Engineering Influence from ACEC

The Road Ahead: A Preview of Congress and the Race to 2024

On this episode of the Government Affairs Update, we are joined by Dave Bender, VP of Political Affairs at ACEC, and Nando Gomez, our VP of Strategic Initiatives, to discuss the road ahead for Congress and what to expect in the lead-up to the 2024 races.
 
Engineering Influence is brought to you by the ACEC Retirement Trust.

ACEC, APWA, and ASCE Discuss the Engineering and Public Works Roadshow

ACEC has joined the American Public Works Association and the American Society of Civil Engineers on a nationwide Engineering and Public Works Roadshow to demonstrate the essential value of engineering by spotlighting successful examples of design. In this episode of the Engineering Influence podcast, the three leaders of these organizations discuss how the Roadshow came about, its goals, its first event, and what is to come in 2023.
Featured in this podcast are:
Linda Bauer Darr, President & CEO, the American Council of Engineering Companies
Scott Grayson, CEO, the American Public Works Association, and 
Tom Smith, Executive Director, the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Learn more about the Roadshow at www.infrastructureroadshow.org

Catching up with the ACEC Retirement Trust

During the Fall Conference we sat down with the ACEC Retirement Trust to discuss what sets them apart from other retirement plans for engineering firms.  Learn more about the ACEC Retirement Trust and their unique offerings, which are a benefit only available to ACEC member firms and their employees, here: https://www.acec.org/trusts/ 

Introduction to the ACEC Legal Council Forum

Recorded at the 2022 Fall Conference, we sat down with Emily Bloedel, the Co-Chair of the Legal Council Forum to discuss their work at the conference and the Forum's importance for ACEC member firms.  
Background:
The Legal Counsel Forum was created so that counsel to ACEC member firms could meet and share information about legal issues facing engineering companies. Such individuals can register for the Forum and be included in the Forum's listserv upon request. Over time, it has also become customary for professional liability insurance specialists to take part in the Forum and Listserv at the invitation of the Chair.
The LCF meets for a day and a half in conjunction with the ACEC Annual Convention and Fall conference. The Chair of the Forum prepares a draft agenda that is circulated to the Forum participants shortly before the meeting. The agenda is finalized at the meeting itself.
Past discussion topics have included:
Economic Loss Doctrine
Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Integrated Project Delivery
Downsizing
Limitation of Liability Clauses
Document Retention Policies

A Conversation with Gary Raba - Chair-elect for 2024-2025

 
2023-2024 Chair-elect and 2024-2025 Chair – Gary W. Raba, PE, D.Eng., of Texas:
Gary W. Raba is responsible for leading organic and inorganic growth for Raba Kistner, Inc. (RK). Prior to taking this responsibility, Gary served as CEO of Raba Kistner, Inc. He has also served as COO of Raba-Kistner, Inc., and COO of a new startup division, Raba-Kistner Infrastructure, Inc. Gary was CEO during the 2018 sale of RK to private equity firm Crescent Capital of Brisbane, Australia, and served on the RK Executive Committee during the subsequent transaction to the Family Office of KIWA, Rijswijk, the Netherlands in 2020.
Gary has served in multiple board, committee, and volunteer roles for ACEC-Texas and ACEC National.
Gary Raba has been in the business of engineering for 35 years and is licensed in several states.
 

A Conversation with Incoming Vice Chair Derek Clyburn of North Carolina

Vice Chair – Derek L. Clyburn, PE, MBA, of North Carolina:
Derek L. Clyburn currently serves as the President of ECS Southeast, LLP. Derek is a member of the Board of Directors for the ECS Group of Companies and has been with ECS for 25 years. Derek is responsible for leading ECS’s 700 ESOP Owner team members that provide environmental, geotechnical, construction materials testing, special inspection, construction engineering inspection, and facilities consulting services in the Southeast States of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas. 
Derek has taken an active role in advocacy for the business of engineering through ACEC, from grassroots participation to board leadership. Derek served as President of ACEC/NC during their 50th anniversary year in 2019-2020, as a National Director in 2020-2021, and is the current Vice-Chair of ACEC/PAC. Derek also currently serves as Chair on the Board of Governors for Engineering Companies for NC (ECNC), a non-profit advocacy organization designed to educate and advocate for the engineering industry. He is also active in the Design Professionals Coalition (DPC) and participates in the Risk Management Committee for ACEC National. 

An interview with incoming ACEC vice chair, Dan Meckes of Missouri

 
Daniel Meckes is the CEO of Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc. (CMT), a full-service professional services firm with 25 offices in 9 states.
Dan is a member of the ACEC Transportation Committee and DEIB Committee, and he served as Board Member and Chair for ACEC Missouri. Dan has supported ACEC/PAC as a member of the Chairman’s Club for over seven years and is a graduate of SEI Class 9.
Dan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Marquette University and is a licensed professional engineer in Illinois and Missouri.
 

An interview with incoming ACEC vice chair Elizabeth Stolfus

 
Elizabeth Stolfus is the President and founder of Stolfus & Associates, Inc., a Colorado transportation engineering and planning consulting firm. She has been active at the state and national levels of ACEC for over 20 years. Elizabeth has served as ACEC Colorado President, National Director, and ACEC/PAC Champion. She has also served as a Board Member of the ACEC Research Institute, a member of the Planning Cabinet, a Women In Leadership Steering Committee member, and a Trustee of the ACEC Life/Health Trust.