Build. Adapt. Grow.
President’s and CEO’s message
NCEES intended 2020 to be a celebration of the centennial of its founding—a recognition of the various ways it built services, adapted to the changing needs of the professions, and grown in its leadership roles throughout its history. But 2020 had other ideas. As we moved into the new year, we realized that this would be a year in which additional building, adaptation, and growth would be necessary to meet the new challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, flexibility became the must-have trait, and virtual meetings became the order of the day.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted NCEES services and became a significant concern regarding the safety of examinees, volunteers, meeting attendees, and staff. NCEES leadership and staff worked diligently to develop and execute plans that focused on the safety of individuals as well as continuity of service for NCEES programs.
Maintaining fiscal responsibility is essential to protecting our financial resources and ensuring that NCEES can continue to fulfill its mission. This necessity came into sharp focus this year. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted revenues and expenses for fiscal year 2019–20. Revenues for the year were just over $9 million less than budgeted, and expenses were almost $8.5 million below budget. Having a healthy reserve fund allowed NCEES to refund examinees for cancelled exam administrations and continue day-to-day operations during a period of reduced cash receipts.
This has been a challenging year, but it has also been a rewarding one. We faced the uncertainty and disruption of a pandemic. We also made significant progress on many NCEES initiatives and continued to provide essential services during a time of crisis. As we celebrate the centennial of the founding of NCEES and prepare for fresh opportunities, we look forward to moving into our second century of advancing licensure for engineers and surveyors in order to safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
