It is with immense pride that BuildIT announces that Sara Appleton, Director of the Penn Station Transformation program, is a confirmed speaker at our 9/15/2026 infrastructure and transportation summit at the Empire State Building. This convening of national/international AEC industry leaders will help ‘set the course’ for BuildIT’s 20-year business plan development. Sara Appleton is an urban development and transportation strategist focused on driving complex megaprojects

BuildIT’s drumbeat of industry leaders confirmed to speak at our September 15, 2026 NYC ‘Gathering’ continues with our great colleague and champion, John Rooney. John Rooney is the New York Area Director of Community Impact for Gilbane Building Company, where he works to strengthen small and emerging businesses in the construction industry, connect them to opportunities across Gilbane's project portfolio, and advance the company's workforce development strategy in the regi

Finally! An AEC Industry session focused on what it takes to win contracts with utilities that’s delivered by businesses who have been successful in winning meaningful work. Hear directly from these industry experts on how they are doing and get ‘tips’ on how to increase your chances of winning contracts in the electric, gas, water, and data center sectors! Join us to hear from: Sandra Escalante – Laner Electric Supply - who is now billing nearly $1 million per month with

It is with great pride that BuildIT announces that Madeleine McDonnell will be a featured speaker at our September 15, 2026 ‘Gathering’ in NYC. Madeleine McDonnell serves as the Chief of Strategy and Operations at the Gateway Development Commission (GDC), where she directs strategic initiatives and organizational operations for the historic bi-state agency. In this role, she plays a vital part in delivering the Hudson Tunnel Project, the nation's most critical infrastructure

BuildIT is honored to announce that John T. Hanson, CEO, Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) and President of Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO) will be a featured speaker at our September 15, 2026, NYC ‘Gathering.’ This gathering of world-class transportation and infrastructure industry experts will feature meaningful conversations on topics related to project funding, workforce development, and the utilization of Alternative Project Delivery. Mr. Hanson’s comments

BuildIT is honored to announce that Edmund Caulfield will serve as one of our key moderators for our NYC Gathering on September 15, 2026 at the Empire State Building. Edmund’s expertise in transportation and infrastructure is remarkable. Edmund is an experienced attorney and infrastructure advisor. At Telos Advisers, Edmund helps clients evaluate project risks, structure agreements, navigate property and stakeholder issues, and align procurement, funding, operational, and g

BuildIT is immensely proud to announce that John D. Porcari, one of the most prestigious transportation and infrastructure executives in the United States and beyond, will be headlining our September 15, 2026 ‘NYC Gathering’ to be held at the Empire State Building which will lay the groundwork for updates to our 20-year business plan. John is Managing Director for Public Policy & Partnerships at Investcorp Corsair Infrastructure Partners, responsible for creating new invest

If you are like us and feel like webinars focused on ‘how to do work with utilities’ have grown far too stale and never really capture what it takes to be successful in winning contracts with gas, energy, telecom, and water-focused utilities – then this one-hour virtual meeting is for you! Friday, August 28, 2026 8:00am to 9:00am (Pacific) and we will be prompt Via Zoom Hear directly from small/diverse CEOs as to: The 14-Point checklist to ensure you are ‘bid-ready’

BuildIT is proud to announce that Greg Kelly, CEO of STV and Immediate Past Chair of the New York Building Congress (NYBC), will be a featured speaker at our NYC ‘Gathering’ on Tuesday, September 15, 2026. Hosted at the Empire State Building, this historic event is presented in collaboration with ENR and Telos Advisers. About Greg Kelly As President and CEO of STV, Greg leads a workforce of over 2,200 employees, driving the firm's strategic growth in technology, human cap

BuildIT is proud to be Platinum Sponsors of AGC of California’s SBCX 2026 on August 28 at the Hilton Anaheim! Hosted by AGC of California, SBCX connects small and underrepresented businesses with trade partners, projects, and opportunities shaping California’s future. This event brings together contractors, agencies, specialty trades, and industry leaders for meaningful networking and business development. Join us from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Anaheim and be part of the momentum.

Nearly 200 construction industry leaders met at the Stanly Ranch in Napa on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, to celebrate the impact, resilience and influence of Talin Espinoza, Chief Strategy Officer at Royal Electric. This event was in conjunction with the annual Beaverdilly held at the Silverado Lodge in Napa which is produced by The Beavers organization which began their role of advancing the heavy civil industry 71 years ago. Special thanks to our industry partners for thi

BuildIT would like to amplify the technical expertise of William Torres, Vice President, West Division Construction Services at HNTB featured in an article he produced entitled: How integrated construction management helps owners reduce risk and deliver with greater certainty Urban light rail bridge programs are not just bridge projects; they are interface-management challenges. As transit agencies expand service into dense urban corridors, they must overcome complex phy

BuildIT is pleased to join our construction industry partners in hosting a reception honoring the remarkable Talin Espinoza during Beaverdilly which is an annual mid-summer social gathering hosted every August by The Beavers since 1963. For the past six years, Talin has served the Beavers organization as one of the founding members of the Women in Heavy Civil initiative, helping advance its mission to attract, retain, and promote women in the heavy civil construction indust

BuildIT is honored to announce that Yogesh Saoji, FAICP, AIA and Global Planning Leader and Jesse Duker, National Business Development Leader of DLR Group will be featured speakers at our National Strategic Planning Session to be held in New York City at the iconic Empire State Building on Tuesday, September 15, 2026. These AEC Industry super stars will present/discuss ‘Building the Abundant Community - Housing, infrastructure and the new social contract for growth.’ Abou

Hello New York and New Jersey! Join BuildIT, the world’s largest industry association dedicated to the sustainable development of LGBT/Allied businesses, professionals, tradespeople, and AEC Industry Leaders, ENR, Telos Advisers, and our Titanium and Iron sponsors, for a historic, one-day national summit shaping the future of U.S. infrastructure. Tuesday, September 15, 2026 The Empire State Building 9:00 am to 4:30 pm (Rooftop Reception to follow!) We are convening top

Yes – BuildIT has a book club, and we couldn’t be prouder to announce the recommendation that you shouldn’t walk – but RUN – to order Dr. Rueben C. Smith’s newly published book called ‘Right Turns Only.’ Order his book here: https://readerdepot.com/books/right-turns-only/ In his own words, Dr. Rueben describes his book as: “…a reflection on the measure of a complete and beautifully imperfect life, as illustrated through my own vulnerabilities, shared experiences, thoug

From Day 1, BuildIT has always said that we didn’t want to be just the best ‘community-based industry association’ we wanted to be the best industry association that drives discussion on topics that are relevant to the entire AEC industry. One of our key partners in this initiative has been CalInfra. CalInfra, formally known as the California Infrastructure Delivery Coalition, is a non-profit coalition of public agencies, private-sector firms, and labor organizations dedi

BuildIT’s LGBT Workforce Development Team would like to showcase the work of several of our key partners in the following event: Join us for the 2026 Bay Area Construction Workforce Conference as industry leaders, public agencies, contractors, labor, educators, workforce partners, and community organizations come together to explore how we prepare for the opportunities ahead. Building A Stronger Bay Area & Beyond: Partnerships, Pathways, & Policies This conference is centered

We're proud to celebrate Dr. Vigor Lam, who just earned his Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership from Colorado State University — all while working full-time at Jacobs, being a Founder of BuildIT along with Co-Chairing our 2026 Founders Day event that hit historic attendance and managing to have a personal life as well! In short – he makes us all look like we are standing still while he is planting the seeds to transform key aspects of our AEC industry for future generations.

BuildIT is proud to join with several of our key industry partners in an event produced by ENR to honor and celebrate Talin Espinoza who has had an enormous impact on the heavy civil industry throughout the United States. This reception will take place on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, during the annual Beaverdilly which is a multi-day event, held in Napa, California, hosted by The Beavers, an honorary organization for the heavy civil and engineering construction industry. For