In October, Messinger was named a director of the New York City post of the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME). This was followed by another appointment in November, to the board of the ACE (Architecture Construction Engineering) Mentor Program of America.
“I’m very excited to participate at this new level,” Messinger said. “I think these organizations can serve as a bridge between federal projects, new talent, and firms like STV. Especially for younger professionals, it’s an incredible opportunity to be in these rooms with leaders in the industry at SAME and the future of the industry with ACE.”
Messinger hopes recruit more young professionals to volunteer. He will continue to facilitate programs he initiated earlier for both groups, including virtual events with guest speakers as well as networking opportunities.
Messinger has been involved in both ACE and SAME since his early career days. He first joined the New York office’s ACE program in 2004, when the office’s original captain was out on leave.
Founded in 1994, the ACE Mentor Program pairs industry professionals with high school students who are interested in pursuing careers in architecture, engineering and construction. More than 10,000 students participate in the program annually. Messinger and his fellow ACE mentors have guided nearly 500 high school students through weekly meetings, college applications, and scholarship submittals.
Messinger’s involvement in SAME began a year later. He was chairman of the young member committee for 15 years, and in 2015 was selected to serve as junior vice president for the New York City post.
Founded shortly after World War I, SAME unites public and private sector individuals from across the design and construction industry in support of the nation’s security. Today, SAME’s nearly 30,000 national members include recent service academy graduates, retired officers, corporate executives, uniformed officers, and private sector experts.