Name: Enda McKenna
Job Title: Director / Chartered Civil Engineer
Organisation: McFarland Consulting Limited
Date joined Northern Ireland committee: June 2019
Why did you become a member of the Society and why would you recommend it?
I work with aged/defective concrete on a daily basis, investigating the causes of failure or deterioration and recommending remedial actions to prolong its life. The Concrete Society has many experts in this field as members and has published numerous publications on the investigation and repair of concrete structures. These publications are regarded in industry as the ‘go to’ for advice in implementing the standards governing our field of expertise (eg BS EN 1504) into best practice Technical Reports (eg TR 69). It was therefore natural for me to want to be part of this specialist membership organisation, learn from others and to impart my experience and knowledge where I could.
Why did you first decide to volunteer for the (Region) committee?
My Managing Director had been a volunteer on the Regional Committee for many years and after he stepped down a position on the committee was offered to me which I was delighted to accept.
Could you describe some of the tasks you have typically done whilst on the committee?
After joining as a Committee Member, my contribution was limited to providing my thoughts on numerous discussion topics raised during Committee meetings and perhaps assisting with a few Technical and Social events. I then became Secretary for two years and realised that quite a lot of work happens in the background between meetings that other Committee Members don’t see such as organising events, various emails/calls with fellow committee members, dealing with Sponsors, Concrete Society Head Office, dealing with regional finances and having a greater involvement with the annual Awards Dinner. This involvement has increased significantly since becoming Regional Chair and additional tasks have involved representing the Concrete Society at various professional body dinners, organising our Sponsors Lunch, Past Chair’s Lunch as well as travelling throughout the UK to attend Concrete Society Council meetings and talks
What have you most enjoyed about being part of the (Region) committee?
Probably setting up our Young Members Committee (YMC) and seeing them grow from strength to strength. After joining our Committee, I realised that I was one of the youngest of about 25 members with the majority of them being male. We were delighted that our first Chair of the YMC (Rachel McKeag) was female and that there was a roughly 50/50 split in gender. After acting as Chair of the YMC, there is the option for them to join the main committee which will help us to understand and address the various issues of interest to the next generation within the concrete sector.
How has volunteering helped you in building your professional network?
Massively. I’ve had the opportunity to attend various functions and dinners organised by other professional bodies within the construction sector which has given me the opportunity to meet people that I probably wouldn’t otherwise get the chance to.
What advice would you give to anyone considering joining a Society Regional committee?
The benefits far outweigh the limited amount of input required as a committee member. Obviously the required input will increase if you are asked to hold a more formal position on Committee, but it’s a significant opportunity to help raise awareness of both you and your company to the wider construction industry.
Why did you decide to go for the (Regional) Chair position and what are your aims for your two-year term?
Being asked by your peers to represent the Region was an honour for starters. I felt that I had the opportunity to change a few things with our Committee structure and to continue with the development of the YMC. Like most Committees, the majority of work is borne by the few and I wanted to change this by setting up sub-committees with specific tasks which we have recently implemented after our AGM. I was however, conscious that I was taking over as Chair with the Region in a very healthy position thanks to the hard work and dedication of those before me. My main aim is to just hand it to our next Chair in a slightly better position and if each successive Chair can have this as one of their main aims we should continue to thrive as a Region for many years to come.
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