ACEC Celebrates Accomplishments and the Future of Engineering
By Todd R. Berger
The American Council of Engineering Companies of Minnesota held its 2024 Annual Meeting at the Bullard Rainforest Auditorium at Como Zoo in St. Paul on May 9, with more than 100 in attendance from 30 firms. There was a lot to celebrate, as in addition to highlighting the many accomplishments of the organization over the last year, ACEC Minnesota bestowed the Tom Roche Lifetime Achievement Award, the Firm of the Year Award, and the Emerging Leader Award.
Gene Sieve, PE of Burns & McDonnell and the 2018 winner of the Tom Roche Liftetime Achievement Award presented the same honor to Ed Studniski, PE, of Ayres Associates, who is familiar to many ACEC Minnesota members, given his long association with the organization. Nevertheless, the honor caught Studniski off-guard.
“Well, it was a surprise,” says Studniski, an electrical engineer. “I wasn’t expecting it, and it was certainly humbling, because, again, I didn’t know anybody was watching.”
But perhaps characteristically, Studniski credited others with his recognition. “I’m surrounded by good people,” he says. “They appreciate, I guess, the leadership I’ve provided and submitted my name to recognize that. Over the course of my career, I’ve always tried to give back to the industry. And ACEC Minnesota is such a great organization, too, in terms of building up the industry, providing a high level of professionalism for the membership, and training and ethics. As well as benefits for the company that is associated with it. Both as an individual and as a company, it’s a great organization. It’s an easy one to give back to.”
In a wide-ranging conversation, Studniski reflected on how far things had come in the field of engineering and where he sees the future of the profession.
“When I started, we used to do everything with ink and Mylar drawings,” he says. “Certainly, the tools we use have evolved. … The technology changes I see are going to continue to challenge the engineering field, both in terms of what gets incorporated into a building and in terms of the tools that we use. Right now, we’re on the forefront of what artificial intelligence is going to do for the industry. Certainly, that is going to have a big impact on how a building is designed, what goes into a building, how the process is managed, and how the construction is managed. I see AI changing things and changing things relatively quickly.”
But when pressed further on his thoughts about the future of the profession, Studniski emphasizes a personal quality he sees as a key for success. “Communication is going to be a big piece in the future of engineering, primarily because we deal with a lot of people who are working to realize a dream. Whether it’s a building or remodel of a building, they have a dream, plan, and vision for that. We need to be able to communicate with them and understand what their vision is for us to be able to implement that and make it come alive. Engineering has always been a field which people put a lot of trust in, and so learning how to build that trust as part of the relationship building is going to continue to be a key part of the future of engineering.”
Studniski notes his wife, Kris Studniski, made his career possible by standing by him over the years. “I want to make sure that [my legacy] is [to know] that we’re surrounded by good people, and don’t ever forget that these people go a long way toward helping you have a full and rewarding career.” In addition, Studniski credits his faith as instrumental in his accomplishments, noting, “I hope that my legacy is that I have blessed those I have touched in my career.”
Also honored on May 9 was Mankato-based Bolton & Menk, which took home the Firm of the Year award. Kyle Johnson, PE, a member of the ACEC Minnesota Board of Directors and a principal transportation engineer with the firm, accepted the award.
Kendra Braunger, marketing and communications specialist at Bolton & Menk, noted that this year is the 75th anniversary of the founding of the firm, and the company’s association with ACEC Minnesota spans decades as well, which she credits for the honor. “I think Bolton & Menk won Firm of the Year because of the dedicated staff that we have supporting the organization. We joined the chapter 46 years ago in 1978. We have remained dedicated to the cause since the beginning. And I think without the people who have volunteered their time, their knowledge, and their resources to this organization, this award really wouldn’t have been possible.”
In addition, Braunger stresses the company’s efforts in engineering education in communities where they work and in children as young as third grade, for which Bolton & Menk has produced children’s books about engineering that staff reads in schools.
And when it comes to the virtues of ACEC Minnesota, Braunger sees so much value for her company and the engineering field in general. “I think it’s a really easy decision to support and continue to be involved with ACEC Minnesota the way we have been. The values and goals of that organization are the same as ours. They are passionate about bringing awareness to the engineering profession, providing educational opportunities to current engineers to make sure they’re up to date with what’s going on in the industry, supporting through scholarships those who might not have the financial resources to study engineering, and then celebrating incredible projects and those who worked on them. It really is a no-brainer to support an organization that provides that much value to the industry.”
In addition to Johnson, Bolton & Menk staffers on hand for the awards included Aaron Warford, PE; Zach Schopf, EIT; Justin Schmidt, PE; Bradley DeWolf, PE; and Kreg Schmidt, PE.
Also honored at the 2024 Annual Meeting was Brad Wodash, PE, a structural engineer at Kimley-Horn, who has worked at the company since 2015. Wodash serves on the ACEC Minnesota Workforce Development Committee, with heavy involvement in recruitment efforts, and is involved with the Engineering Education Foundation of America, including outreach to students at elementary schools in the Twin Cities. In nominating Wodash for the honor, Matt Jensen, senior project manager at Kimley-Horn, notes, “Brad’s volunteer time and recruitment of others has a significant impact on students getting interested and excited about engineering. I have personally witnessed Brad’s impact on students with his outreach activities and seen the excitement students show with Brad’s engagement.”
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