TZL 1336

P R O F I L E

Exceed expectations: Diane Bicknese President of Schaefer Engineering, Inc. (Wentzville, MO), a firm founded on integrity with a commitment to provide quality professional forensic consulting services nationwide.

By LIISA ANDREASSEN Correspondent

B icknese first learned about the company when her husband, Randy, vice president, started working there in 2004. Bicknese then followed suit and took a job with Schaefer as an engineer. In 2017, the couple became Schaefer’s owners. Together, they’re actively involved in project work and client development on a daily basis. “Schaefer Engineering, Inc. is certified as a Women’s Business Enterprise through the Women’ Business Enterprise National Council,” Bicknese says. “We sincerely value and support our entire team and facilitate a work atmosphere where everyone is respected and welcomed.” A CONVERSATION WITH DIANE BICKNESE. The Zweig Letter: What are the three to four key business performance indicators that you watch most carefully? Do you share that information with your staff?

Diane Bicknese: The key business performance indicators that I watch most carefully are billable hours, project count, and accounts receivable. I regularly share the performance indicators with my staff because it is important for the entire team to be cognizant of the state of the firm and the industry. It’s important that they see the results of their actions and commitments – good or bad. TZL: What role does your family play in your career? Are work and family separate, or is there overlap? DB: My husband and I worked together at the firm for 11 years before we purchased it when the original owner retired. As a result, significant overlap between work and family life occurs. TZL: What, if anything, are you doing to protect your firm from a potential economic slowdown in the future?

THE ZWEIG LETTER Ma

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