Mission: Possible
The Annual Meeting is an important cultural and business development event and it’s one of our favorite ways to connect employees from across our footprint. This year’s theme is “Mission: Possible.”
Billing
2026 Annual Meeting Project Number: 000-251
Use this code for travel-related expenses. Select the task number for your assigned profit center.
Record your travel time and time attending the daily sessions using this code on your timesheet.
Time may not be charged for the Evening Reception.
Post-Event Resources
Market Group Breakout Presentations
Practice Breakout Presentations
Retiree Employee Ownership Videos
CityHUNT Photos and Videos – please add yours!
Wardrobe Guidance
Wondering what to wear? Check out our Wardrobe Guidance handout. In addition, you should pack comfortable shoes and clothing for the CityHUNT scavenger hunt held before the evening reception at City Winery. Runners may wish to pack running shoes and clothes for a group “fun run” the morning of Day 2.
Social Media Guidance
Check out our Social Media Guidance handout for information on where, when, and what to post!
Event Photography
Need a new professional headshot? Ashley Morrison will be taking headshots in the ballroom foyer during the breaks.
Hotel Information
CEC provides hotel rooms at the Westin for all attendees. You will be asked to provide a physical credit card upon arrival for incidentals.
You should have already received an email from the Westin confirming your reservation (from reservations@res-marriott.com). If you do not receive a confirmation email in your inbox, please check your spam folder or Mimecast. If you did not receive an email, please contact Cindy Fontanesi.
Check-in is 4:00 PM (For those arriving Thursday, plan to check in after our program ends for the day at 3:50 PM. You may store your luggage in the coatroom on the ballroom level or with the bellman.)
Check-out is 12:00 PM (Consider checking out of your room prior to program start time on Friday. You may store your luggage in the coatroom on the ballroom level or with the bellman.)
Parking
- Parking is not paid by Marketing on the master hotel bill. You must pay for your own parking and expense the cost using the meeting project number and your profit center task number.
- Using valet at the Westin is not approved. There is an underground parking garage at the Westin. The self-parking rate is $28/day and guests must pay at each exit. The garage is first come, first served.
- Guests can also park in the David L. Lawrence Convention Center garage, which is connected to the Westin via a walkway.
- If both of these garages are full, guests can park in the Grant Street Transportation Center.
Westin Floorplan
WiFi
Agenda
Day 1: Thursday, May 7
| Time | Topic | Presenting |
|---|---|---|
| 8 – 8:45 AM | Registration (Breakfast NOT provided) | |
| 8:45 – 8:50 AM | Welcome | Lauren Parker |
| 8:50 – 9:15 AM | Theme Overview | Dustin Kuhlman |
| 9:15 – 9:55 AM | Excellence | Janette Wolf |
| 9:55 – 11:05 AM | Speed Networking Session 1 | |
| 11:05 – 11:45 AM | Talent | Rick Celender |
| 11:45 AM – 12:30 PM | Lunch | |
| 12:30 – 1:30 PM | PNC Economic Outlook/May NBB | Gus Faucher, PNC |
| 1:45 – 2:45 PM | Breakout Session 1 (Practices) | |
| 3 – 3:45 PM | Innovation | Nick Bozovich and Special Guests |
| 3:45 – 3:50 PM | Closing Remarks | Lauren Parker |
| 3:50 – 4:15 PM | Break | |
| 4:15 – 6 PM | CityHUNT scavenger hunt | |
| 6 – 10 PM | Evening Reception at City Winery |
Day 2: Friday, May 8
| Time | Topic | Presenting |
|---|---|---|
| 8 – 9 AM | Breakfast | |
| 9 – 9:05 AM | Opening | Lauren Parker |
| 9:05 – 9:45 AM | Growth | Carl Hunt |
| 9:45 – 10:45 AM | Speed Networking Session 2 | |
| 11 AM – 12 PM | Breakout Session 2 (Markets) | |
| 12 – 1 PM | Lunch | |
| 1 – 2 PM | Keynote Speaker | Lisa Ford |
| 2 – 3 PM | Culture | Dustin Kuhlman |
| 3 – 3:15 PM | Closing Remarks | Dustin Kuhlman |
Guest Speakers
Lisa Ford, CSP, CPAE
Creator of the #1 Selling Business Video Series
How to Give Exceptional Customer Service
Lisa Ford has over 20 years of experience presenting to businesses, associations and government. She designs content personalized for each audience and the challenges they face. Her presentations focus on customer service, leadership, teamwork and change.
As the creator of “How to Give Exceptional Customer Service,” the #1 selling business video series in the U.S. for over 3 years, Lisa is best known for her work in the areas of customer service. Her other training videos and audio programs include “Developing a Customer Retention Program” and “Building a Customer Driven Organization: The Manager’s Role and Personal Power.” She has also customized numerous training videos for clients to use in their ongoing education efforts. Her most recent book is Exceptional Customer Service: Exceed Customer Expectations to Build Loyalty and Boost Profits.
Lisa’s experience includes working with Pfizer, Viacom, Edward Jones, CSX, Kaiser Permanente, Morton’s of Chicago, Citgo, American Gas Association, American Diabetes Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, among dozens of other corporate and association clients.
In 2002, she was inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame by the National Speakers Association. This is an honor held by less than 240 other speakers over the last 40 years. She also serves as a Board Member of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Tennessee.
Augustine Faucher
The PNC Financial Services Group
Senior Vice President and Chief Economist
Augustine (Gus) Faucher is senior vice president and chief economist of The PNC Financial Services Group, serving as the principal spokesperson on all economic issues for PNC.
Prior to joining PNC as senior macroeconomist in December 2011, Faucher worked for 10 years at Moody’s Analytics (formerly Economy.com), where he was a director and senior economist. He was responsible for running the firm’s computer model of the U.S. economy, edited a monthly publication on the U.S. economic outlook, covered fiscal and monetary policy, and analyzed various regional economies. Previously, he worked for six years at the U.S. Treasury Department and taught at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was named senior vice president in March 2015, deputy chief economist in February 2016, and to his current role in April 2017.
Faucher earned a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Pennsylvania, with concentrations in labor economics and public economics. He also has a B. A. in economics from Cornell University.
Sanjay Akut
TukaTek
Founder & CEO
Sanjay is an entrepreneur and technology innovator with 25+ years of experience pioneering creative and effective service delivery solutions. His strategic vision and versatility have consistently driven efficiency, productivity, and innovation across various sectors.
An alumnus of Carnegie Mellon University, Sanjay’s rich history of entrepreneurial achievement and technological innovation positions him as a leader in driving business success through strategic application development and AI implementation. He remains committed to pushing the boundaries of what is possible, always seeking new ways to harness technology for the benefit of businesses and their customers.
Dennis DiPalma
Kahua
Vice President, Strategy
Dennis DiPalma is a construction and AEC technology leader with more than 30 years of experience inside one of the industry’s most respected construction companies. Over his career, he helped shape how the business grew, competed, and supported its people—far beyond traditional IT leadership. He managed multi‑million‑dollar technology budgets, led teams that delivered hundreds of custom applications, and guided major digital transformation initiatives.
Dennis also brings deep governance experience, having served on both cybersecurity risk and retirement plan fiduciary committees. Today, he is Vice President of Strategy at Kahua, where he helps define the future of GC/Sub and Network products and ensures solutions deliver real value to contractors. He also advises early‑stage AEC technology companies. Above all, Dennis is passionate about developing people and building organizations that improve every day.
IMPORTANT: Please bring your Annual Meeting lanyard to the Evening Reception. In addition, City Winery will ID everyone who enters the building regardless of age. All guests who plan on consuming alcohol will need to have their valid non-expired ID with them. Please have your IDs ready upon arrival.
Thursday, May 7
6:00-10:00 PM
City Winery
1627 Smallman Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Getting to City Winery
Our CityHUNT scavenger hunt will lead participants to City Winery.
