Annual ElevateAEC Conference

Zweig Group

ElevateAEC Conference & Awards Gala

San Antonio, TX | September 9-11, 2025
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2025 ElevateAEC Conference & Awards Gala
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$2,195.00
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Unite, Innovate, Celebrate, Educate: Elevate AEC

The 2024 ElevateAEC Conference and Awards Gala was incredible! The event was an inspiring convergence of industry visionaries and cutting-edge discussions with unparalleled opportunities to connect and collaborate, all set against the vibrant and beautiful backdrop of Tampa Bay.

View the 2024 album here

2025 ElevateAEC SPEAKERS

Brad Wilson, CMA, MBA
Director, Strategic Growth Advisory
About The Speaker
Casey Shea
Business Development
About The Speaker
Chad Clinehens
President & CEO
About The Speaker
Chad Coldiron
Principal & Director of Client Relations and Development
About The Speaker
Emily Waldenmeyer P.E., LEED AP
Vice President of Strategic Growth
About The Speaker
Frank Lazaro
Advisory Practice Lead & Sr. Advisor
About The Speaker
Gene Dawson, Jr., PE
Chairman
About The Speaker
Gordon Greene, PE
Executive Vice President
About The Speaker
Hezekiah Harris
President & CEO
About The Speaker
Jeff Adams, CMAA, CPA
Director, Mergers & Acquisitions
About The Speaker
Jennifer Nelson, CPA, MBA
Managing Director, Tax Group
About The Speaker
Jered Morris
Executive Vice President of Technology and Innovation
About The Speaker
Jeremy Clarke, CTSA
COO and Managing Director, Talent Consulting
About The Speaker
Joe Lauk, PE
Roadway Director, Principal
About The Speaker
Justin Smith
Founder
About The Speaker
Kate Allen, PE, MBA
Director, Strategic Growth Advisory
About The Speaker
KP Reddy
Founder
About The Speaker
Kristi Weierbach, Ph.D., SPHR, SHRM-SCP
Managing Director, Workforce Advisory
About The Speaker
Lynn Wong, NBC-HWC
Coach | Co-Creator | Author | Speaker on Well-being & Work with Love
About The Speaker
Mark Zweig
Founder & Chairman
About The Speaker
Mike Carragher
President & CEO, Chairman of the Board
VHB
About The Speaker
Peter Grupp
Partner
About The Speaker
Phil Keeney
Managing Director, Technology Solutions
About The Speaker
Rachel R Gresham
Senior Director, Professional Practice
About The Speaker
Scott D. Butcher, FSMPS, CPSM
Managing Director, Strategic Growth Advisory
About The Speaker
Scott Cattran
Executive Chairman
About The Speaker
Steven Hake, CPA
President & CEO
About The Speaker
Tim Schroeder
President, Principal
About The Speaker
Tom Godin
Sr. Director, Performance Consulting
About The Speaker
Tracey Eaves
Managing Director, Transition Consulting
About The Speaker
Vanessa McMahan
Vice President, Innovation
About The Speaker
Will Swearingen
Principal and Sr. Director, Transition Consulting
About The Speaker
Ying Liu
Director, Growth Consulting
About The Speaker

Tuesday, September 9, 2025

8:00am - 4:30pm
M&A Next Symposium
3:00pm - 5:00pm
Check-In for ElevateAEC
5:00pm - 7:00pm
M&A Next Closing Reception + ElevateAEC Welcome Reception

Wednesday, September 10, 2025

8:00am
Breakfast
9:00am
Welcome Remarks and Kick Off of 2025 Conference Theme: Speed of Business

with Chad Clinehens (Zweig Group)

9:30am
Opening Keynote - Slow Down to Speed Up with Power, Purpose and Prosperity

with Lynn Wong (LW Coaches)

10:00am
Break
10:15am
Speed of Business Panel Discussion - The Intersection of AI, Culture, and Strategy in Tomorrow's AEC Firm

with Scott Cattran (Woolpert), Vanessa McMahan (Pape-Dawson), Jered Morris (Olsson) and facilitated by Frank Lazaro (KP Reddy)

11:30am
Lunch is Served
11:45am
The Future of Innovation in AEC Luncheon Keynote and the 2025 AEC Innovators Award Ceremony

presented and sponsored by KP Reddy

1:00pm
Focus Session 1

A: Fast-Track Leadership: Communicating, Adapting & Inspiring at the Speed of Business

B: Deep Dive on DIAL: The Reference Standard for Innovation in the AEC Industry

with Frank Lazaro (KP Reddy)

C: The Growth Trifecta: Vision, Marketing & BD
with Ying Liu (Zweig Group) and Scott Butcher (Stambaugh Ness)

D: A: Science to Strategy: Using a Data Centric Plan to Empower Leadership to Drive Performance

with Gordon Greene and Joseph Lauk (Patel, Greene, and Associates)

2:00pm
Break
2:15pm
Focus Session Two

A: Accelerating Leadership: Unlocking Strength, Resilience, and Coaching for Performance


B: Real Stories of AI in Action in AEC

with Phil Keeney (Stambaugh Ness)

C: The Client Whisperer: Growing Revenue with the Right Clients
with Emily Waldenmeyer (HP Engineering)

D: Coaching Strategies for AEC Team Leaders

3:15pm
Break
3:30pm
Focus Session Three

A: Ownership Thinking – Building a Culture of Accountability, Purpose & Performance
with Kate Allen (Stambaugh Ness)


B: Transforming Practice as a Data Enabled Business


C: From Deductions to Credits: Tax Tools for High-Performing AEC Firms
with Jennifer Nelson (Stambaugh Ness)


D: Organizational Alchemy: The Chemistry between Org Structure and Culture
with Rachel R Gresham (American Institute of Architects) NOTE: 90 MINUTE WORKSHOP

4:30pm
Day One Concludes

Thursday, September 11, 2025

8:00am
Breakfast
9:00am
Opening Keynote - Inspiring a Multi-Generational Vision

with Mike Carragher (VHB)

9:45am
Panel Discussion - Driving Leadership Performance and Developing Rising Stars

with Hezekiah Harris (CMTS), Mike Carragher (VHB), and facilitated by Ying Liu (Zweig Group)

10:15am
Break
11:30am
Focus Session 4

A: From Managing Projects to the C-suite: Developing Your Leadership Strategy
with Justin Smith PE, SE (Zweig Group)

B: Unanet Sponsored Session

C: BQE Sponsored Session

D: Compensation & Incentive Strategies to Drive Performance

with Kristi Weierbach (Stambaugh Ness) and Jeremy Clarke (Zweig Group)

12:30pm
Luncheon Keynote - How Microsoft's Investments Are Transforming the AEC Industry

with Casey Shea (sa.global)

1:00pm
Break
1:15pm
Elevate the Industry Spotlight: Engineers Without Borders - Empowering Staff Through Giving Back: Westwood’s Partnership with EWB-USA

with Dr. Boris Martin, (Engineers Without Borders, USA), and Matt Wessale (Westwood)

2:15pm
Closing Remarks, 2026 ElevateAEC Location Reveal, and Credits
6:00pm
2025 Black Tie Awards Dinner and Gala
8:45pm
ElevateAEC Afterparty

Thank you to our 2025 sponsors!