TZL 1451 (web)

August 1, 2022, Issue 1451 WWW.ZWEIGGROUP.COM

TRENDLINES

Marketing plans

At this year’s ElevateAEC Conference, we’ll celebrate and show the world what a successful career in AEC looks like. A mission-driven gathering

MORE CONTENT n CHRISTINA ZWEIG NIEHUES: Standout marketing Page 3 n 2022 Marketing Excellence Award Winners Page 4 n 2022 ElevateAEC Conference agenda Page 5 n Zweig Group’s 2022 ElevateHER cohort Page 6 n ElevateHER speakers Page 7 n ElevateHER sponsors and friends of ElevateHER Page 7 n 2022 Hot Firm List Page 8 n KYLE AHERN: Celebrate good times Page 9 n ElevateAEC keynote speakers Page 10 n 2022 Best Firms To Work For Award winners Page 11 n PETE HINOJOSA: Harnessing the power of a PEO Page 13 n ElevateAEC sponsors Page 14 Participate in a survey and save 50 percent on the final or pre- publication price of any Zweig Group research publication. Marketing spending and staffing isn’t effective without a plan. All (100 percent) of 2022 Marketing Excellence Award winning firms had a marketing plan, while just 74 percent of respondents to the 2021 Marketing Report h-ad a marketing plan.

W hat makes the Elevate AEC Conference & Awards Gala different? The mission and the energy behind it. Launched in 2018, the rebranded event reflects Zweig Group’s vision to “elevate the industry.” “Elevate the industry” means a lot of things. At its core, it is a recruiting and retention revolution, and it is a logical, yet magical evolution of Zweig Group’s long-standing mission to drive performance and purpose in AEC firms. The value creation and transformation of firms through Zweig Group’s numerous resources over the past 34 years has elevated the industry. When we launched this new big idea in 2018, I used John F. Kennedy’s quote, “A rising tide lifts all ships,” to paint a picture of what we are trying to do – work together to show the world the incredible impact this profession has on every human, and that you can make a good living doing this important work. Since 2018, the Elevate AEC Conference & Awards Gala has been the platform for people to gather to network, learn, and celebrate – all important pillars of the event and the vision. There have been a number of things inspired by “elevate the industry,” but there’s one in particular that we know is going to change the world: ElevateHER. ElevateHER, as the manifestation of our belief that diversity brings about positive change, is an initiative to better the future of the AEC industry. This movement is a commitment to embrace, promote, and ensure equal opportunities for everyone in the AEC industry regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or ethnicity, and thus recruit and retain the best in the industry, and I am thrilled we’ll be able to kick off ElevateAEC this year with the first in-person symposium for ElevateHER. Overall, the ElevateAEC Conference will facilitate the largest in-person gathering of industry leaders, the ElevateHER cohorts, and award- winning firms, all interested in advancing the “elevate the industry” vision. Here is more about what we have in store September 14-16 in Las Vegas: ■ ■ ElevateHER Symposium – September 14. This program was launched in 2020 with virtual symposiums for the first two years. The virtual platform provided access to a much larger audience, however, we know the value of meeting in-person and this year we will welcome all three years of cohorts. The 2022 ElevateHER Symposium will be a combination of inspiring talks, roundtable discussions, and presentations from the 2022 ElevateHER cohorts.

Chad Clinehens, P.E.

See CHAD CLINEHENS, page 2

THE VOICE OF REASON FOR THE AEC INDUSTRY

CHAD CLINEHENS, from page 1

The 2022 ElevateHER cohort members met at the program kickoff in April, and received resources such as presentation coaching, training, Zweig Group research, and networking opportunities. They have since been working on smaller project groups on self-chosen topics, creating a focused deliverable to be shared with the rest of the industry at the symposium on September 14. Project topics run the gamut, and include a variety of methods to increase interest in AEC career paths, support for those at all stages of their career, resources for those looking to improve their workplace environment, diversify their firm, and so much more. This pre-conference symposium is the perfect complement to the ElevateAEC Conference & Awards Gala to be held in the same space the following two days, September 15-16. ■ ■ Elevate AEC Conference & Awards Gala – September 15-16. The Elevate AEC Conference & Awards Gala is going to be better than ever. We are taking the “best of” from our events and putting it all into a big bash in Las Vegas. The pillars of the event – to network, learn, and celebrate – will stand tall this year through an expanded and packed agenda that includes the following: Keynotes and “ZTalks.” We’ve got a dynamite line-up of speakers including Pete Hinojosa of Insperity, J.D. Enright of TMGcore, and Michael Renshaw of Trilon Group. Panel discussions. There will be a panel of the No. 1 Best Firms To Work For and the top three Hot Firms. Hear the strategies and tactics they use to achieve the top of these prestigious lists. Breakouts. We’ve got 16 sessions to choose from covering every area of the business from project management to marketing to ownership transition to recruiting and retention and more. Roundtables. Back by popular demand, we’ll have time in roundtable sessions where you’ll rotate every 20 minutes, selecting the topics you want to discuss with peers. Facilitated by industry leaders, these sessions will focus on hot industry topics from our AEC Executive Roundtable in June. Awards ceremonies and after party. Similar to last year, we’ll present our Rising Stars and Top New Venture winners during an awards luncheon on Thursday and present our Courage in Leadership, Best Firms To Work For, Hot Firms, Excellence in Client Experience, and Marketing Excellence Award winners during our black tie awards gala on Thursday night. Friday after the conference, we will have an optional after party experience seeing Blue Man Group at the Luxor Hotel & Casino. We as an industry must tell the world how important and valuable our work is. If we won’t, nobody else will. That is what it means to “elevate the industry.” We’ll celebrate and show the world what a successful career in AEC looks like . Join us from September 14-16 at Green Valley Ranch Resort for a rich experience that will be chock full of valuable takeaways. Spend some time with your peers, investing in yourself and your company as we celebrate success and “elevate the industry” together. Viva Las Vegas!

Interested in learning more

about the projects and ideas driving the AEC industry forward? Learn more with Civil+Structural Engineer Media.

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Chad Clinehens | Publisher cclinehens@zweiggroup.com Sara Parkman | Senior Editor & Designer sparkman@zweiggroup.com Shirley Che | Contributing Editor sche@zweiggroup.com Liisa Andreassen | Correspondent landreassen@zweiggroup.com Tel: 800-466-6275 Fax: 800-842-1560 Email: info@zweiggroup.com Online: zweiggroup.com/blogs/news Twitter: twitter.com/zweigletter Facebook: facebook.com/Zweig- Group-1030428053722402 Published continuously since 1992 by Zweig Group, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA. ISSN 1068-1310. Issued weekly (48 issues/year). Free electronic subscription at zweiggroup.com © Copyright 2022, Zweig Group. All rights reserved.

Chad Clinehens, P.E. is Zweig Group’s president and CEO. Contact him at cclinehens@ zweiggroup.com.

2022 ELEVATEAEC CONFERENCE & AWARDS GALA Registration is open for the annual in-person conference in Las Vegas, September 14-16. Celebrate the iconic black-tie awards gala 2022 winners of the Hot Firm list, Best Firms To Work For, Marketing Excellence, Rising Stars, Top New Ventures and the Jerry Allen Courage In Leadership Awards. Register now for the AEC industry’s top in-person learning and networking event of the year!

THE ZWEIG LETTER AUGUST 1, 2022, ISSUE 1451

OPINION

Standout marketing

Zweig Group’s 2022 Marketing Excellence Award Winners have created some outstanding marketing campaigns, displaying incredible imagination and creativity.

A cross all categories, the winners of Zweig Group’s 2022 Marketing Excellence Awards have created some outstanding marketing campaigns, displaying incredible imagination, creativity, firm-wide involvement and client involvement. It’s clear that good marketing leads to success in all areas, but prioritizing this important business activity has become more difficult in the current economic climate and job market.

Christina Zweig Niehues

Let’s take a look at recent data gathered from the 2022 Marketing Excellence Award Winners as well as some of Zweig Group’s other recent research. Analyzing the results metrics for the 2022 Marketing Excellence Award winners, the impacts of impressive marketing far outspan increases in leads or projects won, they also pay off in the form of increased growth and financial success, positive culture, and ultimately improved recruitment and retention metrics. Sixty- four percent of Zweig Group’s 2022 Marketing Excellence Award winners were also Hot Firms. All of the Marketing Excellence Award winners categorized themselves as fast or slow growth, with 52 percent experiencing fast growth (average annual

growth of 20 percent or more) and the rest of the group displaying positive annual growth under 20 percent. Successful firms are continuing to make wise investments in marketing and marketing staff – shown by staffing numbers, financial performance KPIs, and an increase in salaries for marketing staff in the first two quarters of 2022. Seventy-six percent of Marketing Excellence Award Winners said they planned to increase spending on marketing, and 16 percent said they planned for marketing spending to stay the same as the previous year. For those increasing their spending, they planned to increase by

See CHRISTINA ZWEIG NIEHUES, page 4

THE ZWEIG LETTER AUGUST 1, 2022, ISSUE 1451

2022 MARKETING EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS Zweig Group’s Marketing Excellence Awards recognize outstanding, results-driven marketing in the AEC industry. Marketing Excellence Award entries were judged by a team of marketing professionals and evaluated based upon overall creativity, messaging, results achieved by the campaign, and level of design. For more information about the Marketing Excellence Awards or to see past winners of the award, click here.

ADVERTISING 1.

INTEGRATED MARKETING/BRAND AWARENESS 1. BHC 2. Kleinschmidt Associates 3. DBR Engineering Consultants, Inc. INTERNAL NEWSLETTER 1. WSB 2. IPS-Integrated Project Services, LLC 3. Colliers Engineering & Design RECRUITMENT/RETENTION COMMUNICATION 1. WSB 2. Patel, Greene and Associates, LLC 3. Kleinschmidt Associates VIDEO 1. Patel, Greene and Associates 2. LJA Engineering, Inc. 3. Bowers+Kubota Consulting

BROCHURE 1. LJA Engineering, Inc. 2. Ulteig Engineering PROJECT PURSUIT 1. Peloton Land Solutions 2. Environmental Design Group 3. ISG

AFG Group, Inc. 2. PK Electrical, Inc. EXTERNAL NEWSLETTER 1. WGI, Inc. 2. WSB 3. STO Building Group HOLIDAY 1. Tamarack Grove Engineering 2. LJA Engineering, Inc. 3. AFG Group, Inc. SPECIAL EVENT MARKETING 1. Environmental Design Group 2. Mulhern+Kulp 3. McAdams INTERNAL MARKETING 1.

SOCIAL MEDIA 1. A&E Design

2. LJA Engineering, Inc. 3. Miyamoto International WEBSITE 1. Tamarack Grove Engineering 2. CORE Consultants, Inc. 3. STO Building Group IDENTITY REBRAND 1. CORE Consultants, Inc. 2. SGH 3. Tamarack Grove Engineering

Westwood Professional Services

2. PK Electrical, Inc. 3. STO Building Group

Marketing spending and staffing isn’t effective without a plan. All (100 percent) of 2022 Marketing Excellence Award winning firms had a marketing plan, while just 74 percent of respondents to the 2021 Marketing Report had a marketing plan. Click here for more information on Zweig Group’s Marketing Excellence Award Winners and the Marketing Excellence Awards program. To participate in the 2022 Marketing Report of AEC Firms and get 50 percent off any report, click here. The salary data shown in this article is from the 2022 Mid- Year Update Salary Report of AEC Firms . This report shows base salaries for employees in architecture, engineering, and construction firms across the U.S. This 2022 Mid-Year Update Salary Report of AEC Firms presents data from 163 surveyed firms within the AEC industry and was collected between January and June of 2022. Christina Zweig Niehues is Zweig Group’s director of research and e-commerce. She can be reached at czweig@zweiggroup. com.

CHRISTINA ZWEIG NIEHUES, from page 3

an average of 10 percent. Marketing staff labor has historically been the largest category of marketing spending and budgeting for AEC firms. Overall Zweig Group industry research has found that 93 percent of AEC firms budgeted for staff pay increases this year, with 79 percent stating they budgeted more than previous years, projecting an average of 6.1 percent pay increase over the course of the year. For firms that prioritize growth, one successful strategy is to invest in marketing – often this means retaining marketing and BD staff who are familiar with the firm, the brand, and work processes, and continuing to grow and adequately staff marketing departments as the overall firm size grows. Looking at the 2022 Mid-Year Salary Update Report , annual base salaries for marketing roles experienced an average of 7 percent increase from 2021 until now. Marketing director salaries increased by an average of 14 percent to hit $121,000 and salaries for business development representatives increased by 12 percent to hit an average of $120,000. Eighty- four percent of 2022 Marketing Excellence Award winning firms had a marketing director, compared with only 59 percent of all respondents to the 2021 Marketing Survey .

THE ZWEIG LETTER AUGUST 1, 2022, ISSUE 1451

& WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022

8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

ElevateHER Symposium (separate registration required)

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Check-in for ElevateAEC Conference at the Grand Ballroom Foyer

5:00 PM - 6:30 PM

ElevateAEC & ElevateHER Reception at The Opium Terrace

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2022

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Check-in Continues & Breakfast

9:00 AM - 9:20 AM

Welcome & Opening Remarks

9:20 AM - 10:15 AM

Opening Keynote with Pete Hinojosa

10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Panel Discussion: What Makes a Best Firm to Work For

11:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Rising Stars and Top New Venture Awards Luncheon

12:00 PM - 12:30 PM

Lunch Keynote with J.D. Enright

12:45 PM - 1:45 PM

Breakout Sessions One

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Breakout Sessions Two

3:15 PM - 4:15 PM

Breakout Sessions Three

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Red Carpet Cocktail Reception

7:00 PM - 9:45 PM

ElevateAEC Black Tie Awards Gala

9:45 PM - CLOSE

Nightcap

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2022

9:00 AM - 9:45 AM

Breakfast & Opening Keynote with Michael “Mick” Renshaw

9:45 AM - 10:45 AM

Hot Firm Panel Discussion: How Growth Solves Workload Pressure

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Breakout Sessions Four

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Lunch Keynote

1:00 PM - 2:20 PM

Roundtable Discussions - Four 20-minute rotations

2:20 PM - 2:30 PM

Conference Concludes & Closing Remarks

PROFILE

Zweig Group’s 2022 ElevateHER cohort This year’s cohort has picked up where previous groups left off – taking on creative ideas to solve both historic and emerging challenges.

By SARA PARKMAN Senior Editor

E levateHER was founded by Zweig Group as part of its commitment to embrace, promote, and ensure equal opportunities for everyone in the AEC industry, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or ethnicity. Many women in the AEC industry face obstacles that could result in an early exit from the industry. For instance, representation for women in engineering is not only lacking, but it trails the rest of the pipeline. Women hold only 34 percent of entry-level engineering and just 26 percent of first- level manager positions, compared to 48 percent of entry-level roles and 41 percent of first-level manager positions in the pipeline overall, according to data from McKinsey. Additionally, female principals make on average $25,000 less in annual base salary than their male counterparts, and their overall total compensation is 30 percent less. Female principals are twice as likely as male principals to say their career has not matched up to their goals. To address these issues, Zweig Group assembled a cohort

of AEC professionals from around the country. They met at the program kickoff in Spring 2022, and since then, they have been working on smaller project groups on self-chosen topics, creating a focused deliverable that will be shared with the rest of the industry at Zweig Group’s ElevateHER Symposium in September. Project topics run the gamut and include 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 much more. The group topics are as follows: ■ ■ Empower Space. Self-advocacy, confidence, and assertiveness are meaningful tools that everyone can use to become an active contributor to their own success and increase their job satisfaction. Unfortunately, the opportunities to learn these skills are not evenly distributed in the workforce. By creating an easily accessible space that is curated to address common

THE ZWEIG LETTER AU

E levate HER SPEAKERS

E levate HER SPONSORS

LAUREN AGUILAR, PH.D., FOUNDER & CEO, ILLUCEO Lauren is a leading expert on diversity and inclusion. She specializes in using a data- driven, yet human centered approach to translate the science of diversity organizations and teams can use to foster more diverse and inclusive workplaces. She has taught courses on diversity at Stanford University and Columbia University. into actionable strategies that

JAMIE CLAIRE KISER, MANAGING PRINCIPAL & DIRECTOR OF ADVISORY SERVICES, ZWEIG GROUP, CO- FOUNDER OF E levate HER In her role as director of advisory services, Jamie Claire strategic leader of all of Zweig Group’s consulting areas. She is a managing principal at Zweig Group and serves on the firm’s board of directors. She founded ElevateHER as part of Zweig Group’s mission to Elevate the Industry.

CHRISTY ZWEIG NIEHUES, DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH & E-COMMERCE, ZWEIG GROUP, CO-FOUNDER OF E levate HER Christy has a long history of involvement with management consulting and the AEC industry. She has a passion for online marketing and has worked with many AEC Firms to find the best processes and methods to drive new and repeat business for their organizations.

MARCI THOMPSON, DES, CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER, SMPS As CSO at SMPS, Marci provides strategic direction for the future of member engagement and learning. She has a career’s worth of experience curating and designing education and learning experiences and has been a leader in creating top-tier educational and growth strategies. Before joining SMPS, she served as chief learning officer at Zweig Group.

issues and provides opportunity for mentorship, more people can learn to speak up. ■ ■ Breaking Bias. Awareness goes beyond an organization and becomes a global movement of #breakingbias. Using social media, people can share their stories, inspire change, and support each other. Together we can do the work to break the bias. factors is impacting our AEC workforce. Recruiting, retaining, and taking care of people is more challenging now than ever before. This issue shows no sign ■ ■ WELL Engaged. A confluence of of letting up and likely will continue to influence our industry. This group believes wellness is a sound way of thinking about and addressing these challenges. struggling to hire due to a shrinking workforce. There is a lack of awareness and interest about the AEC field in K-12 students. This group aims to combat ■ ■ TeacHER. Many AEC firms are

this challenge by creating resources for AEC professionals to go out into K-12 classrooms and after-school programs and get students excited about the opportunities in the AEC industry. ■ ■ We Are AEC. Using imagery, We Are AEC will expand the awareness of the AEC industry within the general public and reinforce the premise that people from many different walks of life can find fulfillment within these careers. By serving as an advisor and a hub of information and resources, the ElevateHER movement aims to bring us together to “elevate the industry.” Zweig Group believes that with inclusion and strategic steps, we can work together to advance the future of firms across the United States because we believe that diversity brings about positive change. ElevateHER is an initiative to better the future of the AEC industry. Join Zweig Group and the 2022 ElevateHER cohort as they present at the first-ever in-person ElevateHER Symposium in Las Vegas on September 14, 2022.

FRIENDS OF E levate HER

UGUST 1, 2022, ISSUE 1451

2022 HOT FIRM LIST Zweig Group’s 2022 Hot Firm List honors the fastest-growing firms in the architecture, engineering, planning, environmental and construction industry. Firms are ranked based on three-year growth in revenue, by both percentage and dollar growth. This year’s firms have outperformed the economy and competitors to become leaders in their chosen fields. For more information about the Hot Firm List or to see past winners of the award, click here.

1. Universal Engineering Sciences 2. Anser Advisory, LLC 3. IPS-Integrated Project Services, LLC 4. Ardurra Group 5. Salas O’Brien 6. BB&E, Inc. 7. LJA Engineering 8. M&J Engineering, P.C. 9. Atwell, LLC 10. Woolpert 11. Ulteig 12. Ampirical Solutions, LLC 13. Westwood Professional Services 14. Revamp Engineering, Inc. 15. BL Companies 16. Colliers Engineering & Design 17. Garver 18. ALL4 LLC 19. Hanbury 20. Rincon Consultants, Inc. 21. Bowman Consulting Group Ltd. 22. Ware Malcomb 23. McFarlane Architects, Inc. 24. Grace Hebert Curtis Architects, APAC 25. McAdams 26. Genesis AEC 27. Neumann Monson Architects 28. Halff Associates, Inc. 29. Butler, Fairman and Seufert, Inc. 30. BSI Engineering 31. Langan 32. CROFT & Associates 33. HILGARTWILSON 34. SSOE Group

35. Bowers + Kubota Consulting, Inc. 36. Peloton Land Solutions, Inc. 37. Galloway & Company, Inc 38. ECS 39. P2S, Inc. 40. Patel, Greene & Associates, LLC 41. GATE Energy 42. WSB 43. Poole & Poole Architecture 44. Kleinschmidt Associates 45. WithersRavenel 46. Hayduk Engineering, LLC 47. J2 Engineers 48. Apex Companies, LLC 49. Parametrix 50. Arora Engineers 51. VLK Architects, Inc. 52. HCL Engineering & Surveying, LLC 53. Allana Buick & Bers Inc. 54. EDG 55. Miyamoto International 56. Chen Moore and Associates 57. Wallace Design Collective 58. Fitzemeyer & Tocci Associates, Inc. 59. Snell Engineering Consultants 60. W&A Engineering, LLC 61. Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C. 62. LHB Inc. 63. ISG 64. Matthews Design Group 65. RTM Engineering Consultants, LLC 66. Woodard & Curran 67. Wade Trim 68. The Vertex Companies, LLC

69. Cobb, Fendley & Associates, Inc. 70. Traffic Planning and Design, Inc. 71. DRMP, Inc. 72. Quality Engineering & Surveying 73. Hillmann Consulting, LLC 74. KSA Engineers, Inc. 75. Larson Design Group 76. Fehr Graham Engineering & Environmental 77. C.A.P. Government, Inc. 78. DMS Design, LLC 79. CORE Consultants Inc. 80. ThinkForm Architects 81. MWM DesignGroup, Inc. 82. Lynch Mykins Structural Engineers, PC 83. Tamarack Grove Engineering 84. Design Works Engineering Ltd. 85. Mabbett & Associates, Inc. 86. Luminaut 87. Westland Group, Inc. 88. A&E Design, Inc. 89. McFarland-Johnson, Inc. 90. Fleis & VandenBrink 91. Tectonic Engineering Consultants, Geologists & Land Surveyors, D.P.C. 92. Harper Houf Peterson Righellis Inc. 93. EMC Engineering Services, Inc. 94. Passero Associates 95. SWBR 96. Binkley & Barfield, Inc. 97. Robert C Gaskin Architect - Design Management PC 98. EAPC Architects Engineers 99. EBI Consulting 100. JQ Engineering, LLP

THE ZWEIG LETTER AUGUST 1, 2022, ISSUE 1451

OPINION

Celebrate good times

Best Firms To Work For and Hot Firms continue to distinguish themselves in a highly competitive industry.

“C elebrate good times, come on!” Zweig Group’s award winners have been announced, and what an impressive group we have again this year. Our award winners are leading the industry in workplace practices, revenue growth, client experience, and marketing campaigns. It is an exciting time as we celebrate all of these amazing firms and all they are doing for the industry!

Kyle Ahern

Zweig Group’s Best Firms To Work For Award celebrates top AEC firms based on workplace practices, benefits, retention rates, and more. Let’s take a look at some of the data from the Best Firm’s To Work For winners: ■ ■ Ninety percent of winners have seen revenues grow annually over the last three years. Thirty- five percent of those firms have been fast- growth firms, meaning they have grown by at least 20 percent annually over the last three years. Seventy-six percent of BFTWF are high or very high profit firms, meaning they have an annual profit of more than 10 percent. Creating outstanding workplaces is definitely paying

off for these firms financially. Take care of your employees and they will take care of you. ■ ■ One very hot topic has been how firms handle work from home or flexible work schedules. Seventy-five percent of BFTWF offer flextime/ flexible work hours for all staff. Half of all firms offer telecommuting for all staff. ■ ■ Open-book management is something we believe very strongly in and practice at Zweig Group. Financial information and the firm’s strategic plan are shared with everyone at the firm. Seventy-six percent of all BFTWF share a working strategic business plan with all staff and

See KYLE AHERN, page 10

THE ZWEIG LETTER AUGUST 1, 2022, ISSUE 1451

E levate AEC KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

PETE HINOJOSA, DIRECTOR OF SALES LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, INSPERITY As a fourth generation professional educator, Pete learned to see his role not just as a teacher, but as a mentor who wanted his students to learn about leadership, character, and setting goals for their future. Pete has traveled internationally as a keynote speaker and leadership expert for countless companies. As Insperity’s director of thought leadership, Pete develops and delivers leadership training to all sales managers in more than 80 offices in North America.

J.D. ENRIGHT, CEO, TMGCORE A dedicated business professional, J.D. has nearly 30 years of experience working with multinational private and public sector organizations to execute strategic growth initiatives in emerging markets and technologies. He has specialized leadership in developing next- generation High Performance Computing (HPC) platforms, global blockchain strategies, biotechnology, viral cell and gene therapies, and market intelligence assimilation.

MICHAEL RENSHAW, CEO, TRILON GROUP Michael is a driving force behind Trilon’s vision. Michael was the chief growth officer at AECOM, a world leader in infrastructure consulting; the CEO of Cardno, an engineering and environmental firm previously listed on the Australian Securities Exchange; an independent director of Opteon (property appraisal); and an independent director on Nasdaq- listed NV5, a leading provider of compliance, technology, and engineering consulting solutions.

■ ■ Fifty-one percent of all Hot Firms had merged with or acquired another firm in the past three years. That is up slightly from 49 percent a year ago. Eight out of the top 10 firms had merged with or acquired another firm in the last three years. This is right on par with last year. We are seeing an ever increasing trend of firms utilizing M&A as part of their growth strategy. Best Firms To Work For and Hot Firms continue to distinguish themselves in a highly competitive industry by taking care of their employees and striving for tremendous growth. Their data helps us gain insight into the industry, but we also enjoy celebrating all that these firms do to “elevate the industry!” We look forward to highlighting them at the Elevate AEC Conference & Awards Gala in Las Vegas! Kyle Ahern is awards manager at Zweig Group. Contact him at kahern@zweiggroup.com. “Best Firms To Work For and Hot Firms continue to distinguish themselves in a highly competitive industry by taking care of their employees and striving for tremendous growth. Their data helps us gain insight into the industry, but we also enjoy celebrating all that these firms do!”

KYLE AHERN, from page 9

88 percent share the firm’s revenue data firm-wide at least annually. Employee sentiment around financial information sharing has trended in the right direction over the last few years as well. ■ ■ Forty-one percent of employees say culture is the most important to their work experience, followed by compensation and professional development. Project management, leadership, and people management were the top three training areas most important to people development over the next two years. ■ ■ Overall, employee sentiment was slightly down from last year’s record highs. Satisfaction with out-of-pocket medical expenses saw the sharpest decrease and fell below pre-pandemic levels. Employees’ sub-par work being addressed also saw a significant decrease. Hopefully we will see scores rebound in 2023. Zweig Group’s Hot Firm List recognizes the 100 fastest- growing AEC firms in the United States and Canada. This year’s winners had another banner year for gross revenue growth: ■ ■ The average Hot Firm grew by just shy of $36 million from the end of 2018 through 2021, which is an increase of just over $6 million over last year’s list. The average percentage revenue growth this year is 81 percent, down slightly from last year’s 85 percent.

THE ZWEIG LETTER AUGUST 1, 2022, ISSUE 1451

2022 BEST FIRMS TO WORK FOR AWARD WINNERS Zweig Group’s Best Firms To Work For Awards honors outstanding workplaces at AEC firms, evaluates them on culture, workplace practices, employee benefits, employee retention rates, professional development, and more – from both management and staff perspectives. Awards were given in multiple categories based on firm size and discipline. This program also produces the largest employee experience survey in the architecture, engineering, environmental, planning, and construction industry. Click here to see the full list of winners!

10 TO 49 EMPLOYEES 1. MKN 2.

13. Environmental Design Group 14. Schaefer 15. Prime Engineering Incorporated 16. HASTINGS Architecture 17. Lea & Braze Engineering, Inc 18. Eclipse Engineering, PC 19. CRW Engineering Group, LLC 20. Grace Hebert Curtis Architects 21. HLB Lighting Design 22. Faller, Davis and Associates, Inc. 23. EMC Engineering Services, Inc. 24. Sanderson Stewart 25. Ramey Kemp Associates 26. JQ Engineering 27. Baisch Engineering 28. Architectural Design Consultants, Inc. 29. RLG Consulting Engineers 30. Blueline 31. Croy 32. A&E Design, Inc. 33. J2 Engineers 34. LACO Associates 100 TO 199 EMPLOYEES 1. Taylor Design 2. Traffic Planning and Design, Inc. 3. Wallace Design Collective 4. Harper Houf Peterson Righellis Inc 5. TETER, LLP 6. Peloton Land Solutions, Inc. 7. Green International Affiliates 8. EHS Support

9. Foresite Group, LLC 10. McFarland-Johnson, Inc. 11. raSmith 12. Kleinschmidt Associates 13. KSA 14. Baird, Hampton & Brown 15. Bennett & Pless, Inc. 16. Chen Moore and Associates 17. DBR Engineering Consultants, Inc. 18. Aguirre & Fields 19. KL&A, Engineers & Builders 20. GGLO 21. Passero Associates 22. TowerPinkster 23. Haley Ward, Inc. 24. Better Communities Collaborative 25. WK Dickson & Co., Inc. 26. R&M Consultants, Inc. 27. RTM Engineering Consultants, LLC 28. EAPC Architects Engineers 29. Forensic Analytical Consulting Services 30. RJN Group Inc 31. RRM Design Group 32. Miyamoto International, Inc. 33. WestLAND Group, Inc 34. VLK Architects, Inc. 35. Sam Schwartz Consulting, LLC 36. CMTS LLC 37. Allana Buick & Bers 38. SGM 39. Gaskins + LeCraw 40. BHC 41. Integral Consulting Inc. 42. Geo-Hydro Engineers, Inc.

200+ EMPLOYEES 1. Garver 2.

Provost & Pritchard Consulting Group Bowers + Kubota Consulting, Inc

Matthews Design Group

3. Comprehensive

Environmental Inc.

4. BASE 5. Neumann Monson Architects 6. HCL Engineering & Surveying, LLC 7.

4. MBP 5.

SEPI Engineering & Construction, Inc.

LJA Engineering

7. P2S, Inc. 8. Baxter & Woodman, Inc. 9. CobbFendley 10. Langan Engineering and

Shield Engineering Group

PK Electrical, Inc.

9. EDG 10. e2 engineers 11. Joseph B. Callaghan, Inc. 12. EMCS, Inc. 13. Tamarack Grove Engineering 14. Kjeldsen, Sinnock & Neudeck, Inc. 15. Affinis Corp 16. Catalyst Environmental Solutions Corporation 17. CWE 50 TO 99 EMPLOYEES 1. Fitzemeyer & Tocci Associates, Inc. 2. Choice One Engineering 3. Patel, Greene & Associates, LLC 4. Wright Engineers 5. MWM DesignGroup, Inc. 6. Garmann Miller 7. Mulhern+Kulp Structural Engineering, Inc. 8. Gale Associates, Inc. 9. Geotechnical & Environmental Services, Inc. 10. Prairie Engineers, P.C. 11. CORE Consultants, Inc. 12. Randall-Paulson Architects

Environmental Services, Inc.

11. Wade Trim 12. SME 13. McAdams

14. Hardesty & Hanover 15. Halff Associates, Inc. 16. ISG 17. Ware Malcomb 18. Atwell, LLC 19. GATE Energy 20. H2M architects + engineers 21. Crafton Tull 22. Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C. 23. Colliers Engineering & Design 24. Galloway & Company, Inc. 25. TLC Engineering Solutions, Inc. 26. Westwood Professional Services 27. NAC Architecture 28. HGA 29. Ardurra 30. Cushing Terrell 31. Integrated Project Services, LLC 32. The Vertex Companies, LLC

THE ZWEIG LETTER AUGUST 1, 2022, ISSUE 1451

OUR SERVICES – Analyze Feasibility

Your Partner in The ESOP Lifecycle

– Develop Transaction Blueprint – Identify and Negotiate Financing

– Manage from Feasibility through Closing – Strategic Alternatives for Established ESOPs: From Growth by Acquisition to Sell-side Investment Banking – Deliver Comprehensive Legal Services – Provide FINRA-licensed Investment Banking Services

For information, please contact: Edward C. Renenger President and CEO 610.478.2238 ed.renenger@sesesop.com

www.sesesop.com

Legal services are provided by Stevens & Lee and investment banking services are provided by Griffin Financial Group LLC.

THE ZWEIG LETTER AUGUST 1, 2022, ISSUE 1451

OPINION

Harnessing the power of a PEO

Professional employer organizations provide a comprehensive range of HR solutions and technology to help businesses gain a competitive advantage.

A s business leaders continue to face headwinds, including record numbers of employee resignations, labor shortages and economic challenges, many may feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and fatigued as they strive to keep their companies afloat. Although leaders have taken significant measures to address the needs of their companies and workforce, one of the most strategic decisions they can make is harnessing the power of a professional employer organization (PEO).

Pete Hinojosa

PEOs provide a comprehensive range of human resources solutions and technology to help businesses gain a competitive advantage. By outsourcing HR to a PEO, it not only helps businesses take care of their people, but it also provides a team of HR professionals that strategically guides and supports leaders and in-house HR practitioners. PEOs can serve as critical lifelines for companies, standing shoulder to shoulder with them to help navigate choppy waters and emerge more successful. The advantages of aligning with a PEO can be categorized into four key areas: 1. Administrative relief. As leaders face myriad employer-related tasks and tedious HR

responsibilities, little time is left to focus on other aspects of running the business. PEOs provide valuable administrative relief that enables leaders to concentrate on their areas of expertise to strategically grow the company. PEO support with HR administration includes: Payroll processing and administration Payroll tax filing on wages, including W-2s and W-4s Payroll record management/maintenance Time and attendance tracking

See PETE HINOJOSA, page 14

THE ZWEIG LETTER AUGUST 1, 2022, ISSUE 1451

E levate AEC SPONSORS

Unemployment claims resolution Employment practices liability insurance Hazard and safety review/training EEOC services Employee relations 4. Robust talent management. Leaders who have adopted a philosophy that people are their greatest asset recognize the need to have a robust talent management program. As companies face a talent crisis, now is the time to implement or enhance talent management programs, which can be accomplished through a PEO. Valuable program components that most PEOs offer are: Company culture development Recruiting and outplacement support Compensation services Performance management support Training and development tools/resources Advanced HR technology When companies enlist the services of a PEO, they are gaining a trusted advisor to help them focus on their core competencies by offering administrative relief; attract and retain top talent with better benefits and talent management programs; and boost the bottom line with reduced liabilities. Pete Hinojosa is director of thought leadership with Insperity, a leading provider of human resources offering the most comprehensive suite of scalable HR solutions available in the marketplace. For more information about Insperity, call 800.465.3800 or visit insperity.com.

PETE HINOJOSA, from page 13

Employment eligibility verification Paperless new-hire onboarding

End-to-end benefit plan management/administration 2. Better benefits. While companies look for ways to attract and retain top talent, especially in a job seeker’s market, one key method is to offer comprehensive employee benefits packages. PEOs can be the differentiating factor by providing companies with access to Fortune 500-level benefits that appeal to the workforce. Benefits that most PEOs offer include: Medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage Flexible spending accounts

Health savings accounts Basic term life insurance Basic disability insurance Employee assistance programs 401(k) retirement plans

3. Reduced liabilities. With the number of employment laws and regulations increasing exponentially, it can be difficult for business leaders to stay up to date. PEOs offer peace of mind by helping companies remain in compliance to reduce employer-related liabilities and avoid costly fines that can impact the bottom line. Some areas that PEOs help with include: Local ordinances, and state/federal employment laws Workers’ compensation coverage

THE ZWEIG LETTER AUGUST 1, 2022, ISSUE 1451

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