Attend the 2011 SMPS National Conference with your local SMPS crew!
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Program Archives
Aug 31 – Annual Kick Off
Come join us as we kick off the year with an evening of great food and networking.
| Time: 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Location: Brio Tuscan Grille 4325 Glenwood Avenue Raleigh, NC 27612 |
Sept 13 – NC Research Parks
Shaping Our Future
Have you ever wondered why North Carolina is renowned as a global technology leader? We invite you to join us at the kick-off to the SMPS Luncheon Series to find out. You’ll meet the leaders of North Carolina’s major technology parks and learn what has made them successful, how they are responding to challenges and opportunities to keep North Carolina globally competitive, and how you and your company may be able to play a role in their future success. You will hear from Michael Harwood, who is leading NCSU’s Centennial Campus in public-private sector partnerships and innovative discoveries, Liz Rooks, who in her roles with RTP has designed and developed the largest research park in the US and is now creating a vision and platform for even greater success in its next 50 years, and John Merrill, who is directing Gateway University Research Park in Greensboro and is accelerating the push for our State’s newest frontier in nanotechnology.
Please join us as Jim Nichols, O’Brien/Atkins Science and Technology Business Developer, moderates this panel to learn more about North Carolina research parks’ exciting futures and how your company can engage.
| Time: 11:30am – 2:00pm Location: RBC Center 1400 Edwards Mill Road Raleigh, NC 27607 |
Oct 11 – Becoming Your Clients’ Expert
Save the Date: Tuesday, October 11th, 2011
Join us at this exciting program to learn how to become your clients’ expert while accelerating out of recession! Mike Phillips, AIA, Founder and President of Phillips Architecture and DesignFacilitator.com, will share with us not only how to get inside our clients head, but also key strategies for client and staff retention. Topics will include the following:
- How to become your clients’ expert
- How to increase your value to clients and earn better fees
- Identifying each clients’ real preferences and priorities
- How to spot client and staff problems early
- Identifying best training for each staff member
- Using feedback to optimize staff / client assignments
- Using feedback to address the top three reasons why key staff leave
| Time: October 11th 11:30am – 1:30pm Location: RBC Center 1400 Edwards Mill Road Raleigh, NC 27607 |
A new website for a new year!
From time to time every organization and company could use some refreshed branding and an upgraded web presence. SMPS Triangle is no different! We decided that it was time to improve our website, its functionality and boost our online visibility. After having the same website for many years and struggling to keep it updated, we made a change. SMPS Triangle retained website design and development services from local agency Brasco Design+Marketing. As a Platinum sponsor of SMPS, Brasco worked with our organization on a new web strategy and refreshed design for www.smpstriangle.org. The new website is set up in an easy to use content management system (CMS) for improved usability. The site also gives us more flexibility in keeping visitors up to date and keeping us up to date on the latest happenings of our members. We are also planning to use the website as a resource for visitors to post relevant news stories, press releases, blogs and more. SMPS Triangle strives to be a hub for the latest design and construction happenings in our area
AIA Triangle Residential Architecture Tour
Our local chapter of AIA is putting on a great event for residential architecture. Be sure to visit their website and learn more!
AIA Triangle Residential Architecture Tour
Saturday, October 1, 2011
10am-5pm
6 Homes- 6 Architects- 6 Experiences
For tickets and information go to: www.aiatriangletours.com
This tour is the only juried AIA Tour on the east coast. Architects will be on site during the tour to answer questions. Don’t miss this annual opportunity!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Urban Vision
Are you ready for an Urban Vision? We will hear from THE local Urban Leaders across the Triangle, plus the regional leaders from Cumberland County and the Triad to reveal the growth strategies and directions for development in their areas of interest.
This program will leave attendees with a clear picture of the growth and revitalization in our area – who and what is spurring growth, what has changed over the past few years, and what the local outlook is for the next 5-10 years. Panelists include:
David Diaz – Downtown Raleigh Alliance
William Kalkhof – Downtown Durham Incorporated
Dan Lynch – Greensboro Economic Development Alliance
Bo Gregory – Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce Director of Economic Development
The discussion will be moderated by Jim Nichols, Business Development Leader from O’Brien Atkins. Sign up today for our first program of the 2010-2011 year, and what is sure to be an intriguing and dynamic panel discussion.
| Time: 11:30am – 2:00pm Location: Cardinal Club 150 Fayetteville Street, Suite 2800 Raleigh, NC 27601 919.834.8829 |
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Online Marketing: From Search Optimization to Social Media
Social media isn’t a fad – it’s having a major impact on the way we do business. Are you in the know? This program by social media guru Dan London will not only take a look at the current state of online marketing, but instruct you on how to best position your business. Dan London has been involved in the online marketing industry since 2000. He has consulted companies such as Lowe’s, Black and Decker, Citi Financial, IBM, John Deere, Red Hat.
| Time: 11:30am – 2:00pm Location: Cardinal Club 150 Fayetteville Street, Suite 2800 Raleigh, NC 27601 919.834.8829 |
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Maximizing Your Marketing Budget
Marketing Budgets: We all know we need them, some might even have them, but what do you do when the economy is in disarray and you’re supposed to make sense of them?
Join the SMPS Triangle for a closer look at the various elements of the marketing budget. Learn from the experts how firms are maximizing their budgets and working within their sometimes nonsensical expectations. We will examine photography, public relations and printed materials from a provider’s perspective – hear from them what they see firms doing with their marketing dollars, where people are cutting back, and which investments are working well.
PLUS, budget builder extraordinaire, Jennifer Barker of McKim & Creed, will address the overall marketing budget and how to manage it through any economic condition. You will come away from this program with tangible tools you can use to stretch your dollars and maximize your marketing budget.
| Time: 11:30am – 1:30 pm Location: Cardinal Club 150 Fayetteville Street, Suite 2800 Raleigh, NC 27601 919.834.8829 |
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Special Workshop: Becoming an InDesign Power User
You spoke, and we listened! You use Adobe InDesign and want to improve your skills…SMPS Triangle is bringing you THE InDesign expert, Claudia McCue of Practicalia for an exclusive 2-hour seminar.
Claudia will give us tips and tricks on how to be stronger and more efficient InDesign users and will tailor her seminar based on your questions and frustrations. If you have a laptop with InDesign and a document that just won’t behave, bring it with you for some hands-on help!
Submit your questions or specific topic requests by October 15th toVanessa Cox.
| Time: 8:30am: Breakfast & Registration 9:00am – 11:00am: Program Location: SKANSKA USA 4309 Emperor Blvd., Suite 200 Durham, NC 27703 |
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Annual Holiday Social
Celebrate the Season with your SMPS Network of Professionals! Please join us for an exciting evening of networking, door prizes, great food, and cocktails.
| Time: 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Location: Foster’s American Grille 521 Daniels Street Raleigh, NC 27605 919.821.5969 |
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Members Only Christmas Bonus Program: SMPS Online Resources You Can’t Be Without
We’ve all been to the website, but are we using SMPS.org to its fullest? The website offers a ton of information that sometimes gets overlooked. Attend this MEMBERS ONLY program to learn how to make the website work for you! Judy Kienle will give us the tips and tricks to using the SMPS Marketing Resource Center. Judy, who helped update the original online resource center, will present what’s new, how it’s organized and give examples of what’s available, as well as walk you through how to use the information using a relevant case study.
Want to get a head start? Check out the following link to the SMPS Marketing Resource Center – http://mysmps.org/library.htm
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| Time: 8:oo am: Breakfast & Networking 8:30am – 9:30am: Program Location: STEWART Engineering, Inc. 410 Fayetteville Street, Suite 400 Raleigh, NC |
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Networking in the A/E/C Industry
Whether you are new to the industry, or are a proven veteran in the field, you will find value in this special SMPS and AIA joint event! We have called on some networking greats to drill down into three critical elements of effective networking: first impressions, engaging conversations with questions….and the critical follow-up. This event offers an opportunity to connect with your partners and improve your ability to network with professionals at every level. Don’t forget to BRING LOTS OF BUSINESS CARDS!
Format: There will be two breakout sessions – covering “first impressions” and “engaging with questions,” led by our industry leaders. Groups will switch topics and these main sessions with be preceded by and concluded with “short sessions” on degrees of separation…identifying and using your network…and the importance of following up.
| Time: 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Location: Cardinal Club 150 Fayetteville Street Raleigh, NC |
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Follow the Money
As business development and marketing professionals it is our job to find out about and track new design/construction projects before the RFPs hit the streets. For public clients, that starts with following the money – sometimes years in advance. Do you ever feel like understanding the budget process and where to find that information is a challenge?
Join us at our February program to hear from UNC School of Government’s Professor Dr. Bill Rivenbark. He will discuss the process through which funding is approved, how municipalities develop their Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs) and Annual Fiscal Plans, and finally, how you can monitor various funding sources.
Speaker Bio: Bill Rivenbark is a Professor of Public Administration and Government at UNC Chapel Hill. He joined the Institute of Government in 1999. Prior to that, he worked for the city of Greenville, South Carolina, in various management positions. His research at the School of Government primarily involves performance and financial management in local government and has appeared in Public Administration Review, Government Finance Review, Journal of Government Financial Management, Journal of Public Affairs Education, Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, Popular Government, Public Administration Quarterly, Public Finance Review, Public Performance & Management Review, and State and Local Government Review. He also is coauthor of Performance Budgeting for State and Local Government (M.E. Sharpe, 2003). He helped to develop the County and Municipal Fiscal Analysis tool, a web-based dashboard designed to help North Carolina local governments analyze their fiscal condition.
| Time: 11:30 am – 12:00 pm Networking 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm Lunch 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Program Location: Cardinal Club 150 Fayetteville Street Raleigh, NC |
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Lessons from Leaders: Gathering Pearls of Wisdom
Looking into the 2011 horizon…challenges for A/E/C firms include increased competition, tighter client budgets and fewer design and construction projects. Is your firm ready? Have you built client loyalty that will outlast these pressures? Join Polly Green as she moderates this program based on the 2010 book, Getting Naked by Patrick Lencioni, “about shedding the three fears that sabotage client loyalty”. We will uncover the three fears (losing the business, being embarrassed and feeling inferior) and explore solutions to overcoming those fears. Engage in gathering precious pearls of wisdom from an A/E/C industry client and two seasoned marketers during an interactive panel discussion surrounding the “Getting Naked” model. What have they learned? What are they doing differently in 2011 and beyond? How have they shed their own fears? Does this approach build client loyalty?
| Time: 11:30 am – 12:00 pm Networking 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm Lunch 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Program Location: Cardinal Club 150 Fayetteville Street Raleigh, NC |
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Leading from the Middle
We’re all “in the middle” of our organizations: we have supervisors, leaders, peers, and support staff who all count on us. Growth, influence, and success are not handed to any of us; we must earn them. This program will outline three key areas of focus and three proven approaches that empower us to achieve these goals.
Participants will learn about the key areas of focus and discuss specific, practical approaches that will position them as leaders in their organizations and enable them to meet their professional goals.
Speaker: Deb Kennedy, Brown and Caldwell
Deb Kennedy is the Mid-Atlantic HR & Training Manager for Brown and Caldwell, and is also certified in Organization Development. She designs and delivers leadership development workshops and provides career coaching for the entire Southeast Region.
| Time: 11:30 am – 12:00 pm Networking 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm Lunch 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Program Location: Cardinal Club 150 Fayetteville Street Raleigh, NC |
Thursday, April 28, 2011
With spring fast approaching, it’s time for the SMPS Site Tour! This year, we will tour the new Raleigh Transit Operations Center.
The state-of-the art facility is also seeking LEED Platinum certification and will be the first transit project in the U.S. to do so. Some of the sustainable features of the building include geothermal wells, radiant floor heating, reflective roof membranes and light-colored concrete paving, natural light and occupancy sensors, water-saving plumbing fixtures, and rainwater collection cisterns. The facility will include an operations administration building and a bus maintenance facility. This is a can’t miss event!
| Time: 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Location: 4104 Poole Road Raleigh, NC |
Thank You to Our Sponsors:
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Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Clients Talk Back
This annual event always fills up fast – you won’t want to miss it!
Client panelist information coming soon…
| Time: 11:30 am – 12:00 pm Networking 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm Lunch 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm Program *Note the extended time Location: Cardinal Club 150 Fayetteville Street Raleigh, NC |
Program Sponsorships Still Available!
Thank you to our sponsors: Thank You to Our Dessert Sponsor! |
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Wednesday |
Marketing Mixer Description: Join us as we kick-off another exciting year for the SMPS Research Triangle Chapter!!Come by to make new contacts, reconnect with old friends and meet the new board. The chapter will provide complimentary appetizers and we ask all attendees to purchase their own beverages.Time: 5pm – 7 pm Location: Brio Italian Crabtree Valley Mall 4325 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 5000 Raleigh, NC 27612 (p) 919. 881. 2048 www.brioitalian.com Contact: Alma Kenner Registration: |
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Wednesday *note change of date from regularly scheduled SMPS monthly programs |
LEED for Business Developers and MarketersDescription: We are kicking off the year with a presentation on the hottest topic in the industry – LEED. You may hear about it everywhere you go but how much do you really know about the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design process? Come find out everything a Business Developer and Marketer should know about the new LEED initiatives. 1 CEU credit.Time: 11:30am – 1:30pm Location: Cardinal Club 150 Fayetteville Street, Suite 2800 Raleigh, NC 27601 919.834.8829 |
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Tuesday |
Working with an Architectural PhotographerDescription: Register through SMPS Nationals in to hear Raleigh photographer and SMPS Research Triangle member Jerry Blow discuss with clients and long-time SMPS Research Triangle members O’Brien/Atkins Associates on the benefits of using a professional architectural photographer. Travis Hicks, AIA, IIDA, LEED AP, Senior Design Architect at O’Brien/Atkins Associates will join Jerry on the call.Time: 2pm – 3:30pm EDTRegistration: http://eo2.commpartners.com/users/smps/index.php |
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| Tuesday, October 13, 2009 | Developing Your ‘Unique Value Proposition’Description Join us as Mike Buell addresses how to answer the question “what makes your firm different?” Attendees will learn the difference between feature vs. benefit marketing, benefits of a UVP and how to develop your own UVP.Speaker Mike Buell URS CorporationSpeaker Bio Mike Buell Bio Time Location Registration |
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Wednesday, October 28, 2009 |
Members Only Luncheon Description Our annual member luncheon is always a well-attended event and offers a chance to get to know your fellow SMPS members in smaller, casual setting. Come network with your peers over a relaxed lunch in convenient North Hills. Dutch treat event.Time 11:45am – 1:00pmLocation Firebirds 4350 Lassiter At Nrth Hls #118 Raleigh, NC 27609 (919) 788-8778 www.firebirdsrockymountaingrill.comRegistration RSVP by October 10, 2009 Shan-te Johnson sljohnson@mactec.com 919.831.8002 *Each member is responsible for their own meal. |
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November Program – Tuesday, November 10, 2009 |
Five Key Tips To Using Social Media To Find New CustomersDescription Social media is taking the world by storm and having a major impact on the way that we do business. Are you prepared to use this medium to find your next customer?These five key tips will help you to: Avoid 3 major mistakes that people make in social networking. Location |
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December Social – Tuesday, December 8, 2009 |
SMPS Rockin’ Holiday SocialDescription Hors d’ouevres, cold beverages and door prizes!Time: 5pm – 7 pm Location: |
May Program – Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Clients Talk Back
Description
We all work hard to build successful relationships with clients, submit the best proposals and conduct interview presentations that have us high-fiving our teammates at the end. But are our Clients really seeing us through the crowd? Join us for our Clients Talk Back event to find out what clients look for when partnering with service firms.
The SMPS RTP Chapter is honored to have three distinguished Clients in a panel forum discuss this question and more. Scott Blevins with NC Department of Transportation, Michael Harwood with NC State University and Phillip Stout with Wake County will be our panelists, led by moderator Theresa Leahey with Affiliated Engineers. The involvement of each panelist in the selection process as well as in design and construction projects will provide insight helpful to any firm interested in better understanding their clients.
Moderator:
Theresa M. Leahey, Director of Business Development
Affiliated Engineers, Inc.
Panelists:
Scott D. Blevins, Manager, Professional Services Unit
NC Department of Transportation
Michael A. Harwood, Interim Associate Vice Chancellor of Centennial Campus Development Office
North Carolina State University
Phillip D. Stout, Director, Facilities Design & Construction
Wake County
Time:
11:30am – 2:00pm
Location:
Cardinal Club
150 Fayetteville Street, Suite 2800
Raleigh, NC 27601
919.834.8829
Member’s Only Lunch – July 13th
Description
The summer is in full swing, let’s continue to network!! The Research Triangle chapter of SMPS will have one additional Members Only Summer Luncheon. Please join us during our usual time (the second Tuesday of the month), July 13th @ 11:30 a.m. at the Capital City Chop House, 151 Airgate Drive, Morrisville – right off the interstate near the airport – convenient to Raleigh, Durham & RTP members!
If you’re already wondering what you want to eat at this fabulous restaurant, the lunch menu is available athttp://www.chophousesofnc.com/pdf/ChopHouseLunchMenu.pdf
Please RSVP to Brigette Welton bwelton@vhb.com and contact her if you have any questions. Just a reminder, you are responsible for you own lunch at the luncheon. Thanks & hope to see you there!
Coordinators Club
Join us for our first Coordinators Club meeting, featuring Greer Beaty, Director of Communications for the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
Left-brain, right-brain – can’t we all just work together? Yes we can! If you are a marketing coordinator for a technical company or organization, sometimes you are a fish on dry land. How can you be more effective within your organization so that you can be a more effective marketer to those outside of your organization? There are strategies that can (and do) work! Greer Beaty, one of the strongest right-brainers you will meet, is the Communications Director for NCDOT and she will share real, tangible strategies that will help marketing coordinators at all levels of their careers.
When
October 19th
8:00am – 9:15am
Where
O’Brien/Atkins Associates
5001 South Miami Boulevard, Suite 400
Durham, NC 27703
919.941.9000
November 8, 2011 Site Tour: Green Square Nature Research Center and Parking Deck
A giant peach? No, it’s the Daily Planet – a four-story globe pinned to the Nature Research Center. Join SMPS Triangle as we tour four parts of the highly anticipated Green Square Complex:
- The excavation, shoring, and underground parking deck
- The Nature Research Center museum and research facility with two pedestrian bridges
- The State of North Carolina’s “greenest” parking deck
- The State Employees’ Credit Union mid-rise office building
Meet representatives from the Owner/Design Team as they take us on an informative tour of these intricately connected projects in downtown Raleigh.
Speakers
Dr. Betsy Bennett, Director
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
Dr. Meg Lowman, Director
Nature Research Center
When
November 8th
11:30am-2:00pm
Where
Green Square Complex (Parking Deck)
120 W. Edenton Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27601-1029
- Meet at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science’s Level A Conference room.
Lunch will begin promptly at 11:30 AM.
- Parking is available in the Green Square Complex Parking Deck (located at 120 W. Edenton Street).
Please leave early to ensure you have ample time to find parking.
- Be sure to wear construction site appropriate clothing and shoes (no high heels or open toed shoes).
Also, please bring a hard hat and vest if you have one.
Thank you to our sponsor:
