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F IRMS ON THE MOVE WJE OPENS SOUTH FLORIDA OFFICE Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates (Northbrook, IL) has an- nounced the opening of its new office in South Florida. The branch will be led by Principal and Unit Manager Leandro Etcheverry, who most recently served as manager of the firm’s Houston office. “We are thrilled to establish a local presence in this important, growing, and vibrant region,” said Etcheverry. “We look forward to not only being closer to our many valued Florida cli- ents, but also to introducing our services to those who need help in solving their construc- tion-related problems across the state.” Senior Associates Tricia Fitzgerald and Karen Zimnicki join Etcheverry in providing the full- range of WJE’s services from the new location. ON THE MOVE SMPS ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF CEO The Society for Marketing Professional Services (Alexandria, VA), an A/E/C marketing and business development association, is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Geary as its chief executive officer, effective October 8. Geary succeeds Ronald Worth, who served as SMPS CEO for 16 years. Tina Myers has served as interim CEO since March. “We’re thrilled to have Michael join SMPS,” said SMPS President Barbara Shuck. “His association experience in architecture and construction, and enthusiasm for the A/E/C industry are critical components to ensure the Society’s vision to serve members, their firms, and the profession.” Geary brings more than 20 years of association management experience to SMPS. He joins the Society from AmericanHort, the horticulture industry’s trade association, where he currently serves as president and CEO. He also served as executive director of the independent American Institute of Architecture Students and senior director for the National Association of Home Builders. “I am excited and honored to join the SMPS team and looking forward to the tremendous things we will accomplish together to enhance the profession and serve our membership,” Geary said.

calls to help me stay on track. Especially in an acquisition, where there are many mov- ing parts, it’s important to have a method for making sure that your position is clearly articulated. My dinner experience could have been fantastic, if the server had shared key information with us when it was available, instead of avoiding me and my husband: “I just wanted to let you know that a large table ordered ahead of you. Do you mind to wait for your food? We are happy to bring you a round of drinks or an appetizer on the house – sorry about that.” The server would have had two customers who were happy to be there and could adjust their evening plans based on a few pieces of the puzzle that were unknown to us when we were neglected. Think about how the people that you deal with could benefit from regular updates, and call me if you need restaurant recommendations in Northwest Arkansas. JAMIE CLAIRE KISER is director of M&A activity for Zweig Group. Contact her at jkiser@zweiggroup.com . JAMIE CLAIRE KISER , from page 3 TRANSACT IONS WAI EXPANDS SERVICES TO COLORADO Wenck Associ- ates Inc. (Maple Plain, MN) has expanded services to Colorado to increase their footprint in the Rocky Mountain Region through a merger with Lidstone & Associates (Fort Collins, CO). Founded in 1986, Lidstone specializes in ground water resources, surface water engineering, stream restoration, civil and mining engineering, and other professional services primarily in Colorado, Wyoming, Texas, and Oregon. They have offered a full range of services, from environmental permitting to feasibility studies, engineering design, and construction man- agement. Going forward, the company will now be known as Lidstone & Associates – A Wenck Com- pany and service offerings will expand into air quality, environmental management and regulatory compli- ance, environmental review and assessment, facility and process engineering, industrial hygiene and safe- ty, natural resources, real estate, site assessments, sustainability, traffic engineering, waste management, and water resources. Effective July 1, the 15 full-time and three part-time employees from Lidstone joined the existing Wenck staff of more than 275. Founded in 1985, Wenck Associates is a leading engineering and consulting firm dedicated to provid- ing innovative solutions through strategic engineer- ing, environmental, and consulting services. With 14 offices in six states, Wenck’s operating companies (Wenck Associates, Wenck Construction, Wenck Real Estate, Wenck Response) provide clients a united team of engineers, scientists, and business and construction professionals.

FOR YOUR BOOKSHELF

Many owners of A/E/P and environmental consulting firms aren’t familiar with the M&A process. Zweig Group’s Guide to Mergers & Acquisitions for the A/E/P & Environmental Consulting Firms draws on the experience of M&A advisors, attorneys, and CEOs of firms that have been through the process and includes several informative interviews, articles, and case studies. A Guide to Mergers & Acquisitions for the A/E/P & Environmental Consulting Firms – an updated and revised version of the A/E Mergers & Acquisitions Cookbook (2007) – is a straightforward guide to the complicated transactions that can catapult your A/E/P or environmental firm from run-of-the-mill to extraordinary.

Learn how to prepare your A/E/P or environmental firm for a merger or acquisition. Find appropriate targets and get tips for drafting a letter of intent. Get strategies for conducting

thorough due diligence. Learn about standard transaction documents and structuring the deal. Prepare for closing the deal, and learn the post-closing integration issues to look out for. Read case studies of real-life mergers and acquisitions in the A/E/P and environmental industry. The publication will be released October 15. Preorder now at zweiggroup.com/books.php and save $100.

THE ZWEIG LETTER AUGUST 31, 2015, ISSUE 1118

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