The Spec Shaman Summit is a networking and education event for building product industry sales representatives and managers, marketing teams, and top executives. In addition to peers in your industry, you will meet and learn from top sales and marketing strategists, specification writers, architectural specification representatives, design professionals and other experts in the building product specification industry.

This exceptional gathering aims to empower manufacturers like you with invaluable insights and proven tactics to successfully get your products specified, reach decision-makers, save time and money, and unlock opportunities for your company. During this engaging event, you will learn how to reach decision-makers, enhance your product visibility, and streamline the specification process. Our distinguished speakers will share their success stories and reveal the key strategies they have employed to secure specifications and establish their products as industry leaders.

Moreover, you will have the unique opportunity to gain insights into getting specified for LEED projects, aligning your products with sustainable building practices. Understanding the specific requirements and nuances of LEED projects is crucial in today's environmentally conscious landscape, and our event will provide you with the necessary knowledge to excel in this domain.

The event will feature a series of enlightening presentations, thought-provoking panel discussions, and interactive breakout sessions. Additionally, there will be ample time for networking, allowing you to connect with like-minded professionals, forge new alliances, and expand your business network. We eagerly anticipate your participation in this transformative event, where you will gain the necessary knowledge and strategies to excel in the realm of building product specification.

All attendees receive a copy of our book: Built To Last: Specification Secrets By Industry Giants

By attending the summit, you will:

Learn proven strategies for reaching decision-makers and enhancing product visibility/
Gain a comprehensive understanding of the specification process and explore ways to streamline it for maximum efficiency.
Discover techniques to save time and money throughout the specification journey.
Acquire insights into the intricacies of getting specified for LEED projects and leveraging sustainable documentation including HPDs, EPDs, and Declare Labels
Engage in interactive discussions with industry experts, exchanging ideas and receiving personalized advice.
Expand your professional network by connecting with fellow manufacturers, industry leaders, and decision-makers.

Summit Agenda

Day One | Tuesday, September 23rd

8:00 am - 8:30 am

Registration and Breakfast

8:30 am - 10:00 am • Presentation
The Care and Feeding of Product Reps

How tried and true techniques can increase your effectiveness when working with design professionals.

Roy Schauffele, FCSI, CCPR, FABAA, LEED Green Assoc., CABS
Division7 Solutions

10:15 pm - 12:15 pm • Presentation

Product Specification Essentials

This session is designed to help building product manufacturers navigate the commercial construction market by securing their products in project specifications. This class covers the key decision-makers in the design process, the challenges manufacturers face, and the factors that influence product selection. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of construction documents, submittals, and the most effective ways to present technical information to design professionals. By mastering these essentials, manufacturers can improve their outreach strategies and increase the likelihood of their products being chosen for commercial construction projects.

What you will learn:

Understanding Design Professionals

Issues you will face

Types of representatives that work with design professionals

Factors affecting product decisions

Understanding construction documents

Why products are selected

Effective product information
Understanding construction submittals
Reaching the design professional
Effective technical assistance

Matt Johnson, Director of Manufacturer Services
BPM Services / RIB Speclink

12:15 pm - 1:00 pm

Lunch & Networking Break

1:00 pm - 4:00 pm • Presentation

Moneyball for Building Product Manufacturers; Strategic investment and planning for those without an unlimited budget.Matt Johnson, Director of Manufacturer Services

In a world where budgets are tight and resources limited, the quest to not only be listed in specifications but to get the order can often feel like a high-stakes game. Building product manufacturers understand that newer construction methods and higher quality products are often at a disadvantage when viewed through the limited lens of specifications. Discover how to decode the unique challenges each product faces when it comes to adoption and learn how to craft a focused strategy that not only conquers the market but also fits comfortably within your budget constraints.

What you will learn:

How to break down the unique product adoption challenges different categories of products face and the strategies that best address each.
Provide an overview of different specification and technology trends observed across hundreds of building product manufacturers.
Track the shift in how products are specified in the growing owner's market, and how the firm you’ve targeted for a large upcoming project may not be making the product decisions (but won’t tell you).
Understand how changes in project information data collection methods affect the types of projects you’ll see on platforms like Construct Connect and Dodge, and how this directly affects effort to secure basis of design and sole source work.
Set realistic expectations for your organization regarding ROI related to BIM and product selection, and see why many firms are pivoting to a 2nd phase BIM strategy.
Review sustainability benchmarking and the shift to carbon lifecycle (EC3). Is it time to invest in a EC3 rating?
Discuss the rise of Collaborative Design as the primary strategy for obtaining basis of design projects for complex assemblies and premium products.

The good, the bad & the ugly; Assessing 3rd party programs and technology that promise to help get your products specified.
Why is our industry data so disconnected? What new efforts to break through siloed product data are in the pipeline?
Learn to separate which specific AI construction technologies are safe bets from those that have high failure rates and be able to explain these factors to other key stakeholders.
How to utilize the Gartner Hyper curve as a tool to explain technology investment risk to your company principals.

Matt Johnson, Director of Manufacturer Services
BPM Services / RIB Speclink

5:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Evening Reception and Dinner @ Salsita (across the parking lot)

Day Two | Wednesday, September 24th

8:00 am - 8:30 am

Registration and Breakfast

8:30 am - 9:00 am • Presentation

Success Stories - How to be an Effective BPM Architectural Sales Rep.

Paul Marquez, Global Head of Specifications & Sustainability - Excel Dryer, Inc.

9:10 am - 11:00 am • Presentation

BIM & Beyond: How the Revit Workflow Wins Projects

BIM Basics - Review for newbies
BIM Workflow - Understand how your design customers work with BIM
BIM Content - Explore the different types of products and how they fit in BIM
Open Discussion with the experts

Jim Conger, Director of Strategic Alliances • BIMobject

11:00 am - 12:15 pm • Presentation

Sustainability Documentation and Changes to the LEED Rating System: What Manufacturers Need to Know

Environmental and health performance for materials
Transparency and disclosure
LEED v5 and other certification systems

Heather Holdridge, EIT, Assoc. AIA, LEED Fellow - Lake Flato Architects

12:15 pm - 1:00 pm

Lunch & Networking Break

1:00 pm - 1:45 pm • Round Table Discussion

The Current and Future use of AI in Building Product Manufacturing

This session will be an open forum led by several of our speakers to discuss how AI is effecting the industry and how individuals in attendance see AI being implemented in their organization. Hear how others have had success and what challenges they are facing.

1:55 pm - 3:15 pm • Presentation

Smart Strategies for Getting Specified: Podcasts, AI, and Data in Action

Learn how to develop powerful AIA and LEED podcasts and distribute them on major platforms like Spotify, Amazon, and Apple to reach specifiers.
Explore how AI tools can save time, cut costs, and create compelling content for engaging design professionals.
Discuss how to use data, surveys, and lead generation tools to drive product specifications and save your team time and money.
Review best practices to engage audiences, avoid common mistakes, and increase product specifications via webinars, podcasts, and media campaigns.

3:15 pm - 4:00 pm

Closing Comments & Questions + Networking

Moderated By:

Ron Blank, CSI, CDT • Ron Blank & Associates, Inc.|

Landon Boone, CSI, LEED AP • Ron Blank & Associates, Inc.

By attending the summit, you will:

Summit Agenda

Day One | Tuesday, September 23rd

Registration and Breakfast

Lunch & Networking Break

Moneyball for Building Product Manufacturers; Strategic investment and planning for those without an unlimited budget.Matt Johnson, Director of Manufacturer Services

Evening Reception and Dinner @ Salsita (across the parking lot)

Day Two | Wednesday, September 24th

Registration and Breakfast

Success Stories - How to be an Effective BPM Architectural Sales Rep.

BIM & Beyond: How the Revit Workflow Wins Projects

Sustainability Documentation and Changes to the LEED Rating System: What Manufacturers Need to Know

12:15 pm - 1:00 pm

Lunch & Networking Break

The Current and Future use of AI in Building Product Manufacturing

Smart Strategies for Getting Specified: Podcasts, AI, and Data in Action

Closing Comments & Questions + Networking

Previous Summit Attendees