TZL 1444 (web)

TRANSACTIONS W.E. O’NEIL CONSTRUCTION CO. HAS ACQUIRED DCA CONSTRUCTION Zweig Group, a full-service AEC management advisory firm, announced its client W.E. O’Neil Construction Co. has acquired DCA Construction, a prominent general contracting firm based in Austin, Texas. The acquisition marks an exciting opportunity for W.E. O’Neil to formally expand its operations into the Texas market, where it has completed several projects for long-time clients over the last two decades. Zweig Group advised W.E. O’Neil through the acquisition. The deal team included Zweig Group managing principal Jamie Claire Kiser; advisor Justin Ramirez; and senior analyst Andy Chavez, CM&AA. “We are grateful to have been a part of bringing these two outstanding and reputable companies together,” Ramirez said. “With W.E. O’Neil being an ESOP, the primary beneficiaries of this combination of entities will be the employees of DCA who will now become owners of the company for which they have dedicated their careers. We look forward to seeing the impact on the Austin market that results from the combination of more than 110 years of construction experience.” W.E. O’Neil Construction has seen steady growth since its founding in 1925. Today, the firm is a 500-person, 100 percent employee-owned company. W.E. O’Neil’s award-winning family of construction

companies is recognized as an industry leader. Its longevity can be attributed to its excellent staff of professionals, its integrity, its commitment to customer satisfaction, and its ability to embrace technology. W.E. O’Neil’s combination of the financial strength of a large national contractor and the responsiveness of a small company brings the best of both worlds to its clients. DCA has grown significantly since its founding in 2006. Led by Randy Don Carlos and Kevin Foltermann, the firm performs a mix of negotiated and lump sum work, much of which is relationship- based with repeat customers. DCA’s primary focus is on commercial construction in and around Austin. “We’re thrilled to welcome DCA to the company and look forward to combining the reputation and relationships they’ve established in the Austin market with our expertise and financial resources to create many new opportunities,” stated Brian Ramsay, CEO of O’Neil Industries, W.E. O’Neil’s parent company. As the construction market grows in Texas, the acquisition presents exciting possibilities for the firm’s employee- owners, in terms of project and career opportunities, as well as expanded depth and capabilities to serve W.E. O’Neil’s clients in Texas and nationwide. “W.E. O’Neil shares many of the same values we do,” said Randy Don Carlos, president of DCA. “They were a natural

fit to join forces with, and the acquisition presents tremendous advantages for our employees and our clients. We’re excited about the expertise they bring to our team, which will allow us, together, to pursue projects in the Austin market we may not have been positioned to previously.” 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. The firm’s mission, Elevate the Industry, has five tenets: promote, diversify, educate, change, and celebrate. Zweig Group’s vision is to facilitate action in pursuit of elevating individuals, firms, and thus the industry. More than a mission, this is a movement to advance the AEC profession, creating a world that celebrates the built environment and recognizes its impact on individuals, communities, and commerce.

work versus business stuff? Are you happy with the mix? If not, maybe you should do more of what makes you happy and look for other people to do the stuff you don’t want to do. There is a lot to be said for the simple joys of doing work! Mark Zweig is Zweig Group’s chairman and founder. Contact him at mzweig@zweiggroup.com. “Where are you now in terms of billable work versus business stuff? Are you happy with the mix? If not, maybe you should do more of what makes you happy and look for other people to do the stuff you don’t want to do. There is a lot to be said for the simple joys of doing work!”

MARK ZWEIG, from page 11

the firm is no more. Not to mention engineering and design professionals went to school to do engineering and design because that is what they were interested in. If they wanted to be in business, they would probably have business degrees. Obviously, some people do feel that management and business are more intellectually stimulating and more challenging. I certainly understand this myself. That is why so many owners and managers of firms in this business do go back to school for business education or self-educate themselves on the subject. But the point is, there is an ideal time to make that switch if you are going to make it, and it doesn’t have to be a full-time job where you shut off project work and now work “on” the firm. It can be gradual and the amount of each varies widely. Think about yourself. Where are you now in terms of billable

THE ZWEIG LETTER JUNE 6, 2022, ISSUE 1444

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