Advocacy

April 14, 2023

ACEC Hosts FIDIC North America in Chicago

This week, ACEC was joined by the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies, Canada and the National Chamber of Consulting Companies, Mexico to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the A/E industry in North America.

Areas of discussion included tackling the ongoing workforce challenges facing the industry, including workforce challenges and related immigration issues affecting the ability of firms to attract and keep engineers from abroad.  Association leaders also discussed the need to inspire and attract the next generation of engineers, trade between the countries, the importance of promoting the use of Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) in North America and throughout the world, and many other issues. 

The discussion was led by ACEC President and CEO Linda Bauer Darr and her counterpart at ACEC Canada, John Gamble.  The meeting also featured participation from ACEC Chair W. Arthur Barrett, II and Chair-elect Jay Wolverton, along with the Incoming Chair of the ACEC Research Institute Mike Carragher.  Two of ACEC’s volunteer leaders with FIDIC -- the International Federation of Consulting Engineers -- Manish Kothari and Richard Stump also were in attendance. Manish Kothari was elected to FIDIC’s Board in 2022 and Richard Stump serves as Chair of the FIDIC Integrity Management Committee and is a certified trainer with the FIDIC Academy, working with the next generation of engineering talent. Representing Canada was Chair Tim Stanley, Chair-elect Allyson Desgroseilliers and Catherine Karakatsanis the President-elect of FIDIC. Mexico was represented by their President, Juan Carlos Sierra and Vice President Fernando Favela.

FIDIC is the global representative body for national associations of consulting engineers and represents over one million engineering professionals and 40,000 firms in more than 100 countries worldwide. If your firm is interested in learning more, please contact Dan Hilton at dhilton@acec.org.

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