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in Construction are making a difference, and it’s always encouraging when I see other women being recognized as fellows in industry organizations. It’s also helpful when we visit schools, from elementary to high school, to share what we do in our careers to spark a younger generation’s interest. “When I was exploring architecture as a degree, I recall a dean telling me it was not a profession for women, and he did everything he could to discourage me. I was very fortunate that his words went in one ear and out the other.” TZL: What type of leader do you consider yourself to be? ST: Transformational – and it’s a work in progress. My “superpower” is understanding where we are now as a company and developing a vision for where we’re going. However, to get a vision to become a reality, you need a team that sees and wants to be a part of making that vision come to life. There’s nothing more fulfilling than sparking a flame of passion in your team, motivating them to find their superpowers, and watching as they achieve their part of the vision. TZL: How are you balancing investment in the next generation – which is at an all-time high – with rewards for tenured staff? This has always been a challenge, but seems heightened as investments in development have increased. ST: We consistently review our investments in our tenured staff. During COVID, we increased our training investment to ensure everyone remained working at 100 percent. We’ll continue to invest in the next generation and have recently decided to increase our efforts in mentoring “the next generation” by enhancing our existing “Management Mentor Track” and establishing a new “Technical Mentor Track” this year. TZL: How is your firm working to recession-proof itself? ST: Recession proofing is all about backlog. We currently have sufficient contract backlog to carry us through any immediate economic downturn. Recent multi-year federal contract awards will allow AFG to not only remain stable, but to grow in the coming year. These contracts are with new clients in a wider geographical area, which again, allow us to mitigate any downturn in one area or client market. TZL: In one word or phrase, what do you describe as your number one job responsibility? ST: Relational growth. TZL: A firm’s longevity is valuable. What are you doing to encourage your staff to stick around? ST: Everyone has different motivational reasons for sticking around, but I think there’s an overlying common denominator: People want to feel appreciated, respected, and know there’s room to advance. They want to know they have a voice and that their work is making a difference. We work to achieve that and, as a result, we’ve maintained a below industry average turnover rate for nearly eight years running.
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last two and a half years, my kids and I have lived apart from him so he can continue with his military career while I’ve settled in one location so the kids can finish school without having to move again. Most people ask, “How do you do it?” And my answer is always that I’ve been extremely fortunate to work for global companies where I can do my job anywhere in the world, and at the same time be a mom and spouse. Time with the family is often quality over quantity. Therefore, while working, I diligently manage my time to ensure every activity and engagement is productive and prioritized accordingly. TZL: Currently, the AEC industry is experiencing rapid disruption and change. The continuing rise of digital solutions and the climate emergency are re-shaping how we design, build, and operate our buildings and infrastructure. What AEC trends do you see emerging in say the next five years? ST: Industry has not even touched the surface where technology and digital solutions will take us in the built environment. It’s exciting times in the “Smart Age” of IoT, digital twin, AI, cyber, drones, smart cities, and whatever new shiny digital object or buzzword transpires next. A challenge which poses an opportunity to all this digital excitement is training the new workforce to be able to operate, maintain, and secure these “smart” building solutions for efficiency, sustainability, and resiliency. We can design, engineer, and install this digital infrastructure, but if we do not have the labor force to care for it, we may not realize its full operational potential or ability to deal with security risks. From the digital age comes the desire for data. Everyone wants data, but clients are often unsure of how to best use, maintain, and analyze it to really move the needle on decision making, performance optimization, and realize returns on investment decisions. AFG is exploring how we manage the data and work with building owners on the turnover of buildings, technology, and cyber for operational readiness. “We’re witnessing a ‘war on talent’ and those with the right resources win. There’s plenty of work out there to be won, but if you do not have the right team to deliver from day one, your business’ reputation could be tarnished.” TZL: Diversity and inclusion are lacking. What steps are you taking to address the issue? ST: AFG has a wonderfully diverse team, and it’s refreshing. I do think the construction management business is slightly behind the curve with senior technical women leadership. However, I’m seeing an influx of younger women in the CM industry and soon enough they will be the future leaders. Each generation seems to get better and more inclusive. Organizations like the National Association of Women
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THE ZWEIG LETTER JANUARY 2, 2023, ISSUE 1470
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