2025 DBIA-SW Regional Conference + Golf Tournament Recap (Photos & Presentations now available!)
- Apr 18
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 24
The 2025 DBIA-SW Regional Conference + Golf Tournament was a dynamic and energizing experience that brought together industry leaders, experts, and enthusiasts from across the region. Held on April 14-15, 2025, in Austin, TX, the event's theme, “Driving Innovation Forward: Collaboration in Action,” perfectly captured the spirit of learning, networking, and creative problem-solving.
Event Recap
The conference officially kicked off on April 14th with two engaging pre-conference activities: the Golf Tournament and the Austin Light Rail Bus Tour. Attendees had the chance to choose their own adventure—whether testing their skills on the course or diving into Austin’s urban transit developments.
April 14th Golf Tournament Winners
Players in the Golf Tournament enjoyed a relaxed yet competitive environment as they navigated the course. As the day concluded, participants gathered for the reception, where we celebrated the achievements of our golf tournament participants, awarding the following teams:
1st Place Team: Team 18A
2nd Place Team: Team 05B
3rd Place Team: Team 01A
Sand Trap All-Stars: Team o2B
SPECIAL CONTESTS:
Additionally, special contests were held throughout the tournament
CLOSEST TO THE PIN Hole 2 Winner | CLOSEST TO THE PIN Hole 6 Winner |
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CLOSEST TO THE PIN Hole 16 Winner | LONGEST DRIVE CONTEST |
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April 14th Austin Light Rail Tour Highlights
Meanwhile, the Austin Light Rail Bus Tour offered a fascinating glimpse into the future of urban transportation. Led by experts from the Austin Transit Partnership, attendees were guided through a comprehensive route that highlighted key points of interest across the city and upcoming transit developments designed to transform the region.
April 15th Conference
Day two of the conference, April 15th, was dedicated to education and collaboration. Attendees enjoyed a day filled with valuable learning opportunities through keynote presentations, breakout sessions, and networking.
KEYNOTE HIGHLIGHTS
The first keynote, “Design-Build: Proven Success Through Change and Challenge” by Lisa Washington, CAE (Executive Director/CEO, Design Build Institute of America), focused on how DBIA is positioning the design-build delivery method for continued success amidst today’s rapidly changing industry landscape. Lisa highlighted key industry trends, strategic initiatives, and how design-build has remained resilient and adaptable throughout various challenges.
The second keynote, “Ethical Strategies for an Irrational World” by Aaron Mann (Senior Principal & Chief Legal Officer, Terracon Consultants), provided deep insights into how unseen biases affect decision-making processes in the construction and engineering industry.
As the conference concluded, participants left with new connections, fresh perspectives, and practical tools to drive innovation forward in their own projects.
We extend a heartfelt thank you to our conference committee members, volunteers, and everyone who dedicated their time and efforts to making this event a success. Your hard work and commitment are truly appreciated!
Feedback Request
We value your feedback! Please take a moment to complete our Feedback Form. Your insights will help us continue to improve our events and provide a better experience. This form is also required for those seeking CEUs from the conference.
Speaker Presentations
We are in the process of asking our speakers if we can share their presentations! Any slide decks we can share will be posted here! Come back for more information soon!
KEYNOTE
Ethical Strategies for an Irrational World
Aaron Mann
TECHNOLOGY & VDC
How to Create and Implement an AI Chatbot in Your Daily Workflow
Jared Christman
Leveraging VDC in Design-Build
Brian Skripac, Jon Mindrup, William S. Eatmon III, and Roy Malcolm
TRANSPORTATION & AVIATION
Keep Austin Moving: The Austin Light Rail Tour
Andrea Ghee, Sofia M Ojeda, Lisa Storer, Rachel Thomas, and Jocelyn Vokes
Building Stronger Teams: The Power of Collaborative Behavior Assessment
Lori Colangelo, Brad Cummings, Arnab Gupta, James Mitchell, and Sofia M Ojeda
Progressive Design-Build: How & Why of Early Team Engagement
Chad Yount, David McBeth, David Wymore, and Kelsey Sconiers
WATER & WASTEWATER
Synergies in St. Petersburg: Aging Pipes and Collaborative Solutions
Thomas Cross
Photo Album
Relive the best moments from the 2025 DBIA-SW Regional Conference + Golf Tournament by browsing our Photo Album. We hope you enjoy the memories as much as we enjoyed creating them!
Sponsor Recognition
A huge thank you to our sponsors for their generous support, which helped make this event possible. We appreciate all of our sponsors and their dedication to the design-build community!
Thank you to everyone who attended the 2025 DBIA-SW Regional Conference + Golf Tournament. Your participation and enthusiasm are what make our events truly special. Until next time, keep driving innovation forward!
