Amid a constant atmosphere of reconnecting with good friends, more than 900 individuals attended the recently concluded in-person ACEC Annual Convention and Legislative Summit in downtown Washington, D.C.
Despite a pandemic-fueled pause in live events, the 2022 Annual Convention restarted the way many members remembered. There were numerous compelling speakers, highlighted by CBS’s Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan, and more than 20 cutting-edge business education sessions (including firm roundtables) covering topics such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), transportation opportunities, and the remote workplace.
W. Art Barrett, senior vice president of Gannett Fleming, was installed as new 2022-2023 Council Chair, succeeding Robin Greenleaf.
Convention special guests included Clarence Anthony, CEO and executive director for the National League of Cities, and Mitch Landrieu, former New Orleans mayor and special White House Advisor for implementation of the historic bipartisan infrastructure law.
ACEC/PAC enjoyed a successful Convention, highlighted by hosting a “home base” lunch gathering area at the ACEC Townhouse for those making Capitol Hill visits.
Additionally, more than 500 attended the 55th annual blacktie Engineering Excellence Awards Gala, hosted by comedian and author Ross Shafer.
More Annual Convention highlights include:
CONVENTION BOARD URGED TO EMBRACE EXCITING TIME TO BE AN ENGINEER
During her report before the Council Board of Directors, ACEC President and CEO Linda Bauer Darr was thrilled about anticipated robust times ahead for the industry.
“2021 was the best year ever in our industry’s history,” said Darr. “We were already seeing new projects move forward before the IIJA. This unprecedented investment should keep our firms busy for quite a while.”
She cautioned, however, that significant growth in engineering demand will not come without challenges for member firms.
“The priority for IIJA is now implementation,” Darr emphasized, while adding that the boost in investment is expected to create 82,000 new engineering jobs—jobs that must be filled.
“It’s a tough time to hire engineers and a tough time to retain,” she said. “Our ability or inability to fill those jobs will determine whether IIJA succeeds.”
CBS’ BRENNAN WARNS OF DIVIDED, MISINFORMED ELECTORATE IMPACT ON DEMOCRACY
Face the Nation moderator Margaret Brennan told an Annual Convention audience that democracy is endangered, and public misinformation is a leading cause.
“The view of Washington, D.C. journalists is almost as dismal today as the view about Congress,” Brennan said. “An informed electorate is a key part of a successful democracy.”
A major example of the misinformation she noted was how it was known by the government, including the former president, that COVID-19 was extremely contagious and dangerous, yet they kept the information from public knowledge until it became a crisis.
“Accurate information about the pandemic mattered directly to people’s well-being, but it was kept silent.” Brennan noted. “As a result, the national trauma of the pandemic will shape our politics for a long time to come.”
She also pointed to recent CBS News polls that show how a majority of U.S. voters would more likely label Democrats weak, while labeling the GOP as extreme and hateful.
“These divisions are toxic and worrisome,” she said.
She urged news watchers to be more cognizant of the difference between commentary and journalism, and to question the source before taking what’s said at face value.
“Remember there are people here, including those I work with, who came to Washington, D.C. to make a difference.”
CHARITY: WATER PROVIDING LIFE-SAVING BENEFITS
A self-titled “good religious kid” who wanted to be a doctor, Scott Harrison lost his way as a drugged-out New York nightclub promoter—only to have a major life pivot and become someone key in the saving of thousands of lives and counting.
Annual Convention attendees were captivated by the disturbing details of Harrison’s early life, including a tragedy surrounding his mother and a subsequent fall into the depths of nightclub depravity.
But in a dramatic life reversal, Harrison volunteered with Christian charity Mercy Ships, which operates a fleet of hospital ships offering free health care worldwide. It was while docked in Liberia that his life changed forever.
“There was one doctor for every 50,000 residents,” he said. “I also learned that one-half the country was drinking extremely contaminated water.”
He showed the audience a photo of a woman who had a tumor growing out of her mouth so large she would cover it in public for fear of being stoned to death. “Another child had a tumor in his mouth that literally was suffocating,” he said.
“No human should be drinking water filled with worms and parasites. I knew what I had to do.”
After returning to New York in 2006, he founded charity: water—a charity that raises money and awareness of the need to install clean water systems throughout the world.
The annual ACEC/PAC Spring Sweepstakes sold out all 1,500 tickets, bringing in $300,000 and boosting PAC receipts by 15 percent over 2021.
The winners of this year’s PAC Sweepstakes: Claudia Irvin of S&ME in Raleigh, North Carolina, won the $10,000 Grand Prize. Tim Blair of J-U-B Engineers in Boise, Idaho, and Andrew Bender of VS Engineering in Indianapolis each won $5,000. Gene Sieve of Burns & McDonnell in Bloomington, Minnesota, and Abdelmadjid Lahlaf of Lahlaf Geotechnical Consulting in Billerica, Massachusetts each won $2,500.
Ten people won $1,000 prizes: Eric Fosmo of Kimley-Horn and Associates in Saint Paul, Minnesota; Andrew McCune of Wade Trim in Detroit; Van Collins of ACEC Washington in Bellevue, Washington; Fred Seling of Engineering Associates in Wooster, Ohio; Jenny Sallee of Garver in Tulsa, Oklahoma; Chad Hanisch of Infrastructure Design Group in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Gary Pohl of Butler, Fairman & Seufert in Indianapolis; Mary Hall of GZA GeoEnvironmental in Boston; Dawn Cartier of CivTech in Scottsdale, Arizona; and Miranda Patton of MNS Engineers in Santa Barbara, California.
The organization is making a tremendous impact. To date, more than 19,000 projects in 29 countries have been completed through the charity’s efforts, providing nearly 15 million people new access to clean water and a brighter future.
Yet 771 million people today still lack basic access to clean and safe drinking water, which impacts a person’s health and education.
“We plan to keep up exhibitions and campaigns and continue to address this huge human problem,” Harrison said.
PIONEER WOMAN FIGHTER PILOT DELIVERS INSPIRING LIFE KEYS
The first woman pilot ever to earn a place on the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squad—better known as the Thunderbirds—provided Convention attendees with an inspiring speech on overcoming challenges and bringing your best in everything you do.
Retired Col. Nicole Malachowski talked about how the legendary success she has achieved in her Air Force career has been based on her ability to harness within herself the courage, trust, and vulnerability in facing seemingly insurmountable challenges.
“To start, there was a time I was afraid of heights,” she said. “But I always had the ability to push the envelope to overcome an obstacle.”
During her career, she also commanded an Air Force fighter squadron, served as a White House Fellow, and was selected by First Lady Michelle Obama and Second Lady Jill Biden as the new executive director of Joining Forces, an initiative to support veterans, service members, and military families.
She admitted that her career ascension was filled with numerous instances of unconscious bias—including being told by a superior that it was unlikely the Air Force department would want to waste its one recommendation to nominate a Thunderbird on a woman.
She used internal strength and a little luck to overcome such instances. “I realized I didn’t want to censor my strength because of someone else’s opinion,” Malachowski said.
She left the audience a few other insights that have served her well, including, “Nothing of significance is ever accomplished alone,” and “You build trust by showing you are trustworthy.”
MARS MISSION SCIENTIST PROPONENT OF TEAM LEADERSHIP
From aspiring rock star to history-making Ph.D. rocket scientist, Adam Steltzner is recognized as one of NASA’s leading—and most unique—innovators.
For nearly a decade, Steltzner led and inspired the breakthrough team that invented the ingenious “sky crane” landing system that so spectacularly landed the Mars rover Curiosity on the Martian surface in 2012.
Steltzner is the team lead and chief engineer of NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover mission, which will gather core samples on Mars for scientific discovery, with the goal of finding signs of ancient life.
He emphasized to the Convention audience the importance of teams. “It’s been my perspective that humans succeed best in teams,” he said. “It allows the sorting facts and balance from differing perspectives. Great work comes from successful collaboration.”
Steltzner is author of The Right Kind of Crazy: A True Story of Teamwork, Leadership, and High-Stakes Innovation, acclaimed in 2016 by The Washington Post as “the best leadership book of the year.”
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR 2022 ANNUAL CONVENTION SPONSORS
HDR
Premier Sponsors
ACEC Business Insurance Trust/Greyling Insurance
ACEC Life/Health Trust
ACEC Retirement Trust
Autodesk
BST Global
Supporting Sponsors
alliantgroup
NetApp
Unanet
Patron Sponsors
aec360 by HSO
AkitaBox
AXA XL
Berkley Design Professional
Deltek
Morrissey Goodale LLC
Risk Strategies
Stambaugh Ness
Victor Insurance Managers, Inc.
Additional Sponsors
Gannett Fleming
POWER Engineers
ACEC/PAC Sponsors
Platinum
Lockton
Gold Sponsor
Pennoni
Silver Sponsors
Kimley-Horn and Associates
Strand Associates