2026 Annual Conference Proceedings
Business is a Marathon: Leading with Agility, Purpose, and Pushing Through “The Wall”
This video is only available to members; join GBA today to watch it.
Success in business—like running a marathon—requires vision, endurance, and the ability to push through challenges. This keynote shares the formula that brought Brooks Running from the brink of bankruptcy to a $1.4B global powerhouse. Former Brooks CEO Jim Weber reveals the key decisions that fueled Brooks’ success—offering powerful takeaways on strong leadership, adapting to change and disruption, and building a brand that goes the distance.
State of AEC Finance: Benchmarks, Trends, and Opportunities
This video is only available to members; join GBA today to watch it.
What will shape performance in the year ahead? This keynote unpacks the industry wide findings from the 2025 GBA Annual Financial Survey, highlighting the metrics and moves that matter for 2026. Learn how growth, profitability, overhead, and pricing are shifting—and what talent, technology, M&A, and delivery models mean for your firm.
Preserving The Employee Ownership Model – Is Your Firm Ready?
This video is only available to members; join GBA today to watch it.
This presentation focuses on how firms of all sizes can remain employee-owned, controlled, and led in the face of increasing external pressures. Yes, it is possible to pass the torch to those behind you and leave a vibrant, disciplined, profitable, and growing firm without the burden of external capital. What a wonderful gift and legacy to hand down!
Business Snapshot Survey Summary
This video is only available to members; join GBA today to watch it.
GBA’s Business Practices Committee invited member-firms to participate in a brief qualitative survey on their businesses, the state of the economy, and the greater geoprofessional industry. Rob Condon, P.E., shares the most recent survey results and reviews important trends to help you assess how your firm is performing relative to others in the nation and provides important trends you can use as you plan for a healthy and robust future where everyone succeeds together in championing excellence in geoprofessional consulting.
GBATalks: Lessons Worth Sharing
This video is only available to members; join GBA today to watch it.
Three GBA committees (Geotechnical Business, Construction Materials Engineering & Testing, and Environmental Business) present three GBA Case Histories in TED Talk-style presentations covering project management, client relations, contract formation, and risk assessment. The Case Histories presented include an alternative solution to traditional field exploration to overcome difficult site conditions, and the challenges and lessons learned from an environmental remediation project with underground storage tank leaks.
Actions and Insights from the 2025 Crystal Ball Workshop
This video is only available to members; join GBA today to watch it.
GBA has continued the conversation beyond the 2025 Crystal Ball Workshop through its committees and the “Impact” program. This session updates members on those efforts and highlights how GBA is working to advance this critically important dialogue.
President’s Annual Report
This video is only available to members; join GBA today to watch it.
GBA President Teresa Peterson, P.E., C.M.E., LEED AP, ENV SP provides her annual report and recognizes the 2025-26 Board of Directors before overseeing the elections for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
The Pentagon, September 11, 2001 – FEMA’s Urban Search and Rescue Mission
This video is only available to members; join GBA today to watch it.
This presentation provides an overview of the involvement of the FEMA USAR teams at the Pentagon from September 11-18, 2001, with an emphasis on the damage to structural members and the shoring process used to stabilize the building during the first several days following the attack. After the Pentagon was attacked on September 11, the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) deployed its Urban Search and Rescue teams (USAR). Virginia Task Force One (VA-TF1) was the first USAR team to arrive and played a significant role in stabilizing the Pentagon and escorting federal authorities into the building during recovery efforts. Shoring plans were developed by engineers and rescue crews to stabilize the structure. Over 42 interior columns required shoring to safely begin recovery operations.
Stop Managing, Start Leading: How GeoHeroes Create Competitive Advantage
This video is only available to members; join GBA today to watch it.
What separates ordinary geoprofessionals from industry leaders? Through interviews of 20+ GeoHeroes, we’ve uncovered the surprising truth: these leaders weren’t born different—they just made different choices. This presentation reveals five patterns shared by successful geoprofessionals.
How to Turn Customers into Enthusiastic Advocates
This video is only available to members; join GBA today to watch it.
We’re living in an Experience Economy. Customer experience, or CX, drives over two-thirds of customer loyalty; that’s more than brand and price combined. This keynote shows why every member of a team is in the Experience Department and offers a memorable, proven five-step framework to attract — and keep! — superfan customers.