President’s Message
August 2026
September is always an exciting time of year for our Northeastern Oklahoma Chapter. With the shortening of days and the break in hundred-degree temperatures comes our annual golf tournament and major fundraiser. Within days of our initial communications and the Special Events committee’s best efforts, the major sponsorships were swept up and team signups swiftly snagged. There is always excitement around this annual get together, and it sure is nostalgic to look at all the names celebrated on the trophy. Due to space constraints, in just a year or two, we are going to have to start a new trophy, so let us know if you have any creative ideas for it!
Golf is one of the last of my early 20’s hobbies that I’ve been able to maintain through the past couple of decades after becoming a husband, parent and executive. There are so many reasons that I’ve come to appreciate golf that also align with our profession and work lives. I can appreciate both the creations of God and of humanity woven together. Golf is also a test of personal ethics, and it is a wonderful training ground for a parent and child. Mindfulness, self-control and a positive mindset are keys to success in both work and golf. Then, there are all the things to be grateful for both on the course and in the office including health, mental capacity and companionship. Gratefulness is something that has carried me through some very difficult times; if you are a participant this year, I hope you will take the time to pause for a few moments while you are on the course and come up with your own personal short list of things that you can appreciate out there. This tournament brings us all together not just to go see how many putts can be holed, but to accomplish a common goal of funding our chapter and industry. We are part of something bigger and all fortunate to even be able to participate. I hope to see you there and hope you will share with me a few things that we might be taking for granted.
Thinking more about ethics, I love golf because you are completely responsible for policing yourself and, in tournament golf, policing your playing partners on behalf of the field. Everyone is counting on you to do the right thing when no one is looking. Within our industry and in business, ethics also takes front and center stage. As engineers, we are counted on, not only to make sound calculations, but to judge priorities in building HVAC applications as well as the consequences of mechanical failures. The June cover article of the ASHRAE Journal titled ‘Why Engineering Ethics Matter More Than Ever’ addressed this is greater detail, specifically concerning the AI toolset that is now at our fingertips. There is a gap between theory and reality that we must embrace and take responsibility for, lest we just yield the entirety of our jobs to AI. If you haven’t read yet, go see what our 31st U.S. President, Herbert Hoover, had to say about engineering and our purpose.
Wrapping up, we are in the final stages of planning out the rest of the ’26-’27 chapter year where we want to ‘Connect – Cultivate – Level Up’ with you. Some of the highlights may include a Thunder game, a Society Presidential visit, a Panel Discussion with Code Officials, a Trivia Night and more. Also, it still isn’t too late to get involved with our NEOK ASHRAE Cabinet at our Sustainability Event at the as part of the Tulsa Area United Way’s Annual Day of Caring where we will be doing some work for the Tulsa Garden Center. Come out and give back to our community with us!
Keep cool,
Ben
Ben Dye - President, 2026-2027
Last Updated: 09/15/2026