Join the live studio audience!
Join us to network and be part of the live studio audience for Under the Hard Hat, the new ACI Young Professionals conversation series and podcast.
Overview
This initiative is designed to create a legacy of learning by capturing the real-world insights of experienced construction leaders and sharing them with the next generation.
Each event in the series will feature a live interview with an industry professional, offering a candid look at their career journey, lessons learned, and the advice they wish someone had shared with them when they were starting out. These conversations will not only inspire attendees in the room, but will also be recorded and released as podcast episodes on streaming platforms, extending their impact far beyond the event.
All are welcome to attend. This program is designed to be accessible for Young Professionals and industry newcomers, but we guarantee there are valuable insights to be gained by all ages & career stages.
Event Details
We are proud to welcome Steve Bestard, Sr. Vice President & COO at Messer Construction Co., as the special guest for our fourth episode.
Steve will share how his career unfolded—taking him from a project engineer to leading all company operations across all 12 cities for Messer—including the challenges, risks, decisions, and lessons he learned along the way.
Schedule
• 4:00 PM – Networking
• 4:30 PM – Live podcast interview with Steve Bestard
Core conversation questions
What I wish I'd known
Quick-fire round
Questions from the audience
• 5:30 PM – Continue networking
Sponsorships
Are you interested in sponsoring this event or the Under the Hard Hat initiative? View 2026 Sponsorship Opportunities here or contact Erica Schwegman at eschwegman@aci-construction.org for more information.
This is a pre-pay event. Cancellations must be made 14 days prior to the event. Cancellations less than 14 days prior to the event are non-refundable. However, substitutions are welcome.
Please be advised that this event will be recorded. By attending, you acknowledge and consent to being recorded and agree that ACI may use the audio, video, and images captured for marketing and promotional purposes. Your participation constitutes a legally binding release permitting such use.
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