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

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At the start of the pandemic, the majority of the AEC industry was thrust into an extreme scenario of work-life integration. Work-life integration

P re-pandemic, technology had begun its transformation of the modern workplace. With opportunities to work from anywhere and almost anytime, younger generations sought flexible environments and opportunities for personal and professional development. Even those established and with a long history in the industry were beginning to see the necessity for increased work flexibility and as the workload increased, a necessity to prioritize policies that would help recruit and retain the best talent. In March of this year, almost overnight, the majority of the AEC industry in the U.S. was thrust into an extreme scenario of complete and total work-life integration, in a literal sense of the word – almost everyone was now living and working from home in an environment that had a simultaneous amount of complete flexibility (want to work at 2 a.m. – no problem) and constraint (need to attend a Zoom meeting at the same time as your now also work-from-home-husband and 12-year-old now-homeschooled kid, while sharing limited internet bandwidth and just 2,000 square feet – big problem). I recently opened my inbox to a news release headline, “Almost half of working parents (40 percent) have had to change their employment situation by either voluntarily reducing their hours (25 percent) or quitting entirely (15 percent).” This shocking statistic came from a FlexJobs survey of more than 2,500 working parents (across all industries) with children younger than 18 living at home. This survey also found: ❚ ❚ Of those that quit entirely, 38 percent do not plan to rejoin the workforce ❚ ❚ An additional 5 percent said their partners needed to reduce their hours or quit their job completely ❚ ❚ Working parents said having a flexible schedule (58 percent) would have the greatest impact on their ability to juggle career, distance learning, and childcare responsibilities ❚ ❚ 63 percent of working mothers said they were primarily responsible for childcare during the shutdown this spring, while 43 percent of working fathers reported the same thing ❚ ❚ 17 percent of working mothers quit their jobs during the pandemic – nearly one in five, versus 10 percent of working fathers. I wondered what this means for the AEC industry – an industry already struggling with recruitment and retention – so I posted these same numbers into the ElevateHer Facebook group and opened up a discussion.

Zweig Group’s Marketing Excellence Awards (MEA) highlight firms in the AEC industry with exemplary marketing strategies and techniques. One quantifiable way to identify these firms is by analyzing the percentage of proposals that were won by the firm. MEA winners across all categories are winning, on average, 5 percent more of their proposals than the industry standard based on results from Zweig Group’s 2020 Marketing Report of AEC Firms . 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 Dewberry............................................2, 8 Foley/Kolarik, Inc...................................12 HDR......................................................10 Method Architecture................................6 OAC Services, Inc...................................4 Pennoni. ...............................................12 The Mellgren Planning Group................12 Ware Malcomb........................................8 MO R E A R T I C L E S xz SHAWN MAHONEY: Post- pandemic project delivery Page 3 xz Guide and lead: Rayburn ‘Jake’ Donaldson Page 6 xz MARK ZWEIG: The role of the CEO in an A/E firm Page 9 xz KATIE CRAWFORD: Flexibility in the face of COVID Page 11

Christina Zweig Niehues

See CHRISTINA ZWEIG NIEHUES, page 2

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challenging ourselves to offer something not possible in the traditional in-person event. This program answers the call to elevate yourself, your firm, and the industry in unprecedented times. It includes both free and paid premium selections. The paid premium experience offers unlimited access to an expanded array of premium seminars, webinars, keynote speeches, roundtables, panel discussions, topical happy hours, workshops, and other premium learning and networking opportunities.

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CHRISTINA ZWEIG NIEHUES, from page 1

“This is spot on! I resigned entirely. I look forward to returning to the workplace,” said one person. “Not surprised. I’m losing my mind working at home full-time with a kindergartner, first grader, and fourth grader. It’s truly a nightmare. Meanwhile I’m contemplating going back to school to get my construction management certificate,” said another. More than 95 percent of firms in the AEC industry have changed their work from home policies in response to COVID-19. The latest research, Zweig Group’s Q3 Impacts of COVID-19 on the AEC Industry Survey , found that a median of 80 percent of the AEC industry workforce is still working remotely. Add in revenue decreases (78 percent of firms are projecting a median decrease of 20 percent) , project cancellations, budget changes, and re-structuring, and many workers in the AEC industry are left feeling stressed and chaotic. While an informal survey of group members revealed that around 90 percent were in the same or similar job roles and compensation as they were pre-pandemic, there were also a few startling conversations about those who were currently unemployed and struggling. “I lost my job as a result of pandemic downsizing while my husband’s job grew exponentially. While it would be hard for me to have a full-time job with the current school situation, looking for one is disheartening. Most postings I see are for unicorn positions for half what the salary should be,” said one person. “I was also laid off. I’ve applied for nearly 30 jobs and not so much as a call back. I’ve never experienced this in my entire professional life,” said another. While there has been growing instability in the AEC workforce, there’s also a sense of camaraderie. For the individuals above, multiple group members responded back that they wanted to help and asked for resumes. Despite all the uncertainty, 51 percent of respondents to Zweig Group’s COVID survey feel that the economy will be in “somewhat better” or “much better” shape in 12 months. With the number of projects cancelled or delayed dramatically declining, the AEC industry needs to be prepared for a renewed return to work – something that will necessitate adequate and qualified staff. For more information on this topic, check out this upcoming free session on October 15 at 11 a.m. CST, during Zweig Group’s Elevate AEC Virtual Experience! Christy Zweig and Tyler Thompson will present Zweig Group’s insight into how COVID-19 has impacted firm financials, spending, and workplace policy. This session will share Zweig Group data gathered from the start of the pandemic in March 2020 up until October 1 and how this unique time period compares to historical norms. Click here to learn more. CHRISTINA ZWEIG NIEHUES is director of marketing and media at Zweig Group. Contact her at czweig@zweiggroup.com.

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THE ZWEIG LETTER OCTOBER 12, 2020, ISSUE 1363

O P I N I O N

T he COVID-19 pandemic has cast uncertainty throughout the entire AEC industry for most of 2020. Still, clients seek predicable outcomes and expect their teams to manage risks, schedules, and costs throughout their design and construction projects. How do you provide stability on projects during a societal and economic upheaval? Collaboration is key when navigating challenging times. Our best way ahead is together, through strategic partnerships and adaptive thinking. Post-pandemic project delivery

Shawn Mahoney

OAC Services, Inc. is in the business of design and construction performance management. We are a 150-person professional service firm of designers, engineers, and construction professionals dedicated to solving our clients’ project challenges. Headquartered in Seattle, our city was the first major test case for how businesses would deal with the pandemic. We were immediately engaged under an emergency contract to help King County successfully complete two field hospitals and other treatment facilities in hotels and a converted warehouse. Throughout this experience, we have identified some lessons learned that we believe will become standard in post-pandemic project delivery: ❚ ❚ Digitalization in 3D, 4D, and 5D. Advanced digitalization has been in progress throughout the industry for years but accelerated considerably during the pandemic. COVID-19 required

remote work and for teams to share the building information model of the project to complete the design. Going forward, expectations for designing in BIM will become standard. The ability to produce a digital twin of the planned building ahead of work beginning on the site will prove invaluable in our quest to provide ultimate risk mitigation for our clients. BIM+Cost+Schedule=5D reliability in project delivery. Drawings are going away faster than ever. ❚ ❚ Technical experts in demand. Returning to the workplace will be a phased process. Employees will seek evidence of increased sanitation and deeper awareness of indoor air quality; natural ventilation and specialized exhaust systems will be expected in the office. Mechanical engineers and other specialists will be called on to explain air movement and filtration in lay terms to the mass population, expanding the need and services provided by technical experts.

See SHAWN MAHONEY, page 4

THE ZWEIG LETTER OCTOBER 12, 2020, ISSUE 1363

ON THE MOVE AMES & GOUGH PROMOTES FOUR EXECS Ames & Gough, a leading insurance broker and risk management consultant specializing in serving design professionals, law firms, associations/ nonprofits, and other professional service organizations, announced the appointments of equity partner Allison Buytenhuys as senior vice president and of Brian Lynch, Cady Sinks, and Rachelle Tucker as assistant vice presidents. “At Ames & Gough our ongoing success has always depended on our ability individually and collaboratively to consistently deliver exceptional service to our clients,” said Matt Gough, president, Ames & Gough. “For several years, Allison, Brian, Cady and Rachelle have distinguished themselves by their client focus, commitment to service excellence and outstanding performance. On behalf of our leadership and all the members of our firm, I’m pleased to recognize their accomplishments and look forward to their continued contributions to our clients and success at Ames & Gough.” Allison Buytenhuys, appointed as a senior vice president, has been a partner of Ames & Gough since 2015. She will continue to lead the firm’s Administration, including accounting, technology, and licensing, as well as assisting with human resources and employee benefits. Based in the Washington, D.C., office, she joined Ames & Gough in 2001, after serving as a marketing assistant for Victor O.

Schinnerer. One of the firm’s 13 active partners, she earned a bachelor’s degree in business marketing from Penn State University. Cady Sinks, promoted to assistant vice president, is a client executive based in the Washington, D.C., office. In addition to evaluating clients’ risks and handling all aspects of their insurance renewal process, she is directly involved in the placement of all commercial coverage lines, including property/casualty, professional liability, and management liability. She joined Ames & Gough in 2016 and has more than 16 years of insurance industry experience. She earned bachelor’s degrees in economics and English from The University of Virginia, where she was a GEICO Jack & Dorothy Byrne Academic Scholarship winner. She also earned an master’s degree in insurance management from Boston University. Brian Lynch, promoted to assistant vice president, is a client executive based in the Washington, D.C., office. He joined Ames & Gough in 2017 and has more than 10 years of experience in insurance brokerage. Previously, he worked at insurance brokers in Boston where he was a member of the Boston Young Professionals, Cape Cod Young Professionals and Falmouth Chamber of Commerce. Lynch earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcast communications from Elon University. Rachelle Tucker, promoted to assistance

vice president, is a senior account manager based in the Boston office. She joined Ames & Gough in 2014 and has nearly 25 years of experience in commercial and personal lines account management, as well as customer service with various insurance companies and agencies in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Tucker earned an associate’s degree in business administration from Fisher College and holds several insurance designations, including: Associate in Insurance Services, Certified Insurance Counselor, Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist. She has been a member of the Massachusetts Association of Insurance Women and is a former director of the Bristol Chapter. With more than 1,500 architects, engineering firms, and other construction professionals of all sizes as clients, Ames & Gough is the leading insurance brokerage and risk consulting firm serving the needs of these professionals. Ames & Gough also has established itself as a committed, superior resource for law firms and associations and nonprofit organizations in need of professional liability, management liability, and property/ casualty insurance and risk management assistance. Established in 1992, the firm has offices in Boston; Philadelphia; Orlando, Florida; and Washington, D.C. Clients throughout the U.S. are served by a team of more than 40 professionals and staff located in the four offices.

SHAWN MAHONEY, from page 3

many CEOs I was nervous about work getting done when we closed our offices due to shelter-in-place ordinances. It’s been truly fulfilling to see our team providing the same level of service to our clients virtually as they do in person. Their professionalism and integrity speak to the strength of our hiring team and the culture we’ve built around independence and trust. From the leadership perspective, we needed to overhaul how we communicated with our workforce. We implemented weekly Friday video calls (and added a virtual happy hour at the end) to share company-wide information. The calls were recorded and posted on our internal website with written highlights if someone was unable to attend. For important updates, we added a new tab to the website and sent emails, ensuring employees saw the information. A dedicated chat channel was open to our entire team for ongoing or urgent questions about company matters during the pandemic. It wasn’t about how often we sent information to the team, but how many options we gave them for accessing it that was important. Sometimes it takes a megaproject to shake things up and help us see and adapt to new ways of improving where we live, work, learn, and play. COVID-19 has been the ultimate megaproject. We’ve found that to navigate through challenging times collaboration is key. Our best way ahead is together, through strategic partnerships and adaptive thinking. SHAWN MAHONEY is the CEO of OAC Services, Inc. He can be reached at smahoney@oacsvcs.com.

❚ ❚ Importance of IT. Internet connectivity is now an essential utility and IT specialists are your first responders, ensuring everyone has 24/7/365 access from everywhere and anywhere. Remote working arrangements will be here to stay for a long time. Servers are the new printers. Making sure you have enough capacity on the company’s hardware to host remote access for a disparate workforce is the key, and the chokepoint, of getting work done and turned in. “Sometimes it takes a megaproject to shake things up and help us see and adapt to new ways of improving where we live, work, learn, and play. COVID-19 has been the ultimate megaproject.” ❚ ❚ Site safety and access. Safety has always been a priority on the jobsite, but now we need to track personnel access and infection rates. We developed an app called Site Safe to collect self-reported data on infection exposure and symptoms in order to control the spread of the virus on jobsites. Health check points at construction gate entry points will be mandatory going forward to protect workers and clients from viruses and project shutdowns. The firms that can proactively address health and safety concerns on jobsites will be the most coveted. ❚ ❚ Communicating with a virtual workforce. I’ll admit, like

THE ZWEIG LETTER OCTOBER 12, 2020, ISSUE 1363

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THE ZWEIG LETTER OCTOBER 12, 2020, ISSUE 1363

P R O F I L E

Guide and lead: Rayburn ‘Jake’ Donaldson Managing partner at Method Architecture (Houston, TX), a firm that practices ego-free architecture, creatively solves problems, and provides unparalleled customer service.

By LIISA ANDREASSEN Correspondent

A s managing partner, Donaldson takes a hands-on approach and oversees every aspect of the firm’s operations including master planning, design, business development, and strategic planning. Under his leadership, the firm actively pursues new markets, technologies, and sustainable design solutions for its projects. “My job exists to help guide and lead, but also to be a resource to my team, staff, and partners,” Donaldson says. “I’m the most fulfilled as a leader when I’m helping someone else succeed or reach a goal – that’s what really gets me excited. I hate thinking of myself as anyone’s boss. If you work at Method and need a boss, you are probably with the wrong company.” A CONVERSATION WITH JAKE DONALDSON. The Zweig Letter: Can you explain what “ego-free architecture” means? Jake Donaldson: Our ego-free culture permeates everything we do and allows us to keep the people and

the challenges at the forefront while keeping the blame, the credit, and unproductive worrying in the backseat. This core value allows us to stay focused on productive brainstorming for solutions when we have staffing issues, project challenges, and external threats beyond our control – like COVID-19. TZL: How much time do you spend working “in the business” rather than “on the business?” JD: I participated in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program in 2016 and that was a turning point for me, personally. Since then I’ve been very intentional about how I choose to spend my time each day, most of it spent working “on the business” creating or fixing process issues to run more smoothly. It requires a lot of self-discipline and perfecting the art of delegating, which is the key to getting out of the weeds. I spend a lot of time thinking about why certain aspects of the business aren’t working like they were intended and who the best person is to fix it.

THE ZWEIG LETTER OCTO

TZL: Artificial intelligence and machine learning are potential disruptors across all industries. Is your firm exploring how to incorporate these technologies into providing improved services for clients?

culture and how we maintain a flexible, dynamic, and fun setting – both internally and externally – even as we grow larger. Getting bigger has afforded us many opportunities like winning more dynamic projects, but it comes with more responsibility, policies, and other corporate elements that we’ve always resisted. We believe that as long as we’re intentional about the organizational changes we make along the way, stay focused on our core values, and keep people at the heart of everything we do that our culture will naturally evolve in a way that works for us. 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? JD: Aside from technical training you’d see at any firm, we also invest in leadership coaching and training. Mentorship and people skills development is a key part of our succession planning. We have found that if someone is a culture fit and good with people, you can teach them everything else they need to know. 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? JD: We’ve partnered with a number of universities on their internship development programs. This is really a win-win because their students get valuable, real-world experience and we get access to some great talent pool and develop relationships early so that when they graduate, we’re already a known commodity to them. “We’re obsessed with our company culture and how we maintain a flexible, dynamic, and fun setting – both internally and externally – even as we grow larger.” TZL: Before being managing partner at Method, you were a principal at Three Square. How is your position different now? What stands out the most? JD: The greatest difference is that I went from one person making all the decisions to a larger operational leadership group

JD: Innovation, technology, and disruption are constant topics of

conversations for our firm. We recently realigned our principal level focus so that one leader is solely focused on innovation and technology. Each year we invest time, money, and focus into experimenting with software and hardware that’s new or that we see possibly disrupting our industry. We make time to daydream about the what ifs and allow ourselves to go down the rabbit hole. TZL: What type of leader do you consider yourself to be? people and the challenges at the forefront while keeping the blame, the credit, and unproductive worrying in the backseat.” JD: I believe the most impactful leaders are servant-minded. My job exists to help guide and lead, but also to be a resource to my team, staff, and partners. I’m the most fulfilled as a leader when I’m helping someone else succeed or reach a goal – that’s what really gets me excited. I hate thinking of myself as anyone’s boss. If you work at Method and need a boss, you are probably with the wrong company. TZL: Are you using the R&D tax credit? If so, how is it working for your firm? If not, why not? JD: We’ve had good success implementing the R&D tax credit for the past three years. It required a lot of time classifying and coding staff efforts on the front end but has paid great returns for us. Our industry, in general, spends a ton of time doing research, exploring technology and innovation, doing planning studies, and other qualified endeavors. TZL: What are some key tools for keeping the flexibility of being a small firm and balancing it with large reach? JD: We’re obsessed with our company “Our ego-free culture permeates everything we do and allows us to keep the

HEADQUARTERS: Houston, TX NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 50 YEAR FOUNDED: 2008 OFFICE LOCATIONS: ❚ ❚ Houston, TX

❚ ❚ Austin, TX ❚ ❚ Dallas, TX

❚ ❚ San Antonio, TX MARKET SECTORS: ❚ ❚ Breweries and distilleries ❚ ❚ Retail ❚ ❚ Community

❚ ❚ Education ❚ ❚ Healthcare ❚ ❚ Industrial ❚ ❚ Interiors

❚ ❚ Offices ❚ ❚ Public ❚ ❚ Sports and fitness ❚ ❚ Science and technology TAGLINE: Leadership without the ego. “Ego-free architecture.” FAST-GROWING: Method Architecture was ranked number 134 out of the 250 fastest-growing private companies in Texas by Inc. magazine in the Inc. 5000 Series

See GUIDE AND LEAD, page 8

OBER 12, 2020, ISSUE 1363

ON THE MOVE WARE MALCOMB ANNOUNCES PROMOTION OF SERGIO VALENTINI TO DIRECTOR, ARCHITECTURE Ware Malcomb , an award-winning international design firm, today announced Sergio Valentini has been promoted to Director, Architecture in the Los Angeles office. In this role, Valentini leads the growth and management of the Architecture Studio and oversees all architecture projects for the firm’s Los Angeles office. A multifaceted design professional, Valentini’s background includes team and project management of complex projects at different scales in a collaborative, creative environment. His understanding of different markets and strong technical background influence his design approach delivering the highest standard of client service while creating spaces that are sustainable, site specific and enhance the human experience. “Since joining Ware Malcomb last year, Sergio has successfully taken over the daily management of the Architecture Studio and spearheaded a diverse array of new work including residential adaptive reuse, creative office, entertainment, and industrial projects,” said Radwan Madani, principal of Ware Malcomb’s Los Angeles office. “Sergio’s leadership, work ethic and solid design and technical expertise have established him as a strong leader within our office and among our industry partners. We look forward to his continued contributions and leadership.” Valentini joined Ware Malcomb in 2019 as Studio Manager, Architecture in the Los Angeles office. Previously he worked at major firms in London, Chicago and Los Angeles. Valentini brings over 17 years of architecture

and design experience to the Ware Malcomb team, including international and domestic projects in high-rise office, mixed-use, entertainment, aviation, residential, and hospitality sectors. Valentini holds a Master of Architecture degree from Politecnico di Bari in Bari, Italy. He has been active in industry associations such as the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat and is currently Chair of the Los Angeles chapter of the Royal Institute of British Architects. 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. WATER/WASTEWATER EXPERT JEFFREY WING JOINS DEWBERRY Dewberry , a privately held professional services firm, has announced that Jeffrey J. Wing, PE, LEED AP, has joined the firm as the water/wastewater market segment leader for the Raleigh, North Carolina, office. Wing, who has more than 34 years of experience, spent the last four years as a vice president and director of utilities for WithersRavenel in Cary, North Carolina. Prior to that he spent 12 years at Kimley-Horn. He brings with him extensive multidiscipline engineering experience in project management and design for water conveyance, wastewater collection, water storage, onsite wastewater, site design, stormwater, and transportation projects. Wing has worked in the state/local, commercial, and industrial markets. Prior to moving to North Carolina in 2004, Wing spent time working in Sacramento, California, and Anchorage, Alaska.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jeff to our team,” says Dewberry Vice President Matt West, PE, LEED AP BD+C. “Our clients in the water market segment have unique challenges that require creative problem-solving, and Jeff’s expertise will add great value to their solutions.” Wing earned his master’s degree in environmental policy and management with a focus on energy and sustainability from the University of Denver, and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Alaska Anchorage. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Water Works Association. Wing is actively involved in his community, and volunteers with Engineering Ministries International where he serves as an EMI Representative for North Carolina and is a chapter leader. His area of expertise is water and wastewater projects in developing countries, which includes biosand filters for water treatment and biodigesters for sanitation/energy development. 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 2,000+ professionals nationwide.

GUIDE AND LEAD, from page 7

take, and what’s the timeline, to address the issue while minimizing impacts to the rest of the company? JD: We take a very data-centric, direct and transparent approach to help us identify problems and brainstorm on solutions. The key to adjusting departments, teams, or business lines that are not hitting targets is to avoid demoralizing the people working hard in those groups. Oftentimes it’s a process-related failure, not related to any one person. But as far as timing goes, there’s no time like the present to fix a problem; they don’t age well. TZL: They say failure is a great teacher. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve had to learn the hard way? JD: As we have gotten savvier with our data collection and analysis over the past few years, we’ve been able to really dig in deeper to our project financials, overhead, and true project costs. We learned the hard way that we had several jobs and clients that we were losing money on when it was all said and done. It’s sobering to see a number in red at the bottom of a spreadsheet after putting your blood, sweat, and tears into a project. But it’s also really motivating to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

planning, strategizing, and making decisions together. This approach aligns much better with our ego-free culture, allows for content experts in various fields to take ownership of that area of expertise and allows us to carry a bigger burden, collectively, instead of it being on any one person’s shoulders. “I’ve been very intentional about how I choose to spend my time each day, most of it spent working ‘on the business’ creating or fixing process issues to run more smoothly. It requires a lot of self-discipline and perfecting the art of delegating, which is the key to getting out of the weeds.” TZL: When you identify a part of your business that is not pulling its weight in terms of profitability or alignment with the firm’s mission, what steps do you

THE ZWEIG LETTER OCTOBER 12, 2020, ISSUE 1363

O P I N I O N

T hey’re far from a figurehead – the typical CEO of an A/E firm. Whomever is in this job, like it or not, is one of if not THE single most important person to the success of the firm. These six traits are most likely to lead to success and are absolute “musts” for whomever is the CEO of the firm. The role of the CEO in an A/E firm

We all know it’s not an easy job. There will always be critics who tell you, “It’s not like it used to be here,” or, “We used to be like a family,” or, “When we had only 30 people we made a 27 percent profit and now we only make 15 percent,” or other such criticisms and complaints. When you are in the job sometimes you’d just like to scream at people but you can’t. You have to maintain your cool at all times. Here are some other attributes of a CEO for A/E firms that, in my experience, are most likely to lead to success in the role: 1)They are a good “doer.” Many will argue with me on this point. No, the best architect or best engineer is not always the best person to be the top leader/ manager for the firm. But it sure helps. At least being competent in the actual work of the firm will get you a lot more respect and credibility with

the rest of the people. There are very few instances of non-architects or non-engineers who have successfully led and managed an A/E firm. After more than 40 years in this business I could count the ones I’m aware of on less than five fingers of one hand. 2)They are humble. No one likes to work with someone who is an ego maniac or credit hog. Being humble – being able to publicly admit mistakes, say you are sorry when necessary, and promote the accomplishments of others is endearing, and it sure helps if the other partners and staff like the CEO. 3)They are visible. The CEO cannot go hide out in their office. They need to be moving around the office, stopping in at meetings, asking people what they are working on, and offering suggestions or asking necessary questions. They also need to be the public face of the firm and should have a

Mark Zweig

See MARK ZWEIG, page 10

THE ZWEIG LETTER OCTOBER 12, 2020, ISSUE 1363

BUSINESS NEWS INDUSTRY LEADER WILL CONTINUE TRADITION OF QUALITY, INNOVATION AND SERVICE IN CENTRAL U.S. Rashed Islam, P.E., PTOE, ENV SP, has accepted a new role as HDR ’s Central Region transportation director. The region stretches from Canada to Mexico and spans the U.S. from Indiana to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. As regional director, Islam will help coordinate HDR’s transportation work, involving every transportation sector we provide services in: Highways & Roads, Transit, Aviation, Ports & Maritime, Freight Rail and Federal Transport. Islam, a 27-year veteran in the industry, will be responsible for strategic leadership, business development and management of key initiatives. He will oversee the delivery of HDR projects throughout the region as well as development of staff and the continued expansion and application of our full life cycle services. He will assist clients in overall program delivery, adapting to new technology, advise them on preparing for the future and help shepherd community-changing projects from idea to reality. Islam’s leadership has been evident in the hundreds of projects he has completed in his career for many public and private clients, including the first continuous flow intersection in central Texas and his 20-year involvement in the award-winning 712-acre Robert Mueller Municipal Airport Redevelopment project. “We don’t want to just do projects,” Islam said. “We want to contribute to building communities where we live, work and play and continue to improve quality of life for the citizens.”

“HDR is fortunate to have a strong leaders with impeccable expertise, ingenuity and integrity,” said Transportation President Brent Felker. “Rashed is not only great to work with but passionate about helping our clients as well as the staff he works with at HDR to develop and deliver innovation and quality infrastructure, helping our communities thrive.” For over a century, HDR has partnered with clients to shape communities and push the boundaries of what’s possible. HDR’s expertise spans more than 10,000 employees in more than 200 locations around the world – and counting. The firm’s engineering, architecture, environmental, and construction services bring an impressive breadth of knowledge to every project. The HDR team’s optimistic approach to finding innovative solutions defined the firm’s past and drives its future. DEWBERRY/HDR TEAM SELECTED BY SAVANNAH CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO PROVIDE CIVIL WORKS SERVICES The Savannah District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently awarded a General Design, Civil Works Projects Indefinite Delivery Contract contract to the H D CW Joint Venture, led by the consulting firms of Dewberry and HDR . Through this contract, the joint venture teamwill provide architectural and engineering services for federal civil works projects throughout the district as well as other districts within the USACE South Atlantic Division and other locations as needed. The three-year contract includes a two-year optional extension and will not exceed $15 million.

The joint venture team, composed of small business subconsultants, anticipates a variety of work types under this contract including estuarine, water quality, and H&H modeling; design of new and rehabilitation of existing civil works facilities such as flood risk reduction projects, navigation channels and ports, and water quality improvement projects; preparation of operation and maintenance manuals; and construction phase services. “We are excited for this opportunity to serve the Savannah District,” says Dewberry Associate Vice President and Deputy JV Manager Tony Buitrago, PE, PMP. He adds, “Our JV team collectively brings more than 100 years of experience providing engineering solutions for our clients, from planning to construction phase services. From day one, we are ready to leverage this experience in support of the Savannah District Civil Works mission.” 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.

MARK ZWEIG, from page 9

5)They are trustworthy. Anyone who is in the CEO role has to be able to keep a secret. If someone says, “Don’t tell anyone else about this,” you can’t tell anyone else. As soon as you do you will be cutoff from all information on that and any other looming problems out there that could be getting ready to take a bite out of your hindquarters. And if people are afraid to tell you something that could affect the firm, you will have a very hard time dealing with it effectively. 6)They are a good delegator. This is so important for the CEO. If they think they are the only one who can do a job, they will fall into the trap of trying to do everyone else’s job and that is going to lead to burnout and a lot of unhappy people. Neither of those will be very helpful to running a successful company. There are other requirements for a CEO of a firm in this business. Being a good businessperson and understanding the numbers. Being a good judge of character. Being someone who deals with difficult situations and people head-on. Plus a whole bunch of other things unique to one organization and perhaps not another. But these six traits listed above are absolute “musts” for whomever is the CEO of the firm. MARK ZWEIG is Zweig Group’s chairman and founder. Contact him at mzweig@zweiggroup.com.

visible public profile, although this can be taken too far such that they are the only person in the company known to the outside world and that isn’t good, either. “There are other requirements for a CEO of a firm in this business. Being a good businessperson and understanding the numbers. Being a good judge of character. Being someone who deals with difficult situations and people head-on.” 4)They keep commitments. Establishing a history or pattern of doing what you say you will is one of the most fundamental qualities needed in the CEO. Without that no one will believe what they say and that is going to create a whole host of problems. You can’t schedule meetings and then cancel them constantly. You can’t always be late. You can’t say you will look at something and make suggestions and then not do it. Even things as simple as saying, “I can’t talk now but will call you back,” are important.

THE ZWEIG LETTER OCTOBER 12, 2020, ISSUE 1363

O P I N I O N

Flexibility in the face of COVID

We need to remain flexible for the foreseeable future as we continue to determine what is resonating with our clients.

A t the beginning of every year many of us spend a lot of time developing a marketing plan that we use to guide our priorities and drive strategy throughout the year ahead. During your monthly or quarterly reviews of your marketing plan, there may be adjustments to those priorities based on new information you receive that impacts your firm’s goals, or new clients or opportunities that arise. But what happens when the new information is the global pandemic that we are currently facing? If your firm is anything like ours, you pushed your marketing plan to the wayside as you found ways to support your colleagues and their clients as they faced new challenges COVID-19 has presented.

Katie Crawford

Having a reactive approach is not new to marketing professionals, despite most of us preferring the ability to develop a proactive approach based on industry trends and the needs of our clients. COVID-19 forced us to initially halt almost all non-pandemic related marketing and communication materials as we determined what services our clients needed immediately. We then had to adjust to an increase in electronic proposals, virtual meetings, and shortlist interviews, all while prioritizing employee communications. As we adapted to working remotely with some of

our marketing and business development staff furloughed or on reduced hours, we also had to adapt our marketing strategy moving forward. Our business development staff, like many in the AEC industry, rely on conferences/tradeshows and in-person meetings such as an occasional meal or round of golf to cultivate relationships that result in opportunities and leads. Like many other firms, we explored alternative BD opportunities including implementing external webinars highlighting technologies we

See KATIE CRAWFORD, page 12

THE ZWEIG LETTER OCTOBER 12, 2020, ISSUE 1363

TRANSACT IONS SEPI ACQUIRES TWO FLORIDA-BASED PLANNING AND DESIGN FIRMS TO EXPAND FOOTPRINT IN THE SOUTHEAST SEPI, Inc. , a full-service engineering, land planning, land development, environmental, infrastructure design, geomatics, construction inspection, and asset management and maintenance consultancy headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, announced the acquisition of two planning and design firms, The Mellgren Planning Group in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Palmetto, Florida-based Foley/Kolarik, Inc. The acquisitions support SEPI’s long-range strategy of diversifying their service offerings, building and expanding their existing planning and land development services, and expanding throughout the Southeast. Together the companies’ broad base of expertise will provide an enhanced client experience benefiting both our public and private sector clients. “The opportunity to add two amazing firms to SEPI and expand our footprint in the Southeast is one we couldn’t pass up,” said Sepi Saidi, president and CEO of SEPI. “These acquisitions position us as a powerhouse firm across a variety of service offerings pertaining to urban design, land development, and across the A/E/C industry as a whole. We look forward to welcoming The Mellgren Planning Group and Foley/Kolarik to the SEPI team.” Saidi founded SEPI in 2001 and has transformed the company to be a premier multi-disciplinary engineering firm ranked annually in the Engineering News-Record Top 500 Design Firms with a mission to serve clients as a trusted resource, contribute to projects that improve the quality of life in its communities, and provide a rewarding employee experience through its diverse and

inclusive team culture. She has continued to lead the firm to be $40 million in revenue, with more than 300 employees in several states across the southeast. This growth has been the catalyst and underlying theme for the past two years. One of Florida’s leading land use and urban design firms, The Mellgren Planning Group is known for their urban innovation, specializing in long-range planning, community involvement, developing and applying zoning codes and land development regulations, and urban designs. With an interest in the world around them, the people who live in it, and the places that inspire them, The Mellgren Planning Group is currently providing planning services for the city of Parkland, an urban design review in Boca Raton, and a comprehensive plan update for the city of Margate, among numerous other projects. “It was important that I find the right company that offered a breadth and depth of talent along with a human dimension,” said The Mellgren Planning Group founder and president, Michele Mellgren. “SEPI offers all of that, and I am thrilled to become a part of the team.” Gulf Coast-based Foley/Kolarik brings an innovative and cost-effective approach to their engineering solutions and has worked on marquee projects including The Concession Golf Course, an 18-hole Nicklaus Signature Course in Bradenton, Florida, a wellness center and canine fitness center on the campus of Southeastern Guide Dogs, an internationally accredited non-profit in Palmetto, Florida, and numerous projects with the Manatee County School District. Current projects will see them build out a more than 300-space lot addition to the Lake Club, named Genoa, in Manatee County.

“Aligning our firm with SEPI is very exciting. I was immediately attracted by the company culture and values,” said John Foley, president of Foley/Kolarik. “Being part of SEPI allows us to offer a broader range of services to our clients while maintaining the personal service and attention to detail we have always strived to provide.” SEPI has seven locations throughout the Southeast including offices in Charlotte, Wilmington, its headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, Beaufort, South Carolina, and its two newest locations in Florida. SEPI is a full-service engineering, land planning, land development, environmental, infrastructure design, geomatics, construction inspection and asset management and maintenance consultancy focused on innovation, sustainability, and excellence. With our combined years of hands-on experience, an ever- expanding knowledge base and an established reputation, our services are utilized on projects of various size and complexity. The Mellgren Planning Group has provided services to numerous cities throughout Florida for almost two decades. The firm has a breadth and depth of knowledge in all facets of current and long range planning, community development, urban design and, writing and applying zoning codes and land development regulations Founded more than 40 years ago the mission of Foley / Kolarik, Inc has remained the same – to provide innovative, cost effective, engineering solutions that are responsive to clients’ needs in a professional manner.

to determine when we’ll be able to return to many of the “normal” marketing activities we relied on prior to COVID-19. It appears for the foreseeable future at least that we need to be flexible as we continue determining what is resonating with our clients. We may not always get it right, but by prioritizing time to review where our marketing efforts stand today and remaining flexible in how we approach them, we can make sure we set ourselves up to be successful in the future. KATIE CRAWFORD is Pennoni’s marketing manager. She can be reached at kcrawford@pennoni.com. “Human interaction and connection are more important than ever in your marketing efforts and showing genuine interest and concern for your clients as they navigate through their own unprecedented times will go a long way.”

KATIE CRAWFORD, from page 11

have integrated into our projects or ones our channel partnerships have developed. Even as businesses explore reopening, restrictions on office guests and travel remain in place, and we are beginning to run into webinar fatigue. Where does this leave our marketing and BD efforts? We don’t have time to reinvent the wheel every few weeks. It’s time to go back and revisit our marketing plans and adjust for the current conditions. What are our clients’ priorities during this time and looking forward the next few months? How can we meet those needs and what is the best avenue to reach our clients? Have we introduced any new services or solutions because of COVID-19 that we need to develop additional marketing collateral for? At the end of the day, human interaction and connection are more important than ever in your marketing efforts and showing genuine interest and concern for your clients as they navigate through their own unprecedented times will go a long way. There isn’t a light switch to flip

THE ZWEIG LETTER OCTOBER 12, 2020, ISSUE 1363

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