2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Jay Bliefnick, ACENTECH

“Jay Bliefnick began his career in acoustics consulting at Acentech in 2018 as a new PhD. Since that time, he has established his expertise, rigor, and dedication to our field. His favorite projects include laboratories, environmental noise, and houses of worship. He has also led the development and standardization of many technical analysis tools we use every day. Now an Associate Principal, Jay leads projects of high importance and is trusted by clients and colleagues.”

What inspired you to pursue a career in your industry, and what path brought you to your current role? My career path was a bit circuitous, as after high school I was truly passionate about pursuing a life in the music industry. I was in multiple bands as a bassist/guitarist and also broke into live and studio music production. However, once I discovered the field of architectural acoustics, I realized that there was a profession that provided the opportunity to help design the venues where I was performing music. Soon after, I switched my undergraduate major to Acoustics, which then led to graduate school, followed by an internship and ultimately a full-time position at Acentech.

What accomplishment or project so far in your career are you most proud of? I am most proud to have worked on the Broward County Convention Center and Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, FL. This project included the renovation of existing Convention Center spaces and the new construction of a 29-story Omni® Hotel, Convention Visitors Bureau, and outdoor pavilion/plaza spaces. As the acoustics Project Manager, I was responsible for ensuring appropriate sound isolation between ballrooms, meeting rooms, guestrooms, and other noise-sensitive spaces, as well as good room acoustics within all occupied areas and interior/exterior noise control of project mechanical equipment.