07/28/2026

Get Involved. Make an Impact. Join an ACEC Ohio Committee.

Behind every successful ACEC Ohio program, advocacy victory, educational event, and member resource is a dedicated group of volunteers. Our committees are where ideas become action, industry challenges are addressed, and members help shape the future of Ohio's engineering profession.

Committee Highlights:

Business Resources Committee (New for FY 26-27)
Mission: Identify and develop educational programs and business resources that help member firms thrive. The committee will also assist with professional forums, review member resources, and ensure programming addresses the evolving business needs of engineering firms.

Environment & Water Committee
Mission: Represent firms serving Ohio's environmental and water markets while maintaining relationships with regulatory agencies. 
Highlights: Hosted the ODOT Office of Environmental Services update, review Water Development Resources Act and OEPA regulatory updates. Energy consultants are leading development of the inaugural Energy Forum discussing Ohio's evolving energy future.

Government Affairs Committee
Mission: Guide ACEC Ohio's legislative and regulatory advocacy efforts.
Highlights: Adopted the new three-year Advocacy Plan, participated in Regional Legislative Fly-Ins across all four chapters, and reviewed legislation impacting engineers such as the FY 27-28 Capital Bill, data centers, contract reform and discussed the impact to local governments with a property tax repeal.

Member Engagement Committee
Mission: Beyond attracting new members, this year the committee will expand to champion member engagement by promoting the return on investment of membership, encouraging diverse and inclusive membership that reflects the engineering profession and strengthening the communications that connect members to opportunities through ACEC Ohio.
Highlights: Welcomed six new member firms, added five affiliate members, expanded outreach to prospective firms, and hosted a successful new member orientation.

Political Action Committee (PAC) (appointed position; follow the calendar year)
Mission: Support ACEC Ohio's advocacy efforts through political engagement.
Highlights: Held events with each Gubernatorial Candidate, meeting with Congressional members from Ohio, participated in Regional Legislative Fly-ins across all chapters, currently have raised nearly $30,000 toward the Ohio PAC goal to support candidates who understand the value of engineering and infrastructure investment.

Small Firms Committee (moved to a Forum; meets twice a year)
Mission: Address the unique business challenges facing small engineering firms.
Highlights: Facilitated discussions on DBE changes, SBE program review, insurance requirements, recruiting, HR challenges, and technology while providing valuable peer networking opportunities.

Transportation Committee
Mission: Represent member interests on transportation policy and maintain strong partnerships with transportation agencies.
Highlights: Launched an ODOT Plan Quality Subcommittee, partnered on transportation initiatives, provided feedback on consultant processes, and helped deliver the annual ODOT/ACEC Ohio Partnering Conference with approximately 375 attendees.

Vertical Development Committee
Mission: Advance issues affecting Ohio's vertical design and construction marketplace.
Highlights: Influenced State BIM standards, strengthened collaboration with OFCC and AIA Ohio, hosted the first ACEC Ohio Data Center Forum with more than 100 attendees, and provided technical feedback on state construction policies and contracts.

Workforce Development Committee
Mission: Strengthen Ohio's engineering workforce pipeline through partnerships with education and industry.
Highlights: Launched the ACEC Ohio Job Board, benchmarked university enrollment trends, partnered with organizations such as Future Cities and ACE Mentor, working on STEM outreach initiatives and a video series.

Scholarship Subcommittee (moved under Workforce Development)
Highlights: Awarded scholarships to outstanding students from each ACEC Ohio region, received 34 applications from ABET-accredited universities, and recognized recipients during the Engineering Excellence Awards.

Be Part of What Comes Next

Serving on a committee is one of the best ways to expand your professional network, influence the direction of the industry, and bring valuable knowledge back to your firm.

As we begin a new fiscal year, we invite members from every discipline, career stage, and firm size to become involved. Whether you are interested in advocacy, technical practice, workforce issues, or member engagement, there is a place for you on a committee at ACEC Ohio.

Ready to get involved? Contact Lexi Francis at Lexi.francis@acecohio.org.

If you are interested in all highlights from the committees for FY 25-26, click here.