Sarah Wortman, CPSM
Since 2011
Active
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AEC marketing professional
Sarah leads comprehensive marketing strategy and business development for MG2, a global architecture and design firm with six offices across the United States and China specializing in retail, workplace, healthcare, multifamily housing, and hospitality markets. She provides strategic rigor and support for firmwide business development initiatives while supervising marketing teams and working closely with principals to drive growth. Her leadership encompasses brand positioning, client relationship development, and market expansion strategies.
With over 20 years of extensive AEC experience, Sarah brings a distinctive background that combines architecture, engineering, and interior design marketing with academic training in communications, public relations, and crisis management. Before entering professional services marketing, she taught advertising, public relations, and crisis communication at DePaul University, bringing scholarly rigor and teaching excellence to her business development approach. This academic foundation enables her to train closer/doers effectively, improve close rates, and develop strategic marketing frameworks.
Sarah’s proven track record includes successful rebranding campaigns, 600% media presence growth, website launches, developing systems to streamline marketing processes, growing firms into new geographies and market verticals, and transforming ineffective marketing teams into unified, high-performing groups. She specializes in situations where firms need marketing expertise but aren’t sure what questions to ask, or when marketing infrastructure needs strategic realignment.
Sarah’s exceptional contributions to advancing AEC marketing extend through multiple dimensions of professional leadership. As Past President of SMPS Chicago Chapter, she led one of the nation’s largest and most influential chapters, strengthening professional development programs and industry connections throughout the Midwest region. Her chapter leadership demonstrated commitment to elevating marketing as a strategic business function within AEC firms.
Currently serving as President of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Corporate Facilities Council, Sarah bridges AEC marketing with corporate real estate and facility management communities. This cross-industry leadership positions her uniquely to understand how design and construction firms can better serve corporate clients’ evolving workplace needs. She actively participates in NAIOP(Commercial Real Estate Development Association), expanding her influence across real estate development, investment, and facility management sectors.
Sarah’s thought leadership includes serving on the SMPS Marketer Magazine Editorial Committee, helping shape the industry’s premier professional publication. She has published articles in Marketer including “Keeping Clients in Play: Managing Your Contacts Between Projects,” addressing the critical challenge of maintaining client relationships between active engagements. Her blog at aecsarah.wordpress.com shares insights on AEC marketing practices, industry trends, and professional development.
Beyond professional pursuits, Sarah brings creative balance to her work through pottery, baking, dancing, and international travel—pursuits that inform her strategic thinking and problem-solving approach. Her Northwestern University MFA in Radio/TV/Film and seven years as faculty advisor for student radio station WRDP demonstrate her commitment to teaching, storytelling, and developing emerging professionals.
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