This breakfast was originally scheduled to occur in March, but was rescheduled due to widespread power outages in the Back Bay. We hope you can join us on this new date!

The City of Quincy has embarked on a visionary and ambitious $1.6 billion downtown redevelopment plan, which is the largest historic downtown revitalization in the US.  Join us as the Honorable Thomas Koch, Mayor of Quincy, and Frank Tramontozzi, Engineering Director, discuss the current and future status of this very exciting redevelopment plan.

Dan Vlahos, Creative Director, Shepley Bulfinch
Kathy McMahon, Associate Principal, CBT Architects
Barbara Hicks, Associate, Dir. of Marketing & Media, Margulies Perruzzi Architects
Matt Hawk, Senior Marketing Coordinator, Fay Spofford & Thorndike

This is a do not miss program for marketing coordinators, managers and directors or anyone needing techniques to make their proposals stand above the rest. How will you differentiate your firm? You'll find out here!

Has your firm spiced up its marketing efforts recently? Do you have an appetite for seeing your marketing collateral displayed amongst the best of the best in the Boston A/E/C industry? If so, SMPS Boston invites you to submit your marketing materials to the 2012 Recognizing Outstanding Communications Awards program.

Join Chuck Raymond for a discussion on Domain 2 of the CPSM exam prep on Marketing Planning.

Please join us for a lively and interactive discussion on the way BD professionals win work and the trials and tribulations we encounter with our top notch panel consisting of John Shenette, VP for Facilities Management at Smith College; Tony Leonard, Regional Facility Manger at Liberty Mutual Group; Bill Massey, Principal at Sasaki Associates; and Ryan Hutchins, Senior VP and N.E. Regional Manager at Gilbane Building Co. The panelists will present case studies of our good, bad and plain old ugly selling techniques while being questioned by veteran BD professionals, Renee Driscoll, Rolf Jensen and Associates; Vance Freymann, Consigli Construction; and James Koloski, Shawmut Design and Construction. The panelists' intention is to enlighten the A/E/C community about what owners/firms expectations are before, during and after meetings and sales calls. Why do they choose to utilize a firm's services? As owners and clients, we hope to all gain an understanding of each other's struggles before, during and after the sales cycle. Attendees should walk away with strategies they can incorporate in their own business and a good sense of what clients they should spend their time pursuing.

Join SMPS for this first in the series of Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM) study sessions. The series will follow an in-depth curriculum focused around the six domains of professional practice. For more information or to join, contact organizer Jennifer Shelby, CPSM, at jennifer@rhinopr.com.  

Join your fellow SMPS members and friends for good cheer, great company, and fantastic raffle prizes at the annual SMPS Boston Holiday Party. Welcome 2012 with lively conversations over cocktails and hors d'oeuvres at Forum on Boylston Street.

As part of the Education Series, Karen Euler, Director of Marketing at TRO Jung|Brannen; Diana Pisciotta, Executive Vice President at Denterlein Worldwide; and David Yas, VP at Bernstein Global Wealth Management and former publisher of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, will offer cross-industry perspectives on reputation management.

Please join us after the Educational Event, "Reputation Management in an Era of Social Media" at 49 Social for a relaxed, networking environment with all of your SMPS friends and colleagues. We have reserved a private room in the downstairs bar area. Light appetizers will be provided, along with a cash bar. Even if you're not attending the Education Event, feel free to join us! We hope to see you there!

Competitive intelligence (CI) is "a method of collecting and analyzing information that lets companies gain an edge knowing what's around the corner." - Patrick Seitz

Many A/E/C companies have no established internal CI function. Nevertheless, informal CI practices (often under no name at all) may take place at all levels of the firm. Come learn about what A/E/C leaders need to do as they continue to probe, "What's new? What's next? What's better? What's changed?"

Don't forget: you can register for the entire education series for one low price... and get a FREE SMPS Marketing Handbook for the Design & Construction Professional (a $70 value) when you do! This 600+ page recently updated book is a key resource to support CPSM exam preparation and an excellent guide for all marketers. This option is available when you register for this event.

It's time to get Back to Business and there is no place better to do that than at Legal Harborside, one of Boston's hottest new waterfront destinations. The evening will be filled with networking and meeting new friends as we kick-off another season of SMPS Boston events and programs. So come join us for cocktails and delectable bites on Legal Harborside's third floor rooftop lounge - this annual fall event is always a member favorite!

Update: this event is now sold out.

Next Event: "Building Your Network From the Inside Out" with Matt Hawk of Fay, Spofford & Thorndike.

Featured Speakers:
• Katherine Craven, MSBA Executive Director
• Kathleen Timmins, Project Manager
• Karl Brown, Senior Architect

The presentation will include an incisive update on the MSBA's $300M Green Repair Program. A not-to-be missed event!

Join us for our next Professional Development Lunch, "Managing Up," with Charles and Daisy White of White Ridgely Associates. They will provide guidance and lead a discussion on how to best position yourself for more responsibility and career advancement. Participants will receive tips on holding difficult conversations with managers, benchmarking, and using internal reviews to your advantage.

Join real estate's distinguished panel of marketing experts as they share their secrets to success for branding and rebranding, social media and the new marketing toolbox for 2011.

Notice: this event was originally scheduled for 1/12/11.

Are you doing everything you can to make sure your firm leaders prepare themselves for their best interview possible? This workshop introduces strategies and techniques to better deliver business, technical, and personal information that sells you and your firm.

The SMPS NERC committee is looking for experts in A/E/C marketing, communication and business development to deliver advanced and innovative programs at this year's conference.

Come and help us kick off the breakfast program season in style at our new location and learn about what the future holds in the renovation and design of more deeply sustainable facilities across the Commonwealth. Attendees will learn about upcoming opportunities to help leading institutions in the public and private sectors achieve zero carbon facilities.

This year's tournament is being held on the first day of the Build Business Conference, and is expected to sell out fast, so reserve your spot today!

Please join us Wednesday, July 14th at Granite Links Golf Club at Quarry Hill in Quincy, Mass. was named one of the "Top Ten Best New Upscale Golf Courses in the Country" by Golf Digest magazine, and features breathtaking views of Boston's skyline and the Harbor Islands.

"Celebrating the Past...Projecting the Future"
The evening will include recognition of Past-Presidents and Fellows, as well as a preview of the future of the engineering and consulting industry; and how things are going to be different going forward.

This CEO Roundtable is about marketing in the AEC industry from the perspectives of four locally and nationally recognized principals. The discussion will center around marketing strategy, budgeting and implementation in this economy as well as preparing for what the future may bring. Join SMPS National President Tom Smith of BonTerra Consulting as he moderates this panel with guests Ed Bond, CEO of BOND; Dean Groves, President/CEO of Fay, Spofford & Thorndike; and Charles Tseckares; Principal of CBT Architects. Each principal is responsible for the successes of their firms while in a marketplace like today's the sands are always shifting. Please join us and enjoy a lively discussion centered around strategic thinking.

Stay Tuned for more information!

Next Event: "Navigating Your Career" with Judy Nitsch, PE, LEED AP BD+C, CPSM, FSMPS, President of Nitsch Engineering.

SMPS wants you! Don't miss this deadline to submit your nomination to fill a position on the SMPS Boston chapter board. We need your help in filling the seven open positions with qualified, dedicated members who have a passion for this organization and are looking for the opportunity to make a difference. For more information on how to apply, please click here.

Join SMPS Boston as Stephen Melanson of Melanson Consulting discusses verbal branding as a new branding application for selling, culture, and brand density. Participants will learn how to replace the elevator pitch mindset forever; begin and end branding projects on a more productive basis; manage any length of spoken interaction relative to your best marketplace positioning; and have employees and the public more easily gravitate to your brand.

The Professional Development Lunch Series offers Chapter members the opportunity to discuss topics relevant to enhancing personal and professional skills, advancing within one's firm, and explore various industry options for a career path. Held in an intimate setting to encourage interactive discussion and mentoring, this series involves the SMPS Past Presidents Club. Many of SMPS Boston's past presidents remain active in the chapter and provide insightful advice and suggestions to the membership base by sharing their experiences in professional services marketing. This month, Dave Easterbrooks of Pare Corporation and President of the Boston Chapter of SMPS, will focus on business development.

Note: March 24th is the correct date for this event.

2009 was a challenging year for the A/E/C industry; now it's time to Move Forward and celebrate the individuals who helped carry our firms through the economic shifts of the recent past! Begin the new year by nominating standout marketers for the SMPS Boston ROC (Recognizing Outstanding Communications) Marketing Executive or New Member of the Year Award. Nominations are due to Danielle Jackson by March 17th at 5 PM.

This program was rescheduled from an earlier date due to weather. Please note your registration will be transferred to this new date. The event will be now be held at NEXUS Green Building Resource Center, 38 Chauncy Street, Boston.

IFMA Boston Career Preservation Task Force presents "Social Networking For All"

We continue to hear about the troubled and bleak state of today's housing market, but the need for quality and affordable housing is still a major issue in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Fortunately, Federal stimulus programs have provided a means for local government agencies to continue their development efforts. Join us for an informative SMPS Breakfast Program featuring local housing authority representatives to discuss current trends and the challenges of maintaining and improving upon the community landscape to meet those trends, how the procurement of federal stimulus dollars has influenced the procurement process, and future capital projects that are in the planning stages. The panelists:

• Terry Dumas, Director of Planning & Development - Cambridge Housing Authority

• Kate Bennett, Director of Planning - Boston Housing Authority

• Stephen O'Rourke, Director - Providence Housing Authority

A rare opportunity to hear from four of the country's leading A/E/C Industry Innovators and most thought provoking speakers:

• Phil Bernstein, FAIA, Autodesk
• Rex Miller, Mindshift Consortium
• Scott Simpson, FAIA, LEED AP, KlingStubbins
• John Tocci, Tocci Building Companies

Join SMPS Boston for a glimpse into the financial side of the A/E/C industry. From basic financial statements to financial benchmarks and metrics, this program will shed light on the sometimes confusing world of financials and demonstrate how an understanding of these number-related issues can increase your value at your firm.

This event is held in Boston and is sponsored by SMPS Maine.

Join financial advisors from Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker and attorneys from Verrill Dana's Construction Law Group for this complimentary interactive roundtable. The expert panel will provide owners, developers, construction contractors, and design professionals with an update on recent changes that may impact business decisions and will discuss strategies for managing the shifting costs of Retirement Plans, Union Activity, Prevailing Wages, and Health Care.

SMPS Boston is pleased to have representatives from three major local institutions presenting in the Higher Ed Panel in January. Richard Yeager (Boston College, Assistant Director, Planning & Design, Capital Planning and Engineering), Richard Amsters (MIT, Director of Campus Planning, Engineering, and Construction for the Department of Facilities), and Clifford Resnick (Brown, Director of Planning, Facilities Management) as our distinguished speakers. Please join us and learn more about what is on the horizon at each of these universities.

Please join us for a lively discussion of the issues affecting the future of healthcare as well as current issues such as chemical and biological hazards, special ventilation requirements, and indoor air quality (IAQ). This session will explore effective design strategies from project concept through construction, including operations and maintenance. Additionally, we will address the impact of these factors on sustainable building practices of healthcare and healing environments and identify building construction resources for creating high performance healthcare buildings of various types. Case studies are included for greater understanding.

For more information or to register, please visit www.ifmaboston.org.

Join us for this crash course in LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook for business. The conversation will begin with how to use your LinkedIn profile to its fullest potential-whether it is to build more business, develop connections with professional organizations, or network from your current position to open doors for future opportunities - and continue by covering key best practices of social media, with an emphasis on what you need to do to stay current, and how to connect your LinkedIn profile to Twitter, Facebook, and other online networking outlets to promote professional development.

Sessions are limited to 12 participants, and lunch will be provided. 

With stimulus funding being the buzz all around town, the majority of recent projects have been in the public sector with more expected to come. Whether your firm is new to the public sector or just needs a refresher course, join SMPS Boston as our panel of public experts provides an overview of the consultant selection process for two Massachusetts transportation agencies. Participants will learn what each agency looks for in a winning submittal and discuss the factors that can make the difference in your firm successfully mastering the public selection process. 

This event is sponsored by our affiliate organization, the International Facility Management Association (IFMA).

Two years ago, Burns & Levinson, a growing Boston law firm faced an important decision: should they relocate their downtown office or renovate their existing space.

Together, we can weather this storm!

This month's Professional Development Lunch Series, hosted by Mike Reilly of Reilly Communications, will focus on public relations. Mike will discuss what it means to have a career in PR, how it applies to the A/E/C industry, and what you need to know to succeed. Some points of interest will include how to develop the necessary skills, advance your network, and maintain relationships.

To learn how to meet these complex challenges, please join SMPS Boston as David Polcaro and Tim Bourgeois from Pixel Bridge, Inc. share the information critical to improving the effectiveness of Web site and online marketing efforts.

Jobs, the economy, and the recovery will be among the top issues discussed as North America's leading women in commercial real estate gather in Boston at the 2009 Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Convention and Marketplace. The meeting will be held at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, September 30 - October 3, 2009 and will celebrate CREW Network's 20th anniversary.

This event has been cancelled. Our apologies for any inconvenience.

Come one, come all - come enjoy the Terrace at Miel!

Weather permitting, the August edition of our Live @ Five:30 series will be held in open air on the Terrace at Miel, the French/Provencale restaurant at the Intercontinental Hotel in Boston. Join us and enjoy the harbor view along with your SMPS colleagues. What better way to spend a summer afternoon? (Event occurs rain or shine.)

Come one, come all - come enjoy the Terrace at Miel!

The July edition of our Live @ Five:30 series will be held in open air at Miel, the French/Provencale restaurant at the Intercontinental Hotel in Boston. Join us and enjoy the harbor view along with your SMPS colleagues. What better way to spend a summer afternoon?

As the Professional Development lunches continue to examine various career paths and opportunities for professional growth, this month's session will focus on public relations. Mike Reilly will discuss what it means to have a career in PR, how it applies to the A/E/C industry, and what you need to know to succeed. Some points of interest will include how to develop the necessary skills, advance your network, and maintain relationships.

Aurora Cammarata, Director of Business Development at Spagnolo Gisness & Associates, will discuss the anatomy of a quality proposal and give the audience advice on writing to WIN!

The tournament is a favorite chapter event for members and friends who like to get outside and network with clients and each other. Besides the actual tournament, the organizers also offer a golf clinic to those who wish to strengthen their game before taking on eighteen holes or prefer to join the group at lunch for networking and a variety of raffles including golf clubs, tickets to Boston sporting events, and many other various gift certificates.

The tournament also serves as the chapter's principal opportunity to give back to those less fortunate through a charitable organization. For ten years, the chapter has partnered with Rebuilding Together Boston.

Are you an SMPS chapter volunteer or interested in becoming one? Learn
the many facets of operating an SMPS chapter from previous chapter
presidents and board and staff members from SMPS National. This
program, which will take place on the first day of the SMPS Northeast
Regional Conference, is free to all SMPS members -- even those who are
unable to attend the regional conference. Lunch will be provided, so
reservations are necessary.

Build Boston abstracts are due on March 23, 2009.

It's a great time to join SMPS Boston - we need you to help us become a better, larger, and wiser chapter of SMPS! If you become a member between now and February 12th, 2009, you will be automatically eligible for free admission to the Member Event at Vlora Mediterranean Lounge on February 12. If you have any questions or your firm would like to sponsor this initiative, please contact Matt Hawk at 781.221.1000, or MHawk@fstinc.com .

In addition, and thanks to SMPS National, our chapter is able to offer one (1) full registration to this spring's SMPS Northeast Regional Conference in Worcester, MA - "Smart Marketing: Planning for the Rebound". It will be awarded to a new member who signs up during the Membership Drive, chosen at random on February 12th from among all newly registered members. This is a $395 value! (The winner will pay for any additional expenses incurred; first time members only are eligible.)

Veteran real estate reporter from the Boston Business Journal, Michelle Hillman, will discuss how to write a press release that will grab a reporter's attention and get your message in print.

Following Michelle will be Aurora Cammarata, Director of Business Development at Spagnolo Gisness & Associates, who will discuss the anatomy of a quality proposal and give the audience advice on writing to WIN!

** This event has been postponed due to storm warnings - New date Feb 4**

SMPS Boston created the Monthly Live @ Five:30 Series as a perk for chapter members because you deserve a relaxing evening at a Boston bar once in awhile! New friends and old? Indeed. Share ideas and talk shop? Of course. Join us at Rowes Wharf Bar inside the Boston Harbor Hotel for this cash bar event. Our sponsor, Bowdoin Construction, will treat attendees to some appetizers. This is why it's great to be a member of SMPS!