SMPS Awards SMPS Inland Empire as the 2021 Grand-Prize Chapter Winner

SMPS Inland Empire has been recognized for rising during the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Alexandria, VA (August 6, 2021) – The Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) is pleased to announce that SMPS Inland Empire has been recognized as the 2021 Pivot & Focus Grand-Prize Winning Chapter. The chapter was honored at Build Business 2021, the SMPS annual conference, during the Evening of Excellence on Thursday, August 5, 2021.

At the outset of the SMPS Inland Empire programming year, the stage was set to the theme RISE. The guiding principle, “RISE TOGETHER,” would become even more important in the months to come as the board created a culture of positivity and inclusion that was embedded in every chapter decision. The initial “Model for Excellence” during planning was: 1)increase regional awareness, 2) boost attendance at all events, and 3) experience membership growth.

When the chapter had to quickly pivot and respond to their members’ needs, SMPS Inland Empire offered bi-weekly, virtual programming, free of charge to all. SMPS Inland Empire decided to position the chapter as a “people first” organization that could be a positive light in a dark situation. The chapter’s virtual programs were insightful in helping attendees navigate the changing environment by offering tips that could be implemented immediately. Over the course of eight events, SMPS Inland Empire had 970 registrations and added 497 to its mailing list.

Shannon Stewart, CPSM, past-president of SMPS Inland Empire, said, “As the smallest and youngest chapter to ever capture the grand prize award, I am so proud of the hard work our board has put in. SMPS Inland Empire is a consistent leader in new ideas, creative approaches to programming, and finding ways to establish a personal connection with members and future members.”

The new Pivot & Focus Chapter Awards honor chapters that effectively managed their chapter operations, programming, and membership while dealing with the impact of the pandemic. This year’s awards recognize how chapters faced the challenges of 2020 by being creative and flexible.

###

Business Transformed Through Marketing Leadership: The Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) is the only organization dedicated to creating business opportunities in the A/E/C industries. With almost 7,000 members, SMPS provides leadership and professional development programs, industry research, business-building events, and vital marketing resources. Through SMPS, A/E/C professionals in North America tap into powerful networks to form project teams, secure business referrals and intelligence, and benchmark performance. The Society is committed to validating the practice of marketing and business development as essential to the success of all professional services firms. Learn more about SMPS at smps.org.

SMPS Honors the 2021 Chapter Presidents of the Year

Katherine DeMercurio and Nichole Petersen set the standard, elevating the chapters to new heights, and resulting in a first-ever tie.

Alexandria, VA (August 6, 2021) – The Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) is pleased to announce that Katherine DeMercurio, 2019-2020 SMPS New York president, and Nichole Petersen, 2019-2020 SMPS Connecticut president, have been recognized as the 2021 Chapter Presidents of the Year. DeMercurio and Petersen were honored at Build Business, the SMPS annual conference, during the Evening of Excellence on August 5, 2021.

Despite tremendous obstacles, Katherine DeMercurio expanded the chapter’s Westchester Affiliate to service members within five additional counties, oversaw the creation of two new committees (Technology Task Force and Diversity & Inclusion), donated chapter resources to benefit other regional nonprofits, and steered the chapter to a $14,000-plus profit in 2019-20, equal to nearly 20% growth in combined assets over the year before.

When asked about the honor, Katherine stated that sharing sparkle with one another at a time when we physically could not connect was important to her. “Leadership requires confidence to make the decisions that advance agendas and achieve goals. Sharing sparkle led the SMPS New York board to success; though many new paths had to be forged as a team.”

For Nichole Petersen, the role of chapter president was equally challenging. When the pandemic began, Nichole moved all upcoming events to virtual platforms, providing more programs while increasing attendance by 33%. She also led the development of new recruitment strategies, which resulted in a 90% retention rate, and served as an advisor to the sponsorship committee—helping them launch mid-term check-ins. These check-ins resulted in nearly ten repeat sponsors the following year.

When the Society reached out to Nichole about her award, she stated, “Creating an environment where learning, collaboration, and inclusion were at the forefront was my number one goal. Despite the world’s circumstances, SMPS Connecticut was able to offer a reprieve from the global devastation, support one another, and strengthen our professional community. All this would not have been possible without my exceptional board of directors and talented committee volunteers – thank you for your hard work and dedication.”

The Chapter President of the Year Award recognizes an SMPS chapter president who has demonstrated excellence in leadership while serving the chapter and its members. The nomination process includes both self and peer nominations and must be submitted by a current SMPS member. Stay tuned for 2022 submission information.

###

 Business Transformed Through Marketing Leadership: The Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) is the only organization dedicated to creating business opportunities in the A/E/C industries. With almost 7,000 members, SMPS provides leadership and professional development programs, industry research, business-building events, and vital marketing resources. Through SMPS, A/E/C professionals in North America tap into powerful networks to form project teams, secure business referrals and intelligence, and benchmark performance. The Society is committed to validating the practice of marketing and business development as essential to the success of all professional services firms. Learn more about SMPS at smps.org.

SMPS Recognizes Thomas E. Smith, Jr. With Its Highest Honor

Distinguished SMPS member accepts the 2021 Weld Coxe Marketing Achievement Award.

Alexandria, VA (August 6, 2021) – The Society for Marketing Professional Services  (SMPS) is pleased to announce Thomas E. Smith, Jr., AICP, FSMPS, CPSM, has been honored with the 2021 Weld Coxe Marketing Achievement Award (MAA). Smith, a member of SMPS Inland Empire, accepted his award during Build Business, the virtual SMPS annual conference, on August 5, 2021, at the Evening of Excellence.

Smith joins a distinguished group of accomplished members who embody the mission and spirit of SMPS and are valued advisers to the organization. Tom is the 30th recipient of the award, named in memory of marketing pioneer, SMPS founder, and past honoree Weld Coxe.

The lessons learned, from his varied marketing and business development experience, guided Tom when he formed and led two firms. They employed more than 150 professionals and served 500 clients, with both growing into multi-office powerhouses. In January 2014, they were acquired, Tom retired and provided transitional consulting services through the end of that year.

Tom’s service throughout SMPS has been also endless—with leadership positions at all levels. He has been an adviser to 19 Society presidents and 21 chapter presidents and developed more than 20 educational programs for SMPS chapters. Tom was also integral in the effort to develop the SMPS Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM) exam.

Tom’s involvement in SMPS continues—and his strong leadership, entrepreneurial spirit, and vision continue to be admired by all. Fellow SMPS leader, Frank Lippert, CPSM, FSMPS, stated,  “SMPS is a better Society, and we are all smarter professionals because of his service.” And, Marion Thatch, FSMPS, CPCC, said, “When I think of leaders in SMPS, Tom stands among those most respected.”

When asked about the recognition, Smith said, “I’m so honored by this award. As a technical professional turned marketer and business owner for over 30 years, the successes of my firms would not have been possible without the skills and friendships developed through SMPS. My SMPS journey has been an incredible benefit that I’ll always be trying to repay.”

The Society’s highest honor, the Weld Coxe Marketing Achievement Award, salutes a remarkable marketing or business development professional whose career achievements, leadership role, and lasting contributions to the A/E/C industries are exemplary.

###

Business Transformed Through Marketing Leadership: The Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) is the only organization dedicated to creating business opportunities in the A/E/C industries. With almost 7,000 members, SMPS provides leadership and professional development programs, industry research, business-building events, and vital marketing resources. Through SMPS, A/E/C professionals in North America tap into powerful networks to form project teams, secure business referrals and intelligence, and benchmark performance. The Society is committed to validating the practice of marketing and business development as essential to the success of all professional services firms. Learn more about SMPS at smps.org.

SMPS Announces the Winners of the 2021 Marketing Communications Awards
The longest-standing program recognizes marketing and communications excellence.

Alexandria, VA (August 6, 2021) – The Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS), the premier A/E/C marketing and business development association, is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2021 Marketing Communications Awards (MCA) program. This annual competition is the longest-standing, most prestigious awards program recognizing excellence in marketing and communications by professional services firms in the design and building industries. The MCA finalists, including Best of Show and People’s Choice, were recognized during the MCA Virtual Show held online during Build Business, Thursday, August 5, at 1:15 p.m. ET.

The Best of Show Award competition features the winning entries from each category going head-to-head. One of the entries is then chosen as Best of Show voted on by a jury of industry experts. This year’s award went to JE Dunn Construction’s entry called “2020 By the Numbers holiday video”.  The jurors commented, “This entry does a great job balancing both the personal and business successes from this past year. We also appreciated the sincere way they connected with their audience. They also showed their ROI, which is very important in this competition.”

The People’s Choice Award recipient, voted on by conference attendees and the virtual SMPS community alike, was awarded to EXP from Chicago, for their Recruitment and Retention Communications entry entitled, “MyEXPerience Series”.

“This was our 44^th year honoring excellence in marketing communications produced by A/E/C firms and their agencies, and we had an amazing number of impressive entries. Because of the hard work and dedication of these marketing professionals, we can share their work and inspire others,” commented Molly Dall’Erta, awards program director for SMPS.

Congratulations to the following firms that were recognized:

Advertising
Award of Excellence: Kathleen Mangan Communications, Hagerstown,MD;  Attic Light Studio, Shepherdstown, WV; Erin Derby Photography, Brooklyn, NY (Print)

Book/Monograph
Award of Excellence: Method Architecture, Houston, TX (Print and ebook Editions)
Merit Award: Bird Construction, Toronto, Ontario (Print and ebook Editions)
Merit Award: Langan, Parsippany, NJ (Print and ebook Editions)
Merit Award: Middle of Six, Tacoma, WA (Print)
Merit Award: STO Building Group, New York, NY (Digital)

Brand Awareness Campaign
Award of Excellence: PCL Construction, Denver, CO (Mixed Media)
Merit Award: Burgess & Niple, Columbus, OH (Digital)

Brochure-Digital
Award of Excellence: PCL Construction, North American Headquarters, Edmonton, Alberta
Merit Award: LF Driscoll, Bala Cynwyd, PA
Merit Award: Threaded Marketing Group, Charlotte, NC

Corporate Identity-New Identity
Award of Excellence: Charrette Venture Group, Clive, IA

Corporate Identity-Rebranding
Award of Excellence: Clearstory—Wayfinding and Placemaking, San Francisco, CA (tie)
Award of Excellence: McElhanney, Vancouver, British Columbia (tie)
Merit Award: Straub Construction, Shawnee, KS
Merit Award: The Collective, San Francisco, CA

Crisis Management and Communications
Award of Excellence: DAHLIN Group Architecture | Planning, Pleasanton, CA
Merit Award: Elevate Marketing Advisors, Houston, TX
Merit Award: Jacobsen Construction Company, Salt Lake City, UT
Merit Award: PCL Construction, Denver, CO
Merit Award: Schaefer, Cincinnati, OH

Direct-Mail Campaign
Award of Excellence: Bala Consulting Engineers, Philadelphia, PA (Print)
Merit Award: Emery Sapp & Sons, Kansas City, MO (Mixed Media)

External Newsletter/Publication
Award of Excellence: PCL Construction, North American Headquarters, Edmonton, Alberta (Print)
Merit Award: JE Dunn Construction, Kansas City, MO (Mixed Media)
Merit Award: Pond, Peachtree Corners, GA (Mixed Media)

Holiday Piece-Digital
Award of Excellence: JE Dunn Construction, Kansas City, MO
Merit Award: Ferguson Pape Baldwin Architects, San Diego, CA
Merit Award: Sasaki, Boston, MA
Merit Award: Selbert Perkins Design, Playa Del Rey, CA

Holiday Piece-Mixed Media
Award of Excellence: Schaefer, Cincinnati, OH
Merit Award: CAA ICON, Denver, CO
Merit Award: Elevate Marketing Advisors, Houston, TX
Merit Award: McKim & Creed, Inc., Raleigh, NC

Holiday Piece-Print
Award of Excellence: QK, Visalia, CA
Merit Award: Brick Architecture and Interiors, dba brick., Oakland, CA
Merit Award: JVA, Inc., Boulder, CO

Internal Communications-Digital
Award of Excellence: Garver, North Little Rock, AR
Merit Award: CPL, Rochester, NY
Merit Award: McKim & Creed, Inc., Raleigh, NC

Internal Communications-Mixed Media
Award of Excellence: Emery Sapp & Sons, Kansas City, MO
Merit Award: Armstrong Consultants, Inc., Grand Junction, CO
Merit Award: Moody Nolan, Columbus, OH

Internal Communications-Print
Award of Excellence: McKim & Creed, Inc., Raleigh, NC
Merit Award: Hensel Phelps, Austin, TX
Merit Award: JE Dunn Construction, Kansas City, MO

Internal Newsletter
Award of Excellence: JE Dunn Construction, Kansas City, MO (Mixed Media)
Merit Award: ECS Limited, Chantilly, VA (Digital)
Merit Award: ms consultants, Columbus, OH (Digital)
Merit Award: The PENTA Building Group, Las Vegas, NV (Digital)

Mobile App
Award of Excellence: Fiore & Sons, Inc., Denver, CO

Project Pursuit Marketing-Digital
Award of Excellence: The PENTA Building Group, Los Angeles, CA
Merit Award: Michael Baker International, Pittsburgh, PA

Project Pursuit Marketing-Mixed Media
Award of Excellence: VHB, Tysons, VA
Merit Award: Pulice-FNF-Flatiron Joint Venture, Phoenix, AZ

Project Pursuit Marketing-Print
Award of Excellence: Armstrong Consultants, Inc., Grand Junction, CO
Merit Award: TankGirl Marketing, Phoenix, AZ

Promotional Campaign-Digital
Award of Excellence: CDM Smith, Boston, MA
Merit Award: Golder, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Merit Award: Golder, Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Promotional Campaign-Mixed Media
Award of Excellence: Hensel Phelps, Greeley, CO
Merit Award: American Institute of Steel Construction, Chicago, IL
Merit Award: Stantec, Austin, TX

Recruitment and Retention Communications

Award of Excellence: Harkins Builders, Columbia, MD (Print) (tie)
Award of Excellence: CannonDesign, Buffalo, NY (Print) (tie)
Merit Award: EXP, Chicago, IL (Digital)

Social Media-Basic (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn)
Award of Excellence: Hickok Cole, Washington, DC
Merit Award: Emery Sapp & Sons, Kansas City, MO
Merit Award: JE Dunn Construction, Kansas City, MO

Merit Award: Kathleen Mangan Communications, Hagerstown, MD; Attic Light Studio, Shepherdstown, WV; Cillian Fitzgerald, Killarney, Ireland
Merit Award: Lionakis, Sacramento, CA
Merit Award: PCL Construction, US Headquarters – Denver, CO

Social Media-Blogs
Award of Excellence: GBBN, Cincinnati, OH (tie)
Award of Excellence: Gilbane Building Company, Providence, RI (tie)
Merit Award: Lionakis, Sacramento, CA
Merit Award: LS3P, Charleston, SC

Social Media-Podcasts
Award of Excellence: M+A Architects, Columbus, OH
Merit Award: LandDesign, Charlotte, NC
Merit Award: WGI, West Palm Beach, FL

Special Event-Digital
Award of Excellence: GBBN, Cincinnati, OH
Merit Award: Barton Malow, Southfield, MI
Merit Award: CDM Smith, Boston, MA

Special Event-Mixed Media + Print
Award of Excellence: Hickok Cole, Washington, DC (Mixed Media)
Merit Award: Ayers Saint Gross, Baltimore, MD (Mixed Media)
Merit Award: CG Schmidt, Inc., Milwaukee, WI (Print)
Merit Award: Hensel Phelps, Thornton, CO (Mixed Media)

Trade Show Marketing
Award of Excellence: Michael Baker International, Pittsburgh, PA
Merit Award: Wright-Pierce, Andover, MA

Video-External
Award of Excellence: CMG Landscape Architecture, San Francisco, CA
Merit Award: Bird Construction, Toronto, Ontario
Merit Award: Garney Construction, North Kansas City, MO
Merit Award: Rogers-O’Brien Construction, Dallas, TX

Video-Internal
Award of Excellence: Emery Sapp & Sons, Kansas City, MO
Merit Award: Barton Malow, Southfield, MI
Merit Award: Rogers-O’Brien Construction, Dallas, TX

Website-External and Internal
Award of Excellence: Gilbane Building Company, Providence, RI (External)
Merit Award: Anser Advisory, LLC, Orlando, FL (Internal)
Merit Award: Dattner Architects, New York, NY (External)
Merit Award: FirstCarbon Solutions, Irvine, CA (External)
Merit Award: Sasaki, Boston, MA (External)
Merit Award: Stellar, Jacksonville, FL (External)

The SMPS Marketing Communications Awards (MCA) recognize the individuals and teams who create outstanding communication vehicles for architectural, engineering, design, and construction firms. Visit the MCA Gallery to see the winning entries.

Entries for the 2022 program will be accepted beginning December 1, 2021. Stay tuned for information about the 2022 program on the MCA webpage.

###

Business Transformed Through Marketing Leadership: The Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) is the only organization dedicated to creating business opportunities in the A/E/C industries. With almost 7,000 members, SMPS provides leadership and professional development programs, industry research, business-building events, and vital marketing resources. Through SMPS, A/E/C professionals in North America tap into powerful networks to form project teams, secure business referrals and intelligence, and benchmark performance. The Society is committed to validating the practice of marketing and business development as essential to the success of all professional services firms. Learn more about SMPS at smps.org.

Brooke Weinstein, CPSM, director of northeast regional marketing at Dewberry, recently chatted with the Society about her role at Dewberry and experience attending Build Business in 2020.

What’s a usual day like for you at Dewberry? On a typical day, I focus on strategic capture planning, reviewing proposals for marketing QA/QC, meeting with our marketing team, and managing workload. I often plan and host professional development webinars for our marketing team, as well as technical seller-doers. I work with business unit leadership to develop and implement marketing plans and client action plans. Since the pandemic, I’ve focused on keeping our remote marketers engaged with corporate strategy, as well as team-building and wellness activities.

What’s your favorite part of the job? Well, I love winning, but more than that I enjoy collaborating with really smart people. I embrace new technology and am always looking for ways to improve marketing quality and save time.

Was 2020 the first time you attended Build Business?  No, I’ve been attending Build Business each year since 2015. I’m a former SMPS University graduate and in 2015 my group presented a workshop about using LinkedIn at Build Business. Since then, I’ve been hooked!

What did you think of the conference? I really enjoyed the keynote speakers and MAX sessions. I missed seeing some of my friends in person, but enjoyed the online chats. The live sessions helped me recharge my batteries.

What did you think of the virtual experience? I think the virtual experience made good use of the platform. Since many sessions were available on demand, I was able to host watch parties with my team. I enjoyed my candy attendee box as well!

Did you have a favorite part of the conference? Mark Shulman’s keynote was fantastic! He brought all the energy through the screen and I passed it along to my team.

What do you think you walked away with and could bring back to your firm to help with your job? In the expediting proposal workflow session, I learned that Word documents can be linked to InDesign. This is a game changer and I implemented it right away. The agile marketing session was also really informative and gave structure to a process that a lot of our proposal teams have adopted.

Do you have a Build Business Experience you’d like to share? If so, please reach out to membership@smps.org.

On October 14, 2020, Ontario Construction News published a recap article covering the Build Business 2020 M Live! panel, “The Competitive Advantage of Doing Good-Philanthropy in the A/E/C Industry.” The article focuses on the panel’s discussion around the challenging dynamic of philanthropy and business objectives, where the panel posed the question, “How can contractors, architects, and engineers manage philanthropy to do good for the community, while balancing charitable objectives with their bottom lines?” The M Live! panel, which was held on October 7, 2020, was moderated by Donna Jakubowicz, FSMPS, CPSM, of Wade Trim. And the panelists included: Laura Nick of Garver, Dawn Lyman who works for Barton Malow, and Adrienne Luce from HMC Architects.

Below is an excerpt from the article:

Moderator Donna L. Jakubowicz of Wade Trim, based in Southfield, Michigan, posed the fundamental questions: “Does corporate philanthropy really make a difference in retaining and attracting the best employees?  How can firms let the world know about philanthropic activities without sounding self-serving?”

Read More >>

Alexandria, VA (October 9, 2020) – The Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) is pleased to announce that SMPS Boston has been recognized as the 2020 Striving for Excellence Grand-Prize Winning Chapter. The chapter was honored at Build Business 2020, the SMPS annual conference, during the “Evening of Excellence Virtual Show” on Thursday, October 8, 2020.

The chapter most notably launched a membership campaign, “Shake Things Up,” which became their battle cry. Together, the chapter accomplished a milestone when SMPS Boston grew its membership significantly. This achievement was met by focusing on investing in the SMPS Boston members, giving back to the community, ensuring chapter management success and stability, and reinvigorating the chapter’s programming. SMPS Boston emphasized learning opportunities, mentorship, and network growth for our entry-level members; scholarships, top notch programming, and leadership development for our mid-level members; and kept our senior-level members engaged in the chapter with opportunities to share their knowledge through mentoring younger members, and speaking at events.

Suzanne King, CPSM, past-president of SMPS Boston, said, “The ‘Shake Things Up’ theme gave the board and our members the incentive and courage to take chances – in our personal lives, at work, and within the chapter. It was inspiring to see everyone embrace the theme. Our programming is always excellent, but it became even more original and engaging thanks to our volunteers and members.”

“Congratulations to SMPS Boston and its leadership in demonstrating chapter excellence and success throughout its membership, management, and service. The board, leadership, and volunteers should be proud of this noteworthy and highest SMPS recognition,” noted Molly Dall’Erta, awards program director for SMPS.

The Striving for Excellence (SFE) Awards recognize chapters for excellence in management and service to members. The SFE objectives emphasize a chapter’s programming and education, chapter leadership and management, membership growth and retention, communications, and financial health. Stay tuned for 2021 submission information.

You can watch the awards tribute video here.

###

Business Transformed Through Marketing Leadership: The Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) is the only organization dedicated to creating business opportunities in the A/E/C industries. With almost 7,000 members, SMPS provides leadership and professional development programs, industry research, business-building events, and vital marketing resources. Through SMPS, A/E/C professionals in North America tap into powerful networks to form project teams, secure business referrals and intelligence, and benchmark performance. The Society is committed to validating the practice of marketing and business development as essential to the success of all professional services firms. Learn more about SMPS at smps.org.

Alexandria, VA (October 9, 2020) – The Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) is pleased to announce that Michelle Erste, CPSM, SMPS Atlanta Chapter President, has been recognized as the 2020 Chapter President of the Year. Erste was honored at Build Business, the SMPS annual conference, during the Evening of Excellence” on Thursday, October 8, 2020.

When Erste stepped in to lead as president of SMPS Atlanta in September 2018, she focused on and succeeded in implementing operational excellence. Michelle’s effort was channeled into some key initiatives that helped make the chapter even stronger, such as fiscal health, chapter operations, advocacy, communications, talent development, continued engagement for past leaders, and strategic planning. Most notably, each month she would review the list of the chapter’s expiring members and send personal emails to each one. Her personal outreach resulted in several renewals within the SMPS Atlanta membership.

When asked about Erste’s candidacy, Beth Harris, FSMPS, CPSM, F.SAME, who served as an at-large director on the SMPS board from 2018–2020 said, “Michelle is a real powerhouse! She has taken an already strong chapter and raised the bar significantly. Under her leadership as president, SMPS Atlanta has truly found its way onto the map of all things A/E/C in Atlanta. The chapter has thrived and the other board leaders she’s inspired are a testament to the quality of the work she has done.”

Molly Dall’Erta, awards program director for SMPS, also stated that Erste’s esteemed achievement is a testament to her hard work and dedication to SMPS Atlanta. “Her commitment shines throughout the SMPS Atlanta board of directors and membership.”

The Chapter President of the Year Award recognizes an SMPS chapter president, who has demonstrated excellence in leadership while serving the chapter and its members. The nomination process includes both self and peer nominations and must be submitted by a current SMPS member. Stay tuned for 2021 submission information.

You can watch the awards tribute video here.

###

Business Transformed Through Marketing Leadership: The Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) is the only organization dedicated to creating business opportunities in the A/E/C industries. With almost 7,000 members, SMPS provides leadership and professional development programs, industry research, business-building events, and vital marketing resources. Through SMPS, A/E/C professionals in North America tap into powerful networks to form project teams, secure business referrals and intelligence, and benchmark performance. The Society is committed to validating the practice of marketing and business development as essential to the success of all professional services firms. Learn more about SMPS at smps.org.

Alexandria, VA (October 9, 2020) – The Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) is pleased to announce Carolyn Ferguson, FSMPS, CPSM, has been honored with the 2020 Weld Coxe Marketing Achievement Award (MAA). Ferguson, a member of SMPS Dallas, accepted her award during Build Business: Pivot & Focus, the virtual SMPS annual conference, on Thursday, October 8, 2020, during The Evening of Excellence.

Ferguson joins a distinguished group of accomplished members who embody the mission and spirit of SMPS and are valued advisers to the organization. She is the 29th recipient of the award, named in memory of marketing pioneer, SMPS founder, and past honoree Weld Coxe. Watch the full tribute video to Ferguson.

Ferguson’s recognition incorporated both her family and colleagues in a virtual manner due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Family has always been a priority, so being able to celebrate with her husband Rob and daughters Savannah and Faith made the recognition special yet bittersweet. Before Build Business went virtual, the award was originally to be presented in Austin, TX, where she had received the SMPS Chapter President of the Year award 20 years earlier.

For the past 25 years, Ferguson has made an impact on individuals, clients, the A/E/C industries, and the Society. After graduating from Texas Tech University with a degree in communications, she worked for a printer and taught herself graphic design. Through mutual connections, she met Kay Lentz and started working at The Lentz Group. Passionate about helping clients, she started learning how to run a business to elevate her ability to serve. More than 13 years ago, Ferguson launched her business, WinMore Marketing Advisors. As president of her firm, she’s a communicator, strategist, facilitator, coach, and trainer.

Ferguson’s accomplishments have touched nearly every facet of the A/E/C industries. Always a trailblazer, she was named to the Building Design + Construction (BD+C) magazine’s “40 Under 40” list and is currently the first non-technical woman serving on their editorial board. Recently, she’s extended her reach outside the A/E/C world, working on an ongoing facilitation and training project with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to create a hand-crafted program with business partner Joe Takash.

An active member of SMPS for 25 years, Ferguson has made countless contributions at the chapter, regional, and local levels. She became an SMPS Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM) in 1999 and a Fellow of the Society in 2005. She was named the Society’s Chapter President of the Year in 2000 for her service as SMPS Houston president. She’s been inducted into both the SMPS Dallas and SMPS Houston Halls of Fame and honored by SMPS Houston with numerous awards. Ferguson served on the Society board beginning in 2005, becoming president in 2010. She next turned her attention to the SMPS Foundation, where she still serves on the board of trustees. In 2016, she became foundation president.

A mentor, educator, and communicator, Ferguson has garnered 49 national and regional design awards, including a “Best of Show” in the SMPS Marketing Communications Awards. As trainer and coach, Ferguson has helped her clients secure interview-driven wins totaling more than $5.8 billion over the years. She’s presented at more than 70 conferences and seminars and has trained and coached an estimated 12,000 A/E/C professionals.

In her acceptance speech, Ferguson acknowledges, “Honestly, I will never be able to give back what I’ve received. I will always be a go-giver when it comes to SMPS. I’m truly honored to be recognized.” She thanked the many people who have helped her, from Kay Lentz at her first job, to board members who served with her when she was SMPS president, to her best friends, business partners, and SMPS colleagues. She also sent a special thank you to each family member for their support.

She ended her speech quoting Audrey Hepburn’s “The only thing worth holding on to is each other.” Ferguson added, “This is such a true statement, especially at this moment. So—at this moment, at my special moment, I’ll hold on to her beautiful words until I can hold each of you.”

The Society’s highest honor, the Weld Coxe Marketing Achievement Award, salutes a remarkable marketing or business development professional whose career achievements, leadership role, and lasting contributions to the A/E/C industries are exemplary.

###

Business Transformed Through Marketing Leadership: The Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) is the only organization dedicated to creating business opportunities in the A/E/C industries. With almost 7,000 members, SMPS provides leadership and professional development programs, industry research, business-building events, and vital marketing resources. Through SMPS, A/E/C professionals in North America tap into powerful networks to form project teams, secure business referrals and intelligence, and benchmark performance. The Society is committed to validating the practice of marketing and business development as essential to the success of all professional services firms. Learn more about SMPS at smps.org.

Marketing is an integral profession that represents numerous industries, like the design-build space, and plays a key role in building and sustaining business for professional service firms. The Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) sees marketing as, “a process in determining your firm’s niche and capitalizing on your strengths to create awareness of your firm, inform how your clients feel and think about your firm, and distinguish your services from the competition.” With all of this in mind, The Construction Channel had the opportunity to meet with Michael Geary, CEO, of The Society for Marketing Professional Services, at their annual Build Business conference, held in Washington, DC this year from July 31–August 2. Founded 46 years ago at an AIA convention in St. Louis, SMPS is the only organization dedicated to creating business opportunities and providing quality marketing services specifically for architecture, engineering and construction companies.

This year saw more than 1,000 people in attendance. Attending Build Business for the first time as an outsider was a little intimidating because the caliber of sharp, smart, savvy professionals can seem overwhelming. But everyone I met was extremely cordial and kind to a first timer. I left the conference believing that it was possible to “transform business through marketing leadership.” After all, this is something SMPS is known for and advocates for as their vision statement.

Read More >>

The photo is courtesy of Kevin Roche Photography.