination process. Thanks to the Election Committee for their continued efforts in the accomplishment of this important task.

I am looking forward to talk to you during the SAE General Assembly of December 20, 2014.

Very Truly Yours,
Ghulam Mujtaba.
Ghulam Mujtaba, MS-CE, P.E., CPM; M.ASCE
President, the Society of Afghan Engineers

Responses to Readers’ Comments

Comments from Mr. Abdulrahimzai

Mr. Abdulrahimzai in his email of August 8, 2014 has sent the following questions/comments:

Dear Sir:
Hope you will be fine and doing well in your daily works.
Can you tell me that these 10 positions which are announced for SAE are from USA or from Afghanistan? From last one year I am member of SAE but I did not hear or saw any meeting between the members of this organization to share their thoughts.
There are a lot of organizations which are providing training of very simple courses to their members or to other engineers in free or with half fees, and there are lots of engineers who can do this and there are lots of way to do this.
Believe me I still don’t know that what SAE is doing for their members.

Thank You

Abdurahimzai
Ahmad Mushtaq Abdurahimzai
Phone No: +93(0) 700 607 398
Skype: mushtaq_ahmadi2006

Response to Mr. Abdulrahimzai

Note: the following email was sent to Mr. Abdulrahimzai in response to his inquiry.

Dear Mr. Abdulrahimzai:

We are fine and hoping that this finds you and other respected SAE members in Afghanistan in good health and spirit. It is a pleasure to receive questions, comments, and suggestions from our colleagues. In responses to your inquiry and suggestions, I offer the following:

  • The 10 vacant positions are for all professionals who are the members of the Society of Afghan Engineers (SAE), whether they are living in Afghanistan or abroad. It is essential that those elected members should be able to participate in the SAE activities. Board of Directors and Executive Committee members regularly meet by teleconferences and the participants should be able to voluntarily attend meetings and perform the required activities, as described in the SAE bylaws and Manual. Please let me know if you need SAE bylaws or Manual.
  • The Society activities, news, and technical articles are described in quarterly issues of the SAE eNewsletter. Your email address is in our distribution list. You should have received our quarterly newsletter. Please let me know if you have not received the quarterly newsletter. I will be pleased to send it to you.
  • In accordance with SAE bylaws the general assembly is held only once a year. The last SAE general assembly was held on January 18, 2014. The minutes of the meeting was issued on February 5, 2014. The attached document includes the minutes of the last meeting.
  • In the past years, since its inception, the SAE has provided the capacity building activities by training professionals, holding conferences, and offering lectures. We will continue to make efforts by providing trainings whenever we receive request from any agency that is in need of the required training.
  • The SAE has urged their members to provide lectures in the areas of their expertise whenever they travel to Afghanistan. A few devoted members have extended their travel times and have performed the required volunteer trainings during the times that they have traveled to Afghanistan.
  • We would like to know about the types courses that you are suggesting that SAE members should offer. Please let us know about means and methods of offering those courses.
  • It will take many pages of writings to provide you all details of SAE past activities. The future SAE activities depend on the number of volunteers who participate in the SAE committees/subcommittees, Board of Directors, Local Chapters, and Executive Committee. Also, the availability of budget is another factor in developmental activities of SAE. Each one of us should ask ourselves that what types of contributions we have provided to our Society. Hoping that you have got an idea about SAE activities.
  • Please let us know that how we can improve. Your suggestions and comments are valuable and impotent to us. Best regards, Ghulam Mujtaba, M.S, CE, P.E, CPM President, the Society of Afghan Engineers; Editor-In-Chief SAE eNewsletter

Comments from William H. Haight III PE

Vice President – Contingency Construction
Louis Berger

Mr. William Haight III, PE. Vice President-Contingency Construction of Louis Berger in his email of July 7, 2014 has requested the newsletter editor to add his name on the SAE eNewsletter subscription list. The editor thanked him for his interest in the newsletter. His name has been added on the list and also the July issue of newsletter was sent to him.

On his July 8, 2014 email he has written the following:

I look forward to catching up on developments with the engineering community in Afghanistan. I read the July newsletter – very interesting! I will also join as a contributing member.

By way of background, I was the Chief of Party for the USAID funded Afghanistan Infrastructure Rehabilitation Program in Kabul from 2010-2012. It included such projects as the Keshim-Fazabhad Road, Gardez-Khost Road, Rejak-Uruzgon Bridge, Bamyan-Dushi Road Design, the Afghan Wide Roads O&M (over 1500km), and many others (these were just the ones active when I was COP). Speaking of O&M, I’d be very interested to see the tender mentioned in your July newsletter that was sent out for local procurement by USAID. LBG was the last USAID funded O&M provider in Afghanistan under the AIRP Task Order 14 project that ended in October, 2011. A replacement effort has been a long time coming, and I’m quite curious to see what they’re trying to accomplish with this new effort. Any possibility you can send it to me?

Many thanks,

v/r, Bill

William H. Haight III PE
Vice President | Contingency Construction

Editor’s Response:

The newsletter Editor thanked Mr. Haight for the email and comment about newsletter. We are pleased to know that he will join us as a contributor member of newsletter by sending us his articles.

The Editor also sent him the tender mentioned in July issue of newsletter regarding USAID’s procurement.

It should be noted that Mr. Haight applied for SAE membership. The Society of Afghan Engineers is pleased that he joined the team with the intent to help in the reconstruction activities of Afghanistan.

Technical News from Afghanistan

This issue of the newsletter includes news about Afghanistan’s minerals:

Afghanistan’s Minerals

Mr. Charles Q. Choi of Live Science has written an article about Afghanistan mines. In his article he has mentioned that “Afghanistan may be sitting on one of the richest troves of minerals in the world, valued at nearly $1 trillion, according to U.S. scientists.” He has provided the article based on the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

He has added that “Afghanistan may hold 60 million tons of copper, 2.2 billion tons of iron ore, 1.4 million tons of rare earth elements such as lanthanum, cerium and neodymium, and lodes of aluminum, gold, silver, zinc, mercury and lithium. For instance, the Khanneshin carbonatite deposit in Afghanistan’s Helmand province is valued at $89 billion, full as it is with rare earth elements.”

The details of his article may be viewed at the following web link:
http://shar.es/11JRW2
http://www.sharethis.com

Afghan Professional Community News from Abroad

The Afghan professional community news and other topics of interest from abroad are as follows:

The 2014 SAE Annual General Assembly

The following is the President’s message regarding the SAE General Assembly:

Dear Respected Members of the Society of Afghan Engineers (SAE): Us-Salam Alaikum and Greetings

The annual General Assembly of SAE members will be held by teleconference from 1:00- 3:00 PM EST on Saturday, December 20, 2014. During the General Assembly, there will presentations, reports, discussions, and questions/answers.

The following are the telephone number and access code of the teleconference.

Teleconference Phone Number: 1 (605) 475-5900
Code No. 323805

The meeting agenda will be sent separately at later date. The SAE Executive Committee, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Board Members, Committee/Subcommittee Chairpersons, and the Coordinators of Local Chapters will present their activity reports during the General Assembly.

During this meeting the Election Committee will provide the report of their activities. The newly elected President and Board of Directors will be introduced.

Subsequent to the presentations and reports, the attendees will find chance to ask questions and present their comments related to the development and future activities of the Society.

Please inform the President by November 30, 2014 if you are planning to attend the teleconference. The list of meeting attendees along with agenda will be sent prior to the general assembly. The members of Local SAE Chapters may decide to have their gathering in one location and participate in the teleconference by speaker phone.

If you have any questions or agenda item, please email it to the President. He will compile the agenda/questions and present them during the General Assembly. The SAE President will also respond to the questions or refer them to the presenters, responsible SAE officers, Local Chapter coordinators, Committee/subcommittee chairpersons, or any other Society members.

We are looking forward to the receipt of your email regarding your attendance in the teleconference.

Please advise if there are any questions.

Best regard,

Ghulam Mujtaba, M.S, CE, P.E, CPM
President, the Society of Afghan Engineers
Editor-In-Chief SAE eNewsletter
Phone: (352) 377-5497
E-Mail: mujtabaghulam@bellsouth.net

The Society of Afghan Engineers’ 2014 Election

The Society of Afghan Engineers will elect their President and 9 members of the Board of Directors in 2014. The newly elected members will start their work on January 1, 2015 and continue until December 31, 2017. The election committee will supervise the election process. The results of the election will be announced by December 15, 2014.

There are 10 candidates for the vacant positions. Mr. Amir Shah Zahori, the Chairman of the Election Committee has sent the voting ballot to President. Mr. Luis Durani, the SAE Secretary has forwarded the President’s email along with the Election Committee’s voting ballot to all SAE members.

The following are the SAE President’s message and Mr. Zahori’s email of October 1, 2014 related to the voting ballot:

President’s Email Message of October 1, 2014

Dear Members of the Society of Afghan Engineers (SAE): Asalam-U-Alaikum- EID MUBARAK

First of all I am wishing you, your respected families, and friends a happy Eid -ul-Adha (Eid Qurban).

In accordance with the SAE Bylaws, the Election Committee has reviewed the eligibility of the candidates for the positions of the President and 9 members of the Board of Directors. Accordingly, they have prepared the list of the eligible candidates, their resumes, and voting ballot.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Election Committee for their valuable work in the accomplishment of this activity.

Please complete the attached one- page voting ballot; and upon completion of the form email it to all members of the Election Committee. Your cooperation in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for the time that you will take to participate in the election process by voting for the candidates of your choice.

Best regards,
Ghulam Mujtaba, M.S, CE, P.E, CPM
President, the Society of Afghan Engineers

Email from Sayed A. Zahori, Chairman of the Election Committee (October 1, 2014)

Dear Colleagues Salam,

Please see the final list of candidates for the positions of the President and nine members of the Board of Directors. Also, the biographies of the candidates and voting ballot are included with this email. The list is arranged in alphabetical order.

One member has been nominated for the President’s position and nine members for nine Board of Directors’ positions. If elected, they will serve their term from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2017. The biographies of the nominees are included in a separate file, attached to this voting email.

Please vote either for the nominated member(s) or substitute any other name(s) of eligible member(s) of the Society for corresponding name(s) on the ballot. Your vote will remain confidential. The deadline for the receipt of your voting ballot by the Election Committee is 11:59 PM Pacific time, Friday, October 31, 2014.

Please return your ballot by email to the Election Committee members at the following Email addresses:
Sayed Amir Zahori szahori@gmail.com ;
Hamayon Ibrahim HIbrahim@psaltd.com ;
Najib Kazimi Najib_Kazimi@dot.ca.gov ;
Aziza Tarin axtb@yahoo.com ;
Dr. Nadir Sediqi nadirsidiqi@yahoo.com

Please read detailed instructions in ballot document and let us know if there are any questions.

Best Regards,
Sayed Amir Zahori
Chairman, Election Committee
The Society of Afghan Engineers
Email: szahori@gmail.com
Tel : (510) 431 3596
Cell: (650) 504 0735

List of Candidates for 2014 Election Society of Afghan Engineers

No Name and Last name Nominated/ Candidate for position Contact E-mail
1 Atiq Panjshiri President of SAE (703) 407-2600 atiqpanjshiri@yahoo.com
2 Najim M. Azadzoi Board of Director (617) 697-7500 azadarch@aol.com
3 Sohaila S. Shekib Board of Director (703) 865-7630 sohaila@saniecg.com
4 Nazeer Babacarkhial Board of Director (510) 331-1463 engineernaz@aol.com
5 Amanullah Mommandi Board of Director (303) 757-9044 amanullah.mommandi@state.co.us
6 Saber Sarwary Board of Director (650) 780-7370 Msarwary19@gmail.com
7 Hafiz Wardak Board of Director (425) 530-2175 hwardak@comcast.net
8 Wahid Enayat Board of Director (720) 904-1234 wahid@esedenver.com
9 Rafat Bashir Ludin Board of Director (720) 670-6814 rludin@ihfdllc.com
10 Saleh Keshawarz Board of Director (860) 768-4032 keshawarz@hartford.edu

Voting Ballot for Election of the Society President and Board of Directors

2014 Election

NAME:
E-Mail Address:

The following members have been nominated for the positions of the President and Board of Directors. One member has been nominated for the President’s position and nine members for nine Board of Directors’ positions. If elected, they will serve their term from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2017. The biographies of the nominees are included in a separate file, attached to the voting email.

Space is provided for a write-in substituted name (s) of your choice and voting.

Please show your choice for each office by marking an “X” in the appropriate box below. Vote either for the nominated member(s) or substitute any other name(s) of eligible member(s) of the Society for corresponding name(s) on the ballot. Write the substituted name and vote for substituted name only if the nominated candidate is not the candidate of your choice. The substituted candidate of your choice has to agree to serve in that position, if elected.

Voting instructions: Place a checkmark either under Column “VOTE FOR NOMINEE” or “VOTE FOR SUBSTIUTED MEMBER”. Double click on the box of your choice. A pop out panel with title Check Box Form Field Option will show. Under Default Value select “Checked” and then “OK”. Save the form and email it to all members of the Election Committee.

FOR PRESIDENT VOTE FOR NOMINEE SUBSTITUTED NAME VOTE FOR SUBSTITUTED MEMBER
Atiq Panjshiri [ ] [ ]
NOMINATED FOR THE BOARD VOTE FOR NOMINEE SUBSTITUTED NAME VOTE FOR SUBSTITUTED MEMBER
Najim M. Azadzoi [ ] [ ]
Sohaila S. Shekib [ ] [ ]
Nazeer Babacarkhial [ ] [ ]
Amanullah Mommandi [ ] [ ]
Saber Sarwary [ ] [ ]
Hafiz Wardak [ ] [ ]
Wahid Enayat [ ] [ ]
Rafat Bashir Ludin [ ] [ ]
Mohammad Saleh Keshawarz [ ] [ ]

Your vote will remain confidential. The deadline for the receipt of your voting ballot by the Election Committee is 11:59 PM Pacific time, Friday, October 31, 2014. Return your ballot by email to the Election Committee members at the following Email addresses:
Sayed Amir Zahori szahori@gmail.com ; Hamayon Ibrahim HIbrahim@psaltd.com ; Najib Kazimi Najib_Kazimi@dot.ca.gov ; Aziza Tarin axtb@yahoo.com ; Dr. Nadir Sediqi nadirsidiqi@yahoo.com

Biographies of the Candidates

Atiq Panjshiri – Candidate for President’s Position

ATIQ PANJSHIRI
8500 Wild Spruce Drive
Springfield, VA 22153
Tel: 703- 407 – 2600
Email: atiqpanjshiri@yahoo.com

  • Manager, Division of Land Development, Montgomery County Government, Maryland, USA, 1989 – present
  • Vice President, 2011 – Present, The Society of Afghan Engineers
  • Founding Treasurer (Founding Board Member), Society of Afghan Engineers, 1993-1997 and Member of SAE 1993 – present.
  • Founding President/CEO and Director, 2002- 2008, Afghan American Chamber of Commerce, USA
  • Executive Vice President/Founding Treasurer and Director, 1998-present, The Afghan Sports Federation, Virginia, USA
  • Partner and Managing Director, United Insurance and Financial Services, Alexandria, Virginia, USA, 1993 – Present

Mr. Atiq Panjshiri was born and raised in Kabul-Afghanistan and has been living in the United States since 1981. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Maryland in 1988. Mr. Panjshiri has over twenty five years of management experience in private and public sectors. He has served in several non-profit organizations as part of the management team over the past fifteen (20) years. He is result oriented, high energy and hands on professional with a successful record of accomplishment in management. His major strength includes strong leadership, excellent communication skills and strong team player with clear vision to accomplish the organization goals.

He is very involved in community activities. United Insurance & Financial Services, under the leadership of Atiq Panjshiri has build up an impeccable track record for the service they provide to their clients. Even though he devotes a great deal of time to his professional and organizational commitments, he still makes time for his personal commitments. He currently resides in Fairfax, Virginia with his wife and four children.
Languages: Atiq panjshiri, speaks, reads and writes Dari, Pashto and English

1. Experience:

  • Montgomery County Maryland: Atiq Panjshiri is a Manager in the Division of Land Development of Montgomery County Maryland. He has been working for Montgomery County Government since 1989. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Maryland, USA.
  • Society of Afghan Engineers (SAE): Atiq Panjshiri is the current Vice President and a founding member of the Society of Afghan Engineers, he was a founding member of the Board of Directors and the Society’s founding Treasurer (SAE) from its inception in 1993 until 1997 and active member from 1993 to present.
  • Afghan American Chamber of Commerce (AACC): Mr. Panjshiri is the founding President and CEO of AACC. In 2002, along with other businessmen and women, he was instrumental in the expansion of AACC. In the same year, he was elected as the founding President of AACC and has served the organization as its President and CEO until 2008. Atiq was one of the driving forces in the establishment of the USAID funded Afghanistan International Chamber of Commerce (AICC) in Afghanistan in 2004. Atiq has co-authored several op-eds on the subject of Afghanistan Private Sector. www.a-acc.org
  • Afghan Sports Federation (ASF): Atiq Panjshiri co-founded the Afghan Sports Federation in the U.S.A. in 1989 and has served the organization as the founding Executive Direction and Treasurer and currently as the Executive Vice President. Mr. Panjshiri and team have been instrumental in the success and flourishing of ASF as the most successful non-profit Afghan Organization in the world. www.afghansportsfederation.org
  • United Insurance and Financial Services: Atiq Panjshiri is the managing partner for United Insurance and Financial Services, Inc., which provides insurance, financial services, corporate accounting and payroll services for its clients in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area since 1988.

2. International Experience:

  • Afghanistan emergency “Loya Jirga”: In 2002, Atiq Panjshiri participated in the history making nationwide “Loya Jirga” as one of the five elected representatives of the Afghan American community in the United State. He has received a medal of honor for his participation.
  • London Conference: On January 31, 2006, Atiq Panjshiri participated as speaker at the Trade and Investment conference of the London Conference on behalf of the Afghan American Chamber of commerce. At the London conference, the International Community pledge over $10.5 Billion to Afghanistan.
  • World Chamber of Commerce: In 2005, by the invitation of World Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Panjshiri participated as a speaker and presented his view on “Challenges to countries out of conflict” at the World Chamber of Commerce in Quebec, Canada.
  • Middle East Business Forum: On November 29, 2004, Atiq Panjshiri participated as a speaker at the Middle East Business Forum on behalf of AACC. The conference was hosted by the World Trade Center in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
  • Society of Afghan Engineers Conference: December 16-18, 2005, Atiq Panjshiri participated at this conference at Kabul University hosted by SAE. The conference was titled “Role of Private sector in the Redevelopment of Afghanistan”, Mr. Panjshiri represented as the head of AACC delegation to the conference.
  • US-Afghan Business Matchmaking Conference: 2005-2008, Mr. Panjshiri and team have hosted four successful Annual Investment Business conferences since 2005 in Washington DC. Mr. Panjshiri as President of AACC has led his team to host the successful international conferences.

3. Debates:

  • George Washington University: 2006, Atiq Panjshiri participated as a panelist in a forum called “Afghanistan Challenges & Opportunities for Economic Development”, the President of Afghanistan and his cabinet members were in attendance.
  • US Congressional Forum: April 18, 2007, Atiq Panjshiri participated at this forum and presented his view on behalf of AACC. The Forum was provided to discuss priorities as mechanism for the FY2008 budget and appropriation for Afghanistan.

4. Articles:

  • Washington Times: October 09, 2004, “Milestones on the Road to a New Afghanistan”
  • Washington Times: October 20, 2004, “Ballots over Bullets”

Outlook for Afghanistan: Atiq Panjshiri believes that there is a great opportunity for the development of Afghanistan if the right policies of the Afghan Government and donor nations are in place with full utilization of empowering qualified Afghan Professional such as the Society of Afghan Engineers (SAE) and other Afghan Organization, while increasing the capacity of the skilled and unskilled labor in Afghanistan.

Goals & Objectives, 2014 – Presented By: Atiq Panjshiri

Mission Statement:
The Mission of the Society of Afghan Engineers (SAE) is to become a viable international organization that assists professionals in the creation, discussion, research, design and implementation of technical and practical forums for the continuous growth and development of Afghanistan and its workforce.

Internal Goals:

  • Board of Directors: Board members should be more engaged in the planning process to nurture effective working partnership and enhance communication with the President and the executive Committee.
  • Executive Committee: The Executive Committee is responsible for the decision making and operational oversight on behalf of the Board. The Executive Committee shall meet at least once a month and ensure appropriate interface between management and Board.

Executive Committee Goals for 2014:

  1. Retention through Communication: Communicate with members on a regular basis. Reactivate inactive members.
  2. Create an e-news: Distribute weekly relevant development news.
  3. Seminars/Workshops: Organize small/mid size conferences and workshops.
  4. Accountability: Commit to being accountable for all tasks assigned.
  5. Transparency: Conduct affairs with openness.
  6. Commitment: Commit sufficient time, energy and effort to complete all assignments.
  7. Assignments: Follow tasks rigorously to finish in a timely manner.
  8. Website: Allocate resources to make an interactive website. Update routinely.
  9. Office Space: Establish office space/Virtual office in Washington DC Metro.
  10. Local Chapters: Chapters will be more active with local members.
  11. Committees: Provide necessary materials and resources to carry out assignments.
  12. Activities: Monthly/bimonthly or Quarterly activities will be arranged.
  13. Team Work: Promote and encourage team work.
  14. Officers Information: Post relevant contact information and pictures on the website.
  15. Membership Benefit Package: Establish a package with approval of the Board.
  16. Membership fee Collection: Improve and simplify the collection process.

Members of the Society:

  • Communication: Regular information on Society activities.
  • Involvement: Seek assistance and opinions/input from members.
  • Participation: Provide an environment where members feel welcomed.
  • Welcome: Acknowledge new and existing members with a welcoming package.
  • Membership Card: Issue a distinctive membership card.
  • Recognition: Recognize contribution to the organization.
  • Acknowledgement: Recognize professional success and achievements.
  • Information Update: Update contact information on the pass-protected website.
  • Training: Offer training classes in cooperation with other professional societies.

External Goals:

  • Other Organizations: Reach out to engineering/architectural and non-engineering organizations for mutual cooperation.
  • Government Agencies (USA): Establish working relationship with agencies involved in Afghanistan; seek financial and technical support.
  • Government Agencies (Afghanistan): Re-establish contact for projects implementation, capacity building, and technology transfer.
  • News Media: Utilize media to promote SAE and advocate for infrastructure reconstruction.

Najim Azadzoi – Candidate for Board of Director’s Position

Najim M. Azadzoi, AIA, Registered Architect
Principal, Azad Architects, Designers/Planners

  • A Co-Founder and Massachusetts Representative of the SAE since 2005.
  • Organized and monitored the first Symposium of the SAE in Washington D.C. 2005.
  • Participated in the first Fact Finding Mission to Afghanistan in May 2006.
  • Participated in the first Fact Finding Mission to Afghanistan in June and in July 2002.
  • Organized and coordinated the first International Conference of the SAE in in Kabul September 2003.

Mr. Najim Azadzoi is a former Assistant Professor of architecture at the Faculty of Engineering, Kabul University. He received his Bachelor degree in Architecture from Kabul University in 1979 and his Master’s degree in Architecture from MIT in 1984. He founded Azad Architects in 1993. Prior to the founding of Azad Architects, he practiced in several well-known architectural firms in Boston, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

In Afghanistan:
* He served as a Lead Architect for USAID in 2010.
* He served as a Senior Architect with the World Bank in 2011.
* He served as a Senior Consultant/Architect with the Asian Developing Bank in 2012- 2013.

Mr. Najim Azadzoi has taken a leadership role in the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Since 2001, he has traveled numerous times to Afghanistan and completed a number of significant re-building projects throughout Afghanistan.

Nazeer Babacarkhial – Candidate for Board of Director’s Position

NAZEER BABACARKHIAL, PE
29641 Vanderbilt Street
Hayward, CA 94544
(510) 331-1463
engineernaz@aol.com

Mr. Nazeer Babacarkhial graduated from Habibia High School and attended Faculty of Engineering at Kabul University. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Maryland at College Park, Maryland in 1987.

He is employed as a Transportation Design Engineer at the California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS) since 1999. He reads, writes and speaks Pushto, Dari and English and limited German language.

Nazeer Babacarkhial was one of the first consultants participated at the SAE “Capacity Building” training program traveled to Kabul, Afghanistan in 2007. As a Community volunteer, he has been involved in the Design, construction and completion of a Mosque, “Ibrahim Khalilullah Islamic Center” in Fremont, California.

For SAE, Nazeer Babcarkhial believes in positive and constructive changes in the leadership. He supports allocating sufficient resources to effective and beneficial programs and promote active chapters participation. As a board member, Nazeer Babacarkhial will advocate for transparency and accountability and push for getting members more involved through mutual communication.

Wahid Enayat – Candidate for Board of Director’s Position

WAHID G. ENAYAT, P.E., S.E.

Professional Registrations:
* Structural Engineer: Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Arizona, Iowa, Indiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Hawaii, Idaho, Texas, Montana, Alaska, Wyoming.
* Civil Engineer: California, Washington, Montana, South Dakota, Kansas.

Professional Affiliations:
* Structural Engineers Association of Oregon
* Post Tension Institute

Education:
* Master of Science Degree in Structural Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln – 1990
* Bachelor of Science Degree in Architecture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln – 1988

Professional Experience:
Mr. Wahid Enayat has over twenty years of experience in engineering industry. His experience covers building designs with extensive experience in post tension concrete, tilt-up structures, structural steel, wood frame, and pre-cast concrete structures.

  • Enayat, Schneider Engineering, Inc., Denver, Colorado (November 2000 – Present): President/Senior Principal. Duties include managing all aspects of the company, defining corporate goals, reviewing plans, and overseeing construction. Projects include a $90 million meat processing facility in Brawley, CA, and over 10,000 units of affordable housing.
  • Enayat, Schneider, Sharples Engineering, Inc., Portland, Oregon (October 1995-November 2000): President/Principal. Responsible for implementation of public relations, marketing, and overall daily business activity.
  • C.J. Schneider Structural Engineering, Inc. Omaha, Nebraska (March 1992 – October 1995): Project Manager/Project Engineer. Structural design of multi-million dollar projects worldwide.
  • Valmont Industries, Omaha, Nebraska (November 1990 – March 1992): Structural Design Engineer. Design of transmission towers, communication towers, and traffic poles.

Dr. M. Saleh Keshawarz – Candidate for Board of Director’s Position

Dr. Mohammad Saleh Keshawarz, P.E.
Chair and Professor, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Biomedical Engineering
University of Hartford

Dr. Mohammad Saleh Keshawarz was awarded his Ph.D. by the University of Oklahoma in Geotechnical Engineering. He received his Master’s degree from Tennessee State University and B.S. degree from Kabul University.

Dr. Keshawarz has over twenty five years of university level teaching and research experience. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in Connecticut. He recently concluded an assignment with USAID as the Water Team Leader in Afghanistan. In that position, he led a team of experts responsible for all USAID water projects and designed a capacity program for the Ministry of Energy and Water along with five major universities.

He spearheaded attempts at resurrecting civil engineering education in Afghanistan and led a cooperative effort between Herat University and University of Hartford. He has traveled widely in Central Asia and was a member of a team from the American National Academy of Sciences visiting water facilities in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

Rafat Ludin – Candidate for Board of Director’s Position

Rafaat M. B. Ludin, President & CEO of IHFD, LLC

Mr. Rafaat Ludin has a Bachelor Degrees in Electrical Engineering from Germany and a Masters in Business Administration from University of California in Irvine, USA. Rafaat is an entrepreneur and expert business developer.

Through IHFD, he is introducing the mortgage industry in developing countries, starting with Afghanistan. Through IHFD’s parcel 1, Phase 1 of Kabul New City project, which consists of more than 13,000 housing units, Rafaat aims to re-invent real estate development in Afghanistan. He has been instrumental in introducing solar and wind power systems and is working on wastewater treatment and solid waste management systems in Afghanistan and Libya.

Mr. Rafaat Ludin is fluent in five languages and has authored a published short story titled “Tears of Anguish”.

Amanullah Mommandi – Candidate for Board of Director’s Position

Amanullah Mommandi, M.S., P.E.
Director, Applied Research and Innovation Branch, Colorado Department of Transportation

Mr. Mommandi graduated from Kabul University with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in 1968. He joined the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation as a water resource engineer until 1973. He obtained his master’s degree in Water Resource and Hydraulics from Colorado State University.

After completing graduate studies, he returned to Afghanistan and worked for the Ministry of Water and Power (MPW) in various roles including President of Kunduz Khanabad Water Resource Authority. He immigrated to the United States and has worked for the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) for 29 years.

Currently, Mr. Mommandi is the CDOT Director of Applied Research and Innovation Branch. He chaired the SAE Colorado Chapter and served two terms in the SAE Board of Directors. In 2012, he traveled to Afghanistan to present on highway operations and avalanche control to the MPW and students at Kabul University. He was instrumental in arranging the visit of Mr. Aoudjan (Minister of Public Works) to Colorado to sign a Memorandum of Understanding for Technical Exchange between CDOT and MPW.

M. Saber Sarwary – Candidate for Board of Director’s Position

Mohammad Saber Sarwary, PE
Community Development Department Manager/City Engineer, Redwood City, CA

Mr. Mohammad Saber Sarwary received his Bachelor of Science Degree in civil engineering from Kabul University in 1981 and his post graduate Diploma in Soil Mechanics & Foundation Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) New Delhi, India in 1987. He is a registered professional civil engineer in California.

In the United States, Mr. Sarwary has worked with the City of Redwood for 25 years. He is currently the Community Development Department Manager/City Engineer, implementing the mission of the department and policy direction set by the City Council. He has also been involved in the design and construction of Abu Baker-e-Siddique Grand Mosque in Hayward, California. He is an active member of SAE and believes in helping the Afghan community.

Sohaila S. Shekib – Candidate for Board of Director’s Position

Ms. Shekib holds a B.S in Civil Engineering and Industrial Structures from Kabul University and Polytechnic Institute in Afghanistan. She is the president and founder of Sanie Consulting Group (SCG), LLC, providing land development services in the Washington Metro area. Ms. Shekib has over 25 years of experience in land development in the US and 1-1/2 years of experience in Afghanistan in the Ministry of Education.

She is a Designated Plans Examiner (DPE) in Prince William and Fairfax Counties. Prior to SCG, she was head of Design at EMSI Engineering and Vice President at Bowman International, where she was instrumental in the Kandahar Valley Feasibility study and design. Ms. Shekib has been very active with SAE, holding positions of President, Board Member, and Member.

Hafizullah Wardak – Candidate for Board of Director’s Position

Hafizullah (Hafiz) Wardak

Education:
* BS (1974) in Civil Engineering, University of Hawaii
* MS (1976) in Civil (Structural) Engineering, Case Western Reserve University
* PhD course work (Fracture Mechanics) University of Alabama

Work History:
* Boeing Aerospace Company (1987 to present): Technical Fellow (Structures), Full Scale Fatigue Test Director. Lead engineer for structural/Damage Tolerance Analysis on NASA projects (International Space Station, Space Launch System).
* Sargent & Lundy- Chicago, Illinois (1981-1987): Senior engineer, Structural Specialist Organization.
* Kabul University (6 years): Civil Engineering Department, deputy-chairman of the Afghan Seismological Center. Author of several publications in earthquake engineering.

Membership News

New Members

We welcome Mr. William Haight and Mr. Rafat Ludin as new members of the Society of Afghan Engineers.

William H. Haight III, PE
Colonel, US Army (Retired)
Mr. Bill Haight is a Vice President and Division Manager for the Contingency Construction Division at Louis Berger. He served as Chief of Party for the USAID Afghanistan Infrastructure Rehabilitation Program from 2010 to 2012. He is a retired US Army Engineer Officer with 29 years of military career experience.

Rafat M. B. Ludin
(Biography provided in the Election Section)

Achievements and Awards

“Advise us of success stories or achievements of the Society members and any Afghan professionals and students.”

Congratulations to Mr. Mohammad Saber Sarwary for his appointment as the Community Development Services Department Manager and City Engineer for the City of Redwood City, California effective September 8, 2014.

Professor Hasan Nouri’s Support of Arthritis Foundation:
Mr. Hasan Nouri, former professor of Kabul University, completed a bicycle ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles (525 miles) from September 13th to September 20th to raise funds for the Arthritis Foundation. Personal Page link: http://afccc.kintera.org/nouri

Dr. Mohammad Naser Omar Keshawarz’s Memoir

It is with sorrow that we learned that Dr. Mohammad Naser Omar Keshawarz passed away in San Diego, California on September 3, 2014. Ina Lilahe wa Ina elaihe rejeoon.

Marhoom Minister Omar Keshawarz is Professor Saleh Keshawarz’s uncle. Dr. N. Omar Keshawarz had a long history of dedicated and distinguished contributions to Afghanistan’s modern agriculture, irrigation, and veterinary. Born in Kabul in 1925, he completed high school at Esteqlal High School and pursued higher education in France on a scholarship. He received his PhD with honors from Sorbonne University.

Dr. Keshawarz returned to Afghanistan in 1956. He served as an expert in the Ministry of Agriculture, later becoming Deputy Minister and eventually Minister of Agriculture in the cabinet of late Dr. Yosuf. He served as the Governor of Farah, Balkh, and Parwan, and President of the Nangarhar Canal Authority and Helmand Arghandab Valley Authority. He migrated to the US in 1978 and was active in establishing the Afghan Cultural Center in San Diego, CA.

The Society of Afghan Engineers Organization

  • SAE Executive Committee Members:
    • President: Ghulam Mujtaba
    • Vice President: Atiq Panjshiri
    • Treasurer: Jawad Ibrahim
    • Secretary: Luis Durani
  • SAE Board of Directors:
    • Chairman: M. Qasem Kadir
    • Members: Zarjon Baha; Yar M. Ebadi; Mohammad Saleh Keshawarz; Abdul Manan Khalid; Amanullah Mommandi; Mohammad Najib Poya; and Abdul Saboor Rahim
  • SAE Past Presidents: Malik Mortaza; Sohaila Sanie Shekib; Ahmad Wali Shairzay; Mohammed Hashim Rayek; Abdul Hadi Rakin; M. Qasem Kadir; and Abdul Hadi Rakin
  • Chairpersons SAE Committees/Subcommittees: Sohaila S. Shekib; M. Saber Sarwary; Samay Stanackzai; Ghulam Mujtaba; Nazeer Babakarkhial; Hasan Nouri; Najim Azadzoi; Atiq Panjshiri; Abdul Karim Yusufzai; A. S. Rahim; Shad M. Sargand
  • SAE Local Chapter Coordinators:
    • Najim Azadzoi – Massachusetts
    • M. Qasem Kadir – Southern California
    • A. Manan Khalid – New York and New Jersey
    • Mohammad Mirwais – Kabul
    • Amanullah Mommandi – Colorado Chapter
    • M. Qaseem Naimi – Toronto, Canada
    • Atiq Panjshiri – Virginia and Washington DC
  • SAE Manager Membership Committee: Naim Shahab (naim.shahab@gmail.com)
  • SAE eNewsletter Editorial Board:
    • Editor-In-Chief: Ghulam Mujtaba, M.S, CE, P.E., CPM (mujtabaghulam@bellsouth.net)
    • Editorial Board Members: A. Wahed Hassani, Ph.D., P.E.; A. Manan Khalid, M.S., P.E., LEED AP
  • SAE eNewsletter Regional Representatives: Mohammad Mirwais; Daod Mohammad

Subscribe/Unsubscribe: The subscription to the SAE eNewsletter is free. If you are not receiving the SAE eNewsletter directly and would like to subscribe, please send a note to: mujtabaghulam@bellsouth.net with the subject “Subscribe: SAE eNewsletter”. To unsubscribe, send a note with the subject “Unsubscribe: SAE eNewsletter”.

Disclaimer: The author, reporter, or agency of each publication, project, news, and products is included in this newsletter. Additional contact information of the authors and their agencies are available with the Editorial Board of the newsletter and may be provided upon request. The Editorial Board of the Society of Afghan Engineers, Executive Committee, Board of Directors, or any of its members is not liable for the accuracy or contents of the information. The reports and information are included as provided by the authors and agencies without any changes in the substance of the documents. The information about the agency products or services is not the SAE endorsement.