Welcome to the AACE Chicago-Midwest Section

Upcoming Events

AACE Chicago-Midwest - Election Results: 2026-2027 Board of Directors

Dear AACE Chicago Midwest Section Members,

We are pleased to announce the elections results for the AACE Chicago Midwest Board for the 2026-2027 term.

Congratulations to these new and returning members for being elected to the Board:

  • President - Brian Eckert
  • Vice President - Jignesh Shah
  • Secretary - Sylvia Donado (new)
  • Treasurer - Marilyn Wodzinski
  • Webmaster/Historian - Mario Flores
  • Directors-at-Large
    • Jackie Doyle
    • Damien Hamielec
    • Sergio Candelaria
    • Sam Nwansi
    • Jessica Edwards (new)

Welcome to our two newest Board Members, Sylvia Donado and Jessica Edwards.  We look forward to your contributions to the Chicago-Midwest Section over the coming board term.

And a very special thank you + farewell to our outgoing Board Member, Kim Kozak, former Secretary.  Kim has been a long-time member of our Board and a deep supporter of the AACE mission supporting project controls professionals.  As evidence, she is leaving us to move up the ranks to the AACE Regional Director 04 position, which includes our section! 

Congratulations Kim -- we look forward to working with you in your new role.  Best of luck!

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With the new Board in place, we are ready to continue serving our AACE community in the coming year.  We are planning several upcoming events including technical presentations, social events, student outreach and more.

Thank you to all Members who voted in our elections.  The future is bright as a result of your voice contributing to Board leadership!

If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact us. 

Email: chicago-midwest@aacei.org

Thank you for your continued engagement and support!

  -- Mario Flores, AACE Chicago Midwest

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SPRING SOCIAL 2026 - Punch Bowl Social - Apr 2026

Thanks to all the Members and non-Members who showed up for a great evening in Chicago at Punch Bowl Social.  You made it a fun event!  It's always rewarding meeting others in the community, especially if you can win a game of ping pong or shoot hoops at the same time.  

Looking forward to the next Social in the fall!

  -- Mario Flores, AACE Chicago Midwest

RECENT EVENT - Transformative Schedule Analysis with NetPoint - Feb 2026

Thank you to all who attended our technical presentation Transformative Schedule Analysis with NetPoint in February.  Our presenter Reniz Moosa delivered a great talk with insight into a new way to present complex schedule information for a non-technical audience.  Thank you Reniz!

The presentation was recorded and is posted here for reference.

Presentation Recording:

  -- Mario Flores, AACE Chicago Midwest

In Memoriam - Lew Concklin - January 2026

It is with great sorrow we share that long time former AACE Chicago-Midwest Board Member and Supporter, Lew Concklin, has passed.

Lew was always passionately involved with AACE.  He was always willing to share his wisdom in Project Controls and Estimating with those that wanted to learn.  Lew’s warm, friendly smile would let new members know they were amongst friends.

Obituary: https://www.hjfunerals.com/obituaries/2026/01/27/lewis-f-concklin-jr/

Mr. Concklin and his influence will be greatly missed by all.   Thank you for everything. Rest in Peace, Lew.


  -- AACE Chicago-Midwest Board of Directors

RECENT EVENT - Management Reserves: A Necessity for Major Projects - Jan 2026

Thank you to all who attended our recent technical presentation Management Reserves: A Necessity for Major Projects with John Hollman on Thursday, 15 Jan 2026. 

This presentation was a fascinating dive into the havoc high-impact, low-probability events can cause on project budgets/timelines and recommendations to manage them.  John is a deeply well-researched authority on this topic, and it was a welcome opportunity to share his insights.

Thank you, John!

The presentation was recorded and is posted here for reference.

Presentation Recording:

  -- Mario Flores, AACE Chicago-Midwest

THE LAWS OF ESTIMATING - Dec 2025

Thank you to all who attended our recent technical presentation "The Laws of Estimating" with Andrew Kleimola on Thursday, 11 Dec 2025.  This was an engaging and unique presentation covering the well-known and lesser-known patterns of behavior within and surrounding the estimating discipline.  In fact, most of these laws are applicable for other disciplines as well -- these are universal issues we all face, even as schedulers, cost engineers, risk analysts, etc.

The presentation was recorded and is posted here for reference, with the accompanying slide deck.

PowerPoint Slides: The Laws of Estimating

Presentation Recording:

Big thanks again to Andrew Kleimola for presenting this for all of us!

  -- Mario Flores, AACE Chicago-Midwest

FALL SOCIAL 2025 - 390 GOLF EXPERIENCE - Nov 2025

Thank you to all who attended our recent Fall Social event at 390 Golf Experience on Thursday, 13 Nov 2025!  We had a great evening getting to know some local members (and non-members!) from our community.  Some of us even had decent golf swings; others, not so much!

Wonderful to see everyone, we're hoping to plan another event for our Spring Social in 2026.  Thanks again!

  -- Mario Flores, AACE Chicago-Midwest

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About the AACE Chicago-Midwest Section

Are you a cost estimator, cost engineer, risk manager, scheduler, or project controls professional looking to connect with others in the industry?
Do you want to learn more about design, construction, and project management while growing your professional network?

The AACE Chicago-Midwest Section is part of AACE International — the leading global association for cost engineering and total cost management. We support professionals across the greater Chicago metropolitan area with opportunities to advance their skills, exchange ideas, and connect with AACE’s worldwide community.

Through our technical and informative lunch & learn seminars, construction site visits, informal social events, and community volunteering, we provide members with professional development and networking opportunities that help ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget.

AACE membership options are flexible and available to both individuals and organizations. Join today to access tools, certifications, and resources that support career growth and project success.

AACE Membership Benefits

In addition to local networking and professional connections, AACE membership gives you access to powerful technical and career resources, including:

These resources support both career development and project success at every stage of the project lifecycle. Learn more on the Membership Hub.