October 16-19, 2024
Portland, Maine
The TMS Annual Meeting features TMS committee meetings (including TMS 402/602), educational sessions, and networking opportunities.
Certificates of Attendance
During the General Sessions, record the 4-character codes displayed during each session. Then use the link on the right to go to TMS’s Masonry Education Hub, enter your codes, and download your certificate.
General Session Presentations
The following educational sessions will be presented on Thursday, October 17th. The general sessions will provide at least three hours of continuing education credit.
| Session | Handout | Presentation | Presenter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to New Executive Director | Ann Guiberson, CAE | |
| 2 | AI-Assisted Computational Modelling Workflow for Structural Analysis of Old Masonry Buildings | Bora Pulatsu, PhD | |
| 2 | Saving a Main Street Building | Craig Bennett, Jr., PE, SE, RP APT | |
| 2 | Washington National Cathedral – Seismic Strengthening of Limestone Turret | Matthew Farmer, PE | |
| 2 | Existing Masonry Draft Pre-Standard: What it says, what it does not say, and how to use it | Heather Sustersic, PE | |
| 3 | Differential Movement – Beware The Backup Structure | Peter Babaian, PE, SE | |
| 3 | LEED v5 – A Whole New Approach | Christine A. Subasic, PE, FTMS, LEED AP | |
| 3 | Dry-Cast Low Carbon Concrete Masonry Units | Heidi Jandris, BARCH, MSSBS, WbLCA-P | |
| 4 | Industry-Average EPD for Concrete Masonry Units | Nicholas Lang, PE | |
| 4 | Early strength performance of laps in Masonry | Mark McGinley, PhD, PE, FTMS, FASTM | |
Events & Activities
Arrival Day Event
Tuesday, Oct 15, 5:00 pm
Meet with your fellow meeting attendees for food and drink when you arrive in Portland the night before the meeting. The location of this event will be sent to those who have registered for this event via email prior to the meeting.
Please note that individual costs are borne by attendees.
Morning Walk
Wednesday, Oct 16, 8:00 am
Familiarize yourself with Portland on a walk through the Old Port area. There are over 70 miles of trails and green space in the Greater Portland area.
We will follow one of the many marked trails in the neighborhood and do a relatively easy walk through the area, stopping at any points of interest to the group.
Please meet in the hotel lobby and dress for the weather.
This is an optional event with no extra cost to attendees or guests.
Student Experience
Wednesday, Oct 16, 3:45 pm
Join us for a special session and tour devoted to student attendees.
Happy Hour
Wednesday, Oct 16, 5:15 pm
Colby Company Engineering will be sponsoring a Happy Hour prior to the Member/Guest Reception. See below for more information.
TMS Member/Guest Reception
Wednesday, Oct 16, 7:00 pm
Welcome to Ann Guiberson as our new Executive Director, and recognition of Phil Samblanet as our past Executive Director
Relax after Wednesday’s committee meetings at this buffet dinner. Use this opportunity to network and catch up with fellow attendees.
This event is included in your registration fee and is complimentary for registered guests.
Younger Member Outing
Wednesday, Oct 16, 8:30 pm
TMS’s young professionals will get together for a fun night out in Portland. Those who register for the Younger Member Outing will receive details about the event via email prior to the meeting.
General Session Presentations
Thursday, Oct 17, 8:00 am
This year’s meeting will feature ten educational presentations on Thursday morning for a total of 3.5 hours continuing education. See the General Session section above for more information.
Each session provides 1-1.5 hours of continuing education credit.
TMS Awards Luncheon
Thursday, Oct 17, 12:15 pm
Recipients of the President’s Award, Service Award, Scalzi award, and Theses Awards will be announced during lunch.
For their contributions to the Society, TMS will award Dr. Richard Bennett with Honorary Membership and Dr. Ece Erdogmus with Fellow Membership.
Recognition will also be given to outgoing Directors of the Board and Committee Chairs.
This event is included in the Full Meeting Registration fee. A separate registration fee applies for Guests.
Tour of Portland Artist Aaron T Stephan’s Studio
Thursday, Oct 17, 4:30 pm
We have arranged for a special tour of Portland Artist Aaron T Stephan’s studio showcasing a wide variety of art objects incorporating creative use of concrete masonry and a scaled recreation of a historical Sears Roebuck concrete block home.
The tour is free, but interested participants need to register in advance as participation is capped.
Meet in the lobby at 4:30 pm for the bus ride to the studio. Participants will be returned to the hotel by 6:15 pm.
This tour is full, contact tmsmeetings@masonrysociety.org if you’d like to be added to the waiting list.
Portland By the Foot Walking Tour
Thursday, Oct 17, 2:30 pm
Our custom guided walking tour of the Old Port area will be led by Portland By the Foot, Maine Historical Society’s official walking tour partner.
This 1.5 mile tour will be on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2:30-4:30 PM.
The tour will be led by Dugan Murphy and offers intriguing and often untold stories of people from all backgrounds and identities who have shaped Portland.
There will be a special focus on the masonry structures that are prevalent in Portland for our TMS attendees.
Tour will take place rain or shine. Meet in the hotel lobby at 2:15.
Please dress appropriately and see the attached waiver. Participation is capped at 30 guests. A portion of each ticket supports Maine Historical Society.
Please note that this tour has a separate fee for each individual. Guests of meeting attendees may also register for this tour.
Pizza Party
Thursday, Oct 17, 7:15 pm
Before the start of the 402/602 committee meetings, attendees and guests are invited to this informal dinner of pizza, chicken wings, salad, and dessert.
This event is included in your registration fee and is complimentary for registered guests.
Women in Masonry
Friday, Oct 18, 5:30 pm
Join other women meeting attendees as they head out for cocktails and dinner after the TMS 402 subcommittee meetings. The group will decide where they want to go and meet in the hotel lobby before heading out. This is a unique opportunity to network with other women in the masonry industry in a relaxed, casual environment.
Please note that individual costs are borne by attendees.
Happy Hour – Sponsored by Colby Co. Engineering
Colby Co. Engineering is pleased to sponsor a cocktail reception for attendees and guests of The Masonry Society during the annual meeting in Portland, Maine. We hope you can join us for beverages and hors d’oeuvres on Wednesday, October 16th from 5:15-6:45 PM at the historic U.S. Custom House.
This Happy Hour has a separate registration deadline. Please register and RSVP for this event by Thursday, September 12th. Attendance is capped at 115.
The U.S. Custom House is just a two minute walk around the corner from the Regency Hotel. The Custom House was designed and built following a devastating fire in 1866 which destroyed 1,800 buildings in Portland. Constructed of fireproof materials including New Hampshire granite with a slate-shingle hipped roof, the Custom House opened in 1872. There have been a few minor changes to the Custom House over the years, but the original ornate details and rich materials remain preserved. The Custom House is only open to the public for private tours and events so this is a wonderful opportunity to socialize and see one of Portland’s grandest halls, we hope to see you there!
Meeting Sponsorship
Sponsorship allows organizations to connect with key leaders in the masonry industry. We are offering new sponsorship opportunities for organizations of all sizes to sponsor the TMS Annual Meeting.
Sign up today to be an official sponsor of the 2024 TMS Annual Meeting. Put your company name and logo in front of TMS members including engineers, architects, designers and academia. Be visible, get recognized and support TMS.
Portland Regency Spa and Hotel
The Portland Regency Hotel & Spa is located in the Old Port District of Portland, a historic area in Portland, Maine, known for its cobblestone streets, 19th-century brick buildings, fishing piers, and views of the Fore River.
Located two blocks from Portland’s working waterfront at 20 Milk Street, the Portland Regency Hotel and Spa is the centerpiece of historic Old Port.
This neo-classic Armory was built in 1895 at a cost of $20,000.00 for Maine’s National Guard. Once regarded as one of the finest and best equipped armories in New England and after many years of use by various government entities, the Portland Regency Hotel opened in 1987. In 1990 as recognition for its preservation of a historically significant building and its superior service, the Portland Regency was invited by the National Trust of Historic Preservation to become a distinguished member of the Historic Hotels of America.
In August of 2003 the Portland Regency Hotel was proud to become the Portland Regency Hotel & Spa; the Regency is the only hotel in downtown Portland to have its own fitness center and full day spa. Read more about the history of the hotel.
Transportation
Maine’s Largest Airport – Portland International Jetport (PWM) is the Airport of Choice for Maine and offers non-stop flights from several cities. PWM was the second commercial airport in the U.S. to attain LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certification from the U.S Green Building Council. The airport is just under 5 miles from the Regency and takes about 13 minutes. Ground transportation options include taxi, Uber or Lyft, or contacting the Regency Concierge at (207) 774-4200 for shuttle service. View ground transportation options.
Sometimes flight times to Portland’s airport are not ideal, and if attendees prefer another option, flying into Boston’s Logan Airport is just that at just two hours away from Portland by bus. The Concord Coach Lines Bus is recommended from Logan airport to Portland and runs like clockwork every hour for most of the day/night, 7 days a week. The Bus station where you are dropped off in Portland is very nice, and it is a shorter Uber/taxi to the Regency than it is from the Portland Jetport. Super convenient and easy.
Another alternative for those traveling on the East Coast is Amtrak. The Amtrak Downeaster offers 5 roundtrips daily. View the train schedule.
About Portland
Portland, Maine is being hailed as one of the trendiest cities in the US according to theDiscovery.com. And no wonder. With its rich cultural heritage, incredible natural beauty, a plethora of local artisans, and the robust local food scene, Portland offers something to appeal to almost everyone.
The peninsula was first colonized by the English in 1632 as a fishing and trading village named Casco. After, the Massachusetts Bay Colony purchased it in 1658, they changed the name to Falmouth. The name was changed to Portland in 1786 when a particular area of Falmouth, known as The Neck, was reborn as a commercial seaport. As an ice-free seaport, Portland served as an early shipping gateway to Canada for many years and a rail line was built to transport goods between Montreal and Portland.
The city seal depicts a phoenix rising from ashes, a reference to Portland’s recovery from four devastating fires. Portland was burned twice during the French & Indian Wars, in 1775 by the British, and again in the Great Fire of 1866, on the 4th of July. After the 1866 fire, the city was rebuilt of mainly masonry materials, including locally quarried stone and locally produced brick. Brick making has been a major industry in Maine since the mid-19th century, with many yards operating in the Lewiston-Auburn and Greater Portland area. In 1880, Maine produced roughly 4.5 million bricks. With the introduction of machinery just a few years later, 93 million bricks could be made each year. Between 1855 and the present, nearly 40 different companies produced bricks in the region. Large, destructive fires were common elsewhere and cities such as Boston, New York City, and Baltimore all chose Maine brick for their rebuilding efforts. Maine brick also supplied the needs of European builders to some extent. Savior of the 1866 Great Fire, architect George M. Harding and Francis H. Fasset, another prominent Portland architect, are largely responsible for rebuilding the Old Port and giving it the look and feel people experience today.
Visitors to the Greater Portland region will find more than enough to explore without ever leaving the peninsula. Though smaller than some of its east coast rivals, this little city has a world-class dining scene, a truly magnificent art museum, and plenty of places to enjoy the scenic rocky coast. The city maintains much of its 19th century architecture. Portland has retained much of the flavor and character of the trading and fishing settlement it has had since it was first established. Today, visitors will find a working waterfront where fishing and tour boats arrive and depart, mingled with a sophisticated urban center
Things to do in Portland
Thanks to TMS Member and local resident, Heather Sustersic, for some of the suggestions offered here.
Portland Observatory – An awesome history and masonry building! In 1807 Captain Lemuel Moody ordered construction of this octagonal, 86-foot-high tower on Munjoy Hill to serve as a communication station for Portland’s bustling harbor. It was a commercial venture designed to give a competitive edge to ship owners who paid Moody a yearly subscription fee to alert them when their ships were arriving. At the time, ships entering the harbor could not be seen from the docks of Portland until they rounded the point of land at Spring Point Ledge and were almost in the harbor. This signal tower communication greatly increased the efficiency of Portland Harbor. The Observatory remained a working marine signal tower run by the Moody family until 1923 when the invention of the two-way radio made it obsolete. The Portland Observatory is the only remaining historic maritime signal station in the United States. This landmark is operated by Greater Portland Landmarks. Not only is the Observatory listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is also listed on ASCE’s Historic Civil Engineering Landmark Program. Both guided and self-guided tours are available.
Portland Museum of Art – The Portland Museum of Art, or PMA, is the largest and oldest public art institution in Maine. Founded as the Portland Society of Art in 1882. It is in the downtown area known as The Arts District. Although smaller than many big city museums, it is a truly magnificent art museum. View a full calendar of events.
Harbor –There may not be a more beautiful way to see Maine than from the water. Lobster shacks, seals, sandy beaches, sea breezes, tall ships, are all classic New England sights. Casco Bay Lines have several options for boat adventures that are a short walk away from the Regency – the Mail Boat run is a local favorite, and has plenty of enclosed space if the weather is cool/wet. The Casablanca Cruise run by the Porthole and Maine Sailing Adventures, are just some of the companies offering sea experiences.
Hop On Hop Off Bus – A convenient, inexpensive opportunity to explore the Eastern Promenade, Historic Downtown District, Art’s District, and Top of the Old Port, the City Loop Jitney operates when larger cruise ships visit. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or anytime at the Visitor Information Center at the Ocean Gateway Terminal.
Tours – There are many walking tours available in Portland. They cover everything from history and landmarks, culinary, craft beers, etc. Try the Historical Society, Portland Maine Walking Tours, and Maine Ventures for some ideas.
Shopping, Restaurants, and Craft Breweries– Although farm to table has always been a hallmark of the local food scene, Portland is now well known as a “foodie” city. From lobster rolls, donuts, local hidden gems, and high-end dining, you can experience it all in Portland. Greater Portland has the highest rate of breweries per capita than any other city in the country. Most are located in a nearby area, close to the Regency, and brew their wares onsite. It’s easy to see why so many like to shop in Portland – from flannel clothing and maple candy to Sea Bags made from recycled sails, you can unearth unique Maine goods while strolling through cobble stone streets with a treasure trove of public art, murals, statues, and sculpture celebrating the region’s history. Shop like a local and check out one of the year-round farmers markets.
