Building the Operating Model That Makes AI Actually Work

This webinar is part of the GBA Knowledge Sharing Webinar Series: free online learning opportunities for geoprofessionals that directly connect them with our industry partners who are creating impactful technology to elevate the industry.

Most geoprofessional firms don’t have an AI problem. They have an operating model problem. Field data lives in one tool, scheduling in another, the lab in a third, and billing in a fourth, and leadership stitches it all together by hand. Layering Claude, ChatGPT, or Copilot on top doesn’t fix it; it drafts emails faster while the underlying data stays disconnected. And it gets worse as firms scale: acquisitions add a system per office.

Join GBA and MetaField on Thursday, December 3, 2026 at 2 p.m. Eastern for a webinar that makes the case for going all in on one system: a single operating model rolled out across an entire organization, where daily work runs through one system of action and the data behind it becomes one system of intelligence: structured, connected, and ready for AI embedded directly into the workflow.

Attendees will see it in practice: newly acquired offices folded onto one platform, multiple disciplines combined onto a single workflow, and field and lab data connected into one companywide view, strengthening the firm’s competitive position. AI accelerates the work, but the engineer’s judgment behind every decision never goes away. Leaders will leave with a framework for auditing their own fragmentation and a clearer view of what closing it actually takes.

Attendees will learn:
1. Why “one system” is an operating model, not a software purchase, rolled out firmwide.
2. The difference between AI bolted on top, like Copilot, and AI embedded in your data.
3. What it takes to run a system of action and intelligence firmwide.

This webinar is free and open to GBA members and nonmembers. Attendees will earn 0.5 professional development hours.

Presenter
David Gagne, President & CEO, MetaField

David Gagne is the President and Chief Executive Officer of MetaField, a leading SaaS provider serving the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry with its end-to-end platform, MetaField. Under his leadership, the company empowers construction materials testing (CMT) and geotechnical engineering firms to modernize field and lab operations through cloud-based automation, real-time data capture, and integrated workflows.

With over 20 years of success transforming software-enabled technology companies, David has built a track record of creating significant enterprise value and strong returns on invested capital. He is equally adept at driving organic growth and executing strategic acquisitions to strengthen market and product leadership. His expertise spans corporate strategy, operational scale, investment planning, and technology innovation.

Prior to Agile Frameworks, David held executive roles at Nagios Enterprises, MedHub, XRS Corporation, and Lawson Software, consistently scaling revenue and building high-performing teams. He holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Boston University’s Questrom School of Business.