04/28/2026

Committee Updates: What’s Happening Across ACEC Ohio

ACEC Ohio’s committees continue to drive meaningful work across the organization—supporting members, strengthening industry connections, and advancing key initiatives. Here’s a look at what several committees have been working on:

Communication -- The Communication Committee successfully hosted its Virtual Marketing Forum yesterday in partnership with all three SMPS Ohio chapters, drawing 60 attendees. The event featured a client panel discussion as well as a video presentation from Limelite, offering attendees valuable insights into marketing strategies, client perspectives, and industry trends.

Environment & Energy -- The Environment & Energy Committee continues to strengthen its connection with state partners and will be hosting Tim Hill and his team at ODOT next week to provide updates from their department. This session will give members the opportunity to hear directly about current priorities, initiatives, and developments impacting environmental and energy-related work in Ohio.

Government Affairs -- The Government Affairs Committee continues to monitor key pieces of legislation, including the Capital Bill, which provides critical funding for vertical construction across state agencies and community projects. The committee remains engaged in tracking developments that impact funding, project delivery, and the overall business environment for member firms.

Membership Services -- The Membership Services Committee is actively working to strengthen how ACEC Ohio communicates and delivers its value to a diverse range of engineering firms. Current efforts include analyzing membership data, identifying and engaging prospective firms, and targeting non-member organizations across the state to support continued growth and retention.

Political Action -- The Political Action Committee is currently coordinating events with both gubernatorial candidates, scheduled to take place in June 2026. These engagements will provide members with the opportunity to hear directly from candidates and stay informed on key issues impacting the industry.

Scholarship -- The Scholarship Committee recently awarded the 2026 ACEC Ohio Scholarship recipients, selecting four outstanding engineering students from a pool of 37 applications to receive $2,500 regional scholarships. The committee also continued the Construction Inspection Workforce Program (CIWP) scholarships for a second year and welcomed Sinclair Community College as a new partner in 2026. In addition, ACEC Ohio introduced the Young Professional of the Year Award, recognizing leadership, professional excellence, and service to the industry. The Early Career Professional National Conference Scholarship will also continue for a second year, providing one member the opportunity to attend the ACEC Annual Convention & Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C.

Small Firms -- The Small Firms Committee recently hosted Juleda Stoltz from ODOT for a focus group on the ODOT SBE Research Report. The discussion offered an opportunity for members to engage directly on key findings and considerations impacting small firms across the state.

Transportation -- The Transportation Committee continues to advance several key initiatives in collaboration with industry partners. A Project Delivery Subcommittee is underway with participation from ACEC Ohio, OCA, and ODOT, focused on identifying opportunities to streamline project delivery. In addition, Fee Guidance Subcommittees are actively developing recommendations, with updates expected by early May. The committee is also preparing for the upcoming ACEC Ohio/ODOT Partnering Conference on May 12, 2026, which will bring together industry and agency leaders to strengthen collaboration and share best practices.

Vertical Development Committee -- The Vertical Development Committee continues to engage with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) on key contract provisions, including ongoing work related to insurance and indemnity requirements. The committee is also reviewing proposed administrative rule changes related to energy to assess potential impacts on member firms. The committee recently hosted a private sector forum.

Workforce Development -- The Workforce Development Committee is actively building out a new initiative focused on hands-on engineering engagement for students. The committee is developing three age-specific activities tailored to students ages 3–5, middle school, and high school, with plans to bring these into classrooms during Engineers Week 2027 (or throughout the month). To support this effort, the committee is also creating portable activity kits to distribute across ACEC Ohio’s chapter regions, with a goal of reaching 50 classrooms statewide. This initiative is designed to strengthen early awareness of engineering careers and build the future talent pipeline.

To sign up for a committee, reach out to Lexi Francis at lexi.francis@acecohio.org.