The Young Professionals (YP) Challenge is back again at the upcoming 2026 ACC/AAAE Airport Planning, Design & Construction (PDC) Symposium. Activities will kick-off on Tuesday, March 3rd with the YP Networking Reception at The Hangar from 6:00pm-8:00pm. The first hour of the reception will be for YPs, Mentors, and Sponsors only, with the second hour being open to all other Symposium attendees. Our venue will have bays set up for gaming, including a flight simulator for all the aviation enthusiasts we will be hosting! The Reception will be a great opportunity for YPs to get to know the YP Mentors they will be working with and other YPs attending the conference.

We want to give a special shoutout to this year’s sponsors! This program is made possible by the firms that believe in investing every year in the next generation of aviation professionals. Thank you for continuing to support the YP program!

Wednesday, March 4th will start with a YP Orientation from 10:30-11:30 a.m., during which time ACC YP Forum leadership will give an overview of the ACC YP Forum and annual Innovation Competition. Then, Faith Group’s YP Program Coordinator Loren Boyd will go over the Annual YP Challenge format and rules. This year’s YP Challenge is a Scavenger Hunt competition, which will provide each Team of YP’s with a unique opportunity to engage in a meaningful way with conference session speakers, exhibitors, and fellow industry professionals. Each YP Team will work under the guidance of a seasoned YP Mentor who will assist them with networking and completing the YP Challenge during the conference week.

Thank you to the 2026 Class of YP Mentors, who volunteer their time during the conference:

  • Adam Ariano – Perkins & Will
  • Angie Cotter – Nashville International Airport
  • Arpan Patel – All About Pavements
  • Chandler McClellan – Austin Commercial
  • Dave Hunley – Connico
  • Doug Saunders – C&S Companies
  • Eli Griggs – The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
  • Emmanuel Maldonado – Indianapolis Airport Authority
  • Enrique Melendez – The JW Group
  • Ivan Pire – PGAL
  • Ken Carley – McKinney National Airport
  • Laura Grayson – Walker Consultants
  • Leif Johnson – Sundt Construction
  • Lexie Farmer – Asheville Regional Airport
  • Mark Joersz – ADS Pipe
  • Nancee Martin – AvAirPros
  • Patti Harburg-Petrich – Swinerton

YP Challenge Awards will be held on Friday, March 6th from 8:15-9:00 a.m. during the closing remarks. The top scoring team(s) will have their names entered into a drawing for a variety of giveaways including complimentary 2026 conference registrations and other prizes. A prize will also be awarded for Most Creative Photo taken with a Mystery Person during the Scavenger Hunt!

For more information on how to get involved in the Symposium Conference YP Program, contact Loren Boyd at loren@faithgroupllc.com or 314-991-2228.

For more information on the ACC YP Forum and how to get involved or join, please visit https://acconline.org/committees/acc-young-professionals-forum/.

For more information on the YP Conference Program, please visit https://acconline.org/2026-symposium-young-professionals-program/.

The YP activities provided during the ACC/AAAE Airport PDC Symposium are part of the larger ACC YP Forum started more than 15 years ago. The purpose of the YP Forum is to engage members in airport development, industry trends, and mentoring/career growth opportunities; provide educational webinars and networking events; and organize a yearly Innovation Competition.