Engineering Influence from ACEC

Previewing the Upcoming Business Development and Marketing Forum

Contact Diana Alexander at dalexander@acec.org to join the BDM community.
Registration for the BDM Forum will open on 3-20-24:  https://www.acec.org/member-center/get-involved/forums/business-development-marketing-forum/
Register for the 5/1 Market Briefing:  https://education.acec.org/diweb/catalog/item?id=14439812
Register for the 2024 Annual Convention and Legislative Summit:  https://netforum.acec.org/eWeb/DynamicPage.aspx?WebCode=DVLXRegProcEvent&evtKey=B3616C5E-FB9A-411D-ACC0-1B5C791E5573
Join Diana Alexander, the Director of Private Market Resources for the American Council of Engineering Companies, in this episode of the 'Engineering Influence' podcast, as she provides an anticipatory glance at the upcoming third annual Business Development and Marketing Forum. Learn why the forum serves as the perfect platform for networking and understanding the latest trends that are shaking up the business and marketing industries.
Listen about what's new for this year, including the shift of the annual meeting to fall, an increase in available seats to up to 100, and a three-day format that includes a series of insightful sessions featuring industry experts. Gain knowledge about the exciting array of attendees and the invaluable experience they bring to the forum, from CEOs and Vice Presidents to Marketing Directors and Client Service Managers.
Delve into a detailed schedule of the daily event, including keynote talks about the current state of AI in the AEC, proposal creation, go-no-go processes and more. Get a sneak peek into the ‘Thought Leadership’ panel and meet the eminent personalities that will share their esteemed perspectives on key topics such as AI integration, digital marketing, and talent retention. The forum promises a packed agenda with enlightening speaker sessions and interactive panels, all with a view to helping you and your firm grow.
This podcast episode also highlights two upcoming events, capturing the themes of Adaptive Reuse in the office sector and a local D.C. Developer panel at Land Development Coalition Roundtable. As listeners eagerly anticipate these occasions, this podcast provides both the practical information and exciting teaser of what's in store.
Press play and get all the details you need about ACEC Business Development and Marketing Forum in this comprehensive preview. To always stay updated, be sure to like and subscribe. Prepare to be inspired and empowered!
 

Optimistic Economic Outlook and Challenges for Q1 2024

The latest episode of the Engineering Influence Podcast, produced by the American Council of Engineering Companies, highlights the Q1 2024 Engineering Business Sentiment Study from the ACEC Research Institute. Download the new report here: https://programs.acec.org/impact-report-21/.
The report indicates an upbeat start to 2024 with a significant positive US economic sentiment. Recession fears have eased, and robust macroeconomic indicators, such as high GDP and low unemployment rates, reinforce the optimistic industry outlook. However, political uncertainty around election year remains a significant worry for future expectations.
The episode delves into the appetite for infrastructure work and the recovery signs in the Commercial Real Estate sector. It also highlights hiring challenges currently dampening industry expansion but indicates increased hiring anticipation amongst firms. A lack of sufficient workers, however, is driving firms to reject business offers and calls for immediate solutions.
The role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a potential solution to labor shortage also gets spotlighted in this episode. With a significant number of firms using or developing AI strategies, the overall sentiment is positive about the impact of AI in the year ahead.
Lastly, the episode discusses the importance of effective forecasting and modeling, using a decade’s worth of data. Despite workforce concerns, other indicators suggest a shift towards positivity in the economy, providing a promising glimpse into what lies ahead in the engineering industry.

Introducing Adam Jones, Incoming NAECE President

We sat down with Adam Jones, ACEC SC Executive Director, and incoming NAECE President on what he expects to accomplish during his tenure in the position.

Introducing the Market Briefings Intel for Engineers

The Engineering Influence Podcast from ACEC National is thrilled to announce a new series called "Market Briefings for Engineers." Scheduled to be launched online on February 21st, this series was crafted after thoughtful feedback from our engaged member community. We designed it to provide relevant market intelligence, focusing on significant trends, legislation, and opportunities impacting today's markets.
Register for our first event here: https://www.acec.org/event/market-briefings-the-growing-energy-market/ 
The Market Briefings Engineers will delve into crucial areas like vertical infrastructure, construction spending, AE revenues, and more, all the while offering expert interviews, insight into our industry, and comprehensive five-year forecasts. Our series aims to deliver valuable insider intel, zeroing in on growth markets using data derived from extensive ACEC research.
We will explore major growth areas anticipated for the next five years, including energy, office, healthcare and life sciences, data centers, and telecommunications. Our inaugural session on February 21st will discuss trending topics in the energy market, including renewable alternatives, power plant development, and more. Future sessions will cover topics such as adaptive reuse, trends in healthcare and life sciences, and the growth of data centers and telecommunications.
Each session is expertly curated to deliver information about robust market sectors by presenting panels of clients, developers, and industry experts. We aim to benefit our members by highlighting opportunities, trends, and areas set for growth. To further the cause, we also plan to offer recordings of each session so that you can catch up whenever you want.
We encourage you to join us on this enlightening journey and look forward to your participation this year. If you need more information, please don't hesitate to reach out to us directly.

Catching up with our Board Chair, Jay Wolverton

We sat down with our Board Chair Jay Wolverton to catch up on a busy year of activity at ACEC.  We discussed the results of the recent Executive Committee meeting, the work of the new workforce committee and more.  

Introducing 2024-2025 Chair-Elect John Rathke

John A. Rathke, PE, SE, FACEC – Wisconsin Vice President and Principal, Mead & Hunt, Inc. Chair-Elect, 2024-2025, Chair 2025-2026
John Rathke is a Vice President and Principal at Mead & Hunt, Inc., in Wisconsin. He completed his term as Vice Chair on the ACEC Executive Committee at the Annual Convention in June 2023. John was previously inducted into the College of Fellows in 2019.
He has served on the Planning Cabinet from 2021 to 2023, responsible for determining metrics to measure progress in achieving the ACEC Strategic Plan Goals and to explore whether ACEC is devoting enough resources to the water and energy markets. The latter ultimately resulted in the forming of a new Energy Committee to focus on the engineering business of the energy market.
John is active on ACEC’s Transportation Committee and Risk Management Committee. He has served as National Director and ACEC/Wisconsin Chair-Elect, Chairman of the Board, and Nominating Committee Chair. He holds a BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Platteville.

A Conversation with Rodney Chester - Chair of ACEC's new Workforce Committee

We sat down with Gresham Smith's Rodney Chester, Chair of the ACEC Workforce Committee, to discuss his plans for the new group.

Introducing 2024-2026 Vice-Chair James Hoffman

James P. Hoffman, PE, LEED AP O+M, CEM – Metropolitan Washington President, Summer Consultants, Inc. Vice Chair (2024-2026)
Jim Hoffman is President of Summer Consultants, Inc., a small business providing mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection engineering and commissioning services for designing government, institutional, and historic facility projects. Jim is a mechanical engineer with nearly 35 years of experience including heating, air conditioning, refrigeration, steam, plumbing, and automatic temperature control systems.
He holds a Bachelor of Architectural Engineering from Pennsylvania State University and a Masters of Engineering Management from The George Washington University.
Before joining Summer Consultants, Jim served as a combat engineer officer in the U.S. Army with the 317th Engineer Battalion from 1989 to 1992. In addition to his engineering credentials, Jim is a LEED accredited professional and a certified energy manager.
He served as Chair of the ACEC Federal Agencies & Procurement Advocacy Committee and is a member of the Executive Committee of the ACEC Small Firm Coalition. He is also the Immediate Past Chair of ACEC Metropolitan Washington.