Engineering Inc. - July/August 2004 - 15

 An engineering degree can take you in a lot of directions because it gives
you the skills to solve problems. I want to continue to encourage the young
people of America that it's a great profession. Secretary Don Evans opening
up our markets around RAYMOND: We really appreciate i s s u e s . People go
into that and then it deteriorated. But it's the world so that the benefits
of the job that your commercial countr y because they want to coming back
now. They're mov- t h a t trade come back to this officers do for us in
the overseas be a part of giving the country ing toward a free-market
econ- economy and, in a big way, help embassy posts. Also we've par- of
Iraq back to the Iraqi people. omy. They still have a ways to create the
conditions for more t i c i p a t e d in the briefing of And what that can
mean to not go in terms of rule of law and jobs here in America. those
commercial officers when only the people of Iraq, to get t r a n s p a r e
n c y and some other t h e y come back home on an r i d of tyranny in their
own issues, but with those vast natu- RAYMOND: Ma n y of our firms annual
basis. country, but what it can mean ral resources, to me it has the
practice around the globe, so we're to spreading the same kinds of
potential to attract significant very pleased to know that some EVANS:
That's great! f re e d o m and economic devel- i n d u s t r y. Industry
will locate of your focus is on what's occur- o p m e n t to the
neighboring w h e r e the raw materials are, ring globally. You mentioned
the R AY M O N D : N o w, if we could countries in that area and, even
where the natural resources are, world economy may be starting shift for a
moment to the fact beyond, even to the world. and that's indeed where they
are. to come back. Do you have any that our members also are work- It is
important to point out What we have to do for your t h o u g h t s on
where engineers i n g at some of the hot spots that the young men and
women engineers and your members should see opportunities? overseas. What
is your sense of who are there in harm's way are who are not only here and
a part the progress in Iraq? in the daily prayers of the Amer- of this
economy, but for your EVANS : Yo u can't ignore Asia. i c a n people. We
honor them, engineers and firms who are trav- EVANS: I've traveled to Iraq
and I You have to be there because it's their service and their sense of
eling around the world is we was there in October. There has t h e dynamic
region of the d u t y to America. Also that have to be advocates for them
been much progress made since w o r l d today. I think they're applies to
those who are con- wherever they are, wherever we the beginning of the war
in that e a g e r and excited. People in tractors working there, because
can be, when they have issues countr y in all areas restoring t h a t
region are feeling the they also are in areas that have with another
country's govern- p owe r, getting oil production p owe r of free markets
for the security issues and they know ment the transparency issues, back
up to almost 2.5 million first time. An historic event has t h a t . While
I'm one who regulatory issues or enforcement barrels a day, getting schools
and occurred in China in terms of b e l i e v e s that there's certainly
issues. I encourage your mem- hospitals up and running. There t h e number
of people in the m u c h more good news than bers to know that the Depart-
continues to be great progress in l a s t decade who have been news of
setbacks, still, when you ment of Commerce is a voice for that country
that we don't read lifted up out of poverty. They're go into that country,
you know them wherever they are in the about very much. s e e i n g the
power of freedom, it's a higher-risk kind of area in world, if they need
us to be. I want to tell all of your free markets and the impact it which
to operate than it would HOWARD: Well, that's important m e m b e r s who
are there how can have on their economy. So be most other places. So I
salute to know, because sometimes we m u c h the American people I don't
think that you can those who are there being a part are caught up in our
businesses appreciate what they're doing. ignore Asia, particularly China,
o f the reconstruction of Iraq, a n d overlook important pro- B e c a u s e
it is a sacrifice to be o f course, and its 1.2 billion and we're going to
win. We're going to prevail. grams such as this. t h e r e and there are
security people. Also I think you have to look at Eastern and Central
EVANS: A lot of companies do Eu ro p e because I think those n o t have
the ability or the regions have just emerged out r e s o u r c e s or it
doesn't make o f years of dictatorship and s e n s e for them to have
some- central planning, and are now body on their payroll full time moving
into freedom, and their to deal with some of these issues economies are
really beginning that we can handle. It's a valu- to show life and signs
of growth able service that we provide to and opportunity. companies
across America. And A l s o I think you cannot s o anybody who ever has an
ignore Russia, because of Rus- issue with a contract or with a sia's vast
natural-resource base foreign government, they need and its people. They
have some FORREST MACCORMACK to come to us and present it to of the finest
engineers and scien- us, and we'll take a look at it tists in the world.
It's a country and, if it makes sense, we'll go that had a fabulous
education advocate on their behalf. system in the '50s and the '60s, J u l
y l August 2004 ENGINEERING INC. 1 5
Engineering Inc. - July/August 2004

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