A message from Your President: May 2026
Posted by [email protected] on May. 4, 2026 / Subscribe 0
President's Corner | May 2026
These past few months have been among the most rewarding in recent memory for SMPS Tampa Bay, and this May, our board and committees are planning more wonderful events and programs for our industry!
A Record-Breaking Healthcare Symposium
This Thursday, we host the 16th Annual SMPS Tampa Bay + AIA Tampa Bay Healthcare Symposium, and for the third year in a row, we are completely sold out with a record number of registrations. This year’s topic, "Aging Forward: Healthcare Design in an Era of Generational Change," has clearly struck a chord across our community, and that would not be possible without the planning of our dedicated committee and the support of our incredible sponsors. Thank you for believing in this event and in the work we do to bring the AEC and healthcare communities together. Your investment makes nights like Thursday possible.
If you are registered, we cannot wait to see you there. If you did not get a spot this year, consider this your early notice: plan to register early next year.
Real Talk Delivered
On April 22nd, we wrapped up our Annual Real Talk: Business Development event, and the energy in the room was exactly what this series was built for. Our speakers pulled back the curtain on what actually works in business development right now, and the conversations that followed were candid, tactical, and genuinely useful. Thank you to everyone who came, asked hard questions, and shared your own experience. And a sincere thank you to our speakers for giving our members something they could take back to their desks the next morning.
Something Brand New: Sunset Slow Flow with SMPS
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this year, we are doing something our chapter has never done before. On May 29th, join us for "Sunset Slow Flow with SMPS," an evening yoga experience designed to help you slow down, reset, and connect with your peers in a completely different setting. This is a first-of-its-kind event for our chapter, and we are proud to offer something that recognizes the full person behind the professional. Space will be limited, so register soon if you want in.
Mark Your Calendars: What's Coming
The programming does not stop here. Here is a preview of what the board is planning for the months ahead:
We’re also working on a possible Business Development-focused program in June, this one zeroing in on winning strategies and survival tactics in challenging economic times. Details are forthcoming, but if the Real Talk event left you wanting more, this one is for you.
July marks the return of our 4th Annual AI in AEC event. Artificial intelligence is reshaping how we market, pursue, and win work, and this program remains one of the most forward-looking events we offer. Stay tuned.
And in September, we are bringing back a program this region has been missing: a full event dedicated to Educational Facilities, spanning K-12 and higher education. Our planning committee is already hard at work, and we will be announcing dates, speakers, and details soon. This one has been a long time coming.
A Proud Moment for Our Chapter
Finally, I want to take a moment to recognize someone who represents the future of our chapter and, in a few short months, will lead it to even greater heights. Our President-Elect, Jenn Collins, recently completed her Chapter Leadership Symposium (CLS) training in Washington, D.C., alongside incoming chapter presidents from across the country, including several of her fellow Florida-based presidents-elect.
CLS is a premier, invitation-only program hosted annually by SMPS HQ. Over three intensive days, participants work through leadership workshops, peer roundtables, keynote sessions, and strategic planning designed specifically to prepare them to lead their chapters. Jenn now returns to Tampa Bay with a national network of fellow leaders, a toolkit she built alongside some of the sharpest minds in our profession, and the kind of perspective you can only gain in a room full of people who understand exactly what this work demands.
2027 Board applications will be released soon, so stay tuned for that announcement!
Until next time, keep showing up for each other, and I’ll see you soon!
Jonathan Santiago
President, SMPS Tampa Bay
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