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| Session 1 | September 8th | Kick off Event |
| Session 2 | October 13th | Power Pyramid by Michelle Raftery |
| Session 3 | November 10th | Brand Building by Dena Wyatt and Stacy Strout |
| Session 4 | December 8th | Communication by Paula Jenkins |
| Session 5 | January 12th | Strategic Thinking by Jen Porter |
| Session 6 | February 9th | Meet the SMPS Colorado Board Members - Networking Event |
| Session 7 | March 9th | Volunteering Event |
| Session 8 | April 13th | Networking |
| Session 9 | May 12th | Farewell/Happy Hour |
(Scroll down to read our speakers' bios)
IMPORTANT DATES:
Applications are due August 19
Program kicks off September 9
QUESTIONS?
Feel free to reach out to our program leaders, Elisabeth Godfrey at [email protected] or Jaime Clark at [email protected]
*** CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION ***
Mentor Bios:
Andrew Kraemer, Marketing Manager, Farnsworth Group
Andrew holds a degree in Landscape Architecture from Iowa State University but found A/E/C Marketing far more interesting these past 10 years. As the Marketing Manager for Farnsworth Group, a 500-person full-service design firm, he oversees the rocky mountain marketing team to strategize, coordinate and execute internal/exterior communication initiatives. Andrew brings a jack-of-all-trades understanding to every project whether it's creative writing, website coding, video production, or social media automation. After hours, he's an avid reader and co-leads a famous book club.
What area(s) of expertise do you offer to a potential protégé?
"A/E/C Marketing is only a tiny niche in the marketing world. I examine the entire profession through an entrepreneur lens to understand "how storytelling made Tesla," "how color photo filters changed Instagram," and "how Dyson built 5,127 prototypes before the first successful bagless vacuum". We'll stand on the shoulders of these successful companies and apply their lessons for better storytelling in proposals, improved graphic design, and accelerated learning."
Emily E. Cox, Senior Associate, Marketing, Norris Design
Emily E. Cox is a Senior Associate and the Marketing Director at Norris Design, a national planning, landscape architecture and branding firm headquartered in Denver. Since joining the firm in 2015, she has mastered all things marketing for Norris Design’s four regions in Colorado, Arizona, Texas, and Oklahoma. From technical and public relations writing to graphic design to creating code for the firm’s website, Emily exemplifies the multi-talented marketer who can focus on both the big picture and the smallest detail. She currently manages the marketing team’s daily efforts, overseeing the team’s training, marketing deliverables, award submissions, public relations, digital and social media presences and client-facing collateral firmwide. As the curator of Norris Design’s corporate identity and outward-facing brand, Emily has focused on presenting the firm’s growing reputation and market share over the last seven years. Her experience prior to Norris Design includes work in media, human resources professional services and public relations.
What area(s) of expertise do you offer to a potential protégé?
"I would love to help a protégé find their super power and a path for success in navigating their career. I’m well-versed in the technical aspects of proposals and qualifications, but really enjoy the development of public relations materials and finding opportunities to share the story of the work our technical teams achieve. I’m also highly skilled at systems development and trouble shooting how to create processes that are efficient and effective. My expertise spans the full gamut of marketing, communications and public relations and their applications to our industry."
Emily Villines, Vice President of Culture and Communications, Calibre Engineering
With a consistent top Gallup CliftonStrength of “Achiever,” Emily has spent the last 15 years challenging norms and rising to the ranks of Vice President at a civil engineering firm. The only female and the only non-engineer on the company’s Board of Directors, Emily lives by the philosophy “if you’re going to do something, do it right.” She works hard to overcome her tendencies as a serial “Obliger” (see The Four Tendencies, Gretchen Rubin) who suffers from the need to say “yes” and struggles to set boundaries. Her experience includes building a marketing department from the ground up, learning to develop and implement strategic plans, learning to set boundaries to maintain work/life balance for herself and her staff, working through personality conflicts, finding a confident voice as a self-conscious introvert, and overcoming burnout. Emily has a Masters Degree in Marketing and English from Regis University, is a Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM), and is a Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coaching Federation (ICF). She has a coaching practice that focuses on both personal and professional development to help people name and reach their greatest potential. Living in Englewood with her 3.5 year old son, Gregory, husband, Jon, and yorkie Lilu, Emily has been an SMPS member for 14 years.
What area(s) of expertise do you offer to a potential protégé?
"I have had to overcome many challenges as an introverted person who also possesses a significant amount of drive and ambition. I have always wanted to be the best and to do great things, and I have striven to be “at the table” as a decision-maker, but I have had to work hard to find a voice and develop the self-confidence to make those things happen. Therefore, while I certainly possess typical marketing skills (like business planning, marketing strategy, comms, social, budgeting, etc.), I believe my greatest offering comes from my ability to help others find their voices, identify goals, and overcome personal and perceived boundaries to reach their potential. "
Jennifer Van Vleet, Vice President, Marketing and Communications Global, Stantec
Jennifer has been working in marketing, communications, PR, and business development since early 1999 in the AEC industry. She is extremely passionate about her profession and the idea that these functions are essential for any strong business. She was born and raised in Denver, but worked in the Pacific NW for a number of years before moving back. She currently spends her time focused on international work and has a global role at her firm. She helps coordinate Stantec's efforts across multiple regions to keep Stantec's brand consistent and assist the communications and marketing professionals effectively and successfully promote their business unit's strategic intents and current project efforts to gain better visibility for Stantec. Jennifer bridges the communication and marketing efforts with those of corporate around the world. She doesn’t take herself too seriously, enjoys a good laugh, loves to travel and be outdoors, and likes to help and network people together.
What area(s) of expertise do you offer to a potential protégé?
"My responsibilities have covered all the bases at this point in my career. I’ve been fortunate to touch a lot of things. To name a few would be: corporate communication strategies, organizational strategies, corporate planning, marketing, public relations and PR writing, website management, special event planning, branding, client acquisition and retention, preparation of marketing materials, people management, strategic planning and decision-making, proposals and bid team management, crisis communications, and more."
Jerry Naranjo
Jerry graduated with a degree from Colorado’s School of Mines with an engineering degree and spent six years as a consulting engineer before returning to a small family business in 1999. Naranjo was started in 1982 by Jerry's father and uncle as a small concrete construction company. From 1999 to the end of 2018, he worked together with his father to grow the company, and expanded into the river restoration space. He specializes in river construction. It’s challenging and rewarding. Jerry and his team gets to take a compromised or endangered waterway and make it functional, beautiful, safe, and robustly natural. He loves that he has the opportunity to make a difference for his employees, and the greater Colorado river community.
What area(s) of expertise do you offer to a potential protégé?
"All phases of project partnering, design-build services, value engineering, business development, financial strategy, and leadership."
Jim Mellor, Pinkard
Jim is a 1978 graduate of Arizona State University with a bachelor’s in construction. He studied at the University of Santa Clara for his MBA with an emphasis in marketing. Jim has worked as a project engineer, project manager, estimator and superintendent. Jim joined Pinkard in 1994 as Director of Business Development. During his tenure, Jim has performed and managed all aspects of marketing and business development, from sourcing leads, to writing proposals, and conducting presentations; from creating strategic and targeted business plans, to developing lifelong client relationships. Because Pinkard’s growth plans are based on the strategic anchors of building relationships of trust with targeted clients, and empowering staff to deliver the best construction experience possible, Jim’s current role is to focus on identifying and building these “client for life” relationships with a select group of clients. Jim’s professional affiliations include membership in Associated Builders and Contractors, Associated General Contractors, Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS), National Association of Industrial Office Properties (NAIOP), Urban Land Institute (ULI), and Housing Colorado. He currently is on the board of Sharing Connexions, Inc. (affordable housing), and on the real estate committee for the Denver Metro YMCA. Over his career he has also served on the board of directors for the Denver Rescue Mission and the Salvation Army’s Red Shield Center.
John Forney, National Strategic Marketing Manager, Kiewit Building Group
John leads the strategic direction of all marketing activities for Kiewit Building Group. Beginning his career with Kiewit in 2011, John has worked on many mixed-use/commercial, healthcare, federal and education projects throughout the U.S. Locally, notable projects that he has worked on include Market Station, 9th and Colorado Redevelopment, UCCS Village at Alpine Valley and Roaring Fork Dining Hall, and SCL Health Community Hospitals Program. John holds a Bachelor’s degree in journalism and advertising from the University of Kansas and an Associate’s degree in Information Technology from the Information Technology Institute.
What area(s) of expertise do you offer to a potential protégé?
"I’ve been in the industry for 15+ years and worked as a marketer on all three sides of the A/E/C market from regional, family-owned to ENR top 50 multi-national firms. Benefits I can provide: Soundboard to provide constructive, unbiased feedback and perspectives; Guidance learned from successes and hard knocks; and Trust, transparency, and encouragement."
JP Arnold, APR, LEED Green Associate, Marketing and Business Development Manager, Bridgers & Paxton
JP Arnold is the Marketing and Business Development Manager for Bridgers & Paxton MEPT Engineers in Colorado Springs. He currently serves as the SMPS Colorado Sponsorship Chair and served as the Southern Colorado Committee Chair. He was awarded the 2022 SMPS Colorado Member of the Year and Unicorn Marketer Award. JP is the past president and current accreditation chair for the Pikes Peak Chapter Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and serves on the AIA Colorado Editorial Committee. A retired U.S. Army Major and Public Affairs Officer, he served in Iraq with the 101st Airborne Division and in Kabul, Afghanistan. JP was awarded two Bronze Star Medals, the Joint Meritorious Service Medal and the Combat Action Badge. As a Public Affairs Officer, he worked over 150 media engagements around the world to include NY Times, CNN, BBC, Newsweek, NBC News, along with Seattle, Nashville and Colorado Springs media markets. JP managed projects with the National Army Marketing and Advertising Recruiting Campaign with Weber Shandwick PR and McCann Erickson Ad Agency. He holds both Undergrad and Graduate Degrees in Mass Communication from Ouachita Baptist University and Middle Tennessee State University (Phi Kappa Phi Honors). He attended the U.S. Defense Information School, U.S. Army Command & General Staff College and both Airborne and Air Assault Schools. JP has been married for over 23 years to his wife, Amy, a Coloradoan, and they have two adopted children.
What area(s) of expertise do you offer to a potential protégé?
"Strategic Planning, Turning Strategy into Tactics, Relationship Building, Communications, Business Development, 1-Person Shop Marketing/BD."
Julie Witecki, Consultant, FMI Corporation
Julie brings 20 years of success in marketing and business development for the A/E/C industry, complemented by an MBA with an emphasis in market strategy. Her greatest strengths and experiences are: PIONEER: I am, by nature, an explorer, excited by things I haven’t seen before. I am intrigued and energized by the unfamiliar. I’ve served on several initiative teams to turn ideas into actionable strategic plans with measurable objectives and realistic budgets. STRATEGIST: With solid research skills and the ability to assess organizational health and client needs, I thrive on going to the next level to explore ways to leverage strengths and minimize weaknesses to take advantage of opportunities and mitigate threats. I’ve been a leader in executive-level strategic planning for the last decade, shaping business initiatives and supporting implementation. COLLABORATOR: Always a servant leader and an active manager, collaborating is more to me than just working nicely with each other. Collaborating requires sharing a mission, a common understanding of the work to get it done, and a willingness to persevere until we achieve the objectives together. CONNECTOR: My network has been my lifeline with a career in sales and marketing. Maintaining trusted business partnerships is valuable to expand knowledge, learn from others’ success, and promote brand value. PROVIDER: I advocate for values as the measure of success. Driven by core values like respect, inclusion, and equity, I am always looking for ways to draw others in to make them feel wanted, heard, and appreciated.
Kimberly Robertson, CPSM, Marketing Services Manager, HDR
With more than 18 years of experience in marketing and client relations, Kimberly Robertson is a marketing services manager for HDR’s federal practice. This involves working with dynamic teams to establish and implement market and client-specific tactical plans and strategies. In addition, she works in tandem with senior leadership to heighten her firm’s market presence through strategic planning, market research, and client engagement orchestration. Kimberly’s greatest strengths are her strategic cognition, futuristic insight, and mentorship. Kimberly is a Past President of SMPS Colorado, past Southwest Regional Conference Chair, and is a Certified Professional Services Marketer.
What area(s) of expertise do you offer to a potential protégé?
"Marketing and Client Development Strategies; Work/life balance - setting boundaries and identifying goals; Career Development and Advice - taking the non-linear path; Big picture advice with a detailed action plan; and Build confidence and identify passions.
Kimberly Wybenga, CPSM, Business Development and Marketing Manager at Mark Young Construction
Kimberly joined MYC in 2016 and has since helped their business grow in revenue by about 35%. Before joining MYC, she worked for Alutiiq and URS/AECOM, giving her a well-rounded background in construction and engineering services marketing and business development. She has a combined 13 years in the industry and has served on multiple committees including: AIA Conference Committee, AIA Awards Committee, A4LE Programs Committee, SMPS National 50th Anniversary Task Force, SMPS CO Membership – Chair in 2019-2020, SMPS CO MEA, SMPS Southwest Regional Conference Committees – Chair of Special Events. SMPS CO One2One Mentor, and Ambition in Motion Executive Mentor. In the last three years, Kimberly was the SMPS CO 2022 Business Developer of the Year, one of the ENR Mountain States 2021 Top Young Professional award winners, and received the SMPS CO Unicorn Marketer Award in April 2020. She has helped her firm receive SMPS MEA and MCA awards and has been a judge for the SMPS National MCA Awards for the past two years. She has been featured in the SMPS Marketer as a Member Spotlight as well as the author of the feature article “Rebuilding After Tragedy: What Constitutes a Labor of Love.” Kimberly is a native Coloradan and loves to play hard when she is not working. She has a love of traveling, scuba diving, hosting events (just bought the perfect house for this), and trying new adventures. She finally gets to celebrate her 10-year wedding anniversary (more than two years later) by traveling to Grand Cayman later this year as well as fulfilling a childhood dream of traveling to Fiji in 2023.
What area(s) of expertise do you offer to a potential protégé?
"I have a passion for connecting people and giving back to a community she has found success in. As I am involved in business development and marketing, I can give perspective on a wide range of skills including proposals, business plan, business strategy, navigating coworker and other networking relationships, and finding the position/company that best fits different skillsets."
Maggie Bolden, Director of Client Relations, Palace Construction
Maggie is responsible for maintaining solid relationships with Palace clients and critical industry contacts. She leverages 20 years’ experience in customer service to support the team in meeting the client’s expectations. Maggie handles project-specific communication between the development/construction team and staff, residents, and the broader community. With her client-first mindset, she helps to ensure each client has a positive experience during the construction project. When she's not at work, she spends time reading, furthering her education, volunteering in the community, and spending time with her children and grandchildren.
What area(s) of expertise do you offer to a potential protégé?"With over 20 years of sales and business development experience, my expertise includes how to create and build high-valued business relationships that feed into the overall strategic business development plan."
Nicole Fatchaline, Regional Marketing Director, Swinerton
A Regional Marketing Director at Swinerton, Nicole serves as a marketing and business development culture carrier and focuses on elevating the creative process and marketing profession within the built environment. She is an effective change agent always striving to improve the status quo. As a marketing professional for a firm specializing in innovative construction services, Nicole wears multiple hats covering offices in Colorado and Texas, fosters marketing team development and growth, and spearheads a number of initiatives regionally and nationally. Nicole joined SMPS in 2006 as a student member, during a summer internship for a general contractor in their creative services department. SMPS has been a knowledge-bank and career builder for me, especially after obtaining my Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM) certification in 2013.
What area(s) of expertise do you offer to a potential protégé?
"In an effort to give back to an organization that has given me so much, I have co-presented a Go/No-Go Best Practices education session and have been an active volunteer for the past ten years. I am currently serving on the SMPS Colorado Board in a leadership role as Immediate Past President. A true advocate of our profession, I love what I do and I let that passion shine through in this role of introducing what marketing services for the A/E/C industry means and how SMPS Colorado has helped shape the career I am so fortunate to have today."
Travis White, Director of BD & Marketing, JHL Constructors
Travis grew up in a construction family and has spent the last twenty years honing his industry knowledge and creative strategy abilities. Currently he serves as the Director of BD and Marketing for JHL Constructors – ENR’s Mountain States 2022 Contractor of the Year. JHL is a fully integrated Colorado based, Colorado focused general contractor succeeding in both the building and infrastructure markets. Over the course of his career, Travis has sought out companies that align with his personal values – especially integrity. A natural leader, Travis served six years in the US Army Special Operations Command living leadership and integrity. As the ultimate creative visionary at JHL, he is a big believer in allowing his team to find their own creative path while achieving personal and department goals, resulting in exceeding expectations. He attributes success at JHL to the leadership team and the way they live the values of Doing the Right Thing – Always. Travis recognizes that the industry is small, but the opportunities are endless.
What area(s) of expertise do you offer to a potential protégé?
“I passionately believe that as an industry we need to do more to push the creative envelope. Just as I expect my team to take risks, I don’t stray from new approaches. As a graduate of the SMPS’ protégé program years ago, I’ve identified three important lessons learned to expand upon: shape your career path through prioritization of goals, don’t burn yourself up chasing shining objects, and align your personal values with a like company. Get to know me and let’s inspire each other to be our best professional selves!”
Testimonials from the SMPS One2One Program
"Having been involved in SMPS as a member and non-member for more than 30 years, I truly feel that the One2One Mentor Protégé program is one of the better benefits that I’ve seen. Our senior marketing specialist Susie Lanners came to Iron Woman with no previous experience in the AEC market but with a true feel for the rhythm of language and a keen understanding of B2B marketing. By participating as a protégé in the SMPS program, Susie has gained a good understanding of the proposal process and has demonstrated confidence in business development; learning nuances of the industry, terminology, and relationships. "
Doug Petty | VP of Marketing
“The SMPS Colorado Mentor-Protégé program provides good content on social and technical skills. As a mentor, I learned a ton myself working with my protégé. I recommend this program for both new and seasoned professionals as it provides a forum to grow your career.”
Teena Bergstrand | Saunders Construction
“Being involved in the SMPS Mentor Committee was incredibly fulfilling both personally and professionally. In such a fast-paced digital world it was wonderful to meet as passionate, authentic and career minded professionals and develop a relationship of friendship, love, trust and respect. While I started as a mentor it was clear I was also the mentee.”
April Hermann | Downstream
“The most important reason I chose to be a mentor was the positive feeling of “giving back” to someone. As a mentor, I didn’t take my role lightly. I was invested in the success of my protégé. My focus was on being compassionate and listening, to what challenges my protégé was going through. I was committed to empowering my protégé to develop their own strengths, beliefs, and personal attributes. As a mentor I was able to help my protégé navigate their career path and provide motivation, guidance, and emotional support and be a resource for them. Becoming a mentor led to experiences and opportunities that I didn’t anticipate when I started the process. I was able to help someone navigate issues in their work life, and in turn it allowed me to look at my own life and work processes—and I found myself changing several of them for the better.”
“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
Maggie Bolden | Palace Construction
“The One2One program expands the SMPS learning culture valued by its members. Members invest in SMPS for career development and yield a return of supportive and trusted relationships. I learned far more in the role of a mentor than I ever imagined. I am fueled by the partnership created in this program and encouraged when I see protégés grow into mentors. I’m proud to be part of the life journey of so many fantastic A/E/C marketing and business development professionals.”
Julie Witecki | FMI Corporation
“The One2One program is fantastic, and I highly recommend it. The programs and the new relationships I developed were incredibly beneficial as I began to navigate this new phase in my career.”
Valerie Jackson | RTA Architects
“Through the One2One mentoring program I was able to expand my understanding of how marketing and business development fit into the industry. As a protégé, I was able to pick the brain of a more senior mentor in the industry, but also share trials with other protégés and not feel alone. My network grew in valuable ways where I feel confident reaching out for advice and resources.”
Liz Kamper | CBRE
“As a relatively new marketer to the area and industry, I was hoping to gain more knowledge and insight in the Colorado and AEC world. My other goal was to grow myself professionally and learn new tools and thought processes that I may not have come to on my own. Throughout the program, my mentor and I discussed these goals in depth and as a veteran of the industry, she was more than happy to provide me with the knowledge to use and apply to my situations. After the conclusion of the One-2-One program, I am able to look at issues and situations more objectively and use a different approach than normal. I am excited to see where my career of A/E/C Marketing can take me and credit this new confidence to take bigger steps to further my goals.”
Amanda Sparks | Kumar & Associates, Inc.
Speaker Bios:
Dena Wyatt, Marketing Evolutions
Dena has played an integral part in the design and construction industry since the mid-1990’s. A former Dale Carnegie instructor and trainer and founder of Marketing Evolutions, Dena brings more than 25 years of experience in the architecture, engineering, and construction industries.
Her techniques and strategies have re-written the rulebook when it comes to presentation training and her straight-forward coaching techniques continue to win projects for her clients. At the end of the day, Dena empowers her clients to achieve their objectives and master the skills they need to WIN!
Stacy Stout, BRANDiac Strategies
As the energetic Founding Principal of BRANDiac Strategies, Stacy knows a thing or two about enthusiastically building business, relationships, and brands. Prior to BRANDiac, Stacy held marketing director positions for two prominent architectural firms and a leading general contractor, in addition to marketing strategist roles for advertising firms. No matter where clients roam, Stacy is an expert at wrangling the focus to marketing strategy and outcomes.
Paula Jenkins, LFS Consulting, LLC
As the owner of LFS Consulting LLC, which specializes in Leadership and Financial Success, Paula helps bring hope to complicated life situations. Paula is a John Maxwell Certified Executive Director, DISC Certified Consultant, and a Financial Coach. Paula coaches, trains, and teaches teams how to connect, inspire and add value to others. She gives her clients tools to help reinforce effective leadership behavior and improve their relationship with money. Paula does what she does because she wants to educate people on how to be better leaders and better stewards of their money. She wants to elicit good thoughts about change even when it appears to be scary. She wants to encourage people to continue to learn. She wants to evoke hope where there appears to be none. Paula’s passion is leadership – developing, training and empowering people with the tools and knowledge to improve as leaders. Paula’s mission is to help teams and organizations develop successful leaders, understanding the power of good communication, and focus on increasing communication skills with the use of the DISC method.
Jen Porter, Transformative Coaching, LLC
Jen is a Leadership & Career Coach with a mission to help ambitious professionals become confident leaders doing life-changing work. Her passion is sharing tools and strategies for others to step into their power to experience renewed freedom and fulfillment in everything they do.
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