Chad Clinehens is the president and CEO of Zweig Group. Passionate about the business side of design and technical service firms, Chad has built a career on leading them through growth and change. He has worked with AEC firms throughout the U.S. on a variety of needs – strategic business planning, turnarounds, partner separations, organizational restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, marketing and sales, growth campaigns, and more.

As a registered professional engineer, Chad brings an in-depth knowledge of what makes professional service firms and the people who work for them unique. Working in the industry for more than 20 years, he has been involved in many aspects of the business including design, project management, department management, regional office management, and directional leadership. He holds a MBA and BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Arkansas and is a registered professional engineer in several states.

As Chief Executive Officer, Phil is responsible for Perkins and Will’s strategic focus and business performance. He is directly involved with the firm’s quality initiatives including design excellence, sustainability, and technical delivery; he oversees firm growth, diversification, and development; and he defines the firm’s business objectives for performance, collaborative operations, and staff development.

Phil joined the firm as an Architect in 1993, working with science + technology, education, healthcare, and corporate clients. He has served as the firm’s President, a member of the firm’s Board of Directors, and Managing Director of one of the largest regional practices in the firm.

Phil is involved in a number of community and civic organizations nationally and in Atlanta, Georgia, where he lives with his family.

Gabrielle oversees Perkins+Will’s Diversity, Inclusion, and Engagement program, which works to support and strengthen a firmwide culture that embraces a diversity of people, colors, creeds, credos, talents, thoughts, and ideas. Her unique role as an award-winning principal and the firm’s Director of Global Diversity enables her to combine her passion for architecture and social justice to effect positive change at a micro and macro level. Gabrielle is regularly sought out around the world for her leadership and expertise in issues of social equity in architecture, including race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and physical and mental ability.
Gabrielle has been a key player in Perkins+Will’s success for nearly three decades. She’s worked in both the New York and Los Angeles offices, and became the first African-American and first woman to rise to the position of Managing Director of the Los Angeles office. Over the course of her career, she has led numerous complex and high-profile projects, including the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, one of the largest building projects ever completed for the University of California system.
Gabrielle graduated in 1984 from the Rhode Island School of Design with degrees in fine arts and architecture, becoming the second African-American woman in history to earn an architecture degree from that university. In 2014, she was elected by her peers as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and served on the AIA’s Equity in Architecture Commission. She is a member of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), a past board member of the Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles, and a board member of the Center for Architecture and Urban Design Los Angeles and the International Interior Design Association. She served as the 2018-2019 President of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA). Gabrielle is the recipient of the 2020 AIA Whitney Young Jr award for her commitment to advancing diversity in the architecture profession.

Chad Clinehens is the president and CEO of Zweig Group. Passionate about the business side of design and technical service firms, Chad has built a career on leading them through growth and change. He has worked with AEC firms throughout the U.S. on a variety of needs – strategic business planning, turnarounds, partner separations, organizational restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, marketing and sales, growth campaigns, and more.

As a registered professional engineer, Chad brings an in-depth knowledge of what makes professional service firms and the people who work for them unique. Working in the industry for more than 20 years, he has been involved in many aspects of the business including design, project management, department management, regional office management, and directional leadership. He holds a MBA and BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Arkansas and is a registered professional engineer in several states.

Michael Brown is a husband, father, leadership practitioner, entrepreneur, author, and church planter. Michael has extensive experience coaching, training, facilitating and developing leadership programs for some of the world’s largest organizations and best-known brands. He holds a Master of Arts in Strategic Communication and Leadership from Seton Hall University. Michael is a certified TotalSDI facilitator, Core Strengths facilitator and DiSC certified. He has also served as an adjunct instructor at the University of Arkansas, Ozark Christian College, and Cincinnati Christian University.

Michael has developed customized leadership training programs and curriculum for the past seven years for senior level leadership. Michael also launched Thrive Christian Church in Fayetteville, Arkansas. In his spare time, he makes divots in fairways, tries to fly fish, mountain bikes and coaches his kids’ U8 and U12 world championship soccer teams. Okay, they might not be world champions yet.

Peter C. Atherton, P.E. is an AEC industry insider having spent more than 24 years as a successful professional civil engineer, principal, major owner, and member of the board of directors for high-achieving firms. Pete is now the President and Founder of ActionsProve, LLC (www.actionsprove.com), author of “Reversing Burnout. How to Immediately Engage Top Talent and Grow! A Blueprint for Professionals and Business Owners”, and the creator of the I.M.P.A.C.T. process. Pete is also the host of The AEC Leadership Today Podcast (https://actionsprove.com/podcast/) and leads The AEC Leadership Mastermind (http://www.actionsprove.com/what-we-do/mastermind). Pete works with AEC firms to grow and advance their success through enhanced strategic planning, executive coaching, leadership and management development, performance-based employee engagement, and corporate impact design. Connect with him at pete@actionsprove.com.

June R. Jewell, CPA, is a business management consultant to the Architecture and Engineering industry and author of the best-selling book, Find The Lost Dollars: 6 Steps to Increase Profits in Architecture, Engineering, and Environmental Firms. For over 25 years she ran a successful business and Deltek consulting practice and is now focused on working with A&E firm leaders to help them improve their processes and systems, and give them the tools they need to be able to hold their employees and managers accountable to increase profitability. June is President of AEC Business Solutions, offering business assessment tools and business management training programs designed to help A&E firms increase profits and groom their project managers and future leaders for success.

Mark is known as a leading expert in management and business for the architecture, engineering, planning, and environmental industry. Approaching four decades as a student of the industry, Mark knows AEC firms inside and out. While he started working in bike shops at the age of 12, he began his professional career in a management consulting firm specialized in the construction and development industries, followed up by work as a principal and manager in two different AEC firms.

Over the course of his career, Mark has worked with AEC firms of virtually all sizes and types throughout the U.S. and abroad and helped them solve just about every problem, including developing strategy, turnarounds, partner separations, organizational restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, reenergizing marketing, cash flow crises, ownership transitions, and much more.

Mark founded Mark Zweig & Associates in 1988, which later became Zweig White in 1994, and then Zweig Group in 2014. Zweig Group, today based in Fayetteville, Arkansas, has been named to the Inc 500/5000 list of fastest-growing privately-held companies three times.

Mark is the author of more than a dozen books on various management and business topics for AEC firms, and has co-authored several more. He has served on the BODs of many different privately-held AEC firms, ranging from $10 million to $200 million in annual revenues.  He is an Executive-in-Residence teaching entrepreneurship at The Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas and in the Fay Jones School of Architecture as an adjunct professor, also at the University of Arkansas.

Mark received both his MBA and BS in Organizational Behavior from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He was named to the SIU-C College of Business Hall of Fame in 1992, elected to the College of Business Board of Advisors in 1999, and named Chairman of the Advisory Board in 2002.

Chad Coldiron is Zweig Group’s Director of Executive Search. Passionate about team building and working along side design firms to enhance their team’s overall presence in the AEC industry. His professional background has included experience in the areas of leadership, retention, recruiting, sales, risk management, social behaviors and contract negotiation.

Prior to joining Zweig Group, Chad developed and directed the client retention department for one of the fastest growing independent insurance brokerages in the U.S. Since joining Zweig Group as a consultant he has worked with AEC firms throughout the U.S. on a variety of strategic hiring initiatives as well as organizational restructuring, ownership transition, employee training, marketing, and growth campaigns. He brings a unique approach to building the right teams in order maximize the client’s growth potential while driving down their overall cost per hire.

Chad launched his career by developing strong and valuable relationships in the local and professional communities around Northwest Arkansas. He holds a BS in Financial Management from the University of Arkansas’ Walton College of Business. Outside of his work at Zweig Group, he enjoys live music, sports, bonsai, antiques, cooking for his friends and family, and playing fetch with his dog until his arm gives out.

Lisa Kay is Chief Operating Officer of Environmental Health Sciences Vertical at NV5 where she leads a team of high performing environmental, health, and safety consultants with the mission of delivering solutions and improving lives.

Lisa’s technical work is primarily related to policy and strategy support for municipal government, federal government, and industrial clients. Together with her team of experts, she has been providing support to clients related to COVID-19 industrial hygiene and infection control. She was appointed to the EPA Environmental Finance Advisory Board Technical Expert Working Group on Stormwater Infrastructure in 2019. She is an invited member of the International Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructure, a global coalition of change agents working together to accelerate innovation, adoption, and scaling of strategic resilient and sustainable infrastructure solutions. Lisa is an active member of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce where she sits on the Board of Directors, the Management Committee, and serves as the Chair of the Public Policy Committee.

Lisa has spent much of her career building and growing environmental firms. She successfully grew three underperforming companies into profitable firms that ultimately lead to their acquisition. In 2019 Lisa’s most recent company, Alta Environmental, was acquired by NV5. Lisa joined Alta as a partner and its President in 2014, building and growing revenue by more than 83%. Under her leadership, Alta was recognized for growth and employee engagement through numerous awards including “Top 100 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in Los Angeles”, “Environmental Business Journal Small Business Growth – 2017”, three consecutive The Best Firm to Work For Awards, and two consecutive Hot Firm Awards. Today she serves as the Chief Operating Officer of NV5’s Environmental Health Sciences Vertical a four consecutive year #1 Zweig Hot Firm

Melinda Johnson is Executive Vice President of Building Technologies at NV5. She leads a team of engineers, construction and program managers, commissioning authorities, and technology design professionals who play a significant role in shaping the communities where they work through cost-effective and sustainable projects. As leader of her group, she has introduced innovative approaches to the design and commissioning of systems and technology in buildings, campuses, and facilities.

Melinda is passionate about working as a team towards a shared goal and spearheads efforts to develop collaborative opportunities to drive organic growth. She is committed to supporting and advancing women and minorities in the architectural, engineering, and construction industry, and currently serves on the National Board of the Professional Women in Construction.

Throughout her 35-year career, Melinda has developed MEP teams in major US cities, including Philadelphia and Chicago, and worked extensively with high-profile clients, including the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and Dormitory Authority of the State of New York. Prior to joining NV5, she served as Vice President and Operations Manager for the Buildings & Facilities Division at STV and Principal Engineer at Stantec.

Melinda is a registered Professional Engineer in six states and holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration in Finance.

Dr. Carl Henderson, PhD, PE, GE was recently appointed as NV5’s Chief Diversity Officer (CDO).  In the CDO role, Carl leads the Diversity and Inclusion Program at NV5, driving initiatives to increase diversity across the NV5 organization  and promoting and environment of trust, respect, and inclusion. With his experience in various mentoring organizations and affiliations, Carl understands the importance in being intentional and proactive in affecting change.

Carl  joined NV5 in 2018 as Director of the Construction Quality Assurance Group in Southern California.  Carl’s more than 22 years of experience in geotechnical  engineering project roles include project management, subsurface evaluation, and execution of various geotechnical engineering, soils and materials testing, field instrumentation, and construction oversight projects for a diverse array of clients.  Carl has been Geotechnical Project Manager for many large transportation, levee/dam water impoundment, commercial, industrial, and institutional development projects within California and Pennsylvania. He also is experienced in leading and managing multi-disciplinary offices. A results-oriented, practical professional with strong leadership skills, his passions include  team building, motivating, training, and mentoring. A co-author of several published technical papers, Carl is a registered Professional Engineer and Geotechnical Engineer and holds Master of Science and PhD degrees in Civil/Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. Carl also previously served as an Infantry Officer in the United States Army Reserve and Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

Jessica has more than 17 years of experience in engineering design, project management, and lender and owner representative services. This experience includes schedule reviews, cost control processing, project team management, construction document review, contract review, and implementation of owner programs. Jessica has experience with municipal, educational, residential, commercial, office and mixed-use projects nationwide. Her strengths include strong communication skills, knowledge of industry practices and procedures, and a dedicated and thorough approach to all projects. A strong interest in math and buildings led Jessica into architectural engineering, but a desire to work with people and have an impact throughout the development process brought her to project management.  Jessica has a degree in Architectural Engineering from the University of Wyoming, and a Masters of Engineering in Construction Management degree from the University of Colorado-Denver.  She is a licensed Professional Engineer, as well as a certified Project Management Professional.  Jessica’s role as Managing Director at NV5 emphasizes her skills in bringing people together towards a common goal, asking the key questions, and following through with results.

Jessica is also a guest lecturer at numerous front range universities including Denver University, University of Colorado-Denver, and University of Wyoming.  Jessica is also involved in departmental advisory boards at University of Colorado-Boulder, University of Colorado-Denver, and University of Wyoming.  She is Secretary of the local chapter of the Construction Management Association of America, and service as student liaison for their local collegiate chapters.  Jessica is an advocate of women in the construction industry and a mentor for her internal team.  Jessica’s pending publication through ASCE details recommendations for implementation on pull planning, which supports her desire to provide useful tools for the construction industry.

Dan joined IMA as Director of Professional Services Practice in 2019 to lead the Professional Services Practice across all markets. Dan works to help clients in the design, construction, legal and other industries manage complex professional liability and property and casualty risks inherent to their businesses. He is passionate about providing best-in-class service to his clients and maintaining solid relationships with the underwriting community to advocate on behalf of those clients. His team is responsible for the negotiation and placement of insurance programs, managing the renewal process, and quarterbacking the delivery of all IMA services (claims, alternative risk finance, actuarial analysis, loss control, etc.) as needed. In addition, Dan is viewed as a strategic consultant and is frequently engaged by clients to provide guidance on their most complex endeavors. He enjoys understanding the unique elements of individual clients and/or projects and pursuing creative solutions to those challenges, whether through insurance, contractual transfer elsewhere, or alternative risk finance opportunities.

Prior to joining IMA, Dan spent 13 years working for a Top 10 brokerage firm where he led a team focused exclusively on clients with significant professional liability exposures. This included one of the world’s largest design/build EPC contractors with operations on 6 continents (ENR Top 10 Contractor), one of the nation’s largest transportation engineers (ENR Top 15 Design Firm), a large power engineer (ENR Top 15 Design Firm); and three other ENR Top 100 Contractors. On behalf of these clients, Dan pursued and implemented a never ending combination of program structures that included large deductibles, captives (group, single parent, rent-a-captive), facultative reinsurance, and fully manuscript policies, all while ensuring day-to-day services were maintained at the highest standards.

Christy Zweig Niehues has a long history of involvement with management consulting and the AEC industry. She has held a number of roles at Zweig Group, including writing and researching for The Zweig Letter, and civil + structural ENGINEER magazine.  She currently is the firm’s marketing director as well as the leader of the marketing consulting division.

Christy has a passion for online marketing and has worked with many AEC Firms to find the best processes and methods to drive new and repeat business for their individual organizations. Her marketing experience also includes work at The Sustainability Consortium, as a licensed Real Estate Agent, and she runs a horse boarding and training operation for off the track thoroughbreds.  She holds a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Arkansas.

Tyler creates benchmarking tools and publications through online surveys completed by AEC industry firms across the world. He also provides weekly trendlines for The Zweig Letter and bimonthly press releases for survey publications in the Civil+Structural Engineer Magazine.

Tyler holds a BS in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Arkansas with a minor in Mathematics. His passion for statistical analysis brought him to Zweig Group in July of 2018

Randy first worked for ZweigWhite in the firm’s executive search team in the 1990s/2000s, and was an owner in the firm. He left the firm when it was sold in 2004 to join a private equity group. When Zweig Group returned to the hands of the original founding partner, Mark Zweig, Randy rejoined the firm to help them rebuild a key part of their business.

Randy is an accomplished author, speaker, consultant, trainer, and business coach. He is one of the nation’s leading experts on a variety of topics including leadership skills, strategic planning, and small business development. Randy has been featured in Business Week, The Boston Globe, and the Blog of Timothy Ferriss, Author of the NY Times Best Seller, “4 Hour Work Week.”

Randy is a graduate of Howard University and The Summer Leadership Institute at Harvard University. He is a certified Business Coach and a Teacher in Biblical Entrepreneurship through the Nehemiah Project.

Bill McConnell, co-founder and CEO of The Vertex Companies, Inc.(VERTEX), has worked in the construction industry for nearly his entire life. He rose through the ranks from a union construction worker during high school and college summers, to a project engineer at a top 50 construction company, to a senior executive at VERTEX. In addition, Bill is a top expert witness for construction disputes as he has testified approximately 170 times, most notably for cost and/or standard of care opinions. Many construction, engineering, and law organizations have published Bill’s articles and reports over the past two decades. Bill is a lifelong learner (MS, JD, and PhD student) and a firm believer in the value of industry-academic collaborations.

Since the inception of VERTEX in 1995, Bill has led the organization by example. Under his leadership, VERTEX has seen consistent year-over-year growth of more than 20%. Twenty-five years later, in addition to setting strategy and leading VERTEX, Bill works on billable projects while also contributing as an active teacher and student in academia. Bill has a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Maine, a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Denver, and a Master of Science degree from Columbia University. Bill is working towards his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Colorado. He also completed a part-time three-year business program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Bill serves on the Industry Advisory Board for the University of Colorado Denver (CU) Construction Engineering and Management program.

Charles Pooley is the founder & CEO of Workfolio, a leading developer of professional visibility and client experience solutions for firms in more than 100 countries worldwide.

His technology innovations have won numerous industry awards and he has been featured on Bloomberg Television, CNBC, Forbes, US News, and BBC. In addition to Workfolio, Charles has an extensive background in technology and marketing, and at age 30 was one of the youngest public company CIO’s in America.

Phillip G. Bernstein is an architect and technologist and Lecturer in Professional Practice at the Yale School of Architecture, where he has taught since 1988. He was formerly a Vice President at Autodesk, where he was responsible for setting the company’s future vision and strategy for technology as well as cultivating and sustaining the firm’s relationships with strategic industry. Phil was the executive responsible for Autodesk’s Waltham AEC Headquarters project, which received more than 14 architectural awards including those from the American Institute of Architects, Business Week/Architectural Record, the Association of General Contractors and Interiors Magazine. Prior to joining Autodesk, he practiced architecture as a principal at Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects where he managed many of the firm’s most complex commissions. He writes and lectures extensively about practice and technology, and has been published in Architectural Record, Architecture, Architecture+Urbanism, Design Intelligence, Fast Company, Fortune, Architectural Design and Perspecta. Phil was co-editor of Building (In) The Future: Recasting Labor in Architecture, published in 2010 by Princeton Architectural Press, as well as BIM in the Academia: Technology’s Implications for Practice and the Academy in 2011. He is currently writing a book for Birkhauser Publishers on the intersection of design methods, technology and architectural practice. Phil was honored twice by DesignIntelligence as one of the “30 Most Admired Educators in Architecture”. Phil received a Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude with Distinction in Architecture from Yale University and a Master of Architecture also from Yale. He is a a Senior Fellow of the Design Futures Council, a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, and former Chair of the AIA National Contract Documents Committee. He is licensed to practice in California.

Dawson Fercho is the partner-founder of Corporate Tax Advisors, Inc. He brings over 20 years of consulting experience, 15 years exclusively focused on the Federal Research Tax Credit, working with the accounting industry and small to mid-size manufacturing, technology, engineering, architecture and construction clients. In his current role for Corporate Tax Advisors, Inc., Dawson is responsible for all areas of client service and overseeing CTA’s marketing and business development. Dawson is also a tax professional licensed by the U.S. Treasury Department, allowing representation of tax clients in all 50 states. Prior to CTA, Dawson held numerous senior level management roles with some of the largest technology and communication firms in the country.

Ed is President and CEO of SES ESOP Strategies, a Stevens & Lee/Griffin-affiliated company, and co-chair of Stevens & Lee’s ESOP Group and its Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Group. He concentrates his practice in helping companies navigate the complexities of ESOPs.

Leads OnStrategy with a dedication to the creation and execution of great mission driven strategies for organizations around the globe.

Expertise:
 Internal and external assessments
 Facilitation
 Brand Strategy
 Executive Team and Board Retreats
 Culture Shift
 Team Leadership
 Business Development and Performance Management
Professional Experience:
Erica is the COO and co-founder of OnStrategy. She’s dedicated the last 20 years to growing OnStrategy
with one goal in mind—helping organizations from around the globe create and execute their strategic
vision. She and the OnStrategy experts work with leadership teams around the globe—businesses,
nonprofits, governments, tribes and school districts that share one thing in common: the desire to have
a bigger impact within their sphere of influence and the world.
• Government: City and County of San Francisco, City of Reno, Washoe County, Charlotte-
Mecklenburg Police Department, Dona Ana County, Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority, Nevada Division
of Wildlife
• Healthcare: St. Mary’s Health Plans, Keystone Healthcare Management
• Financial Services: Fairwinds Credit Union
• Education: Alaska North Slope Borough School District, Anchorage School District, Fairbanks
Northstar School District, Washoe County School District, Kenai School District
• Sustainability: Patagonia, Outdoor Industry Association
• Technology: Microsoft, SEO Monitor
• Tourism: Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority, MGM Resorts
• Non-Profit: The Make-A-Wish-Foundation, Tahoe Fund, Northern Nevada Children’s Cancer
Foundation, Tahoe-Pyramid Bikeway
Education: Master’s of International Business Management from Thunderbird School of Global
Management; Bachelor of Arts in Communication, University of Nevada, Reno.
Publications: Strategic Planning for Dummies and Strategic Planning Kit for Dummies (2011).
About Erica:
Through consulting services, software, books and YouTube, Erica reaches one million people annually with
the aim to simplify the critical practice of growing and leading strategically. OnStrategy’s philosophy is built
on a belief in the power of focus, alignment and engagement to transform organizations and communities.

An engaging and experienced speaker and facilitator, Erica delivers her training and speaking around the
world. She facilitated strategic planning workshops with GASCO Energy in Abu Dhabi and has trained
teams in Singapore, Dubai, Bahrain, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta. Erica guest lectures at the University of
Nevada Business School and served as Business School department chair at the University of Phoenix
where she taught for five years.

Erica is an avid outdoor adventurist, spending much of her time running and hiking in the mountains,
skiing, biking, and any other sport as an excuse to get outside and breathe the fresh air.

Drives customer experience with the capacity to assess, analyze and advance the goals of clients

through the development and implementation of solid strategic direction.

Expertise:
 Growth Strategy
 Sales and Sales Methodology
 Marketing
 Brand Strategy
 Consensus Building
 Facilitation
 Team Leadership and Mentorship
 Communications
Professional Experience:
Jeff is a veteran at helping organizations succeed. He brings over 25 years of experience driving
sustainable growth for start-ups to publicly traded companies. At OnStrategy, Jeff works with leadership
teams in strategy design, organizational roll-out, adoption, and performance management.
 Packaged Goods: Chloe Foods
 Communications: Nortel Networks
 Financial Services: Amerivon, South Carolina Student Loan Services
 Retail: Harley Davidson, Volcolm, OceanSpray, Williams-Sonoma
 Technology: Gutenburg, Intuit, Wireless Advocates, Retail Inkjet Partners, Microblend, IBM
 Tourism: Nevada Commission on Tourism
 Non-Profit: Boy Scouts of America, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Together4Health, Reno Rodeo
Association
 Sustainability: Outdoor Industry Association, Recology: Waste Zero
 Recovery: Foundry Treatment Center
 Engineering: Lee Company, JF Brennan,
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from California State Polytechnic University
Recent Client Work:
 Foundry Treatment Center: As an extension of Foundry’s leadership team, Jeff helped leadership
define and implement a three-year strategic plan supported by growth strategies based on
Foundry’s competitive advantages and unique differentiation, including implementing processes and
systems to ensure performance reporting and organization-wide accountability.
 Alaska Epidemiology Center: Working with leadership, Jeff helped facilitate the design of a three-
year strategic plan, including organizational priorities, goals, and measures in the areas of
sustainable growth, operational excellence, and human equity.
 Outdoor Industry Association: At the core of great strategic direction-setting is collaborative
ideation. Jeff worked with leadership and OIA’s Board of Directors to explore the realm of
possibilities and how they might be implemented to drive transformational impact supporting the
organization’s mission of sustainability,

Bryon has more than 30 years experience in branding and marketing and has led online strategic initiatives for major clients, including Clavin Klein, General Motors, Lipton Foods, and many others.

Bryon has had a lifelong love of architecture and design and for the past several years the Archmark team have focused on helping clients in the architecture, engineering, and construction industries.

In fact, the Archmark team has set a goal to bring value to 100,000 architects by 2030 by helping firms improve how they use branding, marketing, website design and lead generation to build productive and profitable relationships with prospects, partners, and promoters. 

Archmark has gained attention for its study of 450+ AEC firm websites to better understand the challenges and opportunities that architects have to stand out and differentiate themselves.

Bryon is a featured author, podcast guest, and speaker for AIA, ASLA, Entrearchitect, Inside the Firm, and SMPS.

Chris Simon provides executive coaching and consulting to develop leaders by tapping into their leadership potential, building appropriate self-confidence, creating life-work balance, and encouraging complete dedication at work. This results in increased productivity through delegation, training of future leaders, and creating a strong culture. Chris works alongside leaders to propel growth, impact, and leadership in their area of influence. Executive coaching provides opportunities for leaders to gain self-
awareness of their strengths, learn how to mitigate weaknesses, and create a professional environment. Coaching leads to confident leaders, employing their strengths to create maximum impact, leadership, productivity, and profits.

Background
Prior to establishing his coaching and consulting business, Chris founded and operated an addiction treatment facility in Denver, Colorado specializing in working with executives. His unique experience provides profound insight into building leaders who operate optimally and fit into the organizational culture, which prevents burnout and leadership failures, aiding in long-term retention of leadership. Experience as an executive leader himself allows Chris to build rapport with leaders while offering pointed insights into maximizing leadership potential.

Additional articles, interviews, and information regarding Chris’s work available at www.Elmry.com.

Pat leads the Wintrust national ESOP lending practice, providing competitive financing solutions to ESOP-owned companies. Pat has 27 years of commercial banking experience and a proven track record of developing and building relationships, financial analysis and risk management, and development of his staff. Throughout his career, Pat has been responsible for leading a team of bankers tasked with generating Middle Market opportunities in the Chicagoland area, and new and mature ESOP opportunities across the country. He is a member of the Illinois and National ESOP Association and the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO). Pat holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Ball State University and an M.B.A. from Loyola University Chicago.