Engineering Inc. - Spring 2020 - 50

offers boots-on-the-ground resources to monitor
and make predictions about legislation being
considered, long before any committee meeting.
"Assessment of future legislative trends allows
ACEC to better formulate strategy around supporting the engineering industry's agenda,"
Raba says.

Jason Matson, regional leader and principal at Kimley-Horn,
and ACEC California PAC Champion, welcomes members and
guests to a fundraiser that included a private reception and
tour of the Queen Mary ship in Long Beach, California.

MEMBER SUCCESS STORIES

Success on the national level is made possible in
large part by the efforts of individual PACs in
various states. In 2019, ACEC Member Organizations throughout the U.S. found creative
and interesting ways to increase fundraising and
employee engagement.
For ACEC California, one of the most
improved PAC contribution states last year,
fundraising efforts are focused on three key
areas, according to Jason Matson, ACEC
California PAC Champion, and regional leader
and principal at Kimley-Horn.
First is the detailed engagement of the ACEC
California Board of Directors.
"The board, with nearly 60 members, continues to set the example by their participation
during board meeting events and sweepstakes in
support of the PAC," Matson says.
A second focus area is chapter-level involvement. ACEC California comprises 22 regional
chapters, each with its own board and recurring
member activities.
"Many of our chapters help support ACEC/
PAC with their own sweepstakes, receptions, and
other group activities," Matson says.
Finally, the third area is Enhanced Donor
Club commitments. For example, the number of
Millennium Club ($1,000) and higher contributors in
California is at an all-time record, according to Matson.
"We want to continue to expand this group of strong
contributors to further help reach our state goal for 2020,"
he says.
ACEC California has held several special events in
recent years that have created a great experience for
contributors.

The total
number of
individual
donors was
3,079, and
42 states
reached their
fundraising
goals

"Last summer we had a private reception and
tour of the famous Queen Mary ship in Long
Beach, California," Matson says.
The prior year, the organization held a behindthe-scenes tour of the NBA's Sacramento Kings
Golden 1 Center home, an ACEC California
Engineering Excellence Golden State Award
Winning Project. Another notable chapter-level
event in 2019 was an architecture tour and reception at the Hotel Figueroa, a property deeply
rooted in the women's movement in 1920s-era
Los Angeles.
"We also introduced 'young professional' contributor opportunities, involving reduced registration/entry contribution amounts for ACEC/PAC
events, to further encourage the next generation of
advocates for our industry," Matson says.
Having the largest PAC goal of any state in the country
presents its own challenges, adds Matson.
"We cannot rely entirely on a small group of large donors
like other, smaller states," he says. "In 2019, we were proud to
have nearly 150 individual contributors, and we would like to
see that grow to 200 or more in the years ahead."
In the coming year, ACEC California plans to routinely

"There have been significant wins for our industry, including a
new 20 percent tax deduction for engineering firms organized
as passthrough businesses. Our advocacy team is second to
none when working on Capitol Hill."
JOHN CARRATO
CHAIRMAN
ACEC/PAC
CEO
BENESCH
50

ENGINEERING INC.

SPRING 2020

Engineering Inc. - Spring 2020

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