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Text Content

 * services
   * Mergers & Acquisitions
   * Strategic Planning
   * Marketing, Branding & Business Development
   * Executive Search
   * Ownership Transition
   * Board of Director Services
   * Valuation
   * Risk Management Solutions
 * publications
   * Survey Participation
   * Survey Findings
   * Free Resources
   * Books
   * The Zweig Letter
   * DOT Market for AEC & Environmental Consulting Firms
   * Civil + Structural Engineering Magazine
   * COVID-19 Response
 * learning
   * Online Learning
   * Podcast
   * In-House Training
   * Seminars
 * conferences
   * 2021 Virtual ElevateAEC Conference & ElevateHER Symposium
   * 2021 In-Person ElevateAEC Conference & Awards Gala
 * awards
   * 2021 Awards Registration
   * Past Winners
   * Award FAQ
 * about
   * Letter From The CEO
   * Team
   * ElevateHER™
   * Careers
   * Contact Us
 * news
 * store


Search


 * services
   * Mergers & Acquisitions
   * Strategic Planning
   * Marketing, Branding & Business Development
   * Executive Search
   * Ownership Transition
   * Board of Director Services
   * Valuation
   * Risk Management Solutions
 * publications
   * Survey Participation
   * Survey Findings
   * Free Resources
   * Books
   * The Zweig Letter
   * DOT Market for AEC & Environmental Consulting Firms
   * Civil + Structural Engineering Magazine
   * COVID-19 Response
 * learning
   * Online Learning
   * Podcast
   * In-House Training
   * Seminars
 * conferences
   * 2021 Virtual ElevateAEC Conference & ElevateHER Symposium
   * 2021 In-Person ElevateAEC Conference & Awards Gala
 * awards
   * 2021 Awards Registration
   * Past Winners
   * Award FAQ
 * about
   * Letter From The CEO
   * Team
   * ElevateHER™
   * Careers
   * Contact Us
 * news
 * store

2020 Elevate AEC Virtual Experience & ElevateHer Symposium


2020 ELEVATE AEC VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE & ELEVATEHER SYMPOSIUM


VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE


&





SYMPOSIUM




 


8 WEEKS OF ELEVATING YOURSELF, YOUR FIRM, AND THE INDUSTRY.


SEPTEMBER 30 – NOVEMBER 19, 2020




Click Here for Event Website


 * About The Conference
 * Registration
 * Free Sessions & Keynotes
 * Premium Experience
 * ElevateHer Symposium
 * Schedule
 * FAQ

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE


ELEVATING THE VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE.

 

The mission of Elevate AEC must continue, and 2020 will be the biggest
experience we’ve ever been able to offer. The 2020 Elevate AEC Virtual
Experience will be an eight-week event, providing attendees powerful thought
leadership and networking opportunities through highly produced live
interactions. This virtual experience will include daily doses of keynote
speeches, learning sessions, virtual social mixing events, and awards
celebrations.

The Elevate AEC Virtual Experience is proud to present the inaugural ElevateHer
Symposium which will include presentations of our 2020 ElevateHer Cohort’s
research findings. This is one of the most exciting and requested events of
2020. With one cohort presentation each week, the ElevateHer Cohort
presentations will be open to all and for anyone interested in learning more
about how to solve the AEC industry’s top challenge: recruitment and retention.

 


HOW THIS IS DIFFERENT:

This is not simply a virtual conference – it is a concentrated collection of
knowledge and networking opportunities resulting from our team challenging
ourselves to offer something not possible in the traditional in-person event.
This program answers the call to elevate yourself, your firm, and the industry
in unprecedented times. It includes both free and paid premium selections. The
paid premium experience offers unlimited access to an expanded array of premium
seminars, webinars, keynote speeches, roundtables, panel discussions, topical
happy hours, workshops, and other premium learning and networking opportunities.

 


UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN, NETWORK, AND CELEBRATE WITH A LARGER TEAM:

Elevate your team and expand your knowledge of the best practices in the
industry. Previous challenges of costs are eliminated as no travel required – no
transportation or hotel costs! Stream all the content LIVE from work or home by
yourself or with your team. Team and group discounts available.

 


TARGET AUDIENCE:

All AEC staff and leaders interested in networking, learning, and celebrating in
a unique virtual environment.

 


CONTINUING EDUCATION:

Attendees of this virtual experience can earn up to 30 LU/30 PDH/3.0 CEU of
continuing education credits!

Zweig Group seminars are eligible for Professional Development Hours credits and
Continuing Education Units. All attendees receive a certificate of completion
indicating the number of hours earned during each seminar. Zweig Group is a
registered provider with the AIA, and SMPS.

Click Here for Event Website

REGISTRATION


ELEVATE AEC VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE & ELEVATEHER SYMPOSIUM REGISTRATION OPTIONS




FREE REGISTRATION


THE FREE REGISTRATION OPTION INCLUDES EVERYTHING THAT WAS ORIGINALLY PROGRAMMED
FOR THE IN-PERSON ELEVATE AEC CONFERENCE IN DENVER. THE FREE VERSION INCLUDES:

ElevateHer Symposium & the 2020 ElevateHer Cohort presentations

Five great keynote speakers by AEC Industry thought leaders

Panel discussions with our top award winners

 


REGISTRATION PRICE: FREE

REGISTER


PREMIUM REGISTRATION


**EVERYTHING INCLUDED IN THE FREE REGISTRATION PLUS:

Access to six Zweig Group seminars: The Principals Academy ($899 value),
Elevating Doer-Sellers ($699 value), Project Management for AEC Professionals
($599 value), Leadership Skills for AEC Professionals ($499 value), M&A Next
($499 value), Ownership Transition Strategies ($399 value)

Panel discussions with thought leaders and industry peers

Weekly roundtable discussions with industry peers

Live meetings with Q&A and chat functions

A $4995 VALUE


REGISTRATION PRICE: $995

(EARLY BIRD)

REGISTER







GROUP RATES & FIRM-WIDE ENTERPRISE LICENSES AVAILABLE

Pricing ($995 Full Price):

3+ Attendees (20% discount): $796/attendee

10+ Attendees (30% discount): $696/attendee

20+ Attendees (40% discount): $597/attendee

25-100 Attendees (Small Firm Enterprise License): $15,000 total

101-250 Attendees (Medium Firm Enterprise License): $30,000 total

250+ Attendees: Pricing varies

FREE SESSIONS & KEYNOTES


LEARNING SESSIONS IN ORDER OF DATE




WEEK ONE

CHAD CLINEHENS

President & CEO – Zweig Group


STATE OF THE INDUSTRY KICK-OFF


SESSION DATE: SEPTEMBER 30, AT 11:00 AM

The opening address of Elevate AEC 2020 will explore the pillars of the elevate
the industry mission, breaking it down to the individual level, and inspire
attendees to dream big when it comes to driving performance and change in their
firms and the industry. It will serve as the launching pad for the 8-week
experience and set up a powerful kickoff of the inaugural ElevateHer symposium.

SPEAKER BIO

Chad Clinehens is the president and CEO of Zweig Group. Passionate about the
business side of design and technical service firms, Chad has built a career on
leading them through growth and change. He has worked with AEC firms throughout
the U.S. on a variety of needs – strategic business planning, turnarounds,
partner separations, organizational restructuring, mergers and acquisitions,
marketing and sales, growth campaigns, and more.

As a registered professional engineer, Chad brings an in-depth knowledge of what
makes professional service firms and the people who work for them unique.
Working in the industry for more than 20 years, he has been involved in many
aspects of the business including design, project management, department
management, regional office management, and directional leadership. He holds a
MBA and BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Arkansas and is a
registered professional engineer in several states.



PHIL HARRISON

CEO – Perkins & Will



GABRIELLE BULLOCK, FAIA, NOMAC, IIDA, LEED AP 

Principal, Director of Global Diversity – Perkins & Will


KEYNOTE: SOCIAL DISRUPTIONS AND AEC INDUSTRY TRANSFORMATION THROUGH JEDI


SESSION DATE: SEPTEMBER 30, AT 11:30 AM

Gabrielle Bullock, FAIA, and Phil Harrison, FAIA will discuss the imperative for
elevating and transforming the AEC industry in response to the convergence of
today’s societal forces that threaten the future of the AEC industry. They will
share their experiences and approach in leading Perkins and Will and the
industry through this convergence from the JEDI — justice, equity, diversity and
inclusion— lens.

Convergence – the convergence of social, environmental, and economic forces have
compounded problems and at the same time may be revealing solutions. How can the
AEC respond to these forces to solve for multiple problems?

Elevate – The AEC industry promotes itself for innovation and transformation,
but we, as an industry, are slow to change in many ways, especially with
diversity. NOW is the time to challenge the status quo and lead through the JEDI
lens.

Reimagine – What is the motivation to change? Economic recession? Health crisis?
Social and racial injustice? “Hunkering down” to survive, the typical response
will not cut it anymore or help our industry, and we need to look beyond merely
surviving through tough times. The convergence of forces is creating a burning
platform for change.

PHIL HARRISON BIO

As Chief Executive Officer, Phil is responsible for Perkins and Will’s strategic
focus and business performance. He is directly involved with the firm’s quality
initiatives including design excellence, sustainability, and technical delivery;
he oversees firm growth, diversification, and development; and he defines the
firm’s business objectives for performance, collaborative operations, and staff
development.

Phil joined the firm as an Architect in 1993, working with science + technology,
education, healthcare, and corporate clients. He has served as the firm’s
President, a member of the firm’s Board of Directors, and Managing Director of
one of the largest regional practices in the firm.

Phil is involved in a number of community and civic organizations nationally and
in Atlanta, Georgia, where he lives with his family.

GABRIELLE BULLOCK BIO

Gabrielle oversees Perkins+Will’s Diversity, Inclusion, and Engagement program,
which works to support and strengthen a firmwide culture that embraces a
diversity of people, colors, creeds, credos, talents, thoughts, and ideas. Her
unique role as an award-winning principal and the firm’s Director of Global
Diversity enables her to combine her passion for architecture and social justice
to effect positive change at a micro and macro level. Gabrielle is regularly
sought out around the world for her leadership and expertise in issues of social
equity in architecture, including race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation,
religion, and physical and mental ability.
Gabrielle has been a key player in Perkins+Will’s success for nearly three
decades. She’s worked in both the New York and Los Angeles offices, and became
the first African-American and first woman to rise to the position of Managing
Director of the Los Angeles office. Over the course of her career, she has led
numerous complex and high-profile projects, including the Ronald Reagan UCLA
Medical Center, one of the largest building projects ever completed for the
University of California system.
Gabrielle graduated in 1984 from the Rhode Island School of Design with degrees
in fine arts and architecture, becoming the second African-American woman in
history to earn an architecture degree from that university. In 2014, she was
elected by her peers as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA),
and served on the AIA’s Equity in Architecture Commission. She is a member of
the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), a past board member of
the Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles, and a board member of the Center for
Architecture and Urban Design Los Angeles and the International Interior Design
Association. She served as the 2018-2019 President of the International Interior
Design Association (IIDA). Gabrielle is the recipient of the 2020 AIA Whitney
Young Jr award for her commitment to advancing diversity in the architecture
profession.



CHAD CLINEHENS

President & CEO – Zweig Group


STATE OF THE INDUSTRY DEEPER DIVE AND ELEVATE AEC 2020 TUTORIAL


SESSION DATE: OCTOBER 1, AT 11:00 AM

This session will look back and look forward though an extraordinary year. From
the data and the stories of award-winning firms and beyond, we’ll explore the
dramatic changes and what could be ahead for AEC firms. This session will also
outline the 2020 Elevate AEC Experience, providing attendees the information
they need to create a map for their personal and professional journey that will
finish 2020 strong and be inspired for a great 2021.

SPEAKER BIO

Chad Clinehens is the president and CEO of Zweig Group. Passionate about the
business side of design and technical service firms, Chad has built a career on
leading them through growth and change. He has worked with AEC firms throughout
the U.S. on a variety of needs – strategic business planning, turnarounds,
partner separations, organizational restructuring, mergers and acquisitions,
marketing and sales, growth campaigns, and more.

As a registered professional engineer, Chad brings an in-depth knowledge of what
makes professional service firms and the people who work for them unique.
Working in the industry for more than 20 years, he has been involved in many
aspects of the business including design, project management, department
management, regional office management, and directional leadership. He holds a
MBA and BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Arkansas and is a
registered professional engineer in several states.



MICHAEL BROWN

Executive Coach – Insight Leadership Group


THE ART OF RELATIONAL AND RESULTS-FOCUSED LEADERSHIP


SESSION DATE: OCTOBER 1, AT 12:00 PM

Become a leader who can communicate with clarity and inspiration. Be a
transformational leader instead of a transactional boss. Explore how to get
results while enhancing relationships instead of navigating constant stress and
turmoil. Lead with healthy relationships, accomplish the rights results and
experience rest as a leader.

 * Communicate with clarity and inspiration
 * Be heard and understood
 * Find rest and be healthy

We are tired of seeing leaders going home physically and emotionally drained and
feeling ineffective. Insight takes a data-oriented approach to developing
leaders’ soft skills, while leveraging their strengths. We help them [Rest.
Hustle. Grind.] so they can be transformative and healthy leaders who love life
at work and love life at home. 

SPEAKER BIO

Michael Brown is a husband, father, leadership practitioner, entrepreneur,
author, and church planter. Michael has extensive experience coaching, training,
facilitating and developing leadership programs for some of the world’s largest
organizations and best-known brands. He holds a Master of Arts in Strategic
Communication and Leadership from Seton Hall University. Michael is a certified
TotalSDI facilitator, Core Strengths facilitator and DiSC certified. He has also
served as an adjunct instructor at the University of Arkansas, Ozark Christian
College, and Cincinnati Christian University.

Michael has developed customized leadership training programs and curriculum for
the past seven years for senior level leadership. Michael also launched Thrive
Christian Church in Fayetteville, Arkansas. In his spare time, he makes divots
in fairways, tries to fly fish, mountain bikes and coaches his kids’ U8 and U12
world championship soccer teams. Okay, they might not be world champions yet.



PETER ATHERTON

President & Founder – ActionsProve


LEADERSHIP, ENGAGEMENT, AND BURNOUT PREVENTION IN A WORLD OF COVID AND CHANGE


SESSION DATE: OCTOBER 1, AT 1:00 PM

Times have changed and there is no going back. In addition to doing more to
ensure business and client success, leaders must continue to do more to ensure
team and organizational success – and this is especially true as we proceed
through the COVID-19 crisis and our changing social constructs. This session is
specifically designed to help leaders focus on what has changed, see the
opportunities presented, and learn how to achieve new levels of sustainable, new
era success without burning out.

SPEAKER BIO

Peter C. Atherton, P.E. is an AEC industry insider having spent more than 24
years as a successful professional civil engineer, principal, major owner, and
member of the board of directors for high-achieving firms. Pete is now the
President and Founder of ActionsProve, LLC (www.actionsprove.com), author of
“Reversing Burnout. How to Immediately Engage Top Talent and Grow! A Blueprint
for Professionals and Business Owners”, and the creator of the I.M.P.A.C.T.
process. Pete is also the host of The AEC Leadership Today Podcast
(https://actionsprove.com/podcast/) and leads The AEC Leadership Mastermind
(http://www.actionsprove.com/what-we-do/mastermind). Pete works with AEC firms
to grow and advance their success through enhanced strategic planning, executive
coaching, leadership and management development, performance-based employee
engagement, and corporate impact design. Connect with him at
pete@actionsprove.com.

WEEK TWO

JUNE JEWELL

President – AEC Business Solutions


BOTTOM-UP LEADERSHIP – BREAK THE OLD-SCHOOL MODEL IN YOUR A&E FIRM AND CREATE A
RELEVANT AND FUTURE-FOCUSED FIRM


SESSION DATE: OCTOBER 6, AT 11:00 AM

Today’s young engineers don’t want to work for a traditional firm that requires
them to work their way up the ladder in order to be heard. Your young staff have
great ideas, yet most firms don’t leverage the talents of their staff or give
them a voice in how to be more effective and competitive. 

 This session will reveal a breakthrough formula for running your A&E firm that
will transform your culture, attract young talent, reduce turnover and provide
necessary overhauls to established and old-school ways of running the
business.  

Learning Objectives: 

 * Change how you think about your firm and staff and the benefits of engaging
   employees in business management and leadership 
 * Understand how bottom-up leadership can transform your culture and increase
   profits 
 * Learn how to transform your old-school business practices into future-ready
   and competitive business advantages
 * Get your employees to think like owners and take responsibility for the
   firm’s financial success

SPEAKER BIO

June R. Jewell, CPA, is a business management consultant to the Architecture and
Engineering industry and author of the best-selling book, Find The Lost Dollars:
6 Steps to Increase Profits in Architecture, Engineering, and Environmental
Firms. For over 25 years she ran a successful business and Deltek consulting
practice and is now focused on working with A&E firm leaders to help them
improve their processes and systems, and give them the tools they need to be
able to hold their employees and managers accountable to increase profitability.
June is President of AEC Business Solutions, offering business assessment tools
and business management training programs designed to help A&E firms increase
profits and groom their project managers and future leaders for success.



MARK C. ZWEIG

Founder & Chairman – Zweig Group



CHAD COLDIRON

Director, Executive Search – Zweig Group


BEST PRACTICES FOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS


SESSION DATE: OCTOBER 6, AT 12:00 PM

A Board of Directors is a high-powered group of individuals that represent the
interests of shareholders in an organization. In the AEC industry, these thought
leaders are tasked with a range of important duties and greatly influence the
direction of the firm as well as the lives of their employees. Boards of
Directors once served as an exclusive “club” with figureheads acting in their
own best interest, but AEC firms today are breaking this trend. In this session,
Mark Zweig will share what he has learned over decades of serving on multiple
AEC industry boards, distilled into best practices that you can apply at your
own board to fuel strategic thought, growth, and long-term value creation.

MARK ZWEIG BIO

Mark is known as a leading expert in management and business for the
architecture, engineering, planning, and environmental industry. Approaching
four decades as a student of the industry, Mark knows AEC firms inside and out.
While he started working in bike shops at the age of 12, he began his
professional career in a management consulting firm specialized in the
construction and development industries, followed up by work as a principal and
manager in two different AEC firms.

Over the course of his career, Mark has worked with AEC firms of virtually all
sizes and types throughout the U.S. and abroad and helped them solve just about
every problem, including developing strategy, turnarounds, partner separations,
organizational restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, reenergizing marketing,
cash flow crises, ownership transitions, and much more.

Mark founded Mark Zweig & Associates in 1988, which later became Zweig White in
1994, and then Zweig Group in 2014. Zweig Group, today based in Fayetteville,
Arkansas, has been named to the Inc 500/5000 list of fastest-growing
privately-held companies three times.

Mark is the author of more than a dozen books on various management and business
topics for AEC firms, and has co-authored several more. He has served on the
BODs of many different privately-held AEC firms, ranging from $10 million to
$200 million in annual revenues.  He is an Executive-in-Residence teaching
entrepreneurship at The Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of
Arkansas and in the Fay Jones School of Architecture as an adjunct professor,
also at the University of Arkansas.

Mark received both his MBA and BS in Organizational Behavior from Southern
Illinois University at Carbondale. He was named to the SIU-C College of Business
Hall of Fame in 1992, elected to the College of Business Board of Advisors in
1999, and named Chairman of the Advisory Board in 2002.

CHAD COLDIRON BIO

Chad Coldiron is Zweig Group’s Director of Executive Search. Passionate about
team building and working along side design firms to enhance their team’s
overall presence in the AEC industry. His professional background has included
experience in the areas of leadership, retention, recruiting, sales, risk
management, social behaviors and contract negotiation.

Prior to joining Zweig Group, Chad developed and directed the client retention
department for one of the fastest growing independent insurance brokerages in
the U.S. Since joining Zweig Group as a consultant he has worked with AEC firms
throughout the U.S. on a variety of strategic hiring initiatives as well as
organizational restructuring, ownership transition, employee training,
marketing, and growth campaigns. He brings a unique approach to building the
right teams in order maximize the client’s growth potential while driving down
their overall cost per hire.

Chad launched his career by developing strong and valuable relationships in the
local and professional communities around Northwest Arkansas. He holds a BS in
Financial Management from the University of Arkansas’ Walton College of
Business. Outside of his work at Zweig Group, he enjoys live music, sports,
bonsai, antiques, cooking for his friends and family, and playing fetch with his
dog until his arm gives out.



LISA KAY

Chief Operating Officer of Environmental Health Sciences Vertical – NV5



MELINDA JOHNSON

Executive Vice President of Building Technologies – NV5



DR. CARL HENDERSON, PHD, PE, GE

Chief Diversity Officer – NV5



JESSICA KILLIAN

Managing Director – NV5


KEYNOTE: IT’S DIFFERENT HERE! DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION DRIVES #1 HOT FIRM’S
CULTURE AND PERFORMANCE


SESSION DATE: OCTOBER 7, AT 11:00 AM

NV5 has been a successful high growth firm year over year through a focus of
putting our best people in front of our clients.  Many of our leadership
positions at NV5 are held by women. Three of the women from our talented team of
leaders at NV5 will share their personal experiences and examples of the NV5
difference. Joining them to discuss our recent initiatives at NV5 to increase
diversity and inclusion is Dr. Carl Henderson, the newly appointed Chief
Diversity Officer at NV5.

LISA KAY BIO

Lisa Kay is Chief Operating Officer of Environmental Health Sciences Vertical at
NV5 where she leads a team of high performing environmental, health, and safety
consultants with the mission of delivering solutions and improving lives.

Lisa’s technical work is primarily related to policy and strategy support for
municipal government, federal government, and industrial clients. Together with
her team of experts, she has been providing support to clients related to
COVID-19 industrial hygiene and infection control. She was appointed to the EPA
Environmental Finance Advisory Board Technical Expert Working Group on
Stormwater Infrastructure in 2019. She is an invited member of the International
Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructure, a global coalition of change agents
working together to accelerate innovation, adoption, and scaling of strategic
resilient and sustainable infrastructure solutions. Lisa is an active member of
the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce where she sits on the Board of
Directors, the Management Committee, and serves as the Chair of the Public
Policy Committee.

 

Lisa has spent much of her career building and growing environmental firms. She
successfully grew three underperforming companies into profitable firms that
ultimately lead to their acquisition. In 2019 Lisa’s most recent company, Alta
Environmental, was acquired by NV5. Lisa joined Alta as a partner and its
President in 2014, building and growing revenue by more than 83%. Under her
leadership, Alta was recognized for growth and employee engagement through
numerous awards including “Top 100 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in Los
Angeles”, “Environmental Business Journal Small Business Growth – 2017”, three
consecutive The Best Firm to Work For Awards, and two consecutive Hot Firm
Awards. Today she serves as the Chief Operating Officer of NV5’s Environmental
Health Sciences Vertical a four consecutive year #1 Zweig Hot Firm

MELINDA JOHNSON BIO

Melinda Johnson is Executive Vice President of Building Technologies at NV5. She
leads a team of engineers, construction and program managers, commissioning
authorities, and technology design professionals who play a significant role in
shaping the communities where they work through cost-effective and sustainable
projects. As leader of her group, she has introduced innovative approaches to
the design and commissioning of systems and technology in buildings, campuses,
and facilities.

Melinda is passionate about working as a team towards a shared goal and
spearheads efforts to develop collaborative opportunities to drive organic
growth. She is committed to supporting and advancing women and minorities in the
architectural, engineering, and construction industry, and currently serves on
the National Board of the Professional Women in Construction.

 

Throughout her 35-year career, Melinda has developed MEP teams in major US
cities, including Philadelphia and Chicago, and worked extensively with
high-profile clients, including the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey,
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and Dormitory Authority of the State of
New York. Prior to joining NV5, she served as Vice President and Operations
Manager for the Buildings & Facilities Division at STV and Principal Engineer at
Stantec.

 

Melinda is a registered Professional Engineer in six states and holds a Bachelor
of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration in
Finance.

DR. CARL HENDERSON BIO

Dr. Carl Henderson, PhD, PE, GE was recently appointed as NV5’s Chief Diversity
Officer (CDO).  In the CDO role, Carl leads the Diversity and Inclusion Program
at NV5, driving initiatives to increase diversity across the NV5 organization
 and promoting and environment of trust, respect, and inclusion. With his
experience in various mentoring organizations and affiliations, Carl understands
the importance in being intentional and proactive in affecting change.

Carl  joined NV5 in 2018 as Director of the Construction Quality Assurance Group
in Southern California.  Carl’s more than 22 years of experience in
geotechnical  engineering project roles include project management, subsurface
evaluation, and execution of various geotechnical engineering, soils and
materials testing, field instrumentation, and construction oversight projects
for a diverse array of clients.  Carl has been Geotechnical Project Manager for
many large transportation, levee/dam water impoundment, commercial, industrial,
and institutional development projects within California and Pennsylvania. He
also is experienced in leading and managing multi-disciplinary offices. A
results-oriented, practical professional with strong leadership skills, his
passions include  team building, motivating, training, and mentoring. A
co-author of several published technical papers, Carl is a registered
Professional Engineer and Geotechnical Engineer and holds Master of Science and
PhD degrees in Civil/Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.
Carl also previously served as an Infantry Officer in the United States Army
Reserve and Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

JESSICA KILLIAN BIO

Jessica has more than 17 years of experience in engineering design, project
management, and lender and owner representative services. This experience
includes schedule reviews, cost control processing, project team management,
construction document review, contract review, and implementation of owner
programs. Jessica has experience with municipal, educational, residential,
commercial, office and mixed-use projects nationwide. Her strengths include
strong communication skills, knowledge of industry practices and procedures, and
a dedicated and thorough approach to all projects. A strong interest in math and
buildings led Jessica into architectural engineering, but a desire to work with
people and have an impact throughout the development process brought her to
project management.  Jessica has a degree in Architectural Engineering from the
University of Wyoming, and a Masters of Engineering in Construction Management
degree from the University of Colorado-Denver.  She is a licensed Professional
Engineer, as well as a certified Project Management Professional.  Jessica’s
role as Managing Director at NV5 emphasizes her skills in bringing people
together towards a common goal, asking the key questions, and following through
with results.

 

Jessica is also a guest lecturer at numerous front range universities including
Denver University, University of Colorado-Denver, and University of Wyoming.
 Jessica is also involved in departmental advisory boards at University of
Colorado-Boulder, University of Colorado-Denver, and University of Wyoming.  She
is Secretary of the local chapter of the Construction Management Association of
America, and service as student liaison for their local collegiate chapters. 
Jessica is an advocate of women in the construction industry and a mentor for
her internal team.  Jessica’s pending publication through ASCE details
recommendations for implementation on pull planning, which supports her desire
to provide useful tools for the construction industry.

 



DANIEL BRITTON

Director of Professional Services Practice – IMA Financial Group


AEC INSURANCE MARKET UPDATE


SESSION DATE: OCTOBER 8, AT 11:00 AM

The Insurance Market Update will provide attendees with an overview of the
current insurance market. We will discuss macro-economic factors, including the
ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and their impact on the insurance industry and the
ramifications to AEC firms. Once the stage is set, we will do a deep dive into
specific lines of insurance impacting AEC firms with a focus on professional
liability.

SPEAKER BIO

Dan joined IMA as Director of Professional Services Practice in 2019 to lead the
Professional Services Practice across all markets. Dan works to help clients in
the design, construction, legal and other industries manage complex professional
liability and property and casualty risks inherent to their businesses. He is
passionate about providing best-in-class service to his clients and maintaining
solid relationships with the underwriting community to advocate on behalf of
those clients. His team is responsible for the negotiation and placement of
insurance programs, managing the renewal process, and quarterbacking the
delivery of all IMA services (claims, alternative risk finance, actuarial
analysis, loss control, etc.) as needed. In addition, Dan is viewed as a
strategic consultant and is frequently engaged by clients to provide guidance on
their most complex endeavors. He enjoys understanding the unique elements of
individual clients and/or projects and pursuing creative solutions to those
challenges, whether through insurance, contractual transfer elsewhere, or
alternative risk finance opportunities.

Prior to joining IMA, Dan spent 13 years working for a Top 10 brokerage firm
where he led a team focused exclusively on clients with significant professional
liability exposures. This included one of the world’s largest design/build EPC
contractors with operations on 6 continents (ENR Top 10 Contractor), one of the
nation’s largest transportation engineers (ENR Top 15 Design Firm), a large
power engineer (ENR Top 15 Design Firm); and three other ENR Top 100
Contractors. On behalf of these clients, Dan pursued and implemented a never
ending combination of program structures that included large deductibles,
captives (group, single parent, rent-a-captive), facultative reinsurance, and
fully manuscript policies, all while ensuring day-to-day services were
maintained at the highest standards.



WEEK THREE

MULTIPLE SPEAKERS


COURAGE IN LEADERSHIP AWARD WINNER CELEBRATION AND PANEL DISCUSSION


SESSION DATE: OCTOBER 14, AT 11:00 AM

We will announce the 2020 Jerry Allen Courage In Leadership Award winner and
follow with a panel discussion of previous award winners. Attendees will be
inspired by stories of courage and leadership success, learning how they can
make a greater difference in their organizations.

PANELISTS: To be announced soon.



CHRISTY ZWEIG NIEHUES

Director, Research & EE-Commerce – Zweig Group



TYLER THOMPSON

Research Manager – Zweig Group


DATA INSIGHTS FROM ZWEIG GROUP’S RESEARCH TEAM


SESSION DATE: OCTOBER 15, AT 11:00 AM

As the leader in research and industry statistics, Zweig Group publishes over 20
studies each year, covering every major topic in AEC firms today and amassing
over 2.4 million data points. This session will present a “highlight reel”
of some of the most fascinating finds from across our industry studies on
everything from COVID-19 impacts to project management techniques to
benchmarking metrics.

CHRISTY ZWEIG NIEHUES BIO

Christy Zweig Niehues has a long history of involvement with management
consulting and the AEC industry. She has held a number of roles at Zweig Group,
including writing and researching for The Zweig Letter, and civil + structural
ENGINEER magazine.  She currently is the firm’s marketing director as well as
the leader of the marketing consulting division.

Christy has a passion for online marketing and has worked with many AEC Firms to
find the best processes and methods to drive new and repeat business for their
individual organizations. Her marketing experience also includes work at The
Sustainability Consortium, as a licensed Real Estate Agent, and she runs a horse
boarding and training operation for off the track thoroughbreds.  She holds a
master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in English
from the University of Arkansas.

TYLER THOMPSON BIO

Tyler creates benchmarking tools and publications through online surveys
completed by AEC industry firms across the world. He also provides weekly
trendlines for The Zweig Letter and bimonthly press releases for survey
publications in the Civil+Structural Engineer Magazine.

Tyler holds a BS in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Arkansas with
a minor in Mathematics. His passion for statistical analysis brought him to
Zweig Group in July of 2018



MULTIPLE SPEAKERS


HOW WE BUILT THIS: THE GROWTH MINDSET


SESSION DATE: OCTOBER 15, AT 12:00 PM

Leading a firm or team with a growth mindset isn’t easy, but it’s an awful lot
of fun. Join us for a panel discussion with AEC firm leaders about growth
success stories and growing pains and what they’ve learned along the way as
they’ve cultivated a growth culture in their firms.

WEEK FOUR

RANDY WILBURN

Consultant – Zweig Group


PODCASTING YOUR WAY TO BRAND AND THOUGHT LEADERSHIP


SESSION DATE: OCTOBER 20, AT 1:00 PM

With over, 1-Million shows, Podcasting is one of the fastest-growing digital
mediums.  Learn how to leverage Podcasting, to brand your firm, and tell your
story both externally to the world and internally to your team.  There has never
been a better time to do this.  In about an hour, you will learn how to come up
with a show theme,  decide what type of homegrown talent you have available or
how to hire someone to help you get the podcast started, and finally, some of
the essential audio tools necessary to sound like NPR.

SPEAKER BIO

Randy first worked for ZweigWhite in the firm’s executive search team in the
1990s/2000s, and was an owner in the firm. He left the firm when it was sold in
2004 to join a private equity group. When Zweig Group returned to the hands of
the original founding partner, Mark Zweig, Randy rejoined the firm to help them
rebuild a key part of their business.

Randy is an accomplished author, speaker, consultant, trainer, and business
coach. He is one of the nation’s leading experts on a variety of topics
including leadership skills, strategic planning, and small business
development. Randy has been featured in Business Week, The Boston Globe, and the
Blog of Timothy Ferriss, Author of the NY Times Best Seller, “4 Hour Work Week.”

Randy is a graduate of Howard University and The Summer Leadership Institute at
Harvard University. He is a certified Business Coach and a Teacher in Biblical
Entrepreneurship through the Nehemiah Project.



BILL MCCONNELL, PE, JD, MSCE, CDT

CEO – The Vertex Companies


KEYNOTE: EMBRACE THE CHAOS – HOW AEC FIRMS CAN REDUCE RISK AND FLOURISH THROUGH
RECESSIONARY CYCLES


SESSION DATE: OCTOBER 21, AT 11:00 AM

Times have changed and there is no going back. In addition to doing more to
ensure business and client success, leaders must continue to do more to ensure
team and organizational success – and this is especially true as we proceed
through the COVID-19 crisis and our changing social constructs. This session is
specifically designed to help leaders focus on what has changed, see the
opportunities presented, and learn how to achieve new levels of sustainable, new
era success without burning out.

SPEAKER BIO

Bill McConnell, co-founder and CEO of The Vertex Companies, Inc.(VERTEX), has
worked in the construction industry for nearly his entire life. He rose through
the ranks from a union construction worker during high school and college
summers, to a project engineer at a top 50 construction company, to a senior
executive at VERTEX. In addition, Bill is a top expert witness for construction
disputes as he has testified approximately 170 times, most notably for cost
and/or standard of care opinions. Many construction, engineering, and law
organizations have published Bill’s articles and reports over the past two
decades. Bill is a lifelong learner (MS, JD, and PhD student) and a firm
believer in the value of industry-academic collaborations.

Since the inception of VERTEX in 1995, Bill has led the organization by example.
Under his leadership, VERTEX has seen consistent year-over-year growth of more
than 20%. Twenty-five years later, in addition to setting strategy and leading
VERTEX, Bill works on billable projects while also contributing as an active
teacher and student in academia. Bill has a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil
Engineering from the University of Maine, a Juris Doctor degree from the
University of Denver, and a Master of Science degree from Columbia University.
Bill is working towards his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Civil Engineering
from the University of Colorado. He also completed a part-time three-year
business program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Bill serves on the
Industry Advisory Board for the University of Colorado Denver (CU) Construction
Engineering and Management program.



MULTIPLE SPEAKERS


THE 2%: A CONVERSATION WITH YOUNG PRINCIPALS


SESSION DATE: OCTOBER 22, AT 11:00 AM

According to Zweig Group’s 2020 Principals, Partners, and Owners Survey of AEC
Firms, only 2% of AEC firm owners are 40 years old or younger. During this
facilitated panel discussion, we’ll meet some of these “two-percenters” and
discuss their experience and how their objectives and perspectives overlap with
and diverge from the “other 98%” of AEC firm owners.

WEEK FIVE

CHARLES POOLEY

CEO – Workfolio


TRANSFORMING PROJECT PITCHES FOR A NEW, VIRTUAL WORLD


SESSION DATE: OCTOBER 27, AT 1:00 PM

In this session, Charles Pooley, CEO of Workfolio will share technology
innovations that are helping firms modernize how they pitch projects in a new,
virtual world by using co-branded client microsites, team profile intelligence,
and interactive case studies. Charles will also share industry trends that are
driving the future of how AEC firms stand out in the marketplace, improve
overall client experience (CX) digitally, and improve project win-rates.

SPEAKER BIO

Charles Pooley is the founder & CEO of Workfolio, a leading developer of
professional visibility and client experience solutions for firms in more than
100 countries worldwide.

His technology innovations have won numerous industry awards and he has been
featured on Bloomberg Television, CNBC, Forbes, US News, and BBC. In addition to
Workfolio, Charles has an extensive background in technology and marketing, and
at age 30 was one of the youngest public company CIO’s in America.



PHIL BERNSTEIN

Associate Dean and Professor Adjunct – Yale School of Architecture


KEYNOTE: PEDAGOGY, PRACTICE, PROFESSION: OPPORTUNITIES IN A POST-PANDEMIC MARKET


SESSION DATE: OCTOBER 28, AT 11:00 AM

The sudden jolt of the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the profession of
architecture into new modes of teaching, new strategies for practice, and
potentially new options (good and bad) for the future of the profession. This
talk will examine what trends were shifting the operating context of
architecture and how they might accelerate—or disappear—as the marketplace
adjusts to post-pandemic realities.

SPEAKER BIO

Phillip G. Bernstein is an architect and technologist and Lecturer in
Professional Practice at the Yale School of Architecture, where he has taught
since 1988. He was formerly a Vice President at Autodesk, where he was
responsible for setting the company’s future vision and strategy for technology
as well as cultivating and sustaining the firm’s relationships with strategic
industry. Phil was the executive responsible for Autodesk’s Waltham AEC
Headquarters project, which received more than 14 architectural awards including
those from the American Institute of Architects, Business Week/Architectural
Record, the Association of General Contractors and Interiors Magazine. Prior to
joining Autodesk, he practiced architecture as a principal at Pelli Clarke Pelli
Architects where he managed many of the firm’s most complex commissions. He
writes and lectures extensively about practice and technology, and has been
published in Architectural Record, Architecture, Architecture+Urbanism, Design
Intelligence, Fast Company, Fortune, Architectural Design and Perspecta. Phil
was co-editor of Building (In) The Future: Recasting Labor in Architecture,
published in 2010 by Princeton Architectural Press, as well as BIM in the
Academia: Technology’s Implications for Practice and the Academy in 2011. He is
currently writing a book for Birkhauser Publishers on the intersection of design
methods, technology and architectural practice. Phil was honored twice by
DesignIntelligence as one of the “30 Most Admired Educators in Architecture”.
Phil received a Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude with Distinction in
Architecture from Yale University and a Master of Architecture also from Yale.
He is a a Senior Fellow of the Design Futures Council, a Fellow of the American
Institute of Architects, and former Chair of the AIA National Contract Documents
Committee. He is licensed to practice in California.

WEEK SIX

KELLY STECKEL

Founder & Director – VOOU Studio


MAKE EVERY COMMUNICATION COUNT IN THE “NEW NORMAL”


SESSION DATE: NOVEMBER 2, AT 11:00 AM

Description: In the past, the virtual experience was balanced with in-person,
customized engagement necessary for leaders and client-facing teams to build
trusting relationships with clients, suppliers, and teams at home and abroad and
learn about their motivations, needs, and expectations. For companies operating
globally, those engagements, and in-person face-time, was essential to unpacking
the many layers and nuances of the cultures in which they operated; to better
understanding the differences in attitudes and values critical for effective
communication and performance. It still is.

Then COVID-19 hit and abruptly forced us to drastically shift how we do
everything from how we operate our businesses to the way we engage and
effectively communicate at home and abroad.  Some are even trying to force their
in-person processes to work in a virtual world. P.S. they don’t. But what does?

Join this lecture to hear from Kelly Steckel, Founder & Director of VOOU Studio,
AND LEADERS ALL ACROSS THE GLOBE who will share with you how you can effectively
engage, communicate and connect with clients in this current version of the “new
normal” and take an innovative approach to how you:

– Build relationships, differentiate, and win projects virtually
– Enable your teams to create meaningful experiences and engage buyers in new,
modern ways
– Communicate by understanding the different communication styles linked to
culture, and some simple strategies to improve effectiveness

VOOU Studio is a client-centric, marketing-driven sales enablement firm, helping
B2B service providers engage more effectively, boost sales productivity, and win
more projects.



MULTIPLE SPEAKERS


HOT FIRM AWARD WINNER CELEBRATION AND PANEL DISCUSSION


SESSION DATE: NOVEMBER 4, AT 11:00 AM

We will celebrate the 2020 Hot Firm list with a video countdown of the list,
including celebration footage submitted from winning firms. The video
celebration will be followed by a panel discussion of the top 5 Hot Firms.
Attendees will celebrate success while learning new ways to drive growth from
the fastest growing firms in AEC.

PANELISTS: To be announced soon.

WEEK SEVEN

DAWSON FERCHO

Vice President of Business Development – CTA


RESEARCH & DESIGN TAX CREDIT: 4 COMMON MISTAKES INTERPRETING ITS MERITS


SESSION DATE: NOVEMBER 9, AT 11:00 AM

This webinar broadcast serves as an overview of current rules and legislation
governing the Federal Research and Development (R&D) tax credit, how it applies
to the A\E\C industries. Learn 4 common mistakes business leaders, and their
trusted financial advisors, make when evaluating the merits and alignment of
this incentive within the design industry

Target Audience
If you are a Shareholder, Principal, Financial Advisor, CPA, CFO, Controller,
Owner, Business/OPS Manager, as well as supplier to the AEC industry, this is
the educational session for you. If you are curious to find other avenues of
reducing overhead rates (specifically direct labor expenses), increasing cash
flow, increasing profit-To- Earnings Ratios, permanent tax savings, reduction in
effective tax rates, and an alternative source of cash to fund growth in
technical-based jobs, this will be the most valuable session of our Summit
experience this week.

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this education session, participants will be able to:
• Understand more deeply the congressional intent (why it exists) of this
federal incentive program
• Understand how Congress defines R&D activity; much different from wikipedia
• Recognize the types of activities that qualify for the R&D tax credit
• Discuss the mechanics of the tax credit calculation

SPEAKER BIO

Dawson Fercho is the partner-founder of Corporate Tax Advisors, Inc. He brings
over 20 years of consulting experience, 15 years exclusively focused on the
Federal Research Tax Credit, working with the accounting industry and small to
mid-size manufacturing, technology, engineering, architecture and construction
clients. In his current role for Corporate Tax Advisors, Inc., Dawson is
responsible for all areas of client service and overseeing CTA’s marketing and
business development. Dawson is also a tax professional licensed by the U.S.
Treasury Department, allowing representation of tax clients in all 50 states.
Prior to CTA, Dawson held numerous senior level management roles with some of
the largest technology and communication firms in the country.



EDWARD RENENGER

President & CEO – SES ESOP Strategies


IS EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP RIGHT FOR YOUR FIRM?


SESSION DATE: NOVEMBER 10, AT 1:00 PM

An ESOP, or employee stock ownership plan, provides a tax-advantaged solution
that can meet a company’s needs in a variety of situations. ESOPs can be used to
generate shareholder liquidity, create a market for the shares of a closely held
company, increase employees’ productivity by making them beneficial owners, and
support a tax-advantageous exit strategy for departing shareholder(s). Ed
Renenger, President and CEO of SES ESOP Strategies, will provide an introduction
to ESOPs and review the benefits, risks and process involved in establishing
employee ownership in your firm.

SPEAKER BIO

Ed is President and CEO of SES ESOP Strategies, a Stevens &
Lee/Griffin-affiliated company, and co-chair of Stevens & Lee’s ESOP Group and
its Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Group. He concentrates his
practice in helping companies navigate the complexities of ESOPs.



MULTIPLE SPEAKERS


BEST FIRMS TO WORK FOR AWARD WINNER CELEBRATION AND PANEL DISCUSSION


SESSION DATE: NOVEMBER 11, AT 11:00 AM

We will celebrate the 2020 Best Firms To Work For with a video countdown of the
list, including celebration footage submitted from winning firms. The video
celebration will be followed by a panel discussion of the top 2020 winners from
various categories. Attendees will learn from the top AEC firms that are leading
the way in creating a workplace that inspires, motivates, and rewards employees.

PANELISTS: To be announced soon.



ERICA OLSEN

COO and Co-Founder – OnStrategy



JEFF BRUNINGS

Senior Strategist – OnStrategy


EMERGING SHIFTS LEADERS ARE MAKING TO ADAPT STRATEGY DURING MARKET UNCERTAINTY


SESSION DATE: NOVEMBER 11, AT 1:00 PM

The world has changed and so has strategy. Recent market unpredictability is
driving leaders to bring about significant shifts in how strategy and its
implementation are supported.  In partnership with Zweig Group, OnStrategy will
share top shifts leaders are making within themselves, their teams, and
throughout their organizations to best respond to market adversity and stay
focused on performance. Learn how companies are adopting agile planning and
real-time performance management of their corporate strategies, including tools
and processes for accelerating impact.

 Outcomes: In this learning session, you will learn shifts leaders are making to
apply agile planning & management practices to lead and align their
organizations.

ERICA OLSEN BIO

Leads OnStrategy with a dedication to the creation and execution of great
mission driven strategies for organizations around the globe.

Expertise:
 Internal and external assessments
 Facilitation
 Brand Strategy
 Executive Team and Board Retreats
 Culture Shift
 Team Leadership
 Business Development and Performance Management
Professional Experience:
Erica is the COO and co-founder of OnStrategy. She’s dedicated the last 20 years
to growing OnStrategy
with one goal in mind—helping organizations from around the globe create and
execute their strategic
vision. She and the OnStrategy experts work with leadership teams around the
globe—businesses,
nonprofits, governments, tribes and school districts that share one thing in
common: the desire to have
a bigger impact within their sphere of influence and the world.
• Government: City and County of San Francisco, City of Reno, Washoe County,
Charlotte-
Mecklenburg Police Department, Dona Ana County, Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority,
Nevada Division
of Wildlife
• Healthcare: St. Mary’s Health Plans, Keystone Healthcare Management
• Financial Services: Fairwinds Credit Union
• Education: Alaska North Slope Borough School District, Anchorage School
District, Fairbanks
Northstar School District, Washoe County School District, Kenai School District
• Sustainability: Patagonia, Outdoor Industry Association
• Technology: Microsoft, SEO Monitor
• Tourism: Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority, MGM Resorts
• Non-Profit: The Make-A-Wish-Foundation, Tahoe Fund, Northern Nevada Children’s
Cancer
Foundation, Tahoe-Pyramid Bikeway
Education: Master’s of International Business Management from Thunderbird School
of Global
Management; Bachelor of Arts in Communication, University of Nevada, Reno.
Publications: Strategic Planning for Dummies and Strategic Planning Kit for
Dummies (2011).
About Erica:
Through consulting services, software, books and YouTube, Erica reaches one
million people annually with
the aim to simplify the critical practice of growing and leading
strategically. OnStrategy’s philosophy is built
on a belief in the power of focus, alignment and engagement to transform
organizations and communities.

An engaging and experienced speaker and facilitator, Erica delivers her training
and speaking around the
world. She facilitated strategic planning workshops with GASCO Energy in Abu
Dhabi and has trained
teams in Singapore, Dubai, Bahrain, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta. Erica guest
lectures at the University of
Nevada Business School and served as Business School department chair at the
University of Phoenix
where she taught for five years.

Erica is an avid outdoor adventurist, spending much of her time running and
hiking in the mountains,
skiing, biking, and any other sport as an excuse to get outside and breathe the
fresh air.

JEFF BRUNINGS BIO

Drives customer experience with the capacity to assess, analyze and advance the
goals of clients

through the development and implementation of solid strategic direction.

Expertise:
 Growth Strategy
 Sales and Sales Methodology
 Marketing
 Brand Strategy
 Consensus Building
 Facilitation
 Team Leadership and Mentorship
 Communications
Professional Experience:
Jeff is a veteran at helping organizations succeed. He brings over 25 years
of experience driving
sustainable growth for start-ups to publicly traded companies. At OnStrategy,
Jeff works with leadership
teams in strategy design, organizational roll-out, adoption, and performance
management.
 Packaged Goods: Chloe Foods
 Communications: Nortel Networks
 Financial Services: Amerivon, South Carolina Student Loan Services
 Retail: Harley Davidson, Volcolm, OceanSpray, Williams-Sonoma
 Technology: Gutenburg, Intuit, Wireless Advocates, Retail Inkjet Partners,
Microblend, IBM
 Tourism: Nevada Commission on Tourism
 Non-Profit: Boy Scouts of America, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Together4Health,
Reno Rodeo
Association
 Sustainability: Outdoor Industry Association, Recology: Waste Zero
 Recovery: Foundry Treatment Center
 Engineering: Lee Company, JF Brennan,
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from California State Polytechnic
University
Recent Client Work:
 Foundry Treatment Center: As an extension of Foundry’s leadership team, Jeff
helped leadership
define and implement a three-year strategic plan supported by growth strategies
based on
Foundry’s competitive advantages and unique differentiation, including
implementing processes and
systems to ensure performance reporting and organization-wide accountability.
 Alaska Epidemiology Center: Working with leadership, Jeff helped facilitate
the design of a three-
year strategic plan, including organizational priorities, goals, and measures in
the areas of
sustainable growth, operational excellence, and human equity.
 Outdoor Industry Association: At the core of great strategic direction-setting
is collaborative
ideation. Jeff worked with leadership and OIA’s Board of Directors to explore
the realm of
possibilities and how they might be implemented to drive transformational impact
supporting the
organization’s mission of sustainability,

WEEK EIGHT

BRYON MCCARTNEY

Chief Idea Guy – ARCHMARK


FIVE IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS FROM STUDYING 500+ ARCHITECTURE FIRM WEBSITES


SESSION DATE: NOVEMBER 16, AT 11:00 AM

If your website was an employee, would you promote it, demote it, or fire it?

After studying more than 500 firm websites, including those of the Architect
TOP50, Bryon McCartney, Chief Creative Strategist at Archmark Branding
& Marketing, has come to the conclusion that most firms have not identified a
clear role for their website.

It’s like having an employees without a clear job description, and no
expectations for performance results.

Rather than using their website as an opportunity to build and strengthen
relationships with prospects, partners, and promoters, many firms default to the
WEB 1.0 mentality of using their website as a brochure.

Times and technology have changed, but so have website visitors, and their
expectations. Research shows that most AEC buyers will visit your website before
hiring your firm, more importantly, an equal number of those buyers will
eliminate firms from consideration because of their websites.

Join Bryon as he explores five key opportunities firms need to consider to make
their website a key player in the business development process.

SPEAKER BIO

Bryon has more than 30 years experience in branding and marketing and has led
online strategic initiatives for major clients, including Clavin Klein, General
Motors, Lipton Foods, and many others.

Bryon has had a lifelong love of architecture and design and for the past
several years the Archmark team have focused on helping clients in the
architecture, engineering, and construction industries.

In fact, the Archmark team has set a goal to bring value to 100,000 architects
by 2030 by helping firms improve how they use branding, marketing, website
design and lead generation to build productive and profitable relationships with
prospects, partners, and promoters. 

Archmark has gained attention for its study of 450+ AEC firm websites to better
understand the challenges and opportunities that architects have to stand out
and differentiate themselves.

 

Bryon is a featured author, podcast guest, and speaker for AIA, ASLA,
Entrearchitect, Inside the Firm, and SMPS.



CHRIS SIMON

Founder & Executive Coach – Elmry


CREATING A LIFE-WORK BALANCE IN TODAY’S ENVIRONMENT


SESSION DATE: NOVEMBER 17, AT 1:00 PM

The world changed. Business changed. The workplace infiltrated many homes,
highlight the importance and challenge of life-work balance. Poor life-work
balance manifests itself through physical exhaustion, working at all hours,
short temper, poor relationships, and more. Today presents an opportunity to
proactively create a life-work balance for your life.

This session will discuss:
– The effects of poor life-work balance on one’s career and personal life
– The positive effects of a balanced life
– Specific exercises and techniques to determine one’s desired life-work
lifestyle

SPEAKER BIO

Chris Simon provides executive coaching and consulting to develop leaders by
tapping into their leadership potential, building appropriate self-confidence,
creating life-work balance, and encouraging complete dedication at work. This
results in increased productivity through delegation, training of future
leaders, and creating a strong culture. Chris works alongside leaders to propel
growth, impact, and leadership in their area of influence. Executive coaching
provides opportunities for leaders to gain self-
awareness of their strengths, learn how to mitigate weaknesses, and create a
professional environment. Coaching leads to confident leaders, employing their
strengths to create maximum impact, leadership, productivity, and profits.

Background
Prior to establishing his coaching and consulting business, Chris founded and
operated an addiction treatment facility in Denver, Colorado specializing in
working with executives. His unique experience provides profound insight into
building leaders who operate optimally and fit into the organizational culture,
which prevents burnout and leadership failures, aiding in long-term retention of
leadership. Experience as an executive leader himself allows Chris to build
rapport with leaders while offering pointed insights into maximizing leadership
potential.

Additional articles, interviews, and information regarding Chris’s work
available at www.Elmry.com.



MULTIPLE SPEAKERS


MARKETING EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNER CELEBRATION AND PANEL DISCUSSION


SESSION DATE: NOVEMBER 18, AT 11:00 AM

We will celebrate the 2020 Marketing Excellence Winners with a video countdown
of the list, including celebration footage submitted from winning firms. The
video celebration will be followed by a panel discussion of the top 2020 winners
from various categories. Attendees will learn the latest tactics in producing
award winner marketing.

PANELISTS: To be announced soon.



PAT STOLTZ

Vice President – Wintrust


THE ESOP ALTERNATIVE


SESSION DATE: NOVEMBER 19, AT 12:00 PM

This program session will explore Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) as a
viable and sustainable business transition alternative. The discussion will
incorporate the overall landscape surrounding ESOP owned companies, as well as
the advantages and disadvantages of ESOPs. Sub-topics will include planning for
the transition, inherent tax benefits, and corporate culture/maintaining legacy
associated with this alternative.

SPEAKER BIO

Pat leads the Wintrust national ESOP lending practice, providing competitive
financing solutions to ESOP-owned companies. Pat has 27 years of commercial
banking experience and a proven track record of developing and building
relationships, financial analysis and risk management, and development of his
staff. Throughout his career, Pat has been responsible for leading a team of
bankers tasked with generating Middle Market opportunities in the Chicagoland
area, and new and mature ESOP opportunities across the country. He is a member
of the Illinois and National ESOP Association and the National Center for
Employee Ownership (NCEO). Pat holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Ball
State University and an M.B.A. from Loyola University Chicago.






WANT TO BE A SPEAKER? EMAIL EVENTS@ZWEIGGROUP.COM

PREMIUM EXPERIENCE


THE PREMIUM EXPERIENCE INCLUDES EVERYTHING INCLUDED IN THE FREE REGISTRATION
PLUS:

UNLIMITED ACCESS to numerous learning and networking sessions on various key
issues & industry topics

Access to the Zweig Group seminar; The Principals Academy ($899 value)

Access to the Zweig Group seminar; Elevating Doer-Sellers: Business Development
for AEC Professionals ($699 value)

Access to the Zweig Group seminar; Project Management for AEC Professionals
($599 value)

Access to the Zweig Group seminar; Leadership Skills for AEC Professionals ($499
value)

Access to the Zweig Group seminar; Ownership Transition Strategies ($399 value)

Access to the M&A Next Symposium ($499 value)

Topic-Based Facilitated Roundtables ($999 Value)

Panel discussions with thought leaders and industry peers

Topic-Based Happy Hours and More!

register




THE PRINCIPALS ACADEMY – VIRTUAL SEMINAR

MODULE ONE WILL BEGIN ON OCTOBER 13, 2020

Program Description: This is a six-week program of two hours each week of a live
zoom meeting with our seminar instructors. These meetings will be a mix of
presentations as well as open-ended Q&A sessions. This will be the same great
content that is taught during our in-person The Principals Academy seminar that
has trained over 800 attendees in the last five years. The Principals Academy is
Zweig Group’s flagship training program encompassing all aspects of managing a
professional AEC service firm. Elevate your ability to lead and grow your firm
with this program designed to inspire and inform existing and emerging AEC firm
leaders in key areas of firm management leadership, financial management,
recruiting, marketing, business development, and project management.

PDH/LU: 12

Price: $899 value

learn more




M&A NEXT – VIRTUAL SYMPOSIUM

MODULE ONE WILL BEGIN ON OCTOBER 22, 2020

Program Description: This is a four-week program of one hour each week of a live
zoom meeting with our seminar instructors. Reserve your seat at the table as
Zweig Group’s thought leaders share insights and valuable context gained from
working with AEC firms of all sizes across the country and provide deep learning
through an engaging experience focused on current and “next” practices in the
world of AEC industry M&A. This fully virtual symposium is designed to provide
M&A education and practical application through expert panel conversation and
focused research and insights to connect leaders from across the country. AEC
firm leaders and partners with all levels of experience in M&A will benefit from
this mix of education, practical application, and panels with seasoned experts.
The format of this event is designed to start with Zweig Group’s data and
expertise and take it down from the academic to the practical as we explore
topics including COVID-related valuation impacts, negotiation and relationship
building, best practice letters of intent, data considerations, and proactive
integration strategies.

PDH/LU: 4

Price: $499

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ELEVATING DOER-SELLERS: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOR AEC PROFESSIONALS – VIRTUAL
SEMINAR

MODULE ONE WILL BEGIN ON OCTOBER 26, 2020

Program Description: This is a four-week program of one and a half-hours each
week of a live zoom meeting with our seminar instructors. These meetings will be
a mix of presentations as well as open-ended Q&A sessions. Participants will
have the ability to ask questions and get the same feel as an in-person seminar
does. Elevating Doer-Sellers: Business Development for AEC Professionals is
specifically developed to help design and technical professionals in
architecture, engineering, planning, and environmental firms become more
comfortable managing clients and promoting the firm and its services.

PDH/LU: 6

Price: $699 value

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LEADERSHIP SKILLS FOR AEC PROFESSIONALS – VIRTUAL SEMINAR

MODULE ONE WILL BEGIN ON OCTOBER 29, 2020

Program Description: This is a four-week program of one hour each week of a live
zoom meeting with our seminar instructors. These meetings will be a mix of
presentations as well as open-ended Q&A sessions. Practical leadership skills
are vital to the health and success of every company in any industry. Effective
leaders motivate their teams to achieve exceptional results, inspire others to
be better than they thought possible, and create an environment where their team
is focused and working towards a common vision. Zweig Group’s team of management
experts – who have extensive experience working with AEC firms providing
solutions to the challenges facing AEC firms today – deliver practical solutions
that technical professionals can put to work immediately to lead their firms to
success.

PDH/LU: 4

Price: $499 value

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PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR AEC PROFESSIONALS – VIRTUAL SEMINAR

MODULE ONE WILL BEGIN ON OCTOBER 29, 2020

Program Description: This is a four-week program of one and a half-hours each
week of a live zoom meeting with our seminar instructors. This training course
covers the critical focus areas every AEC Industry project manager should be
familiar with and is presented in lecture, tutorial, individual exercises, and
case study workshop sessions. Attendees will leave armed with a comprehensive
understanding of the characteristics, skills, and techniques successful project
managers must have to flourish in their role. Each team member brings their own
unique experiences and skillset to project teams. Effectively leveraging the
talents of your team can optimize team effectiveness. Project Management for AEC
Professionals provides people-focused, science-driven practical skills to help
project leaders harness the power of their team. By addressing the most
important aspects of any project – the people – this course will provide
practical techniques that can be immediately implemented for a positive impact
on any AEC team or business.

PDH/LU: 6

Price: $599 value

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OWNERSHIP TRANSITION STRATEGIES – VIRTUAL SEMINAR

MODULE ONE WILL BEGIN ON NOVEMBER 2, 2020

Program Description: This is a three-week program of one hour each week of a
live zoom meeting with our seminar instructors. Zweig Group examines the
ever-complex environment of ownership transition in an AEC firm. The
presentation covers a range of topics, giving attendees a new view of ownership
transition and how an effective plan can be put into place. Whether the
attendees are young, up and coming AEC professionals or principals looking at
their impending transition, the content gives everyone an introspective view of
their career. We plan to take a deep dive into ESOPs to better understand the
benefits of this transition option.

PDH/LU: 4

Price: $399

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Facilitated Roundtables – Roundtables that will include subject matter expert
facilitation around roles and subjects determined by the audience including our
renowned CEO Roundtables and other topic-focused roundtables. (Register early –
Limited attendance).

AND MORE!

ELEVATEHER SYMPOSIUM

Beginning September 30, 2020.

WITH COHORT PRESENTATIONS EACH WEDNESDAY


ELEVATEHER™ IS A MOVEMENT AND A COMMITMENT TO ZWEIG GROUP’S MISSION TO ELEVATE
THE INDUSTRY.

The Elevate AEC Virtual Experience will also include the ElevateHer™ Symposium
which will begin on September 30th, and include the presentations of our 2020
ElevateHer™ Cohort’s research findings. This is one of the most exciting and
requested events of 2020. With one cohort presentation each week, the
ElevateHer™ Cohort presentations will be open to all and for anyone interested
in learning more about how to solve the AEC industry’s top challenge:
recruitment and retention.

The ElevateHer Symposium is free for everyone to join! Register for the FREE
Elevate AEC Virtual Experience to be registered for the ElevateHer Symposium.
This virtual program is open to all and for anyone interested in learning more
about how to solve the AEC industry’s top challenge: recruitment and retention.
The ElevateHER symposium will gather together leaders in the AEC industry, Zweig
Group’s ElevateHER 2020 Cohort members, and speakers on topics related to
hiring, retaining valuable employees, and fostering a diverse and equitable
workplace. Project teams from Zweig Group’s 2020 ElevateHer cohort who have been
working in special 6-month long task force groups will present their project
findings at this symposium, bringing brand new, tangible, solutions to the
industry.



SCHEDULE


STAY TUNED. FULL SCHEDULE COMING SOON.



WEEK ONE



WEEK TWO



WEEK THREE



WEEK FOUR



WEEK FIVE



WEEK SIX



WEEK SEVEN



WEEK EIGHT



FAQ


WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU’RE PREPARED, SO WE’VE CREATED THE FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS BELOW.



QUESTION: I already purchased my 2020 In-Person Conference registration, can I
switch to the Virtual Experience?

ANSWER: Yes! Because of the price difference, for every one (1) pre-purchased
registration, you will receive credit for two (2) Elevate AEC Virtual Experience
registrations. Contact Olivia Thomas at othomas@zweiggroup.com to complete the
registration change.

 

QUESTION: Do you offer group discounts or firm-wide enterprise licenses?

ANSWER: Yes! Pricing is on the “Registration” tab or contact Olivia Thomas at
othomas@zweiggroup.com for pricing.

 

 

 

 


HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS? CONTACT EVENTS@ZWEIGGROUP.COM OR CALL THE ZWEIG GROUP TEAM
AT 800.466.6275.

email OTHOMAS@zweiggroup.com for more information


THANK YOU TO OUR 2020 SPONSORS












BECOME A SPONSOR

Investing in an Elevate AEC Conference & Awards Experience sponsorship offers
the most value for your marketing dollars. Your company’s brand will be firmly
positioned across one of the leading and most recognized events in the AEC
industry.

email othomas@zweiggroup.com for more information





THE EVOLUTION OF THE HOT FIRM & A/E INDUSTRY AWARDS TO ELEVATE AEC


“WE REALLY DO NEED TO CELEBRATE MORE… WE SEE ELEVATE AEC – AND ESPECIALLY THE
AWARDS COMPONENT – AS AN ESSENTIAL CELEBRATION OF WHAT WE DO.”

— Chad Clinehens, PE
President & CEO, Zweig Group




ENTER OUR AWARDS

Is your firm a Hot Firm?  Are you a Best Firm To Work For? Are you a Top New
Venture? Do you have a Rising Star? Found out now by entering Zweig Group’s
awards programs which recognizes outstanding firm performance in the AEC
Industry.

learn more


Previous


HOT FIRM



JERRY ALLEN COURAGE IN LEADERSHIP



MARKETING EXCELLENCE



TRIFECTA BUNDLE



TOP NEW VENTURE



BEST FIRMS TO WORK



HOT FIRM



JERRY ALLEN COURAGE IN LEADERSHIP



MARKETING EXCELLENCE



TRIFECTA BUNDLE



TOP NEW VENTURE



BEST FIRMS TO WORK



HOT FIRM



JERRY ALLEN COURAGE IN LEADERSHIP



MARKETING EXCELLENCE



TRIFECTA BUNDLE


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Company & Industry News
 * M&A Activity Report (10/11/21 – 10/17/2021)
 * M&A Activity Report (10/04/21 – 10/10/2021)
 * Just Released! 2021 Best Performing Firms Report
 * Galloway & Company, Inc. Acquires JRCA Architects

more news

© ZWEIG GROUP 2021, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Get in Touch
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info@zweiggroup.com
800.466.6275

contact

Our Locations

OFFICES
Dallas
Fayetteville

ADDRESS
PO Box 1528
Fayetteville, AR 72702