Interior wall and ceiling construction continues to evolve through new technical guidance, product developments, industry collaboration, and updated best practices. This session features representatives from key industry organizations and manufacturers who will share current updates, emerging technical papers, and important developments affecting contractors, manufacturers, designers, and field professionals.

Featuring Darin Coats of the Technical Services Information Bureau, TJ Maunder of Southern Wall Products and the Drywall Finishing Council, Jason Warren of SCAFCO Steel Stud Company, and Robert Negri of Clear Vision Solutions, this session offers a broad look at the technical issues and innovations shaping the industry. Topics will include drywall finishing, cold-formed steel framing, technical services, product performance, manufacturing, and organizational initiatives that support quality, consistency, and advancement in interior construction.

Attendees will leave with a better understanding of the resources, research, and technical leadership available through industry organizations, along with practical insight into where wall and ceiling construction is headed next.

Building-envelope failures often begin long before work starts in the field, rooted in design details, specifications, material selections, and assumptions made during earlier project phases. When issues arise, the visible defects may point to deeper breakdowns in constructability, coordination, execution, or documentation.

In this session, Alfonso Bastidos of the Carpenters International Training Fund and Lisa Moe of Amento Group will explore what it takes to build defensible envelope projects from both the training and forensic perspectives. Alfonso will discuss how structured building-envelope training helps contractors and installers understand the interaction between building components, systems, and environmental conditions, while also equipping teams to recognize and raise constructability concerns before they become defects. Lisa will share insight from forensic investigations, testing, disputes, and claims to explain what documentation matters most when a project is challenged.

Attendees will leave with practical strategies for improving field competency, strengthening coordination, verifying that work is performed as intended, and creating a clear documentation record that demonstrates compliance with contract documents and protects professional standing.

In today’s construction environment, teams are expected to perform quickly, adapt constantly, and meet growing demands while experienced workers retire faster than they can be replaced. Upskilling teammates and new recruits is critical, but the time and focus needed for traditional training can be hard to find.

In this session, Chad Pearson of Plexxis Software introduces training tactics inspired by professional fighters, police officers, and combat arts coaching to help contractors approach skill development in a more practical and effective way. Drawing from his background in construction technology, law enforcement, and decades of experience competing and coaching in combat arts, Chad will show how calm, focused training methods can prepare teams for chaotic, high-pressure situations. Attendees will leave with fresh strategies for building confidence, improving performance, and helping their teams level up in the real-world pace of construction.

Unexpected problems can happen to any business, and preparation often determines whether a company can recover and move forward. In this panel discussion, professionals from the legal, insurance, and risk management fields will share real-world stories of unusual, high-stakes, and challenging situations businesses have faced, along with the lessons learned from how those companies survived.

Featuring Rian Jones of JAMS, Monte Griffin of GE Vernova, and Bryan Dunn of Brown & Brown Insurance Services, this session offers a practical look at risk from multiple perspectives, including dispute resolution, insurance coverage, claims management, contract review, loss control, and construction-focused risk planning. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of how to identify potential exposures, strengthen preparedness, and make informed decisions when luck runs out and risk becomes reality.

AI is already changing the way contractors work, but successful adoption requires more than curiosity—it requires clear expectations, responsible practices, and practical guardrails. In this interactive workshop, Andrew Kragness of SWACCA and Sixth Eye will guide attendees through real-world AI scenarios designed to surface opportunities, concerns, and potential red flags.

Participants will work with peers to discuss what responsible AI use should look like in the wall and ceiling industry, including where AI can support better workflows and where caution is needed. Drawing on Andrew’s experience in emerging technologies, computational design, constructability, and project delivery, this session will help attendees move beyond general discussion and begin defining shared standards for AI adoption. Attendees will leave with practical takeaways and a stronger framework for evaluating and using AI tools in their organizations.

Emerging technology can feel overwhelming, but getting started does not have to be. This session combines SWACCA’s Innovation Spotlight with a practical conversation about AI adoption, giving attendees a look at new tools, peer-driven ideas, and real-world examples of how contractors are beginning to use artificial intelligence in their businesses.

Led by Andrew Kragness of SWACCA and Sixth Eye, the session will move beyond theory to focus on practical first steps, what contractors actually need to begin, and how innovation can support better project delivery in the built environment. Drawing on Andrew’s experience in façade design, constructability, computational design, and emerging technologies, attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of where AI may fit into their work and how to begin exploring it with confidence.

Jobsite conflict is a reality of complex construction projects, but how leaders respond can make all the difference. In this candid, solutions-focused session, construction professionals share real-world approaches for de-escalating tension, strengthening communication, and leading teams through difficult project moments.

Featuring perspectives from Albert Martin of Skanska USA Building, Steve Harpster of Turner Construction, and facilitator Mike Powers of Alliance Partition Systems, this session highlights the soft skills that are essential in high-pressure environments. Attendees will gain insight into how calm leadership, accountability, respect, and clear communication can help resolve challenges, preserve relationships, and support successful project outcomes. Drawing from decades of field, operations, and leadership experience, the speakers offer practical takeaways for addressing conflict directly while keeping both the people and the work on track.

In this session, Hart Hodges and James McCafferty of Western Washington University’s Center for Economic and Business Research provide an informative economic update designed to help attendees make sense of current market conditions and emerging trends. Drawing on their extensive experience in economics, business research, financial modeling, and regional economic analysis, they will offer context for the factors influencing businesses, communities, workforce needs, and long-term planning.

Attendees will gain a clearer understanding of the economic landscape and how broader trends may affect their organizations, projects, and strategic decisions. With expertise spanning applied business economics, natural resources, workforce development, public agencies, and private-sector consulting, Hart and James bring a practical and well-rounded perspective to the challenges and opportunities facing today’s business environment.

Most people carry a much larger toolbox than they realize. In this interactive session, Joe Curcillo invites attendees to look beyond job titles and résumés to identify the problem-solving abilities, leadership instincts, adaptability, communication skills, and real-world judgment they have built across jobs, crews, and life experiences.

Through practical reflection and relatable examples, participants will learn how to take inventory of their strengths, reframe their experience as an advantage, and recognize the value they bring both on and off the job site. Drawing on his background as a speaker, magician, mentalist, trial lawyer, and leadership advisor, Joe brings an engaging and memorable approach to helping people build their lives with the same resourcefulness and confidence they bring to their projects.

The most valuable people on any job site aren’t the ones with just one tool—they’re the ones with a whole toolbox. They’re the ones who bring every lesson, every skill, and every job—on and off the jobsite—to whatever challenge is in front of them. In this high-impact keynote, Joe Curcillo dismantles the myth that you need to stick to one specialty to succeed. From the foundation to the finish work, real builders know: it takes a range of tools to get the job done right. This message is for the ones who’ve picked up wisdom from every foreman, every misstep, and every trade they’ve touched. It’s for the problem-solvers, the crew leaders, the quiet pros who see the whole room—and keep things moving when plans fall apart. Because the truth is: You’re not “all over the place.” You’re just carrying more tools than most people know how to use.