The 2026 SMPS Colorado Marketing Excellence Awards (MEAs) celebrated the marketers and business developers shaping the future of the A/E/C industry—from large, collaborative teams to remarkable teams of one. More than a recognition of outstanding work, this year’s MEAs served as a powerful reminder of the influence, creativity, and leadership that marketing and business development professionals bring to their firms and to the industry as a whole.

On May 14, marketers, business developers, firm leaders, and industry partners from across Colorado gathered at Balistreri Vineyards for an evening dedicated to honoring excellence. Set against the warmth and character of the venue, the gala brought together professionals from every stage of their careers to recognize the creativity, strategy, passion, and people pushing the A/E/C industry forward.

What unfolded was more than an awards ceremony. It became an evening centered on stories, relationships, bold ideas, and innovators. A celebration not just of finished deliverables, but of the thoughtfulness, collaboration, and purpose behind the work.

Showcasing the Power of Strategic Marketing
From thoughtful campaigns and compelling brand storytelling to internal communications and community impact initiatives, this year’s submissions reflected the extraordinary depth of talent within Colorado’s A/E/C community. The projects recognized throughout the evening showcased more than creativity alone; they demonstrated measurable results, cross disciplinary collaboration, and a deep understanding of how intentional marketing drives business growth.

Across categories, entries illustrated how strong marketing elevates firms; helping organizations clarify who they are, strengthen internal culture, connect authentically with clients, and position themselves for long term success. Whether produced by large teams or by professionals wearing multiple hats, the work honored at the MEAs highlighted the evolving role of marketers and business developers as strategic leaders and trusted advisors within their firms.

In 2026, the construction industry has shifted its focus to data centers and the infrastructure needed to support them. Meanwhile, sustainable building materials like mass timber continue to remain a hot topic. The question is: how do we handle the pressure to build sustainably while also constructing some of the most energy-intensive projects in history?

The Use of Mass Timber

How to Create Memorable Networking Experiences

You attend a networking event, happy hour, or client gathering with a stack of business cards in hand, but weeks later those connections rarely turn into meaningful relationships. The issue is not effort. It is follow-through.

Artificial intelligence is no longer a “someday” conversation for the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. It is already showing up in the tools, workflows, and conversations shaping how AEC professionals work.

As part of a graduate research project through the University of Oklahoma, my research group surveyed professionals across the AEC industry with the help and support of the SMPS Colorado Board and other amazing members of the local AEC community. The goal was to better understand how employees are using AI, what they need from leadership, and what communication strategies may help organizations adopt AI more effectively.

In a world driven by convenience: automation tools, proposal boilerplates, and ever-tightening deadlines, an essential element of neuromarketing is quietly slipping through the cracks—human connection.

The built environment may be shaped by data, systems, and structures, but it’s still run by people. And people, at their core, want to work with those they know, like, and trust. As marketers in professional services, our role goes beyond simply submitting a polished proposal. We are responsible for conveying, clearly and convincingly, that our team is the right fit. The most effective way to do that? Add one intentional step to your process: find the connection.

As we move into summer, things sometimes feel a little lighter in the marketing world (I say this now, but don’t blame me if you get slammed). Summer construction work is in progress, inboxes slow down (slightly), and many teams shift into a different rhythm. But before we fully settle into that seasonal pace, June offers something even more valuable: a natural pause point.

The halfway mark of the year is one of the best opportunities we have to step back, evaluate, and reset our marketing and business development efforts with intention.

I joined SMPS Colorado in 2019, shortly after starting at Saunders Construction and entering the AEC industry. Within about six months of joining and attending a handful of events, I started hearing from both SMPS members I had met, and my team at Saunders about the opportunity to take the next step and join a committee.

At the time, I was a young marketing graduate with very little real-world experience. I knew if I was going to grow, I needed more than just exposure. I needed opportunities to contribute, build skills, and learn from people who were already doing the work at a high level. I chose the Communications Committee intentionally. I had a background in graphic design but knew I needed exposure in professional writing — especially when it came to email campaigns, newsletters, or social media strategy.

The SMPS Southwest Regional Conference is coming to Denver September 16–18, 2026, and it is shaping up to be a valuable few days for A/E/C marketers, business developers, and firm leaders.

This year’s conference theme is Uncharted, which feels fitting. So much of our work right now involves navigating change, from AI and data to pursuit strategy, storytelling, leadership, and how we show the value of marketing inside our firms. SWRC offers time to step away from the day-to-day, hear how others are approaching similar challenges, and bring fresh ideas back to your team.

Sprout’s Social Media Image Size Guide 

Always up-to-date guide to social media image sizes. In social media, visual content isn’t just king—it’s the whole kingdom, often shaping the first and most memorable impression of your brand. While creating compelling images and videos is essential, using the right tools to resize and optimize them for each platform ensures your content looks its best everywhere.

Ever wonder where your invoices are hiding after you register for an event? Please follow the following steps to see all of your profile information.

1. Navigate to www.smpscolorado.org
2. Navigate to Membership | Member Area (non-members too!)

Proposal work is a big part of what many of us do and often one of the most demanding. Tight deadlines, multiple collaborators, endless compliance checks…you know the drill.

That’s why we’re excited to share a new SMPS Colorado member benefit made possible through an in-kind sponsorship with Proposal Engine, a Colorado-based company focused on supporting A/E/C marketers.

Navigating a career in AEC marketing can often feel like being a small fish in an enormous pond of subject matter experts. Many AEC marketers find themselves working on lean teams of only a few people, or sometimes as the sole marketing professional at their firm. Meanwhile, colleagues in technical roles may have clearly defined promotion tracks and long-term career paths laid out in front of them. This contrast can make it difficult to understand where you fit, how to grow, and what the next rung on the ladder looks like for marketing professionals in the industry.

This is where SMPS becomes an invaluable support system, and the Marketers Take Flight podcast serves as a convenient, on-the-go companion for professional growth. Acting as both encouragement and guidance, the podcast offers listeners reassurance that they are not alone in navigating the challenges of AEC marketing. It provides insight into how others have faced similar uncertainties and successfully carved out fulfilling career paths.

Mentorship is one of those words that everyone agrees is important, yet its true impact is often underestimated until you experience it firsthand. In our industry, where relationships, strategy, confidence, and timing matter just as much as technical skill, mentorship can be the difference between feeling stuck and feeling empowered.

There’s nothing quite like spending an evening surrounded by stunning mountain views, AEC friends, and a tower of giraffes (yes, that’s really what a group of giraffes is called). This fall, SMPS Colorado headed to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo for a behind‑the‑scenes look at one of the most exciting construction projects in the Pikes Peak Region: a $40 million expansion of the giraffe exhibit.

Someone recently told me, “You either hate to lose or love to win.”

I sat with that for a while. Eventually, I decided—I love to win. Losing isn’t great, but when I searched for evidence, I thought of my bedroom wall display of medals from races I’ve finished, Finisher Medals. They hang from a piece of driftwood I found on a beach in Hawaii. With a little Pinterest inspiration, I added nails across the face, perfect for hanging medals, even the ones every finisher receives.

As SMPS Colorado continues to grow and connect A/E/C professionals across the state, our sponsors make everything we do possible— from educational programs and leadership workshops to networking events and chapter celebrations.

Each year, sponsorship helps us elevate the visibility of Colorado’s marketing and business development community while providing firms with valuable opportunities to connect, learn, and lead.

As the air turns crisp and the mountains glow golden, there’s no better time to hit the trails in Colorado. Whether you’re chasing those iconic yellow aspens close to Denver or heading deeper into the Rockies for more rugged terrain, we’ve gathered a list of some of the state’s best fall hikes complete with views that will make you stop in your tracks. Lace up your boots, pack your layers, and let’s go leaf-peeping!

1. Maroon Bells & Crater Lake Trail 

It's the “Going for Gold” themed title of Jaime Clark Miles’ 2026 SMPS Pacific Regional Conference presentation, a dynamic session intended to guide attendees through a strategic framework for transforming underutilized internal content—like project write-ups, case studies, and event recaps—into high-impact media campaigns that elevate firm visibility and industry leadership.

If you’re still waiting to “see how AI shakes out,” here’s your sign: it already shook. The tools aren’t inching forward by generations; they’re sprinting in short, brutal cycles while your to-do list proliferates and your goals compound. At SMPS AEC.AI Fall 2025 in Denver, Christopher Penn didn’t sell magic (though his magic trick prompt did draw some “oooohs” from the audience); he put us to work—real workflows, real decisions, less theory—sometimes confirming instincts, sometimes flipping the table, always pushing us to ship instead of admire the problem.

And he stuck the landing: AI isn’t your rival; it’s the most eager, overly helpful, occasionally forgetful intern you’ll ever manage. Brilliant once directed, chaotic when left to wander. Treat it like a teammate that can carry weight, not a mind reader, and you stop fearing the shadow and start managing the output.

Networking isn’t just about showing up to events or exchanging business cards. It is about making meaningful connections that last. While your skills and personality matter most, the materials you bring with you can reinforce your professional brand and help others remember you long after the conversation ends.