Brooke Wenger is the Business Development Leader for the Eastern Region of Triad Engineering, Inc., a multi-discipline engineering firm with offices across the mid-Atlantic region.  She earned her Business Administration with a focus on Marketing and Management degree from Penn State University. As an active member of ABC Cumberland Valley Chapter (CVC), Brooke contributed to the formation of their Young Professionals Group and serves as chair. Brooke is a participant of the ABC National Business Development Peer Group. She is also President of the Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS). 

Q1. Why did you decide to join the National YP group?
A1: Being involved with the CVC’s programs committee, I work closely with our president. Returning after several meetings with other chapter presidents, he was very energized about the YP program on a local and national level. I love a good challenge and the opportunity to meet new people so I, along with two others, volunteered to try to get a YP program off the ground for CVC. After learning about what resources were available from national to help, it only made sense to join at that level and make connections with others across the states.  
 
Q2. What has been the best part of participating? 
A2: A benefit to participating in YP is being able to connect with peers who can share ideas and bring a new perspective to struggles. It’s nice to be able to make a call to discuss a vision or a best practice that someone else has knowledge of. My involvement has also provided me the opportunity to educate myself about construction projects from a contractor’s perspective as opposed to always the engineering view.
 
Q3. What value and potential value do you see in the group? 
A3: Exposure to peers outside of my company's geographic footprint has been a proven value to YP participation. Participation at the National conferences will provide great value, especially as the YP tracks are developed. Potential value of the group is the doors that are opened not only to new business partners, but the expansion of my network and introductions to C-suite level executives.
 
Q4. Why is it important to you to be involved in an association early on in your career? 
A4: Association involvement provides professional development and networking opportunities which are both crucial for professional and personal growth. Mentorship is also a big advantage of becoming involved early on. Having a trusted advisor is comforting as you grow in your career path.
 
Q5. Why should other young professionals join the program and focus on professional/leadership development?
A5: The most important resource you will ever have access to is yourself so why would you ever stop trying to be the best version of you?  This is so cliché, but never stop learning and wanting more.  I live by Albert Einstein’s famous quote, “once you stop learning, you start dying." 

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Interested in joining ABC's National Young Professionals program? visit youngprofessionals.abc.org/join.