2020 IOWA ENGINEERING CONFERENCE

Hosted by: ACEC-IA and IES
August 19-20, 2020

Although we are not meeting in person in Des Moines, the show must go on.  We are ready and excited to deliver the conference presentations virtually.  We are offering our outstanding conference content on August 19-20, 2020.  All ACEC-Iowa and Iowa Engineering Society members are welcome to join this virtual conference and earn up to 10 professional development hours.  A schedule of presentations and registration information is presented below.

Wednesday, August 19, 2020  9 am - 6 pm
Homegrown Excellence
Learn from and about outstanding engineering projects designed by ACEC Iowa members and their innovative solutions that garnished them recognition in our Engineering Excellence Competition

9:00 am - 9:25 am Welcome and Presentation of Engineering Excellence Awards

9:30 am – 9:55 am  Building and Systems Category – 
Iowa Western Community College Football/Wrestling Facility, HGM Associates
10 am – 10:25 am     Special Projects Category – 
Easter Lake Improvements, Snyder and Associates1
0:30 am – 10:55 am Transportation Category – 
The 2019 Flood Response and Recovery Efforts, HDR
11:00 am – 11:25 am  Water & Wastewater Category – 
The Ames Water Treatment Plant, Fox Engineering Associates
11:30 am - 12 pm  Round Table Discussions on Presentations

1 pm - 2:30 pm  Iowa’s Economy – Down, But Not Out
Speakers:  Debi Durham, Director, Iowa Economic Development Authority/Iowa Finance Authority and Joe Murphy, Executive Director, Iowa Business Council 

Iowa began 2020 poised to have one of the best years in economic development. Unemployment was at an all-time low, and a new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement held great promise for the state. Iowa had a balanced budget and full cash reserves. Iowa Business Council members, who employ one of every six workers in the state, were looking to invest $1.5 billion in R & D and $3.2 million in capital improvements. 
Then along came COVID-19.  Debi Durham and Joe Murphy will share their perspectives on what the state’s recovery and growth will look like. Can the state and federal government take steps to help the economy or is it best to get out of the way?  Are there promising indicators on the horizon or storm clouds?
2:30 pm - 3 pm Round Table Discussions on Iowa's Engineering Economic Development

3 pm - 4:30 pm Risk Drivers: Understanding the Dynamics of Risk
Speaker:  Nick Maletta, Holmes Murphy 
This engaging program demonstrates how the A/E and professional liability industries interrelate.  It provides an overview of the nature of risk, identified the ways risk presents itself throughout the project, and offers insights to improve your practice, achieve successful project outcomes and build stringer client relationships.  You will better understand the non-technical factors that lead to claims, such as breakdowns in communication, poor client selection, negotiation and contract issues and project team capabilities.

4:30 pm - 5 pm Business Meeting
David Scott, Executive Director of ACEC-Iowa and Iowa Engineering Society, will deliver a recap of the past year and officially transition into the new year.

5 pm - 6 pm Virtual Happy Hour
The day is done, so it's time for fun.  Pour yourself a drink and join us.
Thursday, August 20, 2020  9 am - 12 pm
Business Development Strategies – Getting the Most Bang for the Buck
Speaker: Richard Friedman, Friedman & Partners in Boston, MA.  
Rich’s company is a marketing and management consulting firm serving the engineering, architecture environmental consulting and construction industries. He started out in the trenches as an environmental consultant and business developer for Stone & Webster Engineering in Boston, Rich expanded his reach as the partner in charge of marketing and business development research, consulting and training for Zweig White.
Many engineering professionals are overwhelmed at the thought of having to conduct business development (BD) on top of project responsibilities, staff mentoring and other key functions. In this interactive workshop, participants will learn BD strategies and tactics that yield the biggest “bang for the buck” so that the time one invests in BD will have the biggest payoff. Through industry anecdotes, lessons learned, case studies, and breakout exercises, we address these topics and others: 
  • The difference between marketing and BD…and how they work in synergy
  • The psychology of BD
  • The vital role of asking probing questions (ask more; talk less!!)
  • How to leverage the project delivery process as a BD opportunity
  • Networking: Debunking myths; overcoming your biggest challenges; the importance of follow-up
  • How to use LinkedIn effectively for networking and conducting research 
Registration Pricing-
(Register below for All Sessions for one inclusive price OR for Individual Sessions, as listed below)
Registration will remain open until Wednesday, August 12, 2020

All Sessions (Includes sessions for both days)-  $250.00 (discounted from $350.00)*
Individual Sessions (Select individually each session you wish to attend)-
Engineering Excellence Presentations and Iowa Economy Down but Not Out-  $75.00
Risk Drivers and Business Meeting-  $50.00
Happy Hour - Complimentary to All Registered Attendees
Business Development Strategies-  $175.00

Click Here to Register for the Conference

(Registration is non refundable.  Unable to attend the live conference on August 19-20, 2020, the sessions will be available on demand for 30 days after the conference.)Non member rates are available for the additional $50 for the all session package or per individual session
*Engineers who register for All Sessions will be welcome to join an Ethical Challenges Webinar complimentary and earn professional development hours.  This class will be offered in November and is a $75.00 value.
Interested in becoming a Sponsor?

You have an opportunity to play an important role in the continued success of this joint meeting and at the same time receive valuable exposure.  Please review the enclosed information to see the many benefits your company will receive by helping to sponsor speakers and events at this year's conference.  In order to make sure you receive recognition and are prominently mentioned in our material, we will need to hear back from you by July 31, 2020.  Thank you in advance for your support.
 Please contact us at [email protected] or 515-284-7055 with questions.

Thank you!