From July 29–31, ORC leaders from across the country came together in Columbus, Ohio, for the 2026 ORC Leadership Summit — three days of learning, collaboration, and connection built around a simple idea: small decisions today, big impact tomorrow.
This year’s gathering also marked a new chapter. What was formerly known as the Managers Meeting has been reimagined as the ORC Leadership Summit — a name that better reflects what the event has become: not just a meeting for managers, but an investment in leaders at every level and the future they’re building together.
The Summit opened the way ORC likes to start things — by giving back. Before a single session began, attendees rolled up their sleeves for a hands-on community service project in partnership with SchermCo. From there, CEO Steve Toth, CFAO Carmen Johnson, and COO Richard McNally set the stage with a look at ORC’s strategic vision, growth trajectory, and the talent landscape ahead.
Over the next two days, leaders worked through a mix of learning sessions, hands-on workshops, live demos, and group competitions — from AI literacy and prompt engineering to coaching frameworks and project lifecycle management. Guest speaker Dr. John Bennett led leaders through feedback models and coaching practice, and Tim Ziakas ran an interactive workshop on adaptability and resilience — tools for leading through change and pressure. Divisional breakouts gave Public Sector, Utilities & Infrastructure, and Corporate teams time to dig into what’s next for their groups.
It wasn’t all whiteboards and workshops. A Shark Tank–style group competition put leaders’ pitch skills to the test, the ORC Culture Awards recognized the people who bring The ORC Way to life, and an evening with Friends of the Dead brought live music, dinner, and games. And then there was the mystery: a “Who Kidnapped the Boss?” scavenger hunt sent teams racing through Easton Mall to solve clues, save the boss, and earn the bragging rights.
“The name changed this year, but the reason we gather hasn’t,” said Steve Toth, CEO. “When we invest in our leaders, we’re investing in every project, every client, and every community we serve. The Summit starts with us — and what our people build from here is what I’m most excited about.”
The Summit closed Friday with reflections, commitments, and a challenge from Steve Toth to raise the standard for leadership at ORC. Grow our people. Share bold ideas. Embrace change. Celebrate wins. Have fun. The future isn’t something that happens to us. It’s something we build together.