2026-2028 ACEC National Officer-Nominees Announced

The ACEC Nominating Committee has issues a slate of National Officer-nominees for 2026-2028. Ballots for the election of Officers will be emailed to the M.O. National Directors shortly. Once elected, the following National Officers will join the ACEC Executive Committee starting in 2026 at the Spring Convention and Legislative Summit.

Chair Elect 2026-2027, Chair 2027-2028 – Derek L. Clyburn, P.E., MBA, F.ACEC

Derek currently serves as the President of ECS Southeast, LLC, a subsidiary of the ECS Group of Companies. Derek is a member of the ECS Board of Directors, serves as one of the firm’s two ESOP Trustees and is President of The ECS Foundation. Derek has been with ECS approaching 30 years. Derek is responsible for leading ECS’s nearly 800 ESOP Owner team members that provide environmental, geotechnical, construction materials testing, special inspection, construction engineering inspection, facilities consulting and industrial hygiene services in the Southeast States of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas via over 30 locations. Derek has taken an active role in advocacy for the business of engineering through the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), from grassroots participation to board leadership. Derek served as President of ACEC/NC during their 50th anniversary year in 2019-2020 and as National Director in 2020-2021. Derek also served a two-year term as Co-Vice Chair for the ACEC PAC and is active in the Design Professionals Coalition (DPC).

Vice Chair (2026–2028) – Eric Burke, P.E.
Eric Burke is an Assistant Vice President with Michael Baker International in Richmond, Virginia, leading their Surface Transportation business. He has been active in ACEC at both the state and national level for the past 20 years, serving on the ACEC-SC Board of Directors and ACEC Virginia Executive Board as well as ACEC Virginia President and National Director. He has been involved in advocacy of the engineering profession at the state and federal level and currently chairs the ACEC Virginia Advocacy Committee. At the ACEC National level, he is a member of the Transportation Committee, Membership Committee, and Federal Agency Procurement Advocacy Committees. He has over 30 years of engineering experience and is licensed in eight states and the District of Columbia.

Vice Chair (2026–2028) – Tonya Finley, MBA, FACEC, CPCM, CFCM
Tonya Finley is an Associate Vice President, Manager of Contracts and Risk Management at David Evans and Associates, Inc. and specializes in government and public contracting. She holds certificates by the National Contract Management Association as a certified professional contracts manager as well as a certified federal contracts manager. Tonya has over 30 years of experience in all facets of contract management including negotiations, contract adherence, government compliance and subconsultant procurement as well as routinely providing trainings in risk management and contracts. In addition to her role at DEA, she also serves as the Past President of the American Council of Engineering Companies’ (ACEC) Oregon’s Board of Directors, co-chair of the ACEC ODOT Procurement Subcommittee, President-elect of the Clackamas County Business Alliance and serves on several other ACEC Oregon and National committees. Tonya holds an MBA from Corban University and a bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University-Pueblo.

Vice Chair (2026–2028) – Karen A. Friese, P.E.
Ms. Friese is a Senior Vice President, a member of the Board of Directors, and the Water Practice Leader with HW Lochner, a trusted infrastructure services provider serving aviation, surface transportation, and water clients across the U.S. She brings decades of experience in leading and growing engineering firms, including 20 years at the helm of her own company, before joining the Lochner family of companies. Ms. Friese has been deeply engaged with the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), serving as Chair at the State level, Vice-Chair of the Planning Cabinet, and Chair of the Small Firms Council. In addition, she currently serves as Secretary of the Texas Professional Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. Ms Friese holds a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign and remains a proud advocate of advancing the profession and supporting the next generation of engineers.

Vice Chair (2026–2028) – Andre’ (Andy) Lauzier, P.E.

Mr. Lauzier is a Senior Vice President with HDR Engineering, Inc. He currently serves as the Transportation Business Group’s Planning and Design Director. In this role he works with ten of HDR’s Technical Business Class Directors on the successful delivery of projects throughout the US and abroad. He also serves on HDR’s Quality Steering Committee and other associated duties.

Andy has served in various Leadership roles with ACEC-Fl, ACEC-Ga and ACEC National.