Announcing the 2026 Business Round Table Topics

One of the most anticipated traditions at the GBA Annual Conference is back in 2026: Business Round Tables—a fast-paced, interactive opportunity to collaborate on the real business challenges (and opportunities) facing geoprofessional firms today. The GBA Business Round Table session is sponsored by Spectra QEST and organized by GBA’s Business Practices Committee.

The topics are timely, practical, and specific to the geoprofessions—from leading through AI and pricing for value, to strengthening project management performance, advancing safety, and building cultures that retain great people. Plus, we’ll have a few surprise topics that will be unveiled on-site in Phoenix on April 24.

Soil, But Make It Sci‑Fi

AI in the Geoprofessions

AI and machine learning are rapidly changing how firms interpret complex datasets, model subsurface conditions, and predict risk. This round table will explore where AI can create real value—while emphasizing governance, transparency, defensibility, and the leadership responsibilities that ensure AI supports (not replaces) professional judgment.

Culture: Now Serving All Locations

Engagement Strategies for All Employees

How do you build a consistent, inclusive culture across in-office, hybrid, remote, and field-based roles—especially when field staff may have limited access to office resources? This discussion will focus on practical engagement strategies that strengthen communication, retention, training access, mentorship, and alignment across multiple locations and work modes.

Everybody Wears Five Hats (And one is on Fire)

Small Company Challenges

Leading a firm with fewer than 40 employees often means balancing technical delivery, business development, administration, risk management, and financial discipline—without a deep bench of support staff. This peer-to-peer discussion will surface practical approaches for staying nimble, competitive, and profitable while delivering high-quality professional services.

The “Everyone Gets Home” Game Plan

Safety Risks and Mitigation

From extreme heat and severe weather to hazards around heavy equipment, remote site conditions, and lab/office risks, safety remains a core operational priority. This table will focus on practical ways consulting firms are strengthening safety performance—through planning, training, clear roles, and the use of proven best practices to reduce incidents and protect people.

Project Managers Can Make (or Break) Your Bottom Line

KPIs and Training for PM Success

Project managers have an outsized impact on profitability—but which indicators actually predict success? This discussion will explore meaningful PM KPIs (scope, schedule, budget, cash flow, quality, client satisfaction, repeat work) and how firms are building strong PMs through structured training, mentoring, and ongoing development in communication, financial management, and leadership.

Stop, Drop, And Delegate

Avoiding Employee Burnout

Burnout is not just a people problem—it’s a business performance problem that affects quality, retention, and risk. This round table will dig into how stress shows up in consulting firms, what warning signs matter, and what firms are doing to monitor workload, equip managers for productive conversations, and create sustainable team performance.

AI: Helpful Intern, Not Licensed Professional

What is Your AI Policy?

As AI becomes more accessible, firms need clear guidance on appropriate use—especially around confidentiality, quality control, liability, and regulatory obligations. This discussion will explore what effective workplace AI policies include, how firms set expectations, and how leaders ensure human oversight remains central to defensible professional work products.

Say Goodbye to the Billable Hour

How to Charge for Geoprofessionals’ True Value

Many firms are evaluating alternatives to time-based billing—especially when expertise, risk reduction, and outcomes are the true value delivered. This round table will explore value-based, fixed-fee, and lump-sum pricing approaches, including how firms define scope clearly, communicate value to clients, manage risk, and protect profitability while strengthening client relationships.

Geoprofessional Women Unite, Empower, Retain

Unique Challenges and Strategies for Geoprofessional Women

This solutions-focused discussion will explore practical strategies for strengthening inclusion, advancement, mentorship, and retention—especially in field, project, and business environments where women have historically been underrepresented. Expect an open exchange of firm-level practices that support career growth, expand leadership opportunities, and strengthen the long-term success of geoprofessional organizations.

CEO to CEO

The most significant opportunities and threats to your business in 2026 and beyond.

This confidential, CEO-only table creates space for candid peer exchange on the forces shaping geoprofessional firms—talent constraints, evolving client expectations, automation and AI, economic and regulatory uncertainty, and more. The discussion is designed to help CEOs compare perspectives, test assumptions, and leave better informed about the strategic choices that will shape resilience and long-term success.

Busy Is Not a Badge of Honor

Being Busy Vs. Being Productive

Long hours and packed schedules can hide inefficiencies that increase risk and reduce quality. This table will explore how firms distinguish value-added work from “noise,” measure productivity beyond billable hours, and coach teams toward clearer priorities, better delegation, healthier work behaviors, and consistently high-quality deliverables.

The Power of Peer Review

The Who, What, and How of GBA Peer Review

GBA Peer Review is widely recognized as a powerful way to strengthen management practices, reduce risk, and improve firm performance. This discussion will walk through how peer reviews are completed—from scoping and assembling the review team to interviews, document review, and candid recommendations—and why independent insights often reveal opportunities to improve strategy, project management, staff development, and financial performance.

Ready to Join the Conversation?

Not registered yet? Secure your spot for the 2026 GBA Annual Conference in Phoenix and be part of the conversations that move our profession forward.