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Emerging Leaders

← ACEC Minnesota Professional Development

Four full-day sessions, October 22 through November 18, 2026.

Who it's for. Early-career professionals in or approaching their first leadership role, with under six years of experience. Technical and non-technical professionals are equally welcome.

Format. Four full-day, in-person sessions led by industry practitioners and subject matter experts. Interactive, applied, and built for mixed experience levels.

Tuition. $2,500 members | $4,000 non-members

What you'll leave with.

  • Confidence to take on greater leadership responsibility.
  • An understanding of how a consulting engineering firm runs as a business.
  • Practical tools and action plans you can apply the next day.
  • Connections with peers across the industry.
  • Awareness of your own leadership style and how to grow it.

Sessions

Day 1. Team Building Experience & Personal Leadership. Thursday, October 22, 2026. Opens with a hands-on team building experience, then covers the foundations of personal leadership: character, influence, and vision. Participants examine the difference between managing and leading and leave with a clearer sense of where they want to grow.

Jon Hauser

Jon Hauser, PE

Jon holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from North Dakota State University and a master's from Nazarene Theological Seminary. He spent 20 years as a high voltage substation engineer with national engineering consulting firms, and in 2011 became a founding member of the John Maxwell Team. His passion is helping people maximize their life impact.

Day 2. Building Communication Impact & AI for Emerging Leaders. Thursday, October 29, 2026. The morning introduces practical AI tools through the CRAFTing Framework, giving participants a repeatable approach to using AI confidently and responsibly in their day-to-day work. The afternoon builds communication skills, covering self-awareness, communication styles, difficult conversations, and coaching.

Tyler Moberg

Tyler Moberg

Tyler is an AI learning specialist and founder of Amplified Impact. He is a national trainer for The Bob Pike Group with nearly two decades of leadership and consulting experience helping professionals integrate AI tools thoughtfully and strategically. Tyler holds a master's degree in leadership from Bethel University.

Jen Bertsch

Jen Bertsch

Jen is the founder and CEO of LeadWell Consulting, bringing over 18 years of experience enhancing leadership performance and driving sustainable growth. In 2015, she founded LeadWell Academy, delivering executive coaching with real-world impact with a focus on time management and strategic communication. She is recognized for igniting leaders' confidence and clarity.

Day 3. Business Development Simplified & What Leaders Really Look For. Thursday, November 12, 2026. Opens with an active business development workshop on building relationships and expanding a firm's presence without overhauling a busy schedule. Closes with a roundtable of firm leaders sharing candid perspective on what they look for in emerging talent beyond technical skills.

Pete Machalek

Pete Machalek

As co-founder and principal of SagePresence, Pete is a trainer and coach who specializes in helping Architecture, Engineering, and Construction firms grow by building the confident presence of their client-facing team members so they can be more effective business builders, shortlist interviewers, and team leaders.

Day 4. Understanding How Business Works. Wednesday, November 18, 2026. Most early-career professionals have strong technical skills and little exposure to how their firm runs as a business. This session closes that gap through hands-on exercises and real-world scenarios covering financial fundamentals, project finance, professional liability and risk, and the HR basics new leaders need.

Tim Griffin

Tim Griffin, PE, PSMJ Consultant

Tim is Executive Vice President at RMF Engineering, where he has served on the Board of Directors for 20 years. He has trained thousands of design firm principals across North America in best business practices, focusing on helping leaders become better business managers. He holds an MBA from Colorado State University and is a registered professional engineer.

Looking for the mid-career program? See the Leadership Development Series.

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