The Power of Partnerships

Engineering Inc. magazine

Stakeholder education, strategic statehouse engagement, and leadership development help ACEC Wisconsin push legislation over the finish line

In early 2023, ACEC Wisconsin was going full throttle on getting “duty to defend” legislation passed at the statehouse. “It’s by far our biggest issue, and it was the first bill in quite a long time that we had drafted, introduced, and pushed through the whole process,” says Chris Klein, president and CEO of ACEC Wisconsin. Klein began his current role in 2016 with a background in government affairs in both the public and private sectors that included a stint as the assistant deputy secretary of the Wiscon­sin Department of Transportation (WisDOT).

Because February is the beginning of the state budget process, which occurs every two years, the Member Organization holds a lobbying day that month. “We had our largest-ever attendance scheduled,” Klein says. “More than 100 members were signed up and ready to hit the Capitol on this issue.” The group had worked for nearly seven months with “every organization out there that we felt could possibly support or oppose our legislation. And we spent a good amount of time getting everyone to stand down and not fight it,” he adds.

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