How many years have you been a member of SMPS?
21 years
Why do you love SMPS?
I like having an organization with people that are experiencing the same issues I am. We're often alone in our firms and having peers that understand what we're all going through is great.
How did you get into AEC marketing?
I was working at a small business that used a graphics on call person. That guy taught me how to work in graphics and when he got a permanent job at Montgomery Watson (MWH, now Stantec) he asked me to join his team. So, I started in graphics working with PageMaker and Coreldraw.
What technological or software advancement has been the most impactful in your career?
In that first job we didn't have printers that could duplex print. So to get that done, we would print all odd pages, then flip the whole stack over and print even pages... there was always some finger crossing when doing that! But other than that, the most impactful change has been cloud storage. Being able to work simultaneously has been a game changer.
What has been your favorite & least favorite industry change?
My favorite is how easy it is to connect with each other. My least favorite is the shift toward staying at home, and fewer people going out to network.
What is your favorite SMPS memory?
Hanging out with you all at PRC conferences are some of my favorite memories. Getting outside of workday stuff, learning and having fun together.
What was your presidency like? (challenges, normal day-to-day, accomplishments, etc.)
When I started, we didn't take credit cards and we didn't have a strong collections process. The board would divide up all the outstanding bills and make calls to get them paid. During my presidency we changed to a different bill pay system and started accepting credit card payments. We also redid the website.... So I guess a lot of technology improvements. And right after my presidency the Great Recession hit our industry, so we started to lose some members and had to work through.
What were some of the programs / educational events that you hosted?
During my presidency I rallied my fellow presidents from Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange County, and Hawaii to create what became the Pacific Regional Conference (PRC). We held the first two PRC events in Sacramento to get it fully off the ground, and now we're on year 15!
What is your biggest lesson-learned or best piece of advice?
Build your network - join committees, participate, and make friends.
What rad 80s hairstyle did you rock?
If I look back, I think it might have been a mullet of sorts.
What was your favorite 80s band?
Def Leppard
What was / is your favorite 80s dance move?
Dancing in a circle with friends.
What was your favorite 80s concert?
ZZ Top
What was your favorite 80s fashion style?
Tops / jackets with large shoulder pads, big hair, jean shorts, neon everything, Jelly sandals, scrunchies and leggings.
