OneAEC, a Spokane-based nonprofit serving architecture, engineering, and construction professionals, is preparing to transition into a new regional chapter of Alexandria, Virginia-based Society for Marketing Professional Services in 2027.

Terri McRae, OneAEC executive director and CEO of Spokane-based McRae Marketing + Design LLC, says the new SMPS Inland Northwest chapter will offer the same resources and events OneAEC has offered, such as hosting networking events, panel discussions, and other industry-focused gatherings. Members can expect to find additional networking opportunities and marketing resources available following the transition.

OneAEC currently has about 100 members, she says. 

The organizational shift coincides with McRae’s plan to step down as executive director, a role she has occupied since 2023. McRae, a founding member of OneAEC, has been a central figure in the organization since its inception in 2000. 

“This is a really exciting opportunity for our community to continue on with the kinds of programming that OneAEC has offered, plus all these new resources through SMPS,” she says.

SMPS is a national organization of marketing and business development professionals involved in the architecture, engineering, and construction industries, according to the organization’s website. While SMPS centers its efforts on marketing, McRae notes that OneAEC supports both marketing and technical professionals working to grow their businesses.

“One of the things that our members appreciate about our programs is that they bring in client groups and share information about upcoming projects and things that are going to be happening in the industry,” McRae says. “We don't want to lose that aspect of OneAEC when we transition into SMPS.”

The new chapter will combine the Virginia-based group's marketing resources with OneAEC’s focus on events for both marketing and technical professionals, says Haley Elkin, founding member of the SMPS Inland Northwest chapter. 

Elkin, business development and marketing lead at Spokane Valley-based engineering firm Budinger & Associates Inc., says most of OneAEC’s individual members are from the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene region. A few members participate from as far as Seattle, she adds. The new SMPS Inland Northwest chapter will have an expanded footprint to include industry professionals in the Tri-Cities, North Idaho, and western Montana areas.

The chapter will be funded the same way as OneAEC: through sponsorships, memberships, and event tickets, Elkin says. Currently, annual OneAEC membership costs $150. SMPS Inland Northwest membership is anticipated to cost $500 per year. 

At least 30 people are required to start a new SMPS chapter; more than 100 individuals have expressed interest in joining SMPS Inland Northwest, she says.

“It's exciting that there's lots of people that are showing interest on being a member, and there’s also so many people who are interested in actually helping launch it and are volunteering their time,” says Elkin.