Marci D. Thompson, DES is the Chief Executive Officer at SMPS. A proven strategist and leader with over 20 years of experience driving innovation, revenue, and impact for associations, Marci is well-positioned to accelerate the Society’s progress and guide SMPS into the future. She is committed to ensuring the strategic direction for growth and relevancy amidst a continually evolving A/E/C industry.

CEO'S MESSAGE

The Intentionality of Vision

As 2025 comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on a commitment I made at the start of the year: to begin with the same intention I hoped to carry into its final chapter. And for me, that intention was vision, not as a concept, but as a discipline

Vision shapes how we prepare, how we prioritize, and ultimately, how we lead. It clarifies what deserves our energy and what no longer aligns with our direction. It anchors decisions in purpose, not pace.

A Year Built on Clarity

Throughout the year, we explored themes that sharpened our understanding of what it takes to grow in a shifting landscape.

In the spring, we examined value, what drives it, how firms protect it, and how marketers elevate it.
Later, we turned to risk, recognizing that navigating uncertainty requires both foresight and structure.
And across every issue, the throughline has been the same: clarity strengthens capability.

None of that happens by accident. It happens by design, by choosing vision as a steadying force rather than something we revisit only when circumstances demand it.

Vision in a Time of Change

Our industry continues to evolve. Client expectations are rising, business models are shifting, and AI is redefining how teams and firms operate. Amid all this movement, what becomes most valuable is not prediction, but preparation.

Vision helps leaders stay focused on what is essential.

It helps teams rise above urgency and move toward impact.

Vision is not about what we hope will happen.

Vision is about aligning our choices with what must happen for our marketers, business developers, and our profession to thrive.

A Complement to Our Collective Work

As the President shared in her message, the Society’s mission, strategy, and collective momentum continue to shape where we are headed next. That direction is strengthened by the work happening across chapters, HQ, the board, and the broader community.

Vision Requires Discipline

It requires the willingness to be specific.

It requires the courage to be consistent.

That is the work I see happening across SMPS every single day.

How We Finish What We Started

Looking back, I’m reminded that the commitment I made in January, to begin with vision and finish with vision, was not about a theme. It was about posture.

And as we close out this year, that posture has only strengthened.

We’ve made strategic decisions that reflect who we are becoming.

We’ve elevated expectations of our profession.

We’ve clarified what it means to grow with purpose, not pressure.

The Vision Ahead

The year ahead invites us to lean into clarity, to make decisions that strengthen our influence, elevate our profession, and position SMPS for what’s next. As we prepare to activate our next strategic plan, vision becomes momentum only when it is shared, understood, and put into practice across the Society and the Foundation.

Thank you for contributing to the energy and forward movement of this community.

We opened 2025 with a clear vision. We close it with measurable direction. And we enter 2026 committed to advancing SMPS with focus and precision.

Marci D. Thompson, DES

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