The BQE Industry Advisory Board 

Niknaz Aftahi
aec+tech

Niknaz is the CEO and founder of aec+tech, an all-in-one innovation platform and community that connects AEC/O (Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations) professionals with the latest tools and technologies. The platform enables AEC professionals to discover new tools & workflows, showcase real-world projects, and connect with one another. Before launching aec+tech, Niknaz worked as an architect in the Bay Area, California, serving both as a design professional and a design technology director. Passionate about technology and innovation in the AEC industry, Niknaz has been a keynote speaker at numerous national and international events. 

Bryon McCartney
Archmark

Bryon McCartney is the co-founder and CEO of Archmark, The Architect Branding & Marketing Agency, and Business Mastery for Architects. He is also a certified Business Made Simple and Small Business Flight Plan Coach. Bryon has more than 34 years of experience as a brand consultant, digital marketer and designer. Before Archmark, he was COO and Creative Director at WIRZ Interactive, the largest web agency in Switzerland. Other brands Bryon has worked with include the American Cancer Society, Calvin Klein, Chevrolet, General Motors, Saab, SwissÔtel, Unilever, Zühlke Engineering, and Zürich Tourism. Archmark, founded in 2016, is dedicated to helping Architects break the cycle of frustration when it comes to attracting ideal clients and winning better projects. He has written articles for ArchDaily and has appeared at various industry podcasts and events such as Business of Architecture, Entrearchitect, Inside the Firm, Marketers Take Flight, and many others. To date, Archmark's webinars, workshops, and free resources have helped more than 5,000 architects improve their firm's recognition, reputation, and reach.

Enoch Sears, AIA
The Business of Architecture

Business of Architecture founder Enoch Sears is well-known for his stand that architectural practice owners don't need to sacrifice their health, relationships, or financial well-being to do work they enjoy. After working in the architectural industry for a decade, he launched the Business of Architecture podcast in 2012 to share the best practices for running a small architectural firm. Over the following decade, he spent more than $4.7 million refining the SMART Practice Operating System, an organized method for running a creatively fulfilling and financially rewarding architectural practice. More than 253 firm owners from around the world run their practices using the SMART Practice Operating System. 

Nick Heim, PE
AEC Engineering and Technology Podcast 

Nick Heim, P.E., is a civil engineer with a specialization in the repair and restoration of existing structures, and host of the AEC Engineering and Technology Podcast (AECTECH), where he brings valuable insights and expertise to listeners worldwide. Nick’s interests lie at the intersection between the built world and technology, and he can be found looking for the ever-changing answer to the question, “How can we do this better?” Nick can be found on LinkedIn, producing content about the use of technology in his civil engineering career and small business. 

David Lee
The Second Studio Podcast 

David Lee is a founding principal of FAME Architecture and host of The Second Studio Podcast, along with his partner Marina Bourderonnet. He has worked in numerous offices on a variety of project types and teaches undergraduate architecture and urban design in California. The Second Studio is a podcast about design and the everyday. The show features a variety of creative professionals as guests in unscripted and long-format interviews, allowing for thoughtful takes and more personal discussions. Honesty and humor are used to cover a wide array of subjects: some episodes are reviews of projects, technologies, designs and movies; while others are helpful guides, interviews, or explorations of everyday life.  

Chad Clinehens, PE
Zweig Group 

Chad Clinehens is the president and CEO of Zweig Group. Passionate about the business side of design and technical service firms, Chad has built a career on leading them through growth and change. He has worked with AEC firms throughout the U.S. on a variety of needs – strategic business planning, turnarounds, partner separations, organizational restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, marketing and sales, growth campaigns, and more. As a registered professional engineer, Chad brings an in-depth knowledge of what makes professional service firms and the people who work for them unique. Working in the industry for more than 20 years, he has been involved in many aspects of the business including design, project management, department management, regional office management, and directional leadership. He holds a MBA and BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Arkansas and is a registered professional engineer in several states.

ABOUT BQE

BQE CORE is award-winning firm management software, created by architects and engineers for architects and engineers, that project-based firms trust to run their operations for better project outcomes, and more profitable futures. The fully integrated suite of intuitive business management tools with 24/7/365 support provides back-office automation to power front-office insights, making firm management more agile, informed, and data-driven. Learn more at www.bqe.com.