At Hounder, we jump at the chance to join our partners at industry events that are full of fresh insights, platform updates, and meaningful connections. Acquia Engage was no exception—it gave us the opportunity to catch up with familiar faces, meet new members of the Drupal community, and dive into what’s next for the Acquia ecosystem.
What we cover
One of the highlights of Acquia Engage was getting a behind-the-scenes look at upcoming enhancements that will elevate both development workflows and MarTech capabilities. Representing Hounder, Joshua Northcott made the most of his time in Boston. Here is a quick look at what stood out during two packed days of insight, innovation, and inspiration.
Acquia Engage Boston 2025, held April 28–29 at the Omni Hotel in the Seaport District, brought together digital leaders, developers, and marketers for two days of innovation, collaboration, and insight into the future of digital experiences. Here are the 3 key takeaways from this year's event:
1. AI-Driven Personalization & Automation
AI took center stage, with sessions highlighting how organizations are integrating artificial intelligence to enhance customer journeys and streamline content operations. Discussions emphasized the importance of balancing automation with human oversight to ensure ethical and effective AI deployment.
2. Accessibility as a Strategic Imperative
Accessibility was underscored as a critical component of digital strategy. The "Best Use of Technology to Drive Accessible Outcomes" award, presented to Bayer, showcased how inclusive design not only meets compliance standards but also expands audience reach and engagement.
3. Tech Consolidation for Operational Efficiency
Organizations like Alcon were recognized for consolidating their technology stacks to reduce complexity and improve efficiency. Hounder and our work with PERQ by streamlining digital tools for the companies they serve to achieve better performance and more cohesive digital experiences.
It’s Officially Official: We’re Acquia’s Partner Advocate of the Year
While you may have already heard, back in 2023, we were Acquia’s Breakout Partner of the Year, and in 2024, we were recognized as Acquia’s Partner Advocate of the Year. Well, we were able to officially accept our 2024 award at Acquia Engage. While awards are exciting, we really cherished the time we had with Dries Buytaert (Founder of Drupal) and Stephen Reny (CEO of Acquia) most of all.
We had a great time connecting with both Dries and Stephen to talk about all things Acquia and Drupal, and explore how Hounder can continue to grow as a strong, strategic partner. One of the ways we do that is by delivering impactful digital experiences, like the ones we’ve built for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Los Angeles World Airports, and PERQ.
It’s safe to say that Hounder and Acquia are taking the world by storm, and we don’t plan on slowing down. While there is more to come, take a look at a few of our latest project highlights below.
Achieving 80% Faster Login and Bill Payment Process for LADWP
Focused heavily on usability and accessibility, we implemented Drupal as the new website environment for the largest utility provider in Los Angeles. We successfully streamlined the self-service platform so that citizens can easily pay their bills on time, start/stop services, and get in touch with support. Due to the success of this project, we’re excited to continue working with LADWP and help them maximize their Drupal platform.
Seamless Migration from Sitecore to Drupal for the Largest Los Angeles Airport Hub
Los Angeles World Airports needed to move away from their Sitecore platform as it was being deprecated, and required a team that could efficiently migrate their website with minimal downtime. Drupal was the perfect solution for us to globalize web components and make it easier for the LAWA team to edit and build new pages without excessive coding expertise.
Building and Migrating a 256 Website Solution on Acquia Site Factory
Combining our web development and design expertise, we successfully architected a seamless multi-site environment for PERQ, a web automation company that specifically helps apartment property management companies. By utilizing Acquia Site Factory, we tailored page themes and components, bringing customization capabilities to PERQ websites for different types of apartments, ranging from luxury to standard complexes. Not reinventing the apartment hunting experience, we integrated useful APIs and thoughtful design for users to filter, search, and apply for their dream apartment unit.
Shaping Smarter Digital Experiences Together
After attending Acquia Engage, we’re reinvigorated with excitement for what’s to come and look forward to sharing even more project stories as we continue to launch new websites in 2025. We’re already counting down until the next Drupal/Acquia meetup, but in the meantime, we’ll be working our magic and continuing to help others find ways to maximize the innovative features these platforms have to offer.
