Kathryn “Katy” Hews, CPSM
Since NA
Active
SMPS Northern New England member
AEC marketing professional
Katy provides comprehensive strategic planning and marketing consulting as Senior Principal with Marketivity Inc., a firm serving the design and construction community exclusively since 1998. Based in Marketivity’s Portland, Maine office, she delivers specialized services in strategic planning, market research, client feedback programs, marketing program development, major pursuit support, and professional training to AEC firms ranging from 30 to 30,000 employees throughout the United States and Canada, including many Engineering News-Record Top 100 firms.
Her consulting expertise spans client surveys, employee surveys, strategic teaming, capture planning, and comprehensive marketing strategy development for architecture, engineering, construction, and environmental services firms. Katy also serves as Marketing Consultant to the Hews Company, a fourth-generation family-owned manufacturer and distributor of truck-mounted construction equipment serving Northern New England since 1927.
With over 40 years of AEC industry experience, she has held senior marketing leadership positions at prominent firms including 13 years with URS Corporation working on major federal pursuits, Corporate Marketing Director roles at Macomber Builders and SEA Consultants, and regional marketing positions with Entranco and Garry Struthers Associates. Her career trajectory includes growth leadership that helped transform a 5-person office to over 35 employees with revenues increasing from under $500,000 to over $4.5 million in three years.
Katy holds the distinguished Fellow of SMPS (FSMPS) designation, representing the highest level of professional recognition within the Society for Marketing Professional Services. This prestigious honor recognizes her sustained contributions to advancing AEC marketing excellence through leadership, education, and service spanning multiple decades of active SMPS participation.
Her SMPS leadership journey includes serving as President of the SMPS Northern New England Chapter (2009-2010), President-Elect (2013-2014), and extensive board service from 2008-2011 and 2014-2016. She previously served as Education Chair for both the Boston and Seattle chapters, demonstrating her commitment to professional development across multiple regions. Katy was a chapter author in “A/E/C Business Development – The Decade Ahead,” published by the SMPS Foundation, contributing thought leadership on the future of professional services marketing.
Colleagues describe Katy as “a force of nature” who brings vast networks, thoughtful approaches, wisdom, and kindness to everything she does. One testimonial highlights her survey and interview skills: “She designed a survey tool for the SMPS NNE Chapter, conducted personal interviews with each member, and provided results that have stood the test of time.” This research effort increased membership, program attendance, and satisfaction ratings, demonstrating her ability to translate member insights into actionable chapter improvements.
Beyond SMPS, Katy served as Charter Member and Past President of the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) Maine Chapter, established in November 2011. Her WTS leadership brought the nascent chapter to a much higher level, reinvigorating the board and ensuring compliance with national standards. She coined the chapter as the “little chapter that could,” a phrase that continues to inspire members today. Through WTS, Katy champions the advancement of women in transportation, an industry where she brings unique expertise given her family business background and extensive work with transportation agencies.
Katy’s consulting work has earned exceptional client testimonials. Michael J. Reilly, FSMPS, states: “Katy is one of the rare consultants who excels as both a strategist and implementation pro. Her experience advising firms of all size and types, combined with her years in-house on the front lines of marketing, business development, and client relations, translate to a deep understanding of client relationships and the business success positive relationships create.”
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