One week from today, we will gather in Washington for the opening session of our Annual Convention and Legislative Summit. If you have already registered, I look forward to seeing you here in our Nation’s Capital. And if you haven’t...there is still time! The Convention is ACEC’s premier advocacy event, with insightful and entertaining speakers, education sessions on the latest trends and technologies in engineering, and networking opportunities that will enable you to leverage ACEC’s most valuable asset: our members.
The Convention will culminate in a day of advocacy on Capitol Hill, where ACEC’s citizen activists will take to the halls of Congress to make our case for repeal of the R&D amortization mandate, continued action on the recently struck FAA deal, and other issues of great importance to our industry. As we head into an election season whose outcome is anybody’s guess, there has never been a better time than now to send our lawmakers the message that we form a multitude.
Speaking of that election, we have in our lineup of Convention speakers two political experts to offer their impressions on the race for the White House and control of Congress. The first is American Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow Kevin Kosar, who will give a presentation on election reform. We will then hear from NPR Political Correspondent and Fox News contributor Mara Liasson. Mara will give a ground-level view of the election, offering her unique inside-the-Beltway perspective on the political horse race as we head into the thick of campaign season.
Environmental, Social and Governance – or ESG – continues to be a topical issue for our industry. But even the companies that have made the strongest commitment to the principles behind ESG can run into trouble when communicating about it. Simply put, some people are triggered by any conversation that can be seen as “value-laden.” Engineers are no exception. Michael Maslansky is a messaging expert who will deliver an insightful presentation on how to frame our narrative in ways that are both productive and persuasive. And finally, we’ll hear a passionate and compelling speech on the power of perseverance by Justin Wren, author, humanitarian, and yes, you’re reading this right, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter.
We’ve been in full-on Convention prep mode, but our regularly scheduled programming has continued. Our Market Intelligence team has put together a new Market brief on intermodal and logistics, with a spotlight on the Port of Baltimore and the rippling supply chain effects of the Key Bridge collapse. The brief, which can be read in its entirety here, focuses on the larger issue of threats to our supply chain, both manmade (attacks on cargo ships) and natural (drought). In a global economy, there is no such thing as an isolated disruption. There are always larger ramifications – even if they aren’t immediate or widespread.
That global perspective was on full display last month at FIDIC’s Global Leadership Forum meeting, where I had the opportunity to connect with many of our international partners. While we aren’t seeing the same kind of exponential growth in overseas design work as we are here in the States, the discussions at FIDIC – particularly around issues of climate – have real implications for our firms.
So, as you can see, there is a lot going on in this space and we have a lot to cover at the convention. I hope you will take the time to join us, and I look forward to seeing you in DC next week!
Safe travels,
Linda Bauer Darr
President & CEO
American Council of Engineering Companies | ACEC
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