President’s Message – June 2021

Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer, and the beginning of a transition into a new season. I think we are all also seeing a lot of change and transition into a new post-pandemic world—with many people returning to the office, returning to in-person events, and returning to a lot of the things we have missed out on in the last 14+ months. It’s an exciting time, a re-emergence.

Here at SMPS SFBAC, June also marks the beginning of our transition to the new board year, which starts in September. President-Elect Shannon Daggett has been busy attending the Chapter Leadership Symposium, reviewing nominations for board positions, and organizing a strategic planning session for the new board. We will be looking into when and how the Chapter will return to in-person events, what works better virtually, and how we can integrate a hybrid approach to reach members in different geographies. If you have ideas or feedback, or would like to get involved, please get in touch.

If you are looking for ways to transition to the next level of your professional development this summer, SMPS SFBAC has got you covered:

Motivational Monday (Members Only)
This monthly lunchtime discussion focuses on a chosen TED Talk, book excerpt, article, or other encouraging content. It’s fun, easy, and a great way to kickstart your week with creativity and motivation. Register now for the next discussion on June 7. The topics will be Surfing the Big Wave of Data to a Low Carbon Beach and Stay Motivated to Harness Data and Impact Climate Change.

The Progress Report: DEI for the Built Environment
As we progress deeper into 2021, we focus on an important question: where do leaders in the A/E/C and commercial real estate industries find themselves as they seek racial equity in the workplace? Join us on June 10 for a 90-minute webinar as a distinguished panel of experts talks about making the case for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to improve business performance, employee retention, and recruitment, as well as address the missing first step: DEI data collection. The panel will share practical tips and tools to take real action for DEI.

Market Share: Setting SMART Goals to Maximize Career Satisfaction (Members Only)
Market Share is a bimonthly gathering where SMPS SFBAC members get together to share knowledge across all levels of marketing and business development. Join us on June 22 to learn how to set SMART, actionable goals and objectives to help guide your career. We’ll discuss how to make the most of annual goal-setting exercises and performance reviews to measure and manage workload, expectations, and future aspirations.

Virtual Networking Events
In addition to the educational events listed above, save the dates for these summer networking events, where you can catch up with fellow members in a more social setting: Summer Kick-Off Happy Hour on June 17, annual Volunteer Appreciation Event on July 20 (current volunteers only), and Annual Business Meeting on August 19.

I encourage you all to embrace change, get involved, and look for opportunities to improve and learn during this period of transition. Please get in touch if I can help in any way.

Happy summer,

Allison Halvorson, CPSM
Communications Manager, McMillen Jacobs Associates
[email protected]
President, SMPS SF Bay Area Chapter