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T R E N D L I N E S N o v e m b e r 3 0 , 2 0 2 0 , I s s u e 1 3 6 9 W W W . T H E Z W E I G L E T T E R . C O M

HR staff bonuses

Respond to your call to action, whatever it may be, and build a legacy that will leave your profession better than you found it. Find your call to action

A s we prepare to close out another year, a time like this ought to be full of enthusiasm and inspiration for the year ahead with holiday merriment sprinkled in for good measure. Many – myself included – were eager to wrap 2020 up, throw it in the trash, light it on fire, and move on to brighter things ahead in 2021. Good riddance. However, as I write this from my home office, planning a holiday season without family and friends, it’s somewhat tough to be of good cheer. It feels like the end isn’t as aligned to closing promptly on December 31 as I’d somehow naively anticipated for whatever reason. For those who are also feeling the weight of the ongoing doldrums, my very best advice is to find a new way to connect to your profession that brings you renewal, energy, and a feeling of working together to solve a problem. That may include becoming active in a committee or taskforce through SEA, ACEC, or another professional organization, mentoring through a program like ACE, serving as an alumni capacity to support your college or another educational institution, or perhaps finding a call to action in an industry association that speaks to a passion of yours. I can say that for me, the ElevateHer cohort program provided deeper meaning than I could have had any way of knowing how much I would personally need. After launching ElevateHer in September 2019 to tackle recruiting and retention issues that hold the AEC industry back from attracting and retaining every bright mind, members of the inaugural 2020 cohort from across the country gathered in- person the first week of March to define the topics they would team up to tackle in-depth over the next six months, working remotely with their team members to research and define implementation- ready responses that would be rolled out at our annual Elevate AEC conference in the fall. Just one short week after our cohort met, cities and states began to shut down and quarantines were ordered. Suddenly, the wave of optimism about yet another record year for the AEC industry’s growth and outlook changed completely, and some firms quietly cut budgets and furloughed or laid off staff. The layoffs impacted several cohort members directly and caused others to worry that spending time and resources on something like ElevateHer when many were suffering professionally and personally was a luxury, a feeling that only intensified following the senseless killing of George Floyd and the subsequent urgency to address systemic racism in our country. We certainly questioned the appropriateness of continuing the ElevateHer cohort program, especially as it became clear that our in-person conference would not be possible. But at the same time, it was also true that the Zoom update meetings with the cohort teams to discuss their projects and work through

Zweig Group’s 2020 Incentive Compensation Report of AEC Firms covers bonus data for nontechnical positions within the AEC industry. A popular way for firms to benchmark their bonus payouts is by analyzing it as a percentage of base salaries. For example, the chart above shows median values for bonuses as a percentage of base salaries for four positions within a human resources department. Lower level HR staff like assistants and coordinators typically receive less bonuses as a percentage of their base pay relative to HR managers and directors. Participate in a survey and save 50 percent on the final or pre- publication price of any Zweig Group research publication. F I R M I N D E X Blackstone Environmental, Inc.. ..............4 ConAm Building Co.. ..............................4 Dewberry........................................10, 12 Enovate. .................................................6 LEO A DALY..........................................10 SCS Engineers......................................12 Ware Malcomb........................................4 MO R E A R T I C L E S xz ANNE MELIA: Growing an employee wellness program Page 3 xz Reach new limits: Aine O’Dwyer Page 6 xz MARK ZWEIG: Real differentiation in your A/E firm Page 9 xz ALEX MANDEVILLE: Engagement and growth in a pandemic Page 11

Jamie Claire Kiser

See JAMIE CLAIRE KISER, page 2

T H E V O I C E O F R E A S O N F O R T H E A E C I N D U S T R Y

ELEVATEHER APPL ICAT IONS OPEN FOR 2021 ELEVATEHER APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR 2021 Zweig Group’s ElevateHer program has opened applications for the class of 2021, a group that will work on initiatives to combat recruitment and retention issues while ensuring equal opportunities for everyone in the AEC industry. All individuals, regardless of age, experience, gender, background, or job role, are welcome and encouraged to apply. much more. For 2021, cohort members will have the option to work on new initiatives or continue furthering existing projects started by the previous class.

presentation coaching, training, Zweig Group research, networking opportunities, and more. ElevateHer is also looking for sponsors and partners. Applications for the 2021 cohort are due by December 15, 2020. To download the application form, click here. Zweig Group, three times on the Inc 500/5000 list, is the leading research, publishing, and consulting resource for the built environment. The firm provides strategy, mergers and acquisitions, business valuation, ownership transition, marketing, business development, market research, financial management, project management, recruiting and executive search services nationwide. Zweig Group also provides a comprehensive suite of products including industry reports and surveys, executive training, and business conferences covering virtually every aspect of AEC firm management. Headquartered in Fayetteville, Arkansas and Dallas, Texas.

“The brave folks who signed up to be part of the first-ever cohort come from all corners of the AEC industry. They were bound together by a determination to take action to counter the industry’s top challenge: recruitment and retention, a commitment they kept despite the myriad complexities that 2020 added to the mix. I am proud of the overwhelming support that our class of 2021 will step into and the path that the inaugural class set forth. I’m looking forward to more advocates and allies to bring forth brand new ideas and to advance and implement efforts of last year’s class,” said Jamie Claire Kiser, Zweig Group’s managing principal and founder of ElevateHer. 2021 cohort members will most likely work virtually and will receive resources such as

In 2020, Zweig Group’s inaguaral ElevateHer 2020 cohort members worked in smaller project groups on self-chosen focused topics to create a focused deliverable to be shared with the rest of the industry at Zweig Group’s ElevateHer symposium and Elevate AEC Virtual Conference. Project topics ran the gamut including methods to support individuals in the industry at all stages and phases of their life, addressing conflict and implicit biases, designing career paths, awarding and incentivizing diverse projects and firms, and

JAMIE CLAIRE KISER, from page 1

challenges and ideas were among the highlights of my week. Working together with a team united behind a vision and committed to the betterment of an industry provided a massive infusion of inspiration, easing the isolation that I found maddeningly frustrating as a leader. More than a Zoom happy hour or virtual networking event, I found real meaning and a sense of purpose in supporting the cohort teams as they tackled real issues with actionable outcomes. I left our ElevateHer team meetings feeling both intellectually engaged and excited at the possibilities, sentiments that surely carried over to my next meeting or task, and indeed found myself mulling over conversations and ideas well after the end of the workday. As the year progressed and the anxieties continued to mount, many of my professional connections expressed feeling isolated, burned out, and uninspired heading into the fall. I, on the other hand, felt the exact opposite. Buoyed by confidence in the ability of small groups of people who were total strangers just months before to ignite revolutionary conversations that turned into solutions and bolstered by the effectiveness of curiosity coupled with action, reimagining something as foundational and institutional to Zweig Group as our signature annual conference was easier – and dare I say it – a bit fun, too. As other industry conferences reported lackluster registration as they shifted to a virtual format and various peer networking groups fizzled out and lost engagement with each passing week, we actually gained conference registrations every single week during our eight-week virtual experience, doubling the attendees between the first and last day of our conference. I am firmly convinced that we were able to deliver a wildly successful virtual conference at least in small part because our leadership saw the shift from in-person to virtual as just another puzzle to sort out, another cohort team project that we were lucky enough to be assembled to solve together. Today, as we prepare to finalize our conference and events schedule for 2021, we are able to break free from the mindset of the way we have always done things, keeping the best of what worked in 2020 and rethinking this entire segment of our business in light of what we have learned this year. There are only passing moments where I feel a sense of mourning that we do not know when we will next be able to gather in person with our professional community. This is a very long-winded way of sharing a simple insight and suggestion for all of our readers: find your ElevateHer. Respond to your own call to action, whatever it may be, and work on building your own legacy that will leave your profession better than you found it. The ancillary benefits to maintaining your own spark and the energy overflow from renewing your connection to your profession are innumerable and the return is well-worth the investment of your time. JAMIE CLAIRE KISER is managing principal and director of advisory services at Zweig Group. Contact her at jkiser@zweiggroup.com.

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THE ZWEIG LETTER NOVEMBER 30, 2020, ISSUE 1369

O P I N I O N

Earlier this year, Blackstone Environmental staff particpated in the Miles for Mark 5K, a fundraiser benefiting the American Cancer Society.

S tudies consistently show the benefits of healthy employees. Those include improved morale and productivity, better mental health, fewer sick days, reduced healthcare and insurance costs, fewer accidents, better team building, and, most importantly, overall happiness in both professional and personal life. Healthy employees are more productive, have fewer sick days, fewer accidents, and are happier in their professional and personal lives. Growing an employee wellness program

growth, and positive workplace environment/ team building. The Holiday Challenge focused on stress management and wellness, exercise and health, and finances and gift giving. Participants chose three items from a list of options to work on during each challenge and shared their goals with the CHSO. The challenges lasted about four weeks each. Blackstone provided incentives for participation, such as Blackstone “Blackstone employees are engaged and keeping active, whether it’s a run or walk after work, a 5K with coworkers, or getting more steps in around the office.”

Anne Melia

Blackstone initiated a company-wide health and wellness program in August 2018 based on an employee survey to gauge interest. Every employee completed the survey and responses were positive. Participants were interested in improving these areas: lifetime health, workplace and personal health, safety, nutrition, and life skills. An internal health and wellness team was created consisting of the corporate health and safety officer (CHSO) and two other staff members. The program kicked off with periodic emails on relevant health and wellness topics that were areas of interest on the original survey. In 2019, Blackstone offered three health and wellness challenges. The challenges – in the spring, summer, and during the end-of-year holidays – included a broad range of options within several categories, including physical condition and exercise fitness, nutrition, emotional and personal

See ANNE MELIA, page 4

THE ZWEIG LETTER NOVEMBER 30, 2020, ISSUE 1369

BUSINESS NEWS WARE MALCOMB ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF KECK MEDICINE OF USC BUENA PARK ONCOLOGY CLINIC Ware Malcomb , an award-winning international design firm, announced construction is complete on the new Keck Medicine of University of Southern California Buena Park Oncology Clinic located at 5832 Beach Blvd, Suite 201 in Buena Park, California. Ware Malcomb provided interior architecture and design services for the medical office tenant improvement project. Keck Medicine of USC’s new oncology infusion therapy clinic is located on the second floor of a five-story mixed-use building. The 4,600 square foot facility consists of eight infusion bays, two private infusion treatment rooms, five exam rooms, two nurse stations, seven clinical support rooms, four administrative support rooms, and four single occupancy restrooms. The interior design uses a centralized circulation layout with the patient examination and clinical administrative support rooms surrounding the internally placed clinical support rooms. The infusion bays are placed within an open space plan at the corner of the suite, which provides ample natural light and views to the outside, while internal mid-height partitions provide

a level of privacy to the clients utilizing the infusion bays. The interior color palette consists of mostly white with a combination of tan, grey, and blue hues that provide a light and relaxing aesthetic. Modern linear pendants along with textured upholstery and wood details provide the space with a level of warmth while maintaining the calm and clean environment appropriate for a clinic. “An important focus of this project was accommodating all of the clinical requirements of the space within the existing footprint while still focusing on the clean, calming nature of the guest experience,” said Mila Volkova, Director, Healthcare Design of Ware Malcomb’s Irvine office. “Utilizing every square inch and relying heavily on the circulation path, the design team was able to provide all the required exam rooms and infusion bays while still creating an inviting and private environment for guests.” For more than 30 years, the firm’s Healthcare Design studio has completed projects ranging from ground up medical office buildings and tenant improvements to highly specialized OSHPD 1, 2, and 3 facilities. Ware Malcomb has completed more than 20

projects for the USC corporate account since 2014. The firm’s unique Corporate Accounts program spans a variety of industries including education, office, financial, retail, industrial and restaurant across multiple markets. The program facilitates the delivery of consistent, integrated design services for clients, with both local, specialized staff and the vast companywide resources of a North American platform. The general contractor for the project was ConAm Building Co. Established in 1972, Ware Malcomb is a contemporary and expanding full service design firm providing professional architecture, planning, interior design, civil engineering, branding and building measurement services to corporate, commercial/residential developer and public/institutional clients throughout the world. With office locations throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico, the firm specializes in the design of commercial office, corporate, industrial, science and technology, healthcare, retail, auto, public/ institutional facilities and renovation projects. Ware Malcomb is recognized as a Hot Firm by Zweig Group.

ANNE MELIA, from page 3

trackers based on the total number of points earned during the year. Also, in 2020 the CHSO started sending out regular mid-week health and wellness updates as we navigated the challenges of COVID-19. These emails provided support, resources, encouragement, and company-specific updates to Blackstone staff as they worked remotely while also maintaining field work schedules. Blackstone also developed COVID-19 protocols to address various scenarios, such as working from home, returning to the office, and traveling, all that provided health and wellness information and state-specific requirements. The weekly emails also provide updates to the Go365 program and company-wide challenges and events. The health and wellness program continues to be a success and will no doubt keep growing. Blackstone employees are engaged and keeping active, whether it’s a run or walk after work, a 5K with coworkers, or getting more steps in around the office or participating in a current challenge. And, our team is thinking more intentionally about their health and wellbeing. This includes scheduling regular physicals, implementing regular exercise routines, managing stress, developing healthier eating habits, practicing mindfulness, and being aware of possible mental health concerns. We look forward to continuing to build our program in 2021, growing it with creative challenges, fun activities, meaningful discussions and good information focused on the encouragement and support of our employees’ wellbeing. ANNE MELIA, CHMM, is a senior project manager at Blackstone Environmental, Inc. Contact her at amelia@blackstone-env.com.

branded Yeti tumblers (which were extremely popular!). Most employees actively participated in the challenges, and at the conclusion of each, Blackstone held a celebration with time for employees to share about progress. A key element to each challenge, and the program, is the backdrop of encouragement and support. All progress is celebrated, whether goals are met or not. “Our team is thinking more intentionally about their health and wellbeing. This includes scheduling regular physicals, implementing regular exercise routines, managing stress, developing healthier eating habits, practicing mindfulness, and being aware of possible mental health concerns.” In 2020 our program became more formalized as Blackstone participated in Humana’s Go365 Program. Most eligible staff are part of Go365, which offers both a phone app and an online portal that track online points. Employees have participated in several step challenges (where there is always a good amount of friendly competition), educational events, and volunteer activities. Blackstone has provided incentives to keep engagement high, such as Amazon and food delivery gift cards, and will offer larger incentives at the end of the year like fitness

THE ZWEIG LETTER NOVEMBER 30, 2020, ISSUE 1369

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THE ZWEIG LETTER NOVEMBER 30, 2020, ISSUE 1369

P R O F I L E

Reach new limits: Aine O’Dwyer Principal and CEO of Enovate, a WBE/DBE/SBE firm that serves as a prime contractor as well as a subcontractor on city, state, and federal public agency and private projects.

By LIISA ANDREASSEN Correspondent

Á ine (pronounced ‘On-Ya’) O’Dwyer has held a succession of progressive leadership roles throughout her career. She says that the best ideas “always develop through collaboration with our clients.” “We’re a young company. Having started in this business as an intern and becoming a young vice president and CEO, I see tremendous value in brilliant, but not necessarily experienced, young minds,” O’Dwyer says. “I very much have this approach with Enovate. This mindset has won our company and employees multiple awards. Providing employees freedom to excel and advance without the confines of precedent is a great motivator and a great way for people to reach new limits.” A CONVERSATION WITH AINE O’DWYER. The Zweig Letter: You became CEO and owner in 2017. What was the main impetus for that? Aine O’Dwyer: Having spent 10 years working for a large

construction firm, nationally and internationally, and working my way through the ranks there, I felt it was time to go out on my own and have my own firm. The success of those I surround myself with and the passion that they bring to their work day-to-day is what drives me to be a better leader and push the business forward. TZL: How has COVID-19 impacted your firm’s policy on telecommuting/working remotely? AO: We’ve always had a very transient workforce from Enovate’s inception, whether that has been on a jobsite, in an office, or at home, and so the requirements around working with COVID have not felt drastically different for us. When I started the firm, we made sure to use the latest cloud-based platforms, so that we could continually collaborate and because of setting up this upfront infrastructure, our transition in mid-March to most of the company working from home was very seamless. Employees are doing a great job being productive and engaged during this period and I imagine there will be

THE ZWEIG LETTER NOVEM

elements of how we’re currently working that will continue beyond the end of the COVID crisis. “The success of those I surround myself with and the passion that they bring to their work day-to-day is what drives me to be a better leader and push the business forward.” TZL: How much time do you spend working “in the business” rather than “on the business?” AO: Having worked “in the business” for more than 10 years, it took time to transition from that to working “on my business.” I’m an engineer at heart and it’s difficult to not get pulled into the detail of the work that we do. Luckily, I’ve been able to surround myself with some great people who are doing a super job for our clients. This, especially over the past year, has allowed me to pull myself away from project operations to focus more on growing the business, working on short and long-term strategy, client interface, and corporate governance. TZL: What role does your family play in your career? Are work and family separate, or is there overlap? AO: When you own your own business, it’s hard to create a complete separation between work and family. Thankfully, my wife and I work in different industries. She works in the movie industry, which is just a little different to engineering and construction. What’s great about that is that I can bounce things off her for a completely different perspective which has often helped me think differently about strategic items over the years. I like having that input when it comes to the business. Conversely, I like to think that I also provide just as good input to her career, but I really can’t take any credit for the comedies that she creates. TZL: Trust is crucial. How do you earn the trust of your clients? AO: Having worked for a large corporation for 10 years, I know what it’s like to be in the client’s seat working with smaller firms. I have always kept this in mind when I work with our clients. What is important to them? What do they need? What do they not typically see in or expect from smaller firms like ours? We have a reputation for expertly addressing clients’

needs drawing on years of multinational experience delivering top quality engineering and construction solutions to clients. As CEO, I remain actively involved in the day-to-day operations of the company and our clients understand and appreciate this. Our approach is a collaborative process in which we are partners. We are on the same side of the table with them. We have gained the trust of our clients by demonstrating a responsive culture, transparency, and accountability. TZL: The company is described as “old school with new school flair.” Can you explain that a bit? AO: Born out of a construction company, the Enovate team has spent many collective years on federal, state, and county job sites as project managers, surveyors, field engineers, and superintendents; we know our way around a job-site and excel at complex construction and infrastructure projects, giving us “boots on the ground” experience. However, we are not only field-trained, we are educated experts with more than 55 licenses and certifications. As the driving force making Enovate an internationally-recognized company, I’ve gone from transitioning with the engineering group to leading it and further defined its strategy, pushing it forward to break barriers in construction technology and grow beyond its current capabilities. We know how construction projects work from living and breathing it – we bring field practices and state-of- the-art technology and software to ensure an economic, practical, and constructible solution is implemented. TZL: How has COVID affected your business on a daily basis? AO: Like many other industries, engineering and construction has had to reimagine how work gets done. With an unwavering focus on safety already in place, Enovate was likely more prepared than most to address the challenges of the pandemic. However, the uncertainty surrounding the duration and severity See REACH NEW LIMITS, page 8 “We have gained the trust of our clients by demonstrating a responsive culture, transparency, and accountability.”

HEADQUARTERS: Cranford, NJ

NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 24

YEAR FOUNDED: 2016

OFFICE LOCATIONS:

❚ ❚ Cranford, NJ

❚ ❚ New York, NY

SERVICES:

❚ ❚ Construction management

❚ ❚ Transportation engineering

❚ ❚ Surveying

❚ ❚ Safety and risk

CERTIFICATIONS: WBE, DBE, and SBE WHAT DO ENOVATE EMPLOYEES LOVE MOST? Enovate employees love the entrepreneurial culture. Each person is directly involved in executing the firm’s strategic plan. Employees take an active part in guiding and growing the organization and have a genuine interest in the success or failure of each project, venture or opportunity. Everyone pitches in and works hard, which promotes a strong sense of teamwork.

MBER 30, 2020, ISSUE 1369

The Enovate Team had a team get-together this summer while responsibly socially distancing in a local park.

REACH NEW LIMITS, from page 7

TZL: What skills do you rely on most now that you gained from previous leadership positions? AO: I came to the U.S. as an international student. The high bars of expectations in the courses that I took, as well as continually being surrounded by a collaborative work environment, set me up for my career ahead. Additionally, I was studying engineering while being a full- time student-athlete playing Division I Basketball during my time at NJIT. This helped create a strong structure of discipline and time management, which engrained in me the importance of limited time and efficiency. This proved invaluable as I moved through a succession of progressive leadership roles beginning as a field engineer and moving on to project manager, chief engineer, vice president, and CEO of the engineering arm of a large, privately-held construction firm, and then as owner and CEO of Enovate. “Providing employees freedom to excel and advance without the confines of precedent is a great motivator and a great way for people to reach new limits.” TZL: Are you naming principals in their 20s or 30s? AO: We’re a young company. Having started in this business as an intern and becoming a young vice president and CEO, I see tremendous value in brilliant, but not necessarily experienced, young minds. I very much have this approach with Enovate. This mindset has won our company and employees multiple awards including: ENR National 2018 Top 20 under 4, ENR New York 2018 & 2019 Top Young Professionals, Building Design + Construction, Class of 2018 40 under 40, and more. Providing employees freedom to excel and advance without the confines of precedent is a great motivator and a great way for people to reach new limits. TZL: In one word or phrase, what do you describe as your number one job responsibility as CEO? AO: People – or taking care of our people.

of the crisis makes it hard to anticipate next steps – our focus is on being proactive and having a plan in place for all possible outcomes. Our newly formed Crisis Management and Response Team has been extraordinary in helping navigate things to date. TZL: It is often said that people leave managers, not companies. What are you doing to ensure that your line leadership are great people managers? AO: I believe empowering employees is the best way to create longevity within the company. We’re structured so that each line leader has their own cost center and are responsible and accountable for their own budget, hires, new work, and managing existing work. This “mini- business” of sorts, within the larger framework of Enovate, creates and sustains great leaders and proficient managers. Leadership is empowered to make decisions that affect their business unit enabling them to act and react without bureaucracy. This approach then translates to the employees within the business line, and managers are very aware that the success of the business line is dependent on the great people that we have. TZL: Does your firm work closely with any higher education institutions to gain access to the latest technology, experience, and innovation and/or recruiting to find qualified resources? AO: Yes. I sit on the Industry Advisory Board of the NJIT Civil & Environmental Engineering Department and remain actively involved with the Albert Dorman’s Honor College mentorship and STEAM programs. This involvement allows me to see, often in real time, the latest developments that are coming out of NJIT. NJIT is an R1 Research University, giving it the highest rating for a research university it can achieve. They are very much on the forefront of research across all industries, often partnering with large private sector corporations. Knowing this, I can see the latest innovations and often see where the industry is trending. Of course, the university also has some fantastic students, many of which have either interned for us or worked full-time for us over the years.

THE ZWEIG LETTER NOVEMBER 30, 2020, ISSUE 1369

O P I N I O N

L et’s face it. Even though there are tens of thousands of companies that make up the “industry,” most A/E firms of any one type (MEP, architecture, civil/survey, etc.) are actually pretty similar. Answer these questions and many more, or you will, at best, be a decent copy of a firm or firms that do as well or better than you already do. Real differentiation in your A/E firm

They used to have a name based on a founder or founders, but today it’s just letters that represent the founders’ initials. The prices they charge their clients are comparable. The scope of services they provide is about the same. What they pay and how they pay their employees is fairly consistent across firms. Their management structures are similar – they have principals and project managers and various specialized design or technical people. They probably have a board of 50-year-old – or older – guys that spends most of its time looking in the rearview mirror. Management tracks and promotes “utilization” as its most critical performance metric. They win one out of 10 jobs they go after by putting out a whole lot of proposals and qualification documents and waiting for “their turn” at the feeding trough. They have a marketing intern who handles “social media” who pre-COVID posted lots of pictures of employee birthday parties and baby showers, but now posts pictures of computer monitors for Zoom meetings with virtual happy hours and employee dogs at home instead.

You get the idea. Then you take this giant pool of similar companies, each of which has at least one

Mark Zweig

principal or top manager who espouses the latest flavor-of-the week pop management or marketing idea using a million cliches like “pivot,” “best practices,” “out of the box thinking,” “level 5 leadership,” and more, and no wonder everyone’s profitability, growth rate, staff turnover rate, and client satisfaction levels is so consistent across similar firms. But is running a business in this manner really the way to break through and create something wholly different and unique that excels at what it does and achieves a completely different level of success from its peer companies? I think not. And if you think I am picking on architects and engineers when I paint this picture, don’t think it’s much different in any other industry. There are usually a few leaders and then a whole bunch of followers.

See MARK ZWEIG, page 10

THE ZWEIG LETTER NOVEMBER 30, 2020, ISSUE 1369

ON THE MOVE PAUL COLEMAN JOINS LEO A DALY AS LOS ANGELES MANAGING PRINCIPAL LEO A DALY , the global planning, architecture, engineering and interiors firm, announced that Paul Coleman, AIA, DBIA, LEED, NCARB, has joined the firm as vice president and managing principal in Los Angeles. In this role, he now leads the L.A. design studio in all matters of strategy, business development, talent management, project delivery and design excellence. Coleman is an active and visible leader in the Southern California design community with over 25 years of architecture and construction experience. He joins LEO A DALY from A.C. Martin Partners, where he was chief operating officer and principal in charge on significant projects. An alternative delivery specialist, Coleman is passionate about building and leading high- performance design teams. His standout projects include the LEED Platinum Certified North Addition Office Building at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento; the $520 million New Natural Resources Headquarters for the California Natural Resources Agency/ DGS; and Aven, a 536-unit apartment tower in downtown Los Angeles. As leader of the Los Angeles studio, Coleman will direct an exceptional group of design professionals practicing in a wide variety of building typologies. Former managing principal Roy Follmuth, PE, will remain in the Los Angeles studio and continue as senior project director for the firm’s work at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center. The multiphase hospital transformation, which Follmuth won as managing principal, is the largest project in the firm’s 105-year history. He will also assist

in directing LEO A DALY’s global megaprojects practice. “Paul is an energetic design advocate with a real passion for the design culture of Los Angeles. I’m excited to have him at the head of our L.A. studio. He shares LEO A DALY’s deep commitment to client service and has direct experience leading an integrated design practice in this regional climate. He’s an extremely valuable asset to LEO A DALY and to our clients,” said Steve Lichtenberger, president of LEO A DALY. “Working as a competitor to LEO A DALY in Los Angeles since 1989, I’ve always been drawn to the classic sensibility, deep client focus and unmatched quality of design from LEO A DALY. I’m thrilled to be stepping into Roy Follmuth’s shoes here, and very excited to leverage the size and creative firepower in the firm to grow the Los Angeles studio, become more visible, and contribute to the design dialogue that is so relevant in the global design hotspot of Los Angeles,” Coleman said. LEO A DALY is a leader in the design of the built environment, offering planning, architecture, engineering, interior design and program management. Since 1915, we have had an unyielding focus on design excellence to create exceptional spaces that enhance and enrich the human experience. Our award- winning, diverse portfolio includes projects in a wide range of markets in more than 91 countries, all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. JONATHAN HOLMES JOINS DEWBERRY IN MECHANICSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA Dewberry , a privately held professional services firm, has announced that Jonathan Holmes, PE, ENV SP, has joined the firm’s Mechanicsburg,

Pennsylvania, office as a senior project engineer in the site/civil department. Holmes has more than 30 years of experience spanning a variety of project types, such as land development, stormwater management, power plant and transit facility site designs and permitting, water and wastewater facility permitting and compliance, and municipal ordinance review and revisions. He has worked across a variety of markets including state/local and commercial. “We’re pleased to have Jonathan join our Mechanicsburg team. He brings a wide variety of experience to the firm and will help us continue to support our municipal clients in Pennsylvania,” says Dewberry Associate Vice President Curtis Sanno, PE, CBSI. Holmes earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the Pennsylvania State University in 1982. He is a licensed professional engineer in Pennsylvania, and Maryland, and is a certified Envision Sustainability Professional. Dewberry is a leading, market-facing firm with a proven history of providing professional services to a wide variety of public- and private- sector clients. Recognized for combining unsurpassed commitment to client service with deep subject matter expertise, Dewberry is dedicated to solving clients’ most complex challenges and transforming their communities. Established in 1956, Dewberry is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, with more than 50 locations and more than 2,000 professionals nationwide.

firms that do as well or better than you already do. Focus on being outstanding. Focus on being different. Focus on being a unique firm in a sea of sameness. I’d bet if you did, you will find all kinds of new success! MARK ZWEIG is Zweig Group’s chairman and founder. Contact him at mzweig@zweiggroup.com. “Even though there are tens of thousands of companies that make up the ‘industry,’ most A/E firms are actually pretty similar. They used to have a name based on a founder or founders, but today it’s just letters that represent the founders’ initials. The prices they charge their clients are comparable. The scope of services they provide is about the same.”

MARK ZWEIG, from page 9

So be different! Take out a clean sheet of paper. How should you be organized to deliver the best of what you have talent-wise to your clients? How can you get paid for what you know instead of just getting paid for what you do? What problems are your clients grappling with that you can help solve? What kinds of things are you doing but could change – things that demotivate your people and waste their time and psychic energy? How can you make your marketing distinctive and memorable so you drive up that one-out-of-10 win ratio? How can you get clients to pay better fees? What can you do that distinguishes your social media in a meaningful way? How can you create buzz about your firm in your chosen markets? Is that “alphabet soup” company name of yours really that great? How can you actually inspire and motivate your people, and get everyone focused on making the company perform at a new level? These questions and many more must be raised and answered, or you will, at best, be a decent copy of a firm or

THE ZWEIG LETTER NOVEMBER 30, 2020, ISSUE 1369

O P I N I O N

A s a manager, are you struggling to maintain collaboration and engagement with your staff? Or as a young professional are you feeling disengaged and left behind in your career? If so, keep reading. (If not, you might still learn something anyway.) Through collaboration, mentoring, and continued professional development, we can continue to grow and support each other, no matter what the pandemic throws at us. Engagement and growth in a pandemic

As a young professional, I can speak on behalf of how many of us are feeling. Many of us are beginning our careers trapped in cramped apartments with a few roommates. Or we are balancing parenting and working in the same small spaces. All the while having to adapt to a way of working that is essentially foreign to our industry. With an understanding that the pandemic will be with us for the long-term, we are are all adjusting to the new reality, including the work from home environment and dealing with Zoom fatigue. So, what have we learned thus far? We’ve learned that employees’ wants and needs are not different than they were before the pandemic. Young professionals are still seeking support and development in their careers. But now, we have added a virtual and remote twist to the “office life.”

It is crucial that managers understand that these recent changes are not just affecting companies, but employees as well, and perhaps especially young professionals. At the end of the day, we are humans going through a lot of unexpected life changes. In this article, I’m suggesting three things I think are critical for the continued success and well- being of our firms, and in particular, of our young professionals. They are collaboration, engagement, and professional development. If nothing else, I hope this article will prompt you to think about the young people in your firm and how their needs may be met. 1)Scheduling routine meetings to allow feedback and collaboration is critical for alignment around project goals. We may have gotten away

Alex Mandeville

See ALEX MANDEVILLE, page 12

THE ZWEIG LETTER NOVEMBER 30, 2020, ISSUE 1369

BUSINESS NEWS DEWBERRY’S HOLLY BERGMAN AND MELISSA LEMASTER NAMED AMONG OKLAHOMA NEXTGEN UNDER 30 AWARD RECIPIENTS NextGen, an organization that promotes and encourages the millennial generation to pursue and continue careers in Oklahoma, has announced its 2020 winners of the Under 30 Awards. Among the award recipients are Holly Bergman, AIA, LEED Green Associate, and Melissa Lemaster, NCIDQ, IIDA, LEED Green Associate, of Dewberry , a privately held professional services firm. Award recipients are selected based on their community involvement and professional accomplishments. Those awarded have the opportunity to influence economic change and growth across Oklahoma. “There are many incredible aspiring leaders across Oklahoma, and I am proud to be named among them,” says Bergman. Lemaster adds, “The NextGen organization does a fantastic job of elevating young professionals throughout the state, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to work alongside a great team of professionals.”

Bergman is an architect in Dewberry’s Tulsa, Oklahoma, office and has more than five years of experience. She specializes in library and higher education programming and design. Bergman earned her master’s degree in architecture from Kansas State University and is a member of the American Institute of Architects, Environmental Design Research Association, National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, and the U.S. Green Building Council. Bergman is actively engaged in the Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma communities. She serves on the board for Fab Lab Tulsa and AIA Eastern Oklahoma, a chapter of The American Institute of Architects. In addition, she participates in numerous volunteer opportunities throughout the community. Lemaster is a project interior designer in the Tulsa office with six years of experience. Her specialties include higher education, healthcare, libraries, public safety, and corporate office projects. Lemaster earned a master’s degree in

interior architecture and product design from Kansas State University and is a member of the International Interior Design Association and the National Council for Interior Design Qualification. She leads the community engagement committee for Dewberry’s Tulsa office and helps coordinate office volunteer and donation opportunities. Lemaster served on the IIDA Tulsa City Center Board from 2014-2020, and won the IIDA Tulsa City Center Volunteer of the Year award in 2016. Dewberry is a leading, market-facing firm with a proven history of providing professional services to a wide variety of public- and private-sector clients. Recognized for combining unsurpassed commitment to client service with deep subject matter expertise, Dewberry is dedicated to solving clients’ most complex challenges and transforming their communities. Established in 1956, Dewberry is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, with more than 50 locations and more than 2,000 professionals nationwide.

ALEX MANDEVILLE, from page 11

you can trust and be honest with them. If you have questions, reach out. If they do not know the answer, allow them to connect you with someone else. A mentor or trusted advisor can guide you through project issues, assist you with the feeling of disengagement, or other related items. Since we work with many of our colleagues on project related items, we should also be able to engage with each other on items not related to projects. Speak to your supervisor or manager and be honest. Your company will put in the effort to find a solution for you as long as you put in the effort, ask questions, and make your feelings known. 3)Taking advantage of the technical and professional webinars that industries are offering will help you continue to grow, even while you are remote. If you are feeling a lack of professional development in your career, there are more virtual webinars and resources available than ever. Search for a course that interests you and set aside some time to participate. Many companies have reduced overhead due to reduced BD spending, so they can likely afford the price of a virtual conference or webinar. Also, do not be afraid to reach out to your manager and see if they have feedback or ideas on how you can continue to develop professionally. Find time on their calendar to talk, ask questions, and be honest! They will likely support you or get you involved with projects to help with your professional development. While technology remains an invaluable tool we can use to help connect us with others in the company, we are still human beings. The technology itself won’t collaborate for us or mentor us. We need to continue to use the tools available and define our work environment in this new reality. Through collaboration, mentoring, and continued professional development, we can continue to grow and support each other, no matter what the pandemic throws at us. ALEX MANDEVILLE, P.E., is a civil engineer at SCS Engineers. Contact him at amandeville@scsengineers.com.

with managing projects by the seat of our pants prior to the pandemic, but this remote work environment makes it extremely difficult to be successful using the same approach. Scheduling routine team meetings is important in establishing, well, a routine. Some teams and projects may need more or less communication depending upon the project and necessary deliverables. More frequent meetings can ensure that the team remains on the same page regarding progress and the project goals. A routine meeting schedule should be decided on by the project manager. But the important thing is to make them routine. It is worthwhile to hold video calls whenever possible as they are more personable and the closest we can get to meeting in person. 2)Engaging frequently with peers and/or finding a mentor to connect you within the company will help you feel supported and connected. As a manager, it is important to touch base with staff frequently with one-on-one calls. This allows the conversation to be exclusive and private. In this setting, employees feel more engaged and comfortable discussing topics and feelings beyond project work. It is also worthwhile to call other coworkers from your office who may not be directly involved in projects; those who you used to engage with around the water cooler. In the age of the pandemic, a lot of water cooler talk has been lost, causing employees to be more disengaged than ever. It is a small ask, but it’s a great way to let someone know you are thinking of them and that they are appreciated. As an employee, never be afraid to speak up. Find a mentor “It is crucial that managers understand that these recent changes are not just affecting companies, but employees as well, and perhaps especially young professionals.”

THE ZWEIG LETTER NOVEMBER 30, 2020, ISSUE 1369

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