Winter 2025 Newsletter - SMPS Central PA 
Chapter News
President's Message
Exciting things are happening with SMPS Central PA! Our Programs Committee has a robust calendar of educational and networking events lined up, with more events being added. We are very excited about a joint event with SMPS Maryland on March 19th where Scott Butcher is speaking on Balancing CEO Priorities with Industry Trends. This program is tailored to executive/leadership level staff in our member firms; members are encouraged to register someone from their executive/leadership team to hear this presentation and experience the unique programs that SMPS has to offer. We are also looking forward to NERC where we will have a strong showing from our Chapter. If you haven’t signed up for the chapter dinner on April 23rd, please do that to make sure you have a spot. Rebekah Hartt is starting to plan her year as Chapter President, and calls for nominations for the Board will be coming out soon. We have strong support from both new and renewing annual sponsors, including some at the new Platinum level. We are very thankful for our annual sponsors. Last but certainly not least, the golf outing on June 12th is a can’t-miss event. Get your foursomes registered and join us for a great day supporting Olivia’s House in York. If there’s anything I can do to help you make the most out of your membership, please let me know. Thank you for your continued support of SMPS Central PA!.
Dan Confer
President
Announcements
Refer A Friend: The SMPS Referral Network
Help grow the SMPS Central PA community and get rewarded for sharing the benefits of membership!
- Refer a friend who joins, and you'll earn three extra months of membership (a $112 value).
- Refer two new members in the same year, and you'll also receive a $25 Amazon e-gift card!
- Strive for Five: Refer five members in a year and receive a $100 Amazon e-gift card!
Find out how: www.smps.org/refer/
Help your colleagues level up with valuable industry knowledge, educational resources, and networking connections that come with membership. Refer someone today!
Upcoming Events
Executive Insights: Balancing CEO Priorities with Industry Trends
Coffee Connections w/ Prospective and Current Members
SMPS NERC - April 23-25, 2025
2025 Golfing "Fore" Business
Membership
Save the Date!
New Member Mixer & Orientation
Pizza Boy Brewing, Enola, PA
May 2025 | 3:00 - 5:00 PM
Join us at Pizza Boy Brewery for an afternoon with current and new members!
Hear from some of our long-time members about how to leverage your membership to grow your professional presence through SMPS Central PA. This Members-Only event includes complimentary pizza and beer.
This mixer is for new members who want to:
- Learn more about your Membership
- Get involved with the Chapter
- Meet and Greet with regional AEC business development colleagues
Let’s welcome in the warm weather and our new colleagues together. Be on the lookout for your invitation to join us.
Questions? Contact: Suzanne Cody, Membership Chair at [email protected].
Program Recaps
Lunch & Learn: Paint the Town Red
On November 19, 2024, we hosted a fantastic virtual event with Meeks Marketing’s Melanie Meeks, CPSM, and Allie Horne, CPSM, who led an engaging session on identifying and leveraging Business Development Personas.
Through an interactive quiz, participants discovered whether they embody The Resource, The Friend, The Therapist, The Connector, or The Observer—each with unique strengths and approaches to business development. Attendees gained valuable insights into how to maximize their strengths, overcome potential challenges, and build stronger business relationships.
The session also covered best practices in business etiquette and crafting a compelling elevator pitch, equipping participants with practical strategies to enhance their networking and BD efforts.
"Holidaze" Party
On January 9, 2025 SMPS CPA members and guests gathered at Lancaster Brewing Company’s Harrisburg location to reflect on the year’s achievements, enjoy good food, beverages and company, all while supporting Animal Rescue, Inc. (ARI), this year’s holiday party non-profit selected organization. In-kind donations of food, pet supplies and toys were made, as were monetary donations.
Since 1976, ARI has served as a refuge for homeless cats and dogs, making a lifelong promise to every animal that enters its gates: they will never be homeless again. While the organization hopes its residents will find a loving home with a lifelong companion or family, those who do not are embraced as part of the ARI family. ARI cares for several hundred animals across its various locations, including many adoptable pets and others with unique medical or behavioral needs. The organization is committed to ensuring that no animal is euthanized due to medical expenses or the challenges of care.
Hard Hat Tour: Weldon Solutions
Members of SMPS Central PA recently had the opportunity to tour Weldon Solutions, a leading manufacturer specializing in high-precision CNC grinders and robotic automation systems, at their York, PA facility.
With a history dating back to the 1890s, Weldon Solutions has continuously evolved, now focusing on cutting-edge technologies that enhance performance, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness in manufacturing. During the tour, attendees got an inside look at the company’s CNC grinding technology—designed to work with a variety of materials, from aerospace alloys to hard tool steels—as well as their advanced industrial automation solutions featuring FANUC high-performance robots.
The tour highlighted how Weldon Solutions integrates automation into manufacturing environments, optimizing production while maintaining high precision. Attendees also learned about the company’s role in various industries and the challenges and innovations shaping the future of automated machining.
This event offered a valuable look into the intersection of engineering, automation, and manufacturing, showcasing how technology is transforming industrial processes.
Stand Out! Driving Personal Brand to Enhance a Marketing Culture
On March 4, 2025, we hosted a dynamic virtual session with Laura McDonald, CPSM, Senior Marketing Business Partner at Terracon, and Eric Keens, CPSM, Marketing Manager – East Region at JE Dunn Construction.
This engaging discussion focused on how marketers can establish credibility, measure key performance indicators (KPIs) for brand growth, and position themselves as strategic leaders within their firms. Laura and Eric challenged attendees to stop standing still and start standing out by leveraging personal branding to enhance their influence and career growth.
Key takeaways included:
- The impact of credibility on trust and professional relationships
- Strategies to develop and elevate a personal brand
- How branding can unify teams and strengthen marketing’s role in business decisions
Sponsorship
Annual Sponsorship
The SMPS Central Pennsylvania Chapter is pleased to announce its 2025 Program Year Sponsorship Opportunities. We now follow a calendar year sponsorship (January - December). We are offering several sponsorship levels to fulfill every marketing need and budget. Please consider promoting your firm and supporting SMPS Central PA! You can view more on our sponsorship levels on our website.
To purchase an annual sponsorship, you can view our catalog.
Sponsor Spotlight
Providence Engineering
Providence Engineering specializes in providing structural and MEP engineering design and analysis services to the building design and construction industry. Our experienced team offers comprehensive structural design and drafting services for a range of projects, including new buildings, renovations, remodeling, and additions to existing structures. Additionally, we excel in construction means and methods designs, engineer-of-record services, and construction compliance design.
Established in Pennsylvania in 1992, Providence Engineering is committed to the direct involvement of our engineers in all project phases. From conceptual planning and structural system studies to building design and construction administration, our engineers are hands-on, ensuring seamless coordination. We have deliberately eliminated 'middle management' to create a workplace where our engineers are fully empowered decision-makers for your project. We believe this approach fosters timely responses, facilitating projects to move forward on time and on budget.
Apart from our technical expertise, we are highly equipped engineers with an understanding of the aesthetic requirements in building design. Our clients harbor ambitious visions that demand equivalent solutions, and we take satisfaction in providing a flexible and creative design approach that transforms our clients' visions into reality. This distinctive approach, combined with our legacy of delivering constructible, affordable, and timely results, is why we are the Engineer of Choice.
At Providence Engineering, we take pride in being a 100% employee-owned and operated company. Our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) serves as a retirement plan for employees by holding tax-free investments on their behalf. Providence pays all of the contributions to this plan from company profits, and no taxes are due until shares are distributed. Our plan is overseen by a professional ESOP Trustee, Providence’s Board of Directors and administered by a company specializing in ESOP programs.
High Construction Company
High Construction Company (HCC) is a leading general contractor delivering high-quality, on-time, and on-budget projects across multiple market sectors. With a commitment to safety, innovation, and collaboration, HCC builds lasting relationships with clients, industry partners, and communities. Backed by decades of experience and award-winning expertise, HCC continues to set the standard for excellence in construction.
HCC was founded in 1978 as part of the High® companies, which has a legacy of excellence dating back to 1931. Established to meet the organization’s growing construction needs, HCC quickly earned a reputation for quality, innovation, and client satisfaction. Over the decades, the company has expanded its expertise to include preconstruction planning, design-build services, construction management, and general contracting, delivering projects across the education, healthcare, commercial, and industrial sectors.
Guided by the High Philosophy of Building Trustworthy Relationships and Being Innovative Leaders, HCC continues to grow across Pennsylvania and the surrounding regions. The company’s work not only strengthens communities through high-quality construction but also supports philanthropic initiatives through the High Foundation.
The Society News
AI is transforming A/E/C marketing and business development—don’t get left behind!
Join SMPS AI expert Christopher Penn for a two-day, hands-on workshop covering the latest AI tools, strategies, and best practices to help you work smarter and stay competitive.
Each year, Amplify A|E|C brings original content, sessions, and keynotes to a different city. We have several different registration options, so check out the one that’s best for you—and book your hotel to get the discounted room rate. Check out the breakout sessions and workshops, and we’ll see you in Columbus!
This course will guide AEC professionals in creating data-driven content and marketing strategies that deliver measurable ROI. Participants will learn to set clear marketing objectives, design high-impact content for their target audiences, and implement campaigns that can be continuously optimized through analytics. By examining real-world case studies attendees will be equipped with the tools to maximize their marketing budget and effectively demonstrate value to stakeholders.
Careers
Career Advice
Focused exclusively on marketing and business development for the A/E/C industry, MARKENDIUM: ONLINE LEARNING CENTER brings you the best of both worlds: e-learning and professional development.
The current catalog features a variety of courses, from content marketing and client-building to return on investment (ROI) and social media. When you participate, you can even earn SMPS CEUs, AIA LUs, and PDHs.
Consider sharing the course catalog with your bosses and telling them you have access to this training, because of their support of your SMPS membership. Another idea? Consider hosting a brownbag with your office and leading a follow-up discussion.
If you have other ideas for taking advantage of the ONLINE LEARNING CENTER offering, be sure and share them with the rest of us!
Classifieds
SMPS Central Pennsylvania Chapter advertises positions related to marketing, sales, business development, communications, graphic design, and related career opportunities in the A/E/C marketplace.
CPSM Program
Through the SMPS Central PA Chapter, members can begin their journey to become Certified Professional Services Marketers (CPSM). The program is designed to help members establish an exclusive mentoring network; strengthen competency in the marketing and business development practices for the A/E/C industry; and facilitate study groups and testing for members seeking National CPSM Certifications.
Note: All current CPSMs are now required to self-report any CEUs on their own. The Chapter no longer submits the forms after each program.
Questions? Please contact Rebekah Hartt at [email protected].
