An addendum is something that is added to a document. Your rental lease might have an addendum attached to it. If a firm’s Bid Documents had a change after the fact, it was an addendum that added additional information to the documents.

Addendum is the singular form. Addenda is the plural form.

With reference to our industry, Bid Documents contain the plans, specifications, and estimates that are sent out to Bidders. If, for example, the Bidders then have questions or bring up a situation that might prompt a change to the Bid Documents, an addendum would be issued. After the bidding process, if there were any changes, the Owner might issue a set of Conformed Documents that would include that one addendum, or if Bidders prompted a number of different changes, then all of the addenda would be incorporated into the Conformed Documents.

It's easy to confuse the singular and plural forms; just remember that if there’s more than one addendum to the document, it’s considered plural, so addenda is the correct word to use.

Special thanks to our authors - Judy Beebe, FSDA and Carol Wanda Spradlin, CDFA - both with the SDA Pacific Northwest (formerly Seattle) chapter.

As we continue spotlighting SDA’s 2025 National Executive Committee, meet Lynda Meyer, CDFO, SDA’s National Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer at Legacy Engineering in Fredericksburg, VA. With a deep understanding of business operations and long-term financial planning, Lynda brings clarity, precision, and purpose to her leadership. She’s focused on keeping SDA financially strong—while helping position the organization for smart, sustainable growth.

Over the next 1–5 years, my vision is to expand our membership across the U.S. and Canada and position the SDA as the leading source of best practice management education in the A/E/C industry. I want us to be the most sought-after organization to join, with a widely recognized and respected brand.

A key initiative to support this vision is empowering our business development teams and staff with a clear understanding of the value we offer—both to the industry and to individual firms. With that knowledge, they can effectively promote SDA at events, in conversations, and through our marketing materials.

As a member of the executive committee, I bring a broad range of strengths to help support our continued growth. I have a proven track record in leadership, with the ability to make tough decisions, inspire teams, and drive progress toward strategic goals. My approach encourages collaboration, innovation, and a positive, team-oriented culture.

I’m highly organized, capable of balancing competing priorities while maintaining precision and efficiency. I communicate effectively, both in writing and in speech, and I actively listen to ensure diverse perspectives are heard and valued.

With these strengths, I’m confident I can make a meaningful contribution to our executive committee’s initiatives, strategic planning, and long-term success.

Lynda’s strategic mindset and steady leadership help ensure that SDA isn’t just growing—we’re growing wisely. Her focus on stability, clarity, and long-term planning strengthens our ability to serve members well into the future. If you’re inspired by that vision, there are plenty of ways to get involved—join a committee, share your insight, or lend your voice to our conversation. Your input helps shape what’s next.

Next in our series spotlighting SDA’s 2025 National Executive Committee is Fran Carrillo, Vice President of SDA and Project Accountant/Senior Project Administrator at MIG in San Diego, CA. With a strong foundation in project accounting and firm operations, Fran brings a detail-oriented, get-it-done approach to her leadership role. Her commitment to collaboration and process improvement is already making an impact as she helps move SDA forward.

As Vice President, I aim to make meaningful progress in two areas I care deeply about: growing our membership and increasing our organization’s visibility within the industry. These have been key focuses of the MARCOM committee throughout my involvement, but I believe that serving on the board will open up new opportunities to collaborate across committees and advance these goals more strategically.

I see membership growth and industry presence as deeply connected. As a board member, I want to help align all committee efforts around this shared objective. That means setting clear membership targets, analyzing what’s worked in the past, partnering with MARCOM on outreach, and developing a sustainable 3–5 year membership growth plan.

While I’ve primarily served in Treasurer roles, my leadership experience goes well beyond finances. I’ve been part of several Executive Committees, giving me a strong understanding of board responsibilities and the confidence to step into this role with clarity and purpose.

One area I’m especially excited about is the Chapter Guidelines Handbook. I look forward to reviewing it, offering improvements, and supporting local chapters—because strong chapter engagement is essential to our organization’s overall success.

My commitment to visibility, communication, and member growth makes me well-suited to serve as Vice President and Liaison to the Membership Committee. With my MARCOM experience and passion for connecting people to our mission, I’m confident I can make a meaningful impact in this role.

Fran’s perspective is rooted in experience, teamwork, and action. As she steps into her national leadership role, she’s focused on building stronger connections and making sure SDA continues to deliver real value to members across the country. If you're ready to roll up your sleeves and be part of the progress, jump into the conversation or find a way to get involved—you don’t have to do it alone, and your voice matters.