CSI Blog

Below is a letter from Incoming CSI Board Chair Jarrod Mann, P.E., FCSI, CCCA, CDT. To the CSI community, On Saturday, the CSI Board of Directors held its June meeting in Phoenix, AZ. It was a full day of work on the issues that matter to this community and on the direction of this organization going forward. I am writing to you as your incoming Board Chair. William Sundquist passed the gavel, and I want to begin this role the way I intend to continue it: by communicating directly with the members I serve. What the Board Addressed The meeting covered five areas that reflect what this community ...

To the CSI community, This past weekend, I had the high honor of handing the board chair gavel to Jarrod Mann — and reflecting on my past two years in service to the board and all of CSI. When I came into this role, I set out to focus on three things: building up our people, building up the profession, and building better projects. I am proud of the progress we've made on all three fronts, and I am grateful to every board member, staff member, and volunteer who made that possible. What I did not fully anticipate was how much the ground would shift beneath us in two years. AI went from a topic on the horizon to a tool ...

If you've been a product rep for any amount of time, you've probably noticed something: the reps who perform best aren’t necessarily the best salespeople. They're the ones who actually understand the project. They show up at the right time, with the right information, and they know how their product fits into the bigger picture. They're not pitching. They're contributing. Imagine an architect calling you to use your product on their next project, all because of the fantastic experience they had working with you and your team last time. That's what happens when you stop selling and start being a genuine resource. So here's ...

CSI member spotlights highlight the skills, professional areas of interest, and daily contributions members make to the architecture, engineering, construction, and owner (AECO) industry. Meet Angela M. Hamill, CSI, CDT ® , who is a document controls manager at Lochner Egis Group. How did you become a professional in the AECO industry, and do you have any specific projects you would like to share? I began my career in the AECO industry more than two decades ago through document control and configuration management roles supporting major capital programs. Over the years, I’ve developed a specialty in establishing document ...

The State of Tennessee honored all that CSI does to advance building information management and the education of project teams to improve facility performance within the commercial construction industry, with a state proclamation recognizing CSI. CSI Board of Directors Chair William Sundquist accepted the honor at the office of Representative Yusuf Hakeem, along with Tara Mitchell, Harry Harris and Lynn Jolley of the CSI Nashville Chapter. In the same kind of clear, specific language many specifiers would respect, the state presented, “A resolution to honor the Construction Specifications Institute for outstanding service to the ...

What does certification mean after 20 years in the industry? What about at the very start of your career? For these recent certification earners, the answer is the same: growth. Though they’re at different stages in their careers, all found that certification sharpened their knowledge, strengthened their confidence, and reinforced their commitment to the architect, engineer, contractor, and owner (AECO) industry. Their stories highlight an important truth: professional development doesn’t have a finish line. In this Certification Spotlight, each share why they chose certification, how they prepared, and how earning their credentials continues ...

For Greg Carr, every stage of his career has taught him something new about how projects succeed—or fail. From years in the field as a construction representative, to his work as a civil designer, and now stepping into a role that requires deep knowledge of specifications, Greg has seen how vital strong documentation is to a project’s success. When a retiring colleague left a gap in expertise, Greg decided it was time to take the next step and pursue CSI’s Construction Documents Technologist (CDT ® ) certification. In this interview, Greg shares how he prepared for the exam, what he learned along the way, and how the credential is shaping ...

CSI is built on people who are curious, collaborative, and committed to doing great work. In this new member Q&A, we’re introducing one of the newest faces in the CSI community and sharing his experiences and how CSI membership is helping him grow. Meet Nicolas Lamoureux. How did you become a professional in the AECO industry, and do you have any specific projects you have worked on or are working on that you would like to share? My path to becoming a professional in the AECO industry was meandering. I started working for a general contractor and then became an architectural technologist, and then worked through my ...

Here's the elephant in the room: You’ve built a solid career in design and construction, you’re skilled, experienced, and genuinely love what you do. So why don't you have a CSI Certification? At every AECO event, I meet experienced architects, product reps, construction administrators, and spec writers. All talented professionals who still haven’t taken advantage of CSI’s certification programs. Here's what I keep hearing: "I've been doing this for 20 years without it" "My company won't pay for it" "Nobody's ever asked me about certifications" "I'm too busy with actual work" I get it, those are valid reasons. But ...