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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Let’s Work Together and Make Some Magic!
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Publisher’s Message
Collaboration You Can Feel
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FROM THE EDITOR
Collaboration Opens the Door for Shared Leadership
Calendar of Events
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FEATURES
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Preparing for a Smooth Handoff: The tender, scary, and rewarding process of working towards a successful leadership transition
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The unexpected effect of AI on creativity: Protecting the human need to create nurtures motivation.
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5 Takeaways to Embrace – Collaboration as the New Currency
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How Collaborative Improv Comedy Techniques Can Enhance Client Engagement and Business Development
COLUMN
12.
2025 MCA AWARDS
The 2025 MCA Judges
13.
2025 MCA AWARDS
The 2025 SMPS Marketing Communication Awards Winners
14.
2025 MCA AWARDS
HITT Contracting Wins MCA Best of Show for High-Voltage Year-End Meeting
15.
2025 MCA AWARDS
Carollo’s I-FLOAT Campaign Wins MCA People’s Choice at Amplify A|E|C
16.
2025 MCA AWARDS
Interview with Brad Thurman: 2025 Weld Coxe Marketing Achievement Award Recipient
17.
2025 MCA AWARDS
SMPS Names 2025 Chapter President of the Year: Olivia Farquharson, CDMP, PCM
18.
2025 MCA AWARDS
SMPS Recognizes Of the Year Awards at Amplify A|E|C
19.
2025 MCA AWARDS
Congratulations to the 2025 Class of Fellows
20.
2025 MCA AWARDS
Congratulations to the New CPSMs
2025 MCA AWARDS
Interview with Brad Thurman: 2025 Weld Coxe Marketing Achievement Award Recipient
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COLUMN
SMPS is proud to announce that Brad Thurman, PE, FSMPS, CPSM—principal and chief marketing officer at Wallace Design Collective and longtime member of SMPS Oklahoma—has been named the 2025 recipient of the Weld Coxe Marketing Achievement Award.
Brad accepted the honor at Amplify A|E|C in Columbus, OH, capping a four-decade career in the A/E/C industry. Since joining Wallace in 1987, he has helped build the firm's marketing function from the ground up, pairing technical rigor with client-centered storytelling. Known for turning data into clear, compelling visuals, Brad embodies the belief that precision and eloquence can—and should—coexist. A lifelong learner and generous teacher, he brings knowledge, creativity, and a sense of humor to every assignment.
In the conversation that follows, Brad reflects on the submission process, the people who shaped his path, and why communication matters as much as qualifications.
Describe your experience preparing your submission.
Surreal. Humbling. Fun. All that and more! I had a great team helping me with the submittal package: Donna Corlew, Melissa Lutz, Nancy Usrey, Jana Monforte, Allison Taylor, and Misty Thurman. They reviewed, commented, prodded, edited, and panicked with me along the way. There were numerous people who helped with recommendations, quotes, old photos, past stories (some of which will stay past!), and support. It was an interesting process to look back at your career and see all the people and steps that led to now.
What does the Weld Coxe award submission entail?
A lot of work and introspection backed by the support of people who believe in you. As with any marketing submission, you want to tell a compelling story. You need a concept, a theme to organize things around. You need to address each of the evaluation criteria, ensuring the information flows and weaves a complete narrative. In my case, I decided to lean into my childhood desire to be an astronaut. That was our north star, but we wanted it to color the information without making it campy. In the end, I was extremely proud of what we put forward and feel like it told my story in a special way.
What benefit did you get from the process? What will stay with you?
Without a doubt, it is that my career is completely a function of the people who raised me, loved me, worked with me, challenged me, and laughed with me. I said in my speech at Amplify that, when you look back across time and erase the noise, all of the people in my life were the stars that lit my path. That's not hyperbole. It's not performative. It's a gift. We all should look back across the spectrum of our lives more often. I'm glad I did it this time.
What advice do you have for anyone considering pursuing this award?
Start earlier than I did! I put a lot of stress on our team by starting much later than most, but who doesn't love a tight deadline?! Seriously, spend a good amount of time thinking about why you think you're qualified. (Spoiler alert: you won't think you are.) Decide what concept you want to coalesce your submission around. Think about how you'll address each of the evaluation criteria to the fullest extent possible. Lean into your colleagues. Don't be afraid to ask for help. And, finally, don't be afraid to be vulnerable enough to honestly and accurately present your path. In the end, win or not, it's a cathartic experience.
Now that the dust has settled, what does earning this award mean to you? What was it like being honored in front of your SMPS community?
It's a great, great honor. It's incredibly humbling to be recognized as worthy of the Weld Coxe Award. My marketing and business development career is a direct result of my involvement in SMPS. It's taught me everything I know in this arena. When I was in grad school, I had a whopping one-semester class split between financial management and marketing. The textbook for the marketing portion was "Marketing Architectural and Engineering Services" by Weld Coxe. To receive an award named after him 41 years later is beyond belief.