Members of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) learned at the 2013 annual conference from Susan Park Rani about how a small business can be more effective and maneuver its way through often confusing national programs.

Rani, founder and president of Rani Engineering, was a speaker on “Navigating the Federal Credentialing Process for Small Firms” along with Major Clarke of the Small Business Administration and Warren Whitlock, associate administrator in the office of civil rights at the Federal Highway Administration. Issues discussed at the April event included federal programs for small businesses and expected trends in small business participation, along with program statutes and regulations overview, program intent, size standards, program goals and the achievement gap. Success stories and best practices by small and large businesses were also shared.

Rani Engineering, based in Minneapolis with offices in North Dakota and California, has over 40 employees and was founded in 1993.

ACEC is considered to be the voice of America’s engineering industry. The council numbers more than 5,000 firms representing more than 500,000 employees throughout the country.