Letter from the T24 Crew
Hi there!
The planning crew is absolutely thrilled to have you here with us! We’ve been buzzing like busy bees, working hard to create an unforgettable experience just for YOU. From exciting sessions to fun activities (and maybe a few surprises along the way), we can’t wait for you to enjoy everything we’ve lined up. So, let’s plant new ideas, grow connections, and thrive as one big, united team!
Together, we’ll nurture something truly special. We’re so happy you’re here. Let the journey begin!
Letter from the CEO
Welcome to Together 2024!
I can’t begin to express how excited I am to see nearly all 430 of us gathered here in Bentonville. Reflecting on our growth— from 320 strong at Together 2022 to where we are today—I’m filled with immense pride. The sheer talent we have coming together is incredible, and it’s a testament to who we are as a company now and where we are going. Together 2024 is about more than just being together—it’s about celebrating our employee ownership culture. Our owner mindset drives our relentless innovation, continuous improvement, and unwavering commitment to each other and our clients.
As we gather this week to work, connect, learn, and grow, I want you to leave feeling energized by the extraordinary enterprise we are building together. Each one of us, as part of this collective effort, is an integral part of something truly special, something we are creating—every day, with every action. It is that empowerment that makes us unstoppable in our infinite vision to thrive.
I’m immensely grateful to have you all here this week. It will be an amazing time celebrating the now as we power into the beyond.
Dave Wilgus, aia, ncarb CEO
Agenda at a Glance
MON, SEPT 30
8am - 5pm Work Together
1pm - 7pm Registration + Social Mixer
WED, OCT 2
9am - 10:30am Welcome + Keynote 11am -12:50pm Group Team Building + Lunch
TUE, OCT 1
9am - 9:30am Kick-Off
10am - 12pm Work Together, Community Service + Team Building
12pm - 1:30pm Luncheon
2pm - 4pm Work Together, Community Service + Team Building
4pm - 7:30pm Fireside Social
1pm - 5pm Together Talks 6:30pm - 12am Together Bash!
THUR, OCT 3
8am - 10:30am Work Together, Community Service 10:30am - 2pm Together Picnic
2pm - 4pm Work Together, Community Service 4pm - 7pm Closing Reception
Together is how we WORK.
To Deuce
Work Together
The studio will be divided into different types of workspaces, with the main floor of the studio divided into team-centric zones. You can also find other types of spaces throughout the space like:
PRODUCTIVITY ZONES
These spaces have dual monitors, docks, ethernet, and power.
FOCUS CORNERS
These spaces have power and ethernet. You’ll work off of your laptop.
FLEX SPOTS
These are sporadic spots around the studio. Some have power nearby, and you’ll work on your laptop using Wi-Fi. These zones have a limit of two consecutive hours per person.
STAND-UP STATIONS
These are our sit/stand desks. We have 16 of them, and there is a limit of two consecutive hours per person.
NOTE: Huddle rooms and conference rooms will have limited availability for team meetings and 1 on 1s. Please do not block off an entire day or more than 2 consecutive hours per team.
The Ernie Yonkers Learning Center will be unavailable for meetings.
Together is how we LEARN.
The Story of Together
We launched Together in 2022 to create a gathering space for our people and celebrate the collaborative culture and success we’ve cultivated for over 30 years. We’ve now fully embraced our virtual work environment, and creating quality moments together is top of mind as we gather for 2024.
Our intention for Together Week is to foster team building, provide valuable insights and create opportunities for faceto-face connections among your team members and peers.
Owning Our Future Together
Our most empowering change for T24 is that we are now a 100% Employee-Owned Enterprise. Our theme for this year, “Owning Our Future Together,” sets the tone for a new direction that we are all embarking on. Together is how we share in our successes, challenges, and opportunities.
An Enterprise Built for Growth
It’s our goal to build an Enterprise that delivers the highest-quality architecture, engineering, and construction projects in the industry. And we have a unified mission to empower our people, build strong relationships and lead our clients.
Together is more than a conference. It’s our time to learn, play and lead together as we shape the future of our industry and HFA Enterprises.
Together Talks
Together’24 Keynote
Host: Jennifer Briggs, T24 Keynote Speaker
Jennifer Briggs brings over two decades of practice in executive leadership, human resources, and organizational development from various industries. She serves as a contract executive and as an independent outside director. She served as VP of Human Resources and Organizational Development with New Belgium Brewing for over 12 years creating a winning ‘best of’ workplace. Building healthy, profitable, growth oriented companies with a dedication for integrated impact with shared capital ownership is her passion.
The Brand Makers
Host: Cannon McNair, Director of Brand + Marketing
Everyone at the Enterprise plays a part in the experiences we create, for our clients and for each other. From the simplest email to our most important sales pitches, we create the experience, we shape it over time and we ultimately grow our Enterprise together.
Special Guests: Daniela Villagran, Egle Gornick, Helder Lopes, Ryan Vaughn, Sharon Charwick
Together Talks
The Ownership Mindset Through Ideation
Host: Michelle Page, Chief People Officer
Building on the empowerment-based culture we’ve cultivated, mixed with the catalyst of being an EO operation, everyone at HFE has the opportunity and freedom to contribute to our success through ideation.
Special Guests: Eric Bruton, Courtney Ayres, Rocky Hedgecock, Jennifer Hokanson
Embracing Advancing Technologies
Host: Brittany Pylant, Director of Operations
Exploring how technological advancements are transforming the AEC industry, together we will delve into the evolving roles, emerging opportunities, and the mindset shift needed to thrive in a rapidly changing landscape.
Amplifying Our Culture Through Employee Ownership
Hosts: Dave Wilgus, CEO + Ryan Ray, COO
Building on the empowerment-based culture we’ve cultivated mixed with the catalyst of being an EO operation, everyone at HFE has the opportunity to forge their own path through ideation.
Tuesday, Oct 1st at the Patio Unwind and connect at this relaxed, interview-style gathering where special guests share insights on career journeys, personal growth, and industry trends. It’s the perfect opportunity to gain valuable perspectives while fostering meaningful connections.
Fireside Social Spotlight Sessions
Tuesday, Oct 1st in the Studio (view map for location)
Join us for bite-sized, impactful presentations designed to spark conversation and inspire fresh ideas. These informal sessions offer a perfect opportunity to learn and connect, all while exploring key insights that help us grow together.
10:30-10:40 ........................... ECS with Matt Orender 10:45-11:00.............. Helpdesk Feedback with Bobby Solis
11:00-11:15 ........... Security Best Practices with John Raines
11:30-11:35 ...............Employee Referrals with Steve Frank
11:35-11:50 ..................Concur App with Orenda Mitchell
11:50-12:00 ................ Parents ERG with Marc Jennings
2:00-2:05 ................ Marquee Health with Mandy Tucker
2:05-2:10 .......................... Enscape with Cody Fields
2:10-2:25................. BIM Wants + Needs with Reese Snell
2:25-2:30 ...... Autodesk Design Review with Antonio Aguirre
2:30-2:35 ................Employee Referrals with Steve Frank
2:35-2:50 ............. Reality Capture + BIM with Cody Fields
2:50-3:00 ..........................Dae Talk with Rhett Turner
3:00-3:05 ......... Model Health Checking with Philipp Richter
3:10-3:15 ............. BIM Execution Plans with Philipp Richter
3:20-3:25 .......... TB Sync - ERP Updates with Anthony Sorg
3:30-3:45 ........... Security Best Practices with John Raines
3:55-4:00................ Marquee Health with Mandy Tucker
Giving Back
Give back while bonding with your team. We’re partnering with two great organizations for this year’s community service projects: Box of Balloons and Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
Community service activities will be hosted at our back building, The Deuce, and available for participation from Tuesday through Thursday.
BOX OF BALLOONS
Box of Balloons is a nationwide organization that provides birthday parties for children ages 0-12. They work hand in hand with social workers to identify the children and families who need this help most.
Together, we’ll assemble treat bags and full “party boxes” so these children feel special and celebrated on their special day.
ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
Arkansas Children’s Hospital is the region’s only children’s hospital. Located in Springdale, it provides the area with a full range of pediatric medical services.
Many families at this hospital face longer stays than expected, so we’re putting together toiletry kits to make these stays a bit easier for families.
Team Building
We’ve worked tirelessly with your leaders to organize and plan team building activities specifically catered for you and your team! Get ready for some friendly competition and collaboration!
The great thing about this plan? It helps divide our time in the studio to ensure everyone has a space to work in the office during business hours.
If you want to find out what your team building activity is, you can check out the full list of activities on Dae.
Scan the QR code to access the list.
Together Bash!
After a full day of learning on Wednesday, it’s time to unwind! Join us for an unforgettable bash at an exciting new venue: Heroncrest.
Expect great food, drinks, and music to keep the energy high.
Not sure what to wear? Think office party attire with a fun, relaxed twist. It’s not a strict dress code, so aim for something nice yet comfortable as we celebrate together!
We’ll have shuttles running to and from our partner hotels, Double Tree and Best Western, and Heroncrest.
Uber vouchers will also be available, and vehicles can be picked up from Heroncrest up until noon the following day.
Scan the QR code to access Uber vouchers.
Team Building Challenge
We’re about to embark on an exciting journey where creativity and teamwork will shine! Over the next few days, you and your teammates will brainstorm, sketch, and prepare materials for a surprise challenge that will test your skills and collaboration.
Join us for the big event at the T24 Picnic in Osage Park on Thursday! Arrive around 10:30 AM, with all team members on site by 11 AM. You’ll have until noon to complete your preparations.
The main event kicks off at noon, where our panel of judges will be observing closely to see who can achieve the most impressive results. There will also be a few special awards during our ceremony!
Team Assignments
Curious about your teammates? Check your name badge for a circle with a capital letter that designates your group! We have 16 teams, labeled A through O.
During our Kickoff on Tuesday, each team will appoint a captain. During lunch, we’ll hold a Captain’s Call at 12:30 PM, where all captains will gather to discuss important details and address any questions.
Note:
Please refrain from working on your projects during our Together Talks. Keep an eye out around the studio for ways to earn advantages.
Brittany Chase A Brand+Marketing Bentonville,AR
Together is how we COLOR
Together is how we SEARCH
SOLUTION PROVIDER
EMPOWERMENT
LEARNING CULTURE
GROWING
COLLABORATION
TEAM BUILDING
ENTERPRISE
WORKING
LEADING
EMPLOYEE OWNED CONFERENCE
TOGETHER
SYNERGY
ONE HFA
10 9 10 10 9 8 9 9 9 8
BINGO
Meet Someone New Post on Social Media Grab a Coffee Take a Selfie Wear Your T24 Shirt
Community Service Sing Karaoke Stay for Closing Reception Visit Spotlight Session Someone says, “Together is how...” Catch Someone Yawning Visit the Live T-Shirt Printing Meet Someone in an ERG Check out the Swag Booth Find Someone Who Loves Their Pet Meet Someone from another State Attend Fireside
Can you get a Bingo or a Blackout? Mingle throughout the conference, attend our sessions, and have a great time!
How you fill out the card is up to you! Color in the square, add your initial, it’s all up to you. Somethings are for a prize, but this is just for fun!
Exploring Together
Check out some of our favorite spots below!
VISIT
Crystal Bridges
Museum of American Art
The Momentary Contemporary Art Space
EXPLORE
Coler Bike Preserve
MTB + Recreation Destination
Lake Bentonville Community Park
WORK
Airship Coffee
Cozy Neighborhood Coffee Bar
Onyx Coffee Lab
Award-Winning
Roasters
21c / The Hive Modern Museum Hotel
Osage Park Urban Park
Compton Gardens
Six Acres of Ozark Horticulture
Ledger
Co-working, Bikable Building
8th Street Market
Community-Focused Food Hub
The Momentary
Contemporary Art Space
Dubbed "a new capital of cool" by the Wall Street Journal in 2023, Bentonville, Arkansas is a hub for arts, culinary, and outdoor experiences.
MAP KEY
RESTROOMS
ENTRANCE REGISTRATION
LIVE T-SHIRT SCREEN PRINTING
PRODUCTIVITY ZONES
STAND-UP STATIONS
FOCUS CORNERS
CONFERENCE ROOMS
FLEX SPOTS
T24
Together is how we HELP
We’re here to assist you with any questions or concerns before, during, and after the conference. Feel free to reach out to us using the following contact details:
General Inquiries
For general information about the conference, please email: together@hfa-ae.com.
Technical Support
If you’re experiencing technical issues with work stations, wifi, or any other IT needs, please submit a HelpDesk ticket or email: helpdesk@hfa-ae.com
On-site Assistance
Need help while attending the conference? You can send an email to: together@hfa-ae.com or post in the Exchange Teams Team on the Together’24 thread.
Travel Needs
For any questions regarding hotel stay, flights, rentals, etc, please email: travel@hfa-ae.com.
Scan the QR code for all your Together needs!
