The CEO AI Symposium 2026

As President and Chief Executive Officer of Shive-Hattery, a national full-service architecture, engineering and interior design firm headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Jennifer Bennett, PE, SE, is responsible for the overall leadership, strategic planning, culture, vision, and direction of current and future operations.

Under Bennett’s leadership, the employee-owned design firm has experienced intentional, steady and significant growth. She has successfully overseen several acquisitions and establishment of new locations allowing the firm to expand into new geographical areas and markets. Shive-Hattery has since grown to more than $110 million in revenue and 650 employees across 17 locations nationwide. She has championed a vibrant company culture based on its guiding principle to “design what matters to make our world a better place.”

Vince DiPofi joined SSOE in 2000 and has over 40 years of professional experience. Throughout his tenure, he has held various leadership roles, including Business Leader, Corporate Director of Business Development, and Chief Strategy Officer, before becoming Chief Executive Officer. Under his leadership, SSOE has embarked on a technology-driven strategic plan, positioning the firm as one of the fastest-growing AEC firms in the country and a leading-edge thought leader in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and design automation.

Vince’s passion for AI and its transformative potential for the industry has been a driving force in SSOE’s digital transformation journey. In late 2022, Vince introduced the idea of leveraging AI and the need for SSOE to adopt AI as a central business strategy, igniting a company-wide conversation. He and his executive team devoted six months to researching and understanding the impact of AI, leading to the development of a comprehensive strategy focused on integrating AI into project delivery workflows, improving data governance, and fostering a culture of innovation. Additionally, an AI governance team was developed to create guidelines and regulations for the ethical and responsible deployment of AI at SSOE, both initiatives in partnership with YegaTech. In 2023, Vince led an online webinar with YegaTech as part of an ACEC Webinar Series “AI for AEC”.

Vince holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Toledo, where he was named a Distinguished Alumni in 2019. In 2024, he was named an Entrepreneur Of The Year® Michigan and Northwest Ohio Award Winner by EY.

Jay Edwards, PE, has held multiple roles at Parkhill, including President and Chief Executive Officer since 2019. Previously, he served as Chief Operating Officer from 2015. Jay led Parkhill’s K-12 Sector for 12 years, focusing on building community relationships and developing successful engineering projects in West Texas.

Longevity with a firm and its clients strengthens an engineer’s ability to tailor the project approach to meet the unique challenges of each project while remaining true to the client’s long-term vision as well as the company’s culture and core values. Andy knows this from personal experience. He joined Wade Trim early in his career, eager to partner with clients to expand and update their infrastructure systems. Initially, he worked in the field performing infrastructure inspection on a wide range of projects. He then applied his field experience designing collection system improvements for southeast Michigan municipalities like the Cities of Taylor and Dearborn Heights and the Charter Township of Redford. He later transitioned to working on large water resources projects with regional authorities like Oakland and Wayne Counties and the City of Fort Worth. These varied experiences have bolstered his understanding of how each client’s technical, budgetary, and operational challenges can be addressed through the planning and design process.

As President and Chief Executive Officer, Andy draws from his 39 years of experience to guide Wade Trim’s strategic focus and business performance. He knows the company’s success depends on employee success. He strives to create a welcoming, collaborative culture by maintaining an environment where everyone feels safe to be themselves and find opportunities for personal and professional growth. This culture drives Wade Trim’s client-centric focus and guides the behaviors and actions of every employee to be responsive, reliable, and resourceful.

Andy holds an MBA from Wayne State University, a BS in Civil Engineering from Michigan Technological University, and a BS in Physics from the State University of New York at Fredonia.

Roseann Schmid, P.E. was elected Chief Executive Officer by the Board of Directors, effective January 1, 2018, and serves as the company’s third CEO. With over three decades of engineering and project experience, she brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Fisher Family. Under her leadership, the company has both grown and diversified, reaching new clients throughout the United States.

Roseann joined Fisher Associates in 2007 as a part-time Project Manager and returned full-time in 2010 as Highway Group Manager and subsequently Director of Transportation. In this role, she facilitated growth of the Transportation Sector, including expanding transportation services to the firm’s Canonsburg, PA office. She was named a Vice President of the company in 2014 and voted to the Board of Directors in 2015. As CEO, Roseann is responsible for the overall strategic direction of the company. She is also passionate about cultivating the culture of the company and ensures her actions speak louder than her words, and she is involved in the company’s business development strategies and employee training, including instilling the company’s Clientship™ philosophy throughout all levels of the company.

Roseann holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Clarkson University and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of New York. Her professional affiliations include the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the Association of Bridge Construction and Design (ABCD), the New York State Association of Transportation Engineers (NYSATE), and the American Public Works Association (APWA). She is also involved in the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), where she previously served as Chair of the NYS County Highway Superintendents Association Committee, and she is a graduate of the ACEC Senior Executive Institute Leadership Program.