Engineering Influence from ACEC

Vice Chair – Derek L. Clyburn, PE, MBA, of North Carolina:

Derek L. Clyburn currently serves as the President of ECS Southeast, LLP. Derek is a member of the Board of Directors for the ECS Group of Companies and has been with ECS for 25 years. Derek is responsible for leading ECS’s 700 ESOP Owner team members that provide environmental, geotechnical, construction materials testing, special inspection, construction engineering inspection, and facilities consulting services in the Southeast States of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas. 

Derek has taken an active role in advocacy for the business of engineering through ACEC, from grassroots participation to board leadership. Derek served as President of ACEC/NC during their 50th anniversary year in 2019-2020, as a National Director in 2020-2021, and is the current Vice-Chair of ACEC/PAC. Derek also currently serves as Chair on the Board of Governors for Engineering Companies for NC (ECNC), a non-profit advocacy organization designed to educate and advocate for the engineering industry. He is also active in the Design Professionals Coalition (DPC) and participates in the Risk Management Committee for ACEC National. 

Daniel Meckes is the CEO of Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc. (CMT), a full-service professional services firm with 25 offices in 9 states.

Dan is a member of the ACEC Transportation Committee and DEIB Committee, and he served as Board Member and Chair for ACEC Missouri. Dan has supported ACEC/PAC as a member of the Chairman’s Club for over seven years and is a graduate of SEI Class 9.

Dan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Marquette University and is a licensed professional engineer in Illinois and Missouri.

Elizabeth Stolfus is the President and founder of Stolfus & Associates, Inc., a Colorado transportation engineering and planning consulting firm. She has been active at the state and national levels of ACEC for over 20 years. Elizabeth has served as ACEC Colorado President, National Director, and ACEC/PAC Champion. She has also served as a Board Member of the ACEC Research Institute, a member of the Planning Cabinet, a Women In Leadership Steering Committee member, and a Trustee of the ACEC Life/Health Trust.

ACEC Board Chair W. Arthur Barrett II was in our Washington office for new officer orientation this week, so we asked him to join the podcast to give an update on what ACEC is doing and what 2023 has in store for the Council.

Jen Newman, Founding Principal at Elevate Marketing Advisors joined the podcast to preview the upcoming Business Development & Marketing Forum taking place this February in Scottsdale, AZ.

Jen will moderate sessions at the upcoming forum and we thank Elevate Marketing Advisors for sponsoring the event.

View the BDM Forum's agenda and learn more here.

Read Jen Newman's Last Word post, "Confessions of a Brandaholic" here. 

Early Bird Registration for the BDM Forum ends on 1/27.  Lock in your hotel at the Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas here.

Joshua Brooks, an architect and planner, is the co-director of the Denver, Colo., branch of the design firm Sasaki Associates. He joined Diana Alexander at the 2022 Fall Conference to discuss how airports like Denver International become centers for development.  

We were joined by ACEC Board Chair W. Arthur Barrett, II and ACEC's transportation advocacy lead Matt Reiffer on the program today to mark the one-year anniversary of the IIJA and look ahead towards its implementation. Art also recapped the successful Private Market Symposium on energy which was held earlier this week in Houston and shared his thoughts on the upcoming first stop of the Engineering and Public Works Roadshow taking place on Cyber Monday in Long Beach, CA.

Meshek & Associate's Brandon Claborn, Chair of the Small Firm Coalition, joined the podcast at the 2022 Fall Conference to talk about his journey as a Small Firm Coalition member, retaining talent, tailored educational opportunities, networking, and more.

If you're a member of the Business Insurance Trust, they will cover the cost to join the Small Firm Coalition. 

Diana Alexander interviewed Jesse Gary, Head of Energy Systems, BluePrint Power about developing integrated energy solutions to help private companies take advantage of the energy transition to clean energy and decarbonize their operations.

Jesse Gary will speak at ACEC's first-ever Private Market Symposium on the energy market on November 15 in Houston, TX.  He will be joined by Elijah. J. Williams, Executive Director, Energy Corridor District for a fireside chat about decarbonizing commercial real estate. 

Registration for this event is now open.  See the full agenda and details here.