10
ON THE MOVE BOWMAN CONSULTING GROUP ADDS JIM BREZACK AS WATER RESOURCES DIRECTOR Bowman Consulting Group Ltd announced that Jim Brezack has joined the company as Water Resources Director. He will be responsible for overseeing Bowman’s national water resources practice, working with clients to address water supply challenges and provide insight and solutions relating to water conservation, water reclamation and water supply planning. This includes the interpretation and application of state and federal environmental policies. “We are thrilled to have Jim and his staff on our team,” said Mike Bruen, Bowman’s chief operating officer. “Jim’s 30 years as a recognized leader in planning and design of wastewater, water supply, and recycled water will be invaluable to our clients. He has been a leader in the industry, providing insight on the complex master planning and design of water systems. We are pleased to
have this strategic hire expand our presence into the expansive California market.” Brezack received his bachelor’s degree in biology from Utah State University and his master’s degree in water resources from the University of Michigan. Prior to joining Bowman, Brezack was the founder and president of Brezack & Associates, based in Walnut Creek, California. The firm’s primary services included water conservation planning, water resources and environmental planning for public agencies and private entities dealing with environmental challenges. In connection with Brezack’s move to Bowman, all Brezack & Associates employees joined the company. “As water and environmental challenges rise across the U.S., the opportunity is now one of becoming more resilient in our climate control efforts,” said
Brezack. “I am excited to join Bowman to help build on their solid and proven foundation in water resources planning, design and engineering. I look forward to introducing my clients to Bowman’s team of skilled professionals and continuing to advise our collective communities on the increasing importance of water resilience and conservation.” Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Bowman is an established professional services firm delivering innovative engineering solutions to customers who own, develop, and maintain the built environment. With more than 800 employees and more than 30 offices throughout the United States, Bowman provides a variety of planning, engineering, construction management, commissioning, environmental consulting, geomatics, survey, land procurement and other technical services to customers operating in a diverse set of regulated end markets.
restaurants, hospitality, and others) struggle to hire and retain enough employees to satisfy the demand for their services and products. Official data from the U.S. Labor Department reported that a record 4.3 million Americans voluntarily left their jobs in August 2021 – the equivalent of 2.9 percent of the national workforce. This is the fifth month in a row of record exit numbers, significantly impacting manufacturing and construction positions. With the increasing need for workers to fill open roles on active projects, many firms are likewise increasing benefits and salaries and doubling down on recruiting efforts. These rising labor costs will be built into projects and add to rapidly escalating construction prices. In 2021, we felt the material cost increases; nowwe are experiencing cost increases to both materials and labor. If you’re looking for some good news, I can offer this: our industry is resilient. This is not the first turmoil we have endured, and it won’t be the last. Furthermore, disruption drives innovation, and these challenges will help us to be leaner in our business and develop more creative and collaborative ways to build. The panelists shared that they have already begun to realize many positives: finding more efficient ways to procure materials, improving communication with general contractors and suppliers, and focusing on lean initiatives in their operations to increase productivity with fewer people. Today’s challenges are accelerating a much- needed transformation in our industry – and we will reap the benefits from and continue to build on these successes when we are once again living, working, and building in less fraught, unpredictable times. Keyan Zandy is chief operating officer for Skiles Group. Find him on LinkedIn .
KEYAN ZANDY , from page 10
electrical equipment lead times have also continued to grow, and items like metal decking and roof insulation can now take more than six months to procure. These procurement issues force delays in project start times and can create scheduling issues for the duration of construction. Lead times frequently change mid-project, and it is now common for ordered materials to arrive much later than originally promised. According to the trade panel I spoke with, for some scopes of work they are ordering materials much earlier – and without as much information, like precise field measurements – to hedge against missed procurement dates. While many are hopeful that things will ease up, it doesn’t appear this will be the cause until the second or third quarter of 2022. “Today’s challenges are accelerating a much-needed transformation in our industry – and we will reap the benefits from and continue to build on these successes when we are once again living, working, and building in less fraught, unpredictable times.” 3. Labor shortages. Labor shortages are nothing new in our industry, but we are experiencing these shortages in new (worse) ways – and it’s not just construction that’s suffering. In 2022, the labor shortage will continue to spread beyond the building industry, as many other sectors (retailers,
© Copyright 2022. Zweig Group. All rights reserved.
THE ZWEIG LETTER FEBRUARY 21, 2022, ISSUE 1429
Made with FlippingBook Annual report