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In mid-April, the Society’s volunteer leaders and staff members met in Washington, D.C., for its board of directors meeting. Here are a few highlights from the meeting:
What’s Happening Now:
Chapter Leadership Symposium & Board Alignment
The Chapter Leadership Symposium and Society board meeting created strong alignment across OneSMPS. Incoming leaders were prepared for their roles while reinforcing shared expectations, governance clarity, and a more consistent and supported chapter experience.
Membership Trends & Market Context
The SMPS board reviewed Q1 membership trends alongside broader AEC market conditions, reinforcing the need to evolve how SMPS delivers value, deepens engagement, and supports members in a changing industry.
Strategic Plan Implementation in Motion
A significant portion of the meeting focused on advancing the 2026–2029 Strategic Plan. The board reviewed implementation progress, priorities, and how we translate strategy into measurable execution across chapters, membership, and programming.
Content as a Driver of Member Value
The board participated in a comprehensive content workshop that reframed content as a central driver of membership value and engagement. The discussion emphasized aligning content to strategic priorities, strengthening the content ecosystem, and delivering across key areas including education, events, and community engagement.
Chapter Support Network Introduced
The Chapter Support Network was introduced at the Chapter Leadership Symposium as a dedicated resource for chapter leaders. This network strengthens alignment, expands capacity, and provides a clear pathway for guidance and support across OneSMPS.
Foundation Strategic Progress & Alignment
The SMPS Foundation update reflected continued momentum following its strategic planning session, with increased clarity around priorities, structure, and its role in delivering AEC Intelligence and industry impact in alignment with Society goals.
What’s Happening Next:
Execute Membership Stabilization & Value Delivery
We will move from insight to action with targeted efforts to address Q1 membership shifts, including outreach to lapsed members, deeper chapter-level insights, and strengthening a clear and compelling membership value story.
Advance Strategic Plan Execution Across the Organization
Next steps will focus on operationalizing strategic priorities with clear ownership, measurable outcomes, and alignment across HQ, chapters, and volunteers to ensure consistent execution.
Build and Activate a Modern Content Strategy
We will translate the content workshop into action by prioritizing content investments, aligning to the member journey, and strengthening how content supports recruitment, engagement, and retention across all channels.
Strengthen Chapter Support Through Structured Engagement
Building on CLS momentum, we will continue to activate the Chapter Support Network and implement a more structured support model, ensuring consistent touchpoints, clearer pathways for support, and stronger alignment across the Society.
Operationalize Foundation Priorities & Partnerships
The next phase will focus on activating Foundation initiatives, expanding partnerships, and increasing visibility and access to research and insights across the Society.
If you have any questions regarding these matters or the Society’s board meetings, please contact Marci D. Thompson, chief executive officer of SMPS and the SMPS Foundation, at marci@smps.org.