Quick Facts Name: Eduardo Pulido      Company: Fugro USA Land, Inc. Role:  CMET Manager What services does your company provide? Fugro Land provides with Geotechnical Ground Investigation, Geological and Geophysical Surveys, Geoconsulting, GIS and Data Management and Land Asset Integrity. San Antonio office provides with Geotechnical and CMET services. Years of Experience: 5 years Learn more about Eduardo: Where are you originally from? Mexico, but been living more than half of my life in America. Tell us something really interesting about you. Participated as engineer on a marine geotechnical investigation in the Gulf of Mexico having a world record water depth of 9,589 ft (2015). The project consisted of in situ testing and soil sampling using ROV technology. Everyone at SMPS has a story about why they joined the organization. What’s yours? Throughout my professional development I encountered many challenges and being able to grow in the marketing field will help me become a more valuable asset, therefore joining the SMPS will improve and polish my marketing strategies. What drew you to the A/E/C industry? I have always been fascinated how ancient civilization built cities without the help of technology. Being able to be part of this important role to provide all necessary needs to maintain a civilization safe and sheltered. Where’s your favorite place to eat in San Antonio? Chart House Restaurant. It is a combination of the Alaskan king crab dish, a rich hot chocolate lava cake while rotating 360 degrees enjoying the sunset along the horizon. What do you like to do in your free time? Travel. Every time there are long weekends off I get on a plane and travel overseas. I enjoy playing soccer, attending to live sports events, wine tasting and reading. Do you have any pets? No. What would be impossible for you to give up? My health. The fact of not being able to stay physically active, to not make rational decisions and to not contribute to human kind will be very hard to give up. Describe your ideal vacation. A trip through the Milky Way Galaxy, travelling to the speed of light to prove the special theory of relativity, admire the billions of stars and supermassive black holes with a final stop in Jupiter.

Quick Facts Name: Richard Medina      Company: Bain Medina Bain Role:  Marketing & Media Coordinator What services does your company provide? Civil Engineering and Surveying. Years of Experience: 5 Learn more about Richard: Where are you originally from? Born and raised in San Antonio, TX Tell us something really interesting about you. Most people know that I have my own media company but what most don’t know is that I am involved in the film community. I helped film 2 movies created by local film director Cedric Thomas Smith, “Unimaginable” and “She Waits”. I have directed a short film “Fostered” and helped create “El Borracho” directed by Juan Carlos Montalvo. This coming year we have a handful of features and short films that will be filmed as well as one that I will be writing and directing. Everyone at SMPS has a story about why they joined the organization. What’s yours? LOL! It’s really not a crazy story other than one day my Boss told me “I signed you up for SMPS and you will be going”. What drew you to the A/E/C industry? I graduated high school and Bain Medina Bain needed surveyors at the time so I worked for this company on and off for years. Eventually I made my way back and was able to start working on the marketing side of the company. Where’s your favorite place to eat in San Antonio? I absolutely love sushi. There was a small sushi restaurant called Samurai Sushi that I would go to but the owner closed down and had a huge opportunity in California. So now I have to find a new place. So I’m still on the hunt and open to suggestions for this question!! What do you like to do in your free time? Cooking and movies!! I love cooking. There is nothing I can’t cook! But the best would be a steak marinated for a day, cooked to medium rare with asparagus and a nice salad and watching movies, foreign and domestic! Do you have any pets? Oh do I!  At one point I had 4 dogs. 2 passed away and yet I found another dog. It’s a love-hate relationship with that one. My dogs are trained. Properly trained. An example, I can put food in bowls and they will not move from their bed until I tell them to go eat. But that one dog that I found…. She pushes the boundaries… but she does have a face only a mother can love and well I’m her mother. What would be impossible for you to give up? I’ve been told “control”. I tend to see how things might play out in my head and so to avoid such mishaps I tend to control the situation. I’m 95% right all of the time… Describe your ideal vacation. My ideal vacation would be to first pack up all camping gear and dogs and take off to find a good camping spot. Set up camp and grab the chairs and sit in the water. Get back to camp and start a fire and cook some good food. Sitting by the fire with some great beverages and repeat for the next couple of days!.

Quick Facts Name: Mark Figart         Company: Digett Role:  President What services does your company provide? Digital Marketing Strategy, Infrastructure and Operations for Professional Services. Years of Experience: 25 Learn more about Mark: Where are you originally from? Houston, TX Tell us something really interesting about you. I assure you I’m quite ordinary. I’m most at home in nature, and enjoy nothing more than to spend a few days navigating a remote river in a kayak. Everyone at SMPS has a story about why they joined the organization. What’s yours? Upon attending my first luncheon I was immediately attracted to the energy of the San Antonio Chapter. It seems like an obvious place to get connected and to share knowledge. What drew you to the A/E/C industry? Through Digett’s engagements over the past 15 years I’ve recognized that so many AEC firms—often practitioner-led—seem reluctant to embrace the potential of digital marketing compared to our clients in other B2B industries. We’ve made it our mission at Digett to focus exclusively on professional services because we think we sense we can make the most meaningful impact. Where’s your favorite place to eat in San Antonio? My favorite place to eat is at home with the family. But it’s hard to beat a recent experience at Gwendolyn for an enjoyable dining experience out on the town. I recommend sitting at the bar overlooking the kitchen. What do you like to do in your free time? I have a 9-yr-old son who appreciates time with Dad. We spend a lot of time outside making all kinds of things with materials at hand. Next up is getting started on a treehouse. Do you have any pets? Just Fin, Nemo and Gary, who live in my son’s aquarium. I’d love to have a dog, but I travel frequently, and I’d prefer not to have to say goodbye to my “best friend” and subject him to doggie day care. What would be impossible for you to give up? I’d say a healthy, functioning brain has to rank right up there at the top. Describe your ideal vacation. A combination of a good culture shock, time with nature, and the absence of electronic devices.

Quick Facts Name: Samantha Hopkins          Company: HDR Engineering, Inc. Role:  Senior Marketing Coordinator What services does your company provide? Engineering, architecture, environmental and construction services. Years of Experience: 7 Learn more about Samantha: Where are you originally from? Floresville, TX Tell us something really interesting about you. Hmm…well, I grew up in a small town, so of course I was in 4-H. I was on the rifle team. The interesting part is that the team consisted of three girls and only one boy and all of the girls were better than the boy! Everyone at SMPS has a story about why they joined the organization. What’s yours? oming back to San Antonio after being gone for more than 20 years, I knew I had to find a way to network and meet new people. SMPS is the perfect venue for that. What drew you to the A/E/C industry? I wasn't really drawn to it, I fell into it! My mother worked for HDR and thought I'd be a good fit for the Houston office when I was looking to change jobs. The rest is history! Where’s your favorite place to eat in San Antonio? ell, Mexican food is my favorite, so I have ample choices to choose from. I guess my favorite would be a little mom and pop joint by my house, Dos Jaliscos. What do you like to do in your free time? I love to drive around to little towns around Texas and see what's there. Just little day trips to explore and learn more about our fabulous state. Do you have any pets? I do. I have a dog, Roscoe “Pico” Train…Hopkins (of course). He's a Yorkinese (half Yorkie, half Pekingese). Or a Porky as my brother calls him. What would be impossible for you to give up? Apparently, Mexican food. Oh, and beer! Describe your ideal vacation. My ideal vacation would be traveling to Europe for at least a month and cramming everything I can possibly see or do into it. My vacations are never restful!

Quick Facts Name: Dawn Coleman            Company: Associated Builders and Contractors, South Texas Chapter (ABC) Role: Membership Director What services does your company provide? We are a national construction industry trade organization representing nearly 21,000 chapter members through over 70 chapters in the US.  We serve the construction industry through advocacy, business development and construction education. Years of Experience: 20+ Learn more about Dawn: Where are you originally from? Born in Shiner, Texas – I used to have to ask people “Have you heard of Shiner beer?” to get them to recognize the name! Not anymore! But I’ve never met anyone else born there! I grew up in Houston, went to school in San Marcos back when it had another name….Have been in San Antonio for 30+ years. Tell us something really interesting about you. We’re related to Davy Crockett on my grandmother’s side. Everyone at SMPS has a story about why they joined the organization. What’s yours? I originally joined back in the mid-80s when I was the Marketing Coordinator for Goetting & Associates. We started the joint chapter with Austin. We would travel back and forth each month – alternating meetings in each city. It was exhausting but fun! We moved briefly to New Jersey and I worked for a civil/environmental engineer and was involved with SMPS there.  Then a long stretch of doing other marketing and consulting work… So when I got back into the industry, my first call was to SMPS to rejoin. What drew you to the A/E/C industry? I enjoyed the process of trying to find out about new work before everyone else! Then it was challenging to follow that through to landing the project. It was very satisfying when the process went full circle. We did a lot of exciting projects in SA back then. Now that I’m back in the industry, it’s fun to see who has moved up in their companies, started their own, etc. And I am amazed what a small world the whole construction industry is in the San Antonio area. Everyone knows everyone – it’s great! Where’s your favorite place to eat in San Antonio? J. Alexander’s holds a lot of special memories for me and my family.  And Chuy’s. My family actually gave me some stock because I eat there so often! What do you like to do in your free time? I am building a house right now, so that takes up any free time. But ordinarily, I enjoy spending time with my daughter and son, my friends,  my dogs, DIY projects, decorating...  Do you have any pets? We started out as a “lab family” – they’re great dogs. Now we’ve transitioned to a “labradoodle family”. They have all of the positive traits of labs – plus they don’t shed! And they’re adorable. We have Mollie, Gus and soon to add another to the fold. What would be impossible for you to give up? The snap answer would be chocolate. Or red wine. But honestly, it would be my family and friends. They’re what life is all about and have helped me in so many ways. Describe your ideal vacation. It would definitely involve family and friends at the lake or the beach. And chocolate. And red wine.

Quick Facts Name: Jordan Schaefer             Company: Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. Role: Engineer / Project Manager What services does your company provide? Civil engineering services (land development, survey, transportation planning, roadway design, public utility design, hydrology and hydraulic analysis, aviation planning and design). Years of Experience: 4.5 Learn more about Jordan: Where are you originally from? Shiner, Texas Tell us something really interesting about you. I am an eagle scout and have known my wife since second grade. Everyone at SMPS has a story about why they joined the organization. What’s yours? I am at the stage in my career where I need to start putting more of a focus on marketing as a seller-doer and SMPS offers me an avenue to do that. I also enjoy the content of the monthly luncheons and have found value in attending the “Shop Talk” events.  What drew you to the A/E/C industry? I have always had an interest in construction and how developments (public and private) come to be a reality so civil engineering made the most sense for me when it came time to select a field of study in college. Where’s your favorite place to eat in San Antonio? Bella on the River.  What do you like to do in your free time? Hunting, fishing, spending time with my family.  Do you have any pets? Yes, a dachshund named Scout. What would be impossible for you to give up? Sweets. Describe your ideal vacation. A stay in an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora or the Maldives.

CALL FOR SPONSORS!

SMPS San Antonio is looking for 2016-2017 Sponsors!

Please review the Sponsorship Policy and Levels-Benefits. If your firm is interested in being a 2016-2017 SMPS San Antonio Sponsor, submit the completed and signed Sponsorship Agreement Form via email to the 2016-2017 Sponsorship Director, Stephanie Silva, Director of Marketing & Business Development at Intelligent Engineering Services, LLP (IES) at ssilva@ie-services.com.

Sponsorships will be filled on a first come, first served basis, based on when the completed Sponsorship Agreement Forms are received via email.

THANK YOU for your support of SMPS San Antonio. We look forward to a great 2016-2017 year!

Sponsorship Policy and Levels-Benefits

Click below to view details on the 2016-2017 Sponsorship Policies and all available Sponsor Levels and Benefits.

DOWNLOAD POLICY & LEVELS-BENEFITS

Sponsorship Agreement Form

Click below to download the Sponsorship Agreement Form. Completed and signed Sponsorship Agreements should be emailed submitted to the 2016-2017 Sponsorship Director, Stephanie Silva.

If you have any questions, contact Stephanie via email or by phone at (210) 349-9098.

DOWNLOAD AGREEMENT FORM

Quick Facts Name: Christina Taylor              Company: H2MG Role: Business Development and Marketing What services does your company provide? Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering design Years of Experience: 12 Learn more about Christina: Where are you originally from? I was born in San Antonio; raised in San Antonio; quickly went to San Marcos for school and rushed back to San Antonio to start my career. Is there anywhere else to be? I think not! Tell us something really interesting about you. I am a classically trained violinist.  Everyone at SMPS has a story about why they joined the organization. What’s yours? When hired at H2, the company was new, as was I. I needed a place to aid in my professional development, and provide a network to benefit the marketing and business development goals of our firm. SMPS has been that organization.  What drew you to the A/E/C industry? I like to say the AEC industry chose me. I am from the charitable, not-for-profit sector and was given an opportunity to make a career change. My father is a highly respected, well known mechanical engineer in our community. Years ago, he opened the door to an opportunity which has since evolved to where I am now. Maybe growing up around drafting tables and T-Squares sealed my fate long ago! Where’s your favorite place to eat in San Antonio? Anyone who has recently met me for breakfast knows at this moment in time I am ADDICTED to The Egg and I. The raspberry granola pancake rocks my world. Be warned. It is the size of a placemat.  What do you like to do in your free time? In my free time you will find me tending to the garden, planning for the next planting season, studying plant ecology, and coloring.  Do you have any pets? Not right now. We had a greyhound many years ago. She was absolutely majestic. What would be impossible for you to give up? Music. It has the power to influence, transform, and define the moment. Life is a musical that never ends! Describe your ideal vacation. In the water, on the water, near the water. Add some sand, a bit of beach volleyball, an umbrella drink, and I am good to go.

Call for Nominations!

Nominees are being sought for the 2016 Leonardo Award!

What is the Leonardo Award?

Inspired by the Renaissance inventor, writer, printer and sculptor, the Leonardo Award recognizes an outstanding, current SMPS member who has demonstrated a career of excellence in marketing and business development creativity and innovation within the built environment. The winner will have demonstrated expertise within firms he/she has served and the industry as a whole.

This award is based upon a submittal and interview process.  It is voted on by a jury selected from within the A/E/C industry.

Who can submit?

SMPS members have the option to nominate a fellow SMPS member or to self-nominate. Additional details can found in the PDF below.

What's new this year?

Submission requirements have changed and a new interview process has been introduced. For full details on how the selection process has been modified, be sure to check out the new process outlined in the PDF below!

What's the deadline to submit?

All submissions are due by the end of business on Friday, July 29, 2016.

Download PDF

Quick Facts Name: Dawn Vernon              Company: Drash Consultants, LLC Role: Manager – Business Development Group What services does your company provide? Geotechnical Engineering, Environmental Services, Construction Materials Testing/Inspection, Forensic Engineering and Retaining Wall and Pavement Design Services Years of Experience: 20+ Learn more about Dawn: Where are you originally from? I was born in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. (Go Big Red!) Our family moved to Denver, Colorado when I was three and that is where I grew up. (Go Broncos – World Champs!) Tell us something really interesting about you. Before moving to San Antonio, I competed in ballroom dancing and taught at the Arthur Murray International Dance Studio. Since moving to San Antonio, I co-hosted a local golf talk radio show on ESPN-The Zone.  Everyone at SMPS has a story about why they joined the organization. What’s yours? What’s yours? Ms. Eva Rameriz and Ms. Christy Rhone invited me to attend a luncheon shortly after I joined the Drash team. During that luncheon I saw that the organization had grown significantly and was making a definite, positive impact on the City of San Antonio and surrounding areas. It was also evident through their outstanding leadership the organization’s emphasis was not only on education and networking, but on forming long-term relationships with fellow professionals and helping each other achieve success in their respective fields. This made it an organization I wanted to be a part of.  What drew you to the A/E/C industry? It’s usually been more of a “how do I keep ending up here” kind of thing. I say this because my background is actually as an art director in graphic design and then as an executive for a national franchise organization. (There wasn’t a single AEC type in sight.) I was introduced to the AEC industry in a roundabout way while serving as the Director of Business Development for a Master Planned Golf Course Community. While there, I was also tasked with new custom home sales which included learning about residential construction. When the golf course was sold, I found myself working for a commercial general contractor. During my employment with that company, I began developing relationships with architects, engineers and subcontractors. And then, two years ago, I was blessed to become a part of Drash Consultants. While I have changed fields from the “C” to the “E”, the relationships I had built over the years transitioned seamlessly to the field of engineering. I still get to work and spend time with all the great individuals I have known over the years, but now in an exciting new field. I love my job, the company I work for, my co-workers and all the great professionals I have met at SMPS and throughout my career. Where’s your favorite place to eat in San Antonio? Ok… someone is going to roll their eyes at this, but it’s definitely Red Lobster. Loved it as a kid and love it as an adult!  What do you like to do in your free time? As all of us in business development know, it’s pretty much a 24/7 kind of profession. So, when I do have free time, I spend it with my husband. I also enjoy golf and always love a good J.D. Robb or Nora Roberts book!  Do you have any pets? Since we are now empty-nesters, we have “fur-children”. Abby is our daughter (aka, the cat) and Buddy is our son (aka, the dog). They do not know they are pets, so if you meet them, please don’t mention it. What would be impossible for you to give up? My family!!!! My husband, son and daughter-in-law, daughter and son-in-law and our fur-children are my world. Describe your ideal vacation. I would love to visit London and Ireland one day, sharing that romantic adventure with my husband. And of course, any beach with a hotel looking out over the ocean and drinks with little umbrellas is always on the list!