Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) Program

The role of the nation’s floodplain managers is expanding due to increases in disaster losses, the emphasis being placed upon mitigation to alleviate the cycle of damage-rebuild-damage, and a recognized need for professionals to adequately address these issues. Floodplain managers come from a variety of curricula and backgrounds; there is no college-level degree program for floodplain management. This certification program will lay the foundation for ensuring that highly qualified individuals are available to meet the challenge of breaking the damage cycle and stopping its negative drain on the nation’s human, financial, and natural resources.

The formation of a professional certification program is recognized as an effective means to:

• Formalize a procedure to recognize and provide an incentive for individuals to improve their knowledge of floodplain management concepts;
• Enhance individual professional development goals;
• Promote an understanding of relevant subject matter that is consistent nationwide;
• Convey new concepts and practices; and
• Build partnerships among organizations and agencies that share the goal of advancing sound floodplain management.

The primary goal of the ASFPM Certified Floodplain Manager Program (CFM Program) is to help reduce the nation’s flood losses and protect and enhance the natural resources and functions of its floodplains by improving the knowledge and abilities of floodplain managers in the United States. This goal will be achieved over time by:

• Encouraging self-study and attendance at training courses to pass testing to obtain certification;
• Requiring continuing education as a condition for renewal;
• Encouraging ASFPM chapters, state agencies, and state or regional associations to prepare tests for floodplain managers on specific knowledge of state and regional requirements and legislation: and
• Ensuring that the CFMs have an awareness not only of the NFIP, but of comprehensive floodplain management.

A second goal of the CFM Program is to increase the prominence of floodplain management in decision-making by local officials and the public. This goal will be achieved on a larger scale and over a longer time frame by:

• Improving the recognition of floodplain management as a specific discipline;
• Increasing the status of floodplain managers as knowledgeable professionals in a complex and important field;
• Providing greater credibility and visibility for the profession; and
• Increasing the educational and training opportunities for floodplain managers through partnerships with other organizations.
• Encouraging CFMs to contribute to the profession of floodplain management for the betterment of the nation.

For more information go to:  http://www.floods.org/home/default.asp

More Michigan Certified Floodplain Managers

The Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) exam for Certified Floodplain Managers (CFMs) was again proctored at the 19^th annual conference of the Michigan Stormwater-Floodplain Association this past February 2006.  From the proctoring, 13 new floodplain managers are now recognized by the ASFPM as certified under its nationally recognized certification program.  These new CFMs will be added to Michigan’s list of 31 others that have been certified and have maintained their certifications through satisfying the program’s required continuing education requirements.  Michigan now has a total of 44 ASFPM Certified Floodplain Managers.

The new Michigan CFMs are as follows:

• James Abron Jr., P.E., CFM, Jones & Henry Engineers, Ltd., Livonia

• Alicia Askwith, CFM, Stantec, South Lyon

• Michael Beebee, P.E., CFM, Huron Consultants, Dewitt

• Gregory Hoffman, P.E., CFM, Huron Consultants, Fort Gratiot

• Timothy Inman, P.E., CFM, Spicer Group, Inc., Saginaw

• Brent LaVanway, P.E., CFM, Boss Engineering, Fenton

• Michael Marks, CFM, Grosse Pointe Park, Giffels-Webster Engineers, Inc.

• Daryl Poprave, CFM, City of Midland

• Thomas Smith, III, P.E., CFM, Prein & Newhof, Wyoming

• Robert Stiverson, P.E., CFM, Wilcox Professional Services, Bad Axe

• Michael Townley, CFM, Kalamazoo, Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr, & Huber, Inc.

• Joseph Vaglica, CFM, GES-Gateway Engineering & Surveying, Inc., Washington

• Mark Walker, CFM, Abonmarche Consultants, Inc., Bridgman

 CFM’s acknowledged by the MSFA at 2006 Conference

At its 19^th annual conference held February 13-15, 2006, the Michigan Stormwater-Floodplain Association recognized and honored 14 persons for their interest, efforts, and success in becoming officially certified by the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) this past year as “Certified Floodplain Managers”.  The ASFPM developed this certification process as a national program to recognize continuing education and professional development that enhance the knowledge and performance of local, state, federal, and private-sector floodplain managers.

The MSFA recognition involves the presentation of framed certificates to MSFA members that have made the extra effort in improving their knowledge of floodplain management concepts and principles and have studied hard to take and pass the CFM exam. 

Those persons receiving the MSFA 2006 certificate of recognition for their CFM accomplishments are:

• Mary Bednar, P.E.
• Matthew Bugbee
• Peter Chapman, P.E.
• Jerry Hancock
• Patrick Hudson
• Patrick Hughes, P.E.
• Jason Mayer
• Jeffrey Montpas, P.E.
• Ronda Oberlin
• Jaspreet Randhawa
• Daniel Rose, P.E.
• Christopher Rybak, P.E.
• Kyle Seidel, P.E.
• Peter Snyder, P.E.

More information on the ASFPM CFM program can be found at::  www.floods.org

CFM® is a registered trademark of the ASFPM Certified Floodplain Manager Program and may only be used by Nationally Accredited CFMs.

List of CFMs in Michigan