2025 A/E/C HR Summit Agenda

10:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Pre-Summit Workshops
***Separate from general registration. View details here.

6:30 PM

Dine Around
Join fellow attendees for a "Dutch-treat" dinner. This is open to all attendees and is a great way to kick off the conference!
*Sign-up sheets outside pre-summit workshop rooms. 

7:00 AM - 8:15 AM

Registration and Networking Breakfast

8:15 AM - 9:00 AM

Welcome and Introductions

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Opening Keynote Presentation
Turning Vibes into Value: Measuring the ROI of Company Culture - An Essential Workplace Differentiator in 2025!
Meg Lassarat - Independent Board Member in the AEC Industry
Company culture isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a measurable asset. Calculating the ROI of company culture involves analyzing engagement, productivity, and retention metrics, and then communicating these insights to stakeholders. Learn practical strategies to quantify culture’s impact and how to create a compelling case for investment. Discover how a robust culture not only enhances employee satisfaction but also drives financial success and competitive advantage.

10:00 AM - 10:30 AM

Networking Break

10:30 PM - 11:30 PM

Concurrent Breakout Sessions 1:

Session 1A
Rendering Rewards: Blueprinting a Transparent Total Rewards Philosophy
Kathleen McDermott - Senior Manager, Total Rewards & Analytics, ZGF Architecture
Do your employees fully understand your total rewards programs? Do you? In this session, we will explore how to develop and implement a clear and compelling total rewards philosophy tailored to the AEC industry. We'll cover strategies for ensuring employee comprehension, assessing the effectiveness of each reward component over time, and managing change with confidence. Join us for practical insights on enhancing transparency and engagement in your organization’s compensation, benefits, and recognition programs.

Session 1B
The Butterfly Effect: A Case Study in Bold Accountability
Shelby Harvey - Talent Development & HR Director, BHC
Let's face it - as HR professionals, we've all had THAT person in our organization. The drain on culture that we're told we can't afford to lose. The reality is - removing them is only half the battle. Accountability is uncomfortable, and although it is necessary to safeguard your culture, it isn't easy. Solving one issue can expose much more deeply rooted problems. In this case study, we'll examine not just what it takes to hold THAT person accountable, but some of the unexpected challenges it may create; and most importantly, the positive impact it can have on your organization's retention, culture, and profitability.

Session 1C
Top Tips and Best Practices to Recruit in Today’s Competitive Landscape
Joe Swarengin - Partner & CEO, Emissary Recruiting Solutions
Join this dynamic session to gain proven strategies for attracting, hiring, and retaining top talent in today's challenging market. Learn about near-term hiring trends, leveraging AI and analytics, strengthening your employer brand, and optimizing compensation, benefits, and work-life balance. With actionable advice from over a decade of AEC expertise, this session helps you create a recruitment culture that aligns with your goals, ensuring your firm stays competitive and attracts top-tier candidates.

11:30 AM - 11:45 PM

Networking Break

11:45 AM - 12:45 PM

Lunch

12:45 PM - 1:45 PM

Keynote Presentation
Managing the Millennial Mindset
Shane McCormick - President, Martin/Martin Consulting Engineers

1:45 PM - 2:00 PM

Networking Break

2:00 PM - 3:15 PM

AEC Connections Cafe
This participant-driven session relies on the passion of attendees for the topics discussed. You will have the opportunity to attend multiple topic groups to discuss what’s important to you and your organization right now.

3:15 PM - 3:30 PM

Networking Break

3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Concurrent Breakout Sessions 2:

Session 2A
HR at Mach Speed: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of 12x Growth in 5 Years (Mostly Good)
April Kozubal - CHRO, Verdantas LLC
Explore the lessons learned during a period of rapid company growth and the challenges faced. Discover how to manage change, build a robust HR function, lead with empathy and courage, and handle everyday needs in the process. You'll hear stories of success and gain valuable insights from things that may not have gone so well, along with practical strategies for overcoming obstacles and ensuring continued success in a growing organization.

Session 2B
Building a Powerful HR Brand in AEC: EVP, Executive Presence, and Winning Over Senior Leadership
Kyle Roed - CHRO, CPM
In this interactive session, we will explore how AEC firms can craft a rebellious and compelling Employer Value Proposition (EVP) to build a strong HR brand that resonates with technical talent. We’ll delve into strategies for gaining executive presence, fostering influence within your organization, and winning the trust and support of senior leadership teams. By the end of this session, participants will leave with practical and innovative steps to elevate HR’s strategic role and strengthen their firm’s competitive edge.

Session 2C
Thriving in a Cutthroat Talent Market
Brandon Brodzky - CEO, AECIQ
Shaun Leeper - COO, AECIQ
Many factors contribute to talent acquisition in the AEC space being as challenging as ever. We'll cover the most hot-button topics, ranging from the war on salaries to recruiting and retaining diverse talent and leveraging data and analytics to inform hiring decisions that can enhance candidate experience and the overall effectiveness of talent acquisition strategies. Takeaways: Develop data-driven hiring strategies, enhance candidate experience with analytics, and boost your company's retention rates.

4:30 PM - 5:00 PM

Closing Comments
Join us as we walk through the logistics of the evening and close the first day.

5:00 PM

Adjourn

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Cocktail Reception
Join your hosts and sponsors for the start of a fun evening of cocktails and hors d'oeuvres!

Networking Breakfast

Opening Comments and Live Summit Poll with Bob Kelleher

Keynote Presentation
Bob Kelleher - Author/Speaker/Founder of The Employee Engagement Group
Come Together: Leadership and Engagement Lessons from the Lyrics and Legacy of The Beatles
Join writer and author Bob Kelleher as he brings us back to the 1960s in a "Beatles case study". Through the work of noted leadership consultants, also known as bandmates, Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, and Starr, learn the importance of team development, team evolution, and team dynamics.  This session includes the sounds and sights of the Beatles classics, along with an in-depth overview of why they became who they became, and why it ended.

Networking Break

Concurrent Breakout Sessions 3

Session 3A
Future Proofing Your Leadership Development Strategy
Troy Eutsler - Director, Leadership Development, American Structurepoint
Over the past two years, American Structurepoint has revamped its leadership development strategy to create a strong leadership pipeline, support growth, and scale its culture. This session covers: leveraging e-learning and hybrid models to expand learning, aligning leadership development with other talent processes, benefits of external consultants vs. in-house training, and best practices for designing internal leadership programs. Gain insights to enhance leadership development at your organization.

Session 3B
Retention Revolution: Metrics that Matter and Strategies that Stick
Margo Botti - People & Culture Manager, PAE Consulting Engineers
In this breakout session, we’ll dive into the key metrics that truly impact employee retention and explore strategies that drive long-term success. Learn how to identify and measure the factors that influence retention, from job satisfaction and career development opportunities to work-life balance and company culture. We’ll discuss actionable strategies for improving employee engagement, fostering loyalty, and creating an environment where top talent thrives and stays.

Session 3C
Closing the Skills Gap With Learning and Development Best Practices
Jim TeDesco - VP of Marketing, Eagle Point Software
This session will explore how manufacturers and engineering teams can address the growing skills gap in their workforce by adopting learning and development best practices, including Learning Management Systems (LMS) and eLearning tools. We will cover the following key topics: the causes and impact of skills gaps on productivity and growth, how LMS and eLearning tools provide scalable, flexible, and cost-effective training solutions, essential LMS features for assessing skills, personalizing learning, and tracking performance, and guidelines for selecting the right tools and measuring the ROI of your training programs.

Lunch

Closing Keynote Presentation
Helping Great Leaders Get Even Better
Marshall Goldsmith - Author and Leadership Expert
In this interactive session, participants will get to practice and be ready to use feedforward, a positive tool for learning that Marshall uses with all of his clients. He will then share his proven process for leadership development and coaching that is backed by award-winning research involving 86,000 respondents. He will discuss why ‘credibility must be earned twice’ and talk about how HR leaders can learn to deal with both ‘over-selling’ and ‘under-selling’.  Finally, participants will learn how daily questions, especially active ones, can be used to increase engagement and effectiveness.

Closing Comments and Adjourn

A Surprise Social Activity!