About The Authors

Craig Park and Barbara Shuck first met in 2002, when Craig was the SMPS national president-elect, and Barbara was the SMPS Arizona Chapter president-elect. Together, they worked on several AZ Chapter programs, including a series of “Flying with Eagles” panel programs focused on leadership perspectives from A/E/C industry leaders, and served as national and local chairs for the 2003 SMPS national conference, Build Business: The Next Wave, in Scottsdale, AZ. 

Their paths led them both to Omaha, NE, where, again, they co-presented at SMPS NE Chapter events and remained active in national programs and committees. 

Fast forward to 2019, over lunch in Blair, NE, Barbara and Craig discussed leadership and the need for leadership development insights that included all aspects of a professional service firm — with a perspective from the marketer’s point of view — and decided to write this book. 

Since then, they have co-presented on the themes of the book Inspiration, Innovation, and Integrity at SMPS Regional Conferences throughout the US. The audience reaction and informal surveys during those presentations confirmed their belief in the importance of this book.

  Known A/E/C industry-wide for his unique mix of left-brained creative and right-brained analytics, Craig takes an individualized approach to coaching and mentoring. He focuses on helping his clients identify and execute the measurable steps that help them reach their goals quickly and smoothly. 

For over 20 years, Craig has been a sought-after speaker, author, and coach for his insights into new marketing, technology, and thought leadership. He is a repository of business and technology information supporting the business growth goals of individuals, industry associations, and professional service firms. 

Craig’s mission is to help his clients build value-centered leadership, content marketing visibility, and strategy-focused results-driven growth that generates raving fans and clients for life. Craig’s process empowers your team with the strategic leadership, marketing, and technology tools needed to succeed.

During his career, Craig has helped firms ranging from 20 to 650 people, spanning a single office to over twenty-five branches and generating from $2M to $500M in annual revenue. His approach engages and challenges you and your organization to build an agile, technology-enabled, leadership-focused, enduring professional practice that differentiates you and your practice and serves as the foundation for a culture of success. 

Craig is an Associate Principal with Clark & Enersen, a full-service A/E design firm based in Lincoln, NE. In his private consulting practice, Craig Park Consulting, he helps his clients identify gaps and opportunities and improve outcomes using an agile, results-focused approach to strategy and marketing. 

Craig is an architect by training (BS Arch, Cal Poly SLO) and a technologist by practice. He is passionate about developing strategic business, marketing, and leadership development frameworks to help his clients succeed. 

Barbara Shuck is a veteran A/E/C strategist, writer, thought leader, innovator, trainer, and mentor. She gets marketing and business development in the design and construction industry. She uses more than 35 years of proven expertise to help clients focus on what they do best: delivering superior services to valuable clients.

Barbara’s career spans more than 30 years of communications and client service. She worked in the printing and publishing industry for more than ten years before landing in the design and construction industry, where she has built a formidable reputation as a generous guide, eager to help technical and marketing professionals improve their knowledge and skills. 

She worked for construction, engineering, construction management, and architectural firms in Kansas, Arizona, and Nebraska before becoming a marketing consultant who serves A/E/C clients across the United States.

Today, Barbara's firm, Everest Marketing Services, helps A/E/C firms build effective marketing and communications programs. She advises, educates, and coaches marketing and business development teams, including proposals, interviews, research, planning, promotions, and management. 

Barbara uses a proven storytelling framework to help clients with internal communications, initiatives, and external efforts that win work through compelling and persuasive content and message. She is a Donald Miller StoryBrand program fan and became a Guide in 2020.

   Barbara has a Bachelor’s in Communication Arts and French and a Master’s in International Business (marketing emphasis), along with career expertise in marketing research, planning, business development, proposals, promotions, and management.