Navigating the ACEC/Michigan Engineering & Surveying Excellence (ESE) Awards

June 9, 2026 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM (EDT)

Description

Your team does incredible, groundbreaking work—but does your award submission truly reflect it?

The ACEC/Michigan Engineering & Surveying Excellence (ESE) Awards recognize the finest achievements in engineering, but standing out requires more than just a great project. It requires strategic storytelling and a deep understanding of the scoring criteria.

To help you secure the recognition your firm deserves, SMPS West Michigan and ACEC Michigan are hosting a joint virtual panel.

The ACEC/Michigan Engineering & Surveying Excellence (ESE) Awards are the "Academy Awards" of the engineering world, celebrating the most outstanding accomplishments in our industry. But how do you turn an incredible project into a winning submission?

ACEC/Michigan and SMPS West Michigan have teamed up to bring you an exclusive, inside look at the ESE Awards process. Whether you are a marketer crafting the narrative or a project manager ensuring technical accuracy, this session will provide actionable insights to elevate your submittal.

Our panel of seasoned industry leaders, past judges, and award winners will break down the scoring criteria, share best practices for storytelling, and answer your burning questions. Plus, stick around until the end for an exclusive discount code for SMPS West Michigan's upcoming Writing to Win training session!

Opening Remarks: Ron Brenke, ACEC/Michigan

Moderator: Allison Cummings, Clark Dietz, SMPS West Michigan

Panelists: 

• Matt Norko, Abonmarche
• Wendy Sherill, Wade Trim
• Kathy VanZee, ACEC/Michigan
• Palencia Mobley, PE, Mode Collective

Agenda:

• 11:00 - 11:05 - Welcome | Allison Cummings, SMPS West Michigan
• 11:05 - 11:15 - Opening Remarks & Introductions of our Panel | Ron Brenke, ACEC/Michigan
• 11:15 - 11:45 - ACEC/Michigan ESE Criteria Review & Application Presentation | Allison Cummings 
• 11:45 - 12:20 - Best Practices Panel Discussion and Q&A | Featured Panelists
• 12:20 - 12:30 - Closing Remarks, Upcoming Events for ACEC/Michigan & SMPS WM, Discount Code for SMPS Training | Writing to Win: Award Season + Submittals

Tickets

 $25 ACEC Member Ticket – Contact kvanzee@acecmi.org for the promo code.