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Our vision: elevate the industry.
Table of Contents
Media and Research
Advisory Services
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The Zweig Letter
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Mergers & Acquisitions
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Civil + Structural Engineer Media
Marketing & Business Development
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Publications & Research
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Strategic Planning
Learn & Celebrate
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Valuation
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Ownership Transition
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ElevateAEC Conference
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Executive Search
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Zweig Group Awards
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Risk Management
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Learning
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Our mission: to be the leaders in driving performance and purpose for the AEC industry.
Take your firm exactly where you want to go.
Creating Value. Building Business. Guiding firm leaders to define and achieve their business objectives is what makes us tick. Doing so with candor and integrity is what makes us different. Our team of advisors consists of thought leaders who are obsessed with delivering results and are fascinated by the AEC industry. We approach each project as a cross-functional team consisting of professionals with different expertise working toward a common goal. We’ve been in this industry for more than 30 years, and we bring that collective knowledge to every assignment. Our history isn’t just extensive, it’s also successful. Zweig Group is a three-time listed Inc. 500/5000 Fastest-Growing Privately-Held Firm. Delivering Next Practices Anyone can provide best practices. Zweig Group’s mission is to be the leaders in driving performance and purpose for the AEC industry.
The Zweig Group Difference It all starts with trust. At Zweig Group, we practice what we preach. Your investment is important. You should partner with a firm that feels the same way. Responsive Relationships We’re in the relationship business. We take time to know you and your firm, and are committed to understanding – and providing solutions – to the challenges you face
on a daily basis. Industry Pulse
It’s no mistake we’re known as leaders in the AEC industry — we’ll accept nothing less. We own the data related to every aspect of firm management and marketing. Comprehensive Services Our team offers the full gamut of management and marketing advisory services to fill any of your needs. We, literally, can advise you from A-Z.
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Mergers & Acquisitions
Our team of M&A advisors are industry leaders. We seek high caliber, experienced M&A advisors and corporate executives with unique talents and perspectives who are driven to find solutions for business owners’ strategic and capital challenges. We approach each project as a cross-functional team consisting of professionals with different expertise working toward a common goal. With an extensive network that spans North America, we blend industry and sector knowledge with experience across the M&A lifecycle to help you capture value for shareholders. Whether you’re on the buy or sell side of a deal, Zweig Group’s full- scale Mergers & Acquisitions advisory team can help you find and evaluate candidates and then structure the transaction – managing the complicated process from conception to the closing table while providing full scope services for buy-side and sell-side clientele. Zweig Group’s M&A team facilitated over $300MM in M&A transaction volume in 2021 and is positioned to continue advising on the rising number of deals in the AEC industry into 2022.
Buyer Representation
Our buy-side advisory model is driven by our unique and proprietary list creation, outbound inquiries, and targeted tracking
Seller Representation
We have a strong track record in achieving maximum value for clients in their sale processes. Deal Structuring, Negotiation, and Due Diligence Assistance We guide you through the process and structure a win-win deal for all shareholders involved.
From Our Clients - “Zweig Group was an amazing ‘sherpa’ through our sell-side journey and helped us to a deal that I am very excited about and that I believe checks all the boxes with respect to what we set out to accomplish for the employees and the shareholders. From business advisor, to sales agent, promoter, mediator, strategist, coach, cheerleader and therapist - you are really good at what you do.”
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Marketing & Business Development
Areas of Expertise
Invigorate your brand, differentiate your firm, and build relationships that drive business to your bottom line. Zweig Group’s marketing and business development team is led by professional services marketers who’ve spent their careers creating innovative, award-winning brands and results-driven strategies to build business in the AEC industry. Our strategists, designers, researchers, videographers, and web developers collaborate with you to develop winning campaigns and events that help you position yourself to win more work. Whether you need an assessment of current practices and process, a marketing or business development audit, a strategy for a new market, or staff training and development, our team has the experience – and know-how – to elevate your efforts.
Marketing and Business Development Audits and Planning Market Research and Analysis Communications Planning Brand Development Client Pursuit/ Capture Planning Client Perception Studies and Analysis Client Loyalty and Feedback Programs Client Experience Journey Mapping Website Design Social Media Strategy and Execution Video Production Campaign, Event and Conference Strategy and Management
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Strategic Planning
Areas of Expertise
Full Strategic Plan Design Mission and Vision Development Core Values Development Employee Engagement Studies Client Perception Studies Financial and Operational Benchmarking Analysis S.W.O.T. Analysis Strategy Implementation and Accountability Organizational Structure Design and Optimization Proprietary Accountability Tools
Our team is passionate about helping you meet the challenge of driving increased value, purpose, and success. We believe that starts with a solid strategy, which, through tenacious execution, allows the individual, the firm, and the industry to be elevated.”
Compensation and Incentive Design Market Research and Analysis Business Planning Leadership Coaching Keynote Speaker Complementary Services
Phil Keil Director, Strategic Planning
From Our Clients - “Zweig Group challenges us to learn to focus on the long-term planning and execution rather than putting out constant short-term fires. They exceeded expectations and provided great examples backed by industry-specific benchmarks and metrics to help give us context versus our peers and competitors.”
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Firms with strategic plans are 12% more profitable. We get your team thinking strategically.
In one of Zweig Group’s most recent cross-sectional studies of some of our long term clients, the results from strategic planning engagements were astounding. Below are some of the growth stories told in numbers:
Zweig Group delivers a real plan, with real goals, real action items, and real accountability.
An essential and primary investment, strategy development aligns your team around a just cause and provides a road map that everyone can follow. We collect extensive amounts of data, perform in-depth research, and take the time to build a relationship with your firm based on knowledge. Our partnership allows us to compare your operations to our comprehensive data set of industry benchmarks and best practices to give you the confidence needed to succeed.
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Valuation
We know the AEC industry and what drives value in your firm. The issues facing owners in a privately held architecture, engineering or environmental consulting firms have never been greater. Zweig Group’s valuation experts understand the industry and what drives value in your firm. Whether you are contemplating an internal transition of your shares to the next ownership group, reworking your existing ownership transition plan, or thinking about selling to an industry buyer, we can help. Zweig Group has completed more valuations in the industry than any other firm. We have a highly credentialed and experienced appraisal team that understands the value drivers. Zweig Group performs valuations for a range of purposes including corporate planning, ownership transition planning, transactions, litigation support, ESOPs, IRS issues and valuation consulting.
Service Areas
Corporate Planning Ownership Transition Planning Transactions Litigation Support ESOP Formations and Annual Compliance Gifting Estate Planning and Settlement Valuation Consulting
Tracey Eaves, MBA, CBA, CVA, BCA, CMEA - “I always want to do what’s right for the client and provide them with the type of advisory services that they need to move their agenda forward. I have been in the industry long enough that I know what the hot button issues are likely to be, and I’ve had a 20-year career in valuation that has allowed me to see most every kind of situation. I can guide clients based on what mistakes or good moves previous clients have made.”
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Ownership Transition
Zweig Group has helped hundreds of firms develop solid, actionable plans to create smooth transitions. Many firms do not put adequate resources towards this critical element of business succession. A well designed ownership transition plan benefits both retiring and future owners. Zweig Group has developed plans to foster smooth ownership and leadership transitions for hundreds of businesses. This keeps business thriving and protects both departing and next generation owners. We have worked under impossible deadlines and challenges when needed to help firms in crisis. We believe this is of great importance and we often make ownership transition a part of the strategic plans we develop for firms. Our consultant team has seen just about every scenario you could imagine, and are ready to bring this expertise to your firm to help you efficiently and effectively develop a plan that protects your interests.
Service Areas
Comprehensive ownership transition planning
Business valuation/appraisals
Problem shareholder issue and dispute resolution ESOP consulting (including implementation and annual appraisals) Deferred, equity, and phantom equity compensation plans Leadership development and management succession
Will Swearingen, Director of Ownership Transition - “Firm owners and leaders need to have a solid understanding of their transition options. Having a plan for changes in a firm’s ownership builds culture and can alleviate all kinds of issues associated with ownership transition.”
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Executive Search
Recruiting and retention is the number one challenge facing AEC firms today.
Areas of Expertise
Executive Search Scalable recruitment solutions for fast growth firms Board of Directors External Advisor Search
We are not a recruiting agency. Unlike typical agencies that submit resumes indiscriminately, Zweig Group draws from our extensive industry database of AEC firms and contacts to research and network intelligently to identify qualified candidates. It is our goal to partner with your firm and build a recruiting strategy to meet your talent needs. Firms hire Zweig Group’s Executive Search team for a single, hard- to-find position or to build hiring campaigns or long-term recruiting strategies. We can even serve as your in-house search team serving as an extension of your staff. We work directly for you and with you on a daily basis to help you find the exact fit for your organization.
In-House Services
Annual review process development and execution Personal development plans for employees Training supervisors to conduct successful reviews Doer-Recruiter training to empower your technical staff to retain employees
Chad Coldiron, Director of Executive Search - “Helping firms find the needle in the haystack that can change their future - this is my true passion. The AEC market is struggling to find talent on all levels, and competition for that talent is greater than ever. I have worked with firms to find and attract entry-level positions all the way to working with a board of directors through the transition from one CEO to the next. Zweig Group’s hard-working team, information database, and brand reputation give us an unmatched advantage in the executive search process.”
Risk Management Solutions
We can help you turn risk from a liability to an asset and cash profit center. Let us bring our experienced industry risk, AEC insurance, and captive team to bear on your situation. Zweig Group is tackling a strategic challenge in a new and systematic way - that challenge is enterprise risk . At a high level, what we find is that risk management has traditionally been more reactive and ad hoc than systematic. Risk management can easily become siloed and focused on narrow goals, and too often not integrated at an enterprise level. While there is nothing wrong with a project or practice focus approach, enterprise risk encompasses a whole picture of projects, contracts, benefits, professional liability, cyber security, among others, coupled with risks that should be insured that are too expensive, or not offered in traditional policy markets. Unidentified risk may be lurking out of sight or changing as your firm grows. Using your data protected by confidentiality, ZGRS offers a complete enterprise risk assessment (ERA) and advice based on analysis. We also offer a methodology and a team to implement a captive insurance program specifically tailored to your situation if circumstances warrant. Let us bring our experienced industry risk, AEC insurance and captive team to bear on your situation. We turn risk from a liability to an asset and cash profit center under the right circumstances. At a minimum, we will reduce your costs and improve your risk position.
This new area of risk management and strategic solutions will bring some amazing new ideas for how firms can approach risk and improve their competitive advantage. I’m confident the platform of Zweig Group is the best place to bring this to market.”
Dathan Gaskill Managing Director, Zweig Group Risk Solutions
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Media
When it comes to media & publications, we have it all.
Sharing knowledge is the hub of our business. Our data can be the foundation for yours.
The Zweig Letter This newsletter shares trend analysis, tips, best practices, events, resources, plus an inside look at how AEC firms are tackling today’s challenges. The Zweig Letter Podcast The perfect complement to the newsletter, this podcast offers regular doses of deeper dives into the latest ideas and success stories in AEC.
Civil + Structural Engineer Media Our award-winning magazine, continuing education events, white papers, and e-news coverage are the best source of architecture, engineering, and construction information. Research Publications Our research bring up-to-date data analysis so leaders can make the right decisions and assessments regarding their firm’s performance and operations.
Features
Expert leadership and management advice.
Trend analysis Management tips and best practices 30+ years of archives Radical, sensible, and thought-provoking with a dose of humor
The Zweig Letter has been elevating the AEC industry since 1992, providing insightful, hard-hitting advice from a mix of C-suite executives, industry experts, and Zweig Group’s team of advisors. Loaded with management tips and best practices for a broad range of issues, the weekly newsletter provides an inside look at how real people in the AEC industry are tackling today’s challenges. If you want to succeed in the AEC industry, The Zweig Letter is an indispensable tool for you and your team.
SUBSCRIBE NOW
START LISTENING TODAY
Let us help you help the engineering industry! .
Features
Weekly e-news Digital magazine & website advertising Free digital subscriptions Cover features Sponsored webcasts Awards Social media White papers Online graduate degrees and distance learning
Civil + Structural Engineer Media is passionate about being the best source of news and information for the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction industries. What started as two separate print publications over a decade ago has transformed into a monthly digital magazine and weekly e-newsletter that reaches an audience of 35,000 industry members, as well as a website that is visited by an average of 100,000 visitors a month. The Civil + Structural Engineer Media platform is structured around 8 topic-specific channels: Environmental & Sustainability, Structures & Buildings, Transportation & Infrastructure, Water & Stormwater, Business News, Software & Technology, Unpiloted Systems, and Surveying. Each piece of news and article is contained within one or more of these channels, making the information more accessible to our readers. We are an authoritative source for business news and project information in the AEC industry, featuring peer-contributed articles that covers innovative and noteworthy engineering and construction projects, as well as cutting-edge software tools, and interviews with successful engineers and thought leaders in the industry.
SUBSCRIBE TODAY
Award-winning Design and Editorial
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Two contests
Yearbook of Engineering Achievement (YEA)
Debuted in Winter 2021, C+S Engineer Media’s Yearbook of Engineering Achievement Award celebrates projects that have demonstratively moved the industry forward through community and environmental impact, innovative technical processes, or groundbreaking vision and execution. It is our commitment to highlight projects that elevate the AEC indutry.
Engineering Drone Video of the Year (EDVY)
Recognizing the growing importance of unpiloted systems in the AEC industry, C+S introduced the EDVY contest in 2017. Now entering its sixth year, the EDVY features the best drone footage and video editing from the AEC industry.
VIEW THE MEDIA KIT
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Research
Our research bring up-to-date data analysis so leaders can make optimal decisions and assessments regarding their firm’s performance and operations. For more than 30 years, some of the industry’s highest performing firms have participated in our surveys, providing accurate data on what ingredients contribute to a sucessful firm. Our database of historic data helps us see both past and emerging trends; as current events, technology, and other advancements change the way we work in the AEC industry. Our goal is to provide real-time data analysis for leaders with products that can be accessed from anywhere, anytime. Zweig Group produces hard copy reports, digital (PDF) reports, and interactive, excel-based benchmarking tools, on nearly every area of business management. These research products allow any user to view national or regional statistics, or compare any subject firm to others by type, size, region of headquarters, growth rate, client base, and more. This data is what firm leaders and industry stakeholders need to make key decisions for strategic planning, budgeting, marketing, recruiting, project planning, ownership transition, and more.
Zweig Group has research that can help you benchmark nearly every area of business management for your firm, from financial KPIs to travel policies, and everything in between. Solid data can help you make fact-based decisions that lead to success, growth, employee retention, profitability, and a solid position in your market.”
Christy Zweig Niehues Director, Research and E-Commerce
Financial Performance Report The report contains every major
Top Selling Reports
financial performance statistic for the industry. Use the data from the overall sample or use our Benchmarking Report to compare your firm to others by type, size, region of headquarters, growth rate, client base, and more.
Salary Reports Zweig Group gathers data
continuously from a wide range of engineering and architecture firms to produce the most up-to-date and comprehensive salary reports available. These reports are produced in three regional variations for engineering firms and one specific to architecture firms. Zweig Group also produces an industry-wide all U.S. mid-year update report.
Total Compensation Benchmarking Tool
This interactive excel tool is a great way to get extremely specific benchmarking data on salaries, bonuses, and overtime eligibility for over 30 different job titles in the AEC industry.
Valuation Report Whether you are part of an
Special Topic Reports Keep your fingers on the pulse of today’s work environment with Zweig Group special topic reports relevant to today’s work environment. Learn more about Zweig Group’s in-depth reports and benchmarking tools by downloading a few preview report with highlight statistics.
established firm or a young firm and want to understand value as it relates to share distribution, M&A, ownership transition, etc., this report and its Benchmarking Package allow leaders to get a view into their firm’s value based on real valuations of hundreds of AEC firms.
Survey Participation
YOUR PARTICIPATION IS VITAL FOR US TO GATHER A WIDE-RANGING SAMPLE OF DATA ON THE TOPICS THAT HELP FIRMS RUN SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS. This is why we offer a 50% – or more – discount off the final price of any survey of your choice when you participate. Visit zweiggroup.com/survey-participation to participate today.
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ElevateHER is a movement and a commitment to Zweig Group’s mission to Elevate the Industry. ElevateHER is about the future of the AEC industry and Zweig Group’s commitment to embrace, promote, and ensuring equal opportunities for everyone in the AEC industry regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, or ethnicity. Each cohort is a special task force comprised of individuals with a commitment to promote diversity as a means to combat recruiting and retention challenges in the AEC industry. The group will operate as a think tank, developing strategies to help solve the challenge.
My vision for ElevateHER is not one of divisiveness or ‘women first.’ It is a practical acknowledgment of the 100% of women who have considered exiting the AE industry, confronting this challenge, and doing everything that we can to fix this system. We need women in our firms to speak up when they feel alienated. We need others who are advocates for women to be thoughtful in how they speak and to correct actions that undermine the career opportunities available for women.”
Zweig Group is here to serve as an advisor and hub of information and resources to leading this movement – a movement that brings us together to promote, advance, and elevate the industry.
Jamie Claire Kiser ElevateHER Founder
LEARN MORE HERE!
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We’re connecting global leaders, solving industry issues, presenting next practices, and celebrating the most successful firms in the industry.
The annual ElevateAEC Conference and Awards Gala brings together leaders from top-performing firms across the architecture, engineering, planning, environmental and construction industries to network, learn, and celebrate. The high-energy, high-profile, highly-anticipated event of the year offers the latest thought leadership, intentional networking opportunities, and expert-facilitated roundtable discussion. It is the largest gathering of award-winning AEC firms, making it the industry’s most comprehensive business conference for leaders and aspiring leaders of AEC firms in the US. The iconic black-tie awards gala celebrates all the current year’s winners of the Hot Firm List, Best Firms to Work For, Marketing Excellence, Rising Stars, Top New Ventures, Excellence in Client Experience, and the Jerry Allen Courage in Leadership Awards.
Awards
Your firm deserves to be noticed. There is no better reward than recognition for a job well done. Celebrate your firm – and people – and gain serious bragging rights. Zweig Group offers awards programs that focus on architecture, engineering, planning, and environmental consulting firm achievement. Each award has a different focus: marketing excellence, overall firm success, best workplace practices, outstanding leadership, client experience, and more. Firms that win a Marketing Excellence, Best Firms To Work For and Hot Firm Award in the same year are awarded the Trifecta Award.
Win Big With the Trifecta
Be among the best of the best, and join an elite group of award-winning firms. The Trifecta Award celebrates a high-performance firm winning an award in three areas of firm operations: growth, creating a great place to work, and marketing excellence.
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Our Awards
Marketing Excellence Award The Marketing Excellence Awards recognize outstanding and effective marketing in our industry.
Hot Firm List For over 20 years, the Zweig Group Hot Firm List has recognized the 100 fastest-growing architecture, engineering, planning, and environmental consulting firms in the United States and Canada.
Best Firms to Work For This award recognizes the top archi- tecture, engineering, environmental, geotechnical, landscape architecture/ planning, and multidiscipline firms in the US and Canada based on workplace practices, employee benefits, employee retention rates, and more.
Trifecta Award This award honors a select group of exceptional award winners who have received Hot Firm, Best Firms to Work For, and Marketing Excellence in the same year.
Jerry Allen Courage in Leadership Award
Top New Venture Award This award honors the fastest growing start-up on the basis of revenue and employment growth, as well as entrepreneurism and a spirit of innovation.
This award is given each year to someone who has made a tremen - dous impact on the company through courageous leadership.
Excellence in Client Experience Award This award recognizes firms that solicit real client feedback from their client base and consistently excel at meeting expectations and delivering elevated experiences.
Route DEI Award This award recognizes firms that have made great strides towards creating more Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive workplaces.
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Learning
Learning is your competitive advantage. Zweig Group is your life-long provider of collaborative and cus- tomized learning and training programs. Strengthen your team. Expand your knowledge.
Events & Seminars At Zweig Group, our educational offerings focus on the needs of AEC industry firms today, delivered by a diverse team of industry experts with first- hand firm experience. We deliver techniques proven to work in this industry, closing skills gaps, and improving a firm’s capabilities – one learning opportunity at a time.
In-House Training In-house training sessions are facilitated by our experts who have industry-specific experience and technical know-how. We work directly with you to evaluate and benchmark your needs. We then transition that information into an action plan in order to custom-tailor training programs that address and exceed the specific needs of your firm. The end result is a higher retention rate for your firm, increased productivity, and a dynamic work environment that enables individuals to succeed and contribute to their firm’s success.
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Premier Learning Opportunities
M&A Next Symposium An interactive experience where Zweig Group’s Mergers & Acquisitions thought leaders and industry experts share insights and impart keen knowledge on not only current, but also “next,” practices in the world of M&A.
AEC Executive Roundtable A one-of-a-kind opportunity for AEC leaders to gather and deep dive into the top issues facing their firm and the industry. The unique agenda consists of multiple intimate roundtable sessions, with informative talks and panels in between to fuel the discussions among attendees.
The Principals Academy Zweig Group’s flagship seminar, encompasses all aspects of managing a professional AEC services firm.
Leadership Skills: Strategy & Tactics Equips leaders with practical skills to identify opportunities, develop and execute strategy, and build support for initiatives within their organization.
Elevating Doer-Sellers Guides technical professionals through all stages of business development
Project Management for AEC Professionals Led by experts and backed by thorough research, this seminar equips project managers with tangible and modern tools to immediately begin driving greater project value.
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zweiggroup.com
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