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ON THE MOVE BRAUN INTERTEC EXPANDS BUILDING SCIENCES PRACTICE TO KANSAS CITY WITH NEW ADDITION RICHARD MCGUIRE, PE Braun Intertec , an engineering, consulting, and testing firm with offices throughout the central United States, is pleased to announce Richard McGuire, PE has joined the firm’s Kansas City office. McGuire joins Braun Intertec as a senior engineer in the building sciences group and brings 40 years of engineering experience in consulting and the construction industry, including structural forensics, restoration engineering, and property condition surveys. McGuire also brings an extensive business background with him to Braun Intertec,

positioning him as a building sciences and business consultant who will support the strategic goals of Braun Intertec’s clients. “We are thrilled to welcome Rich to our employee-owner team at Braun Intertec,” says Jon Carlson, CEO of Braun Intertec. “As a senior engineer who will lead the building sciences practice in our Kansas City office, Rich’s unique background will well-position our firm to service a variety of our client’s needs in the local area.” McGuire has led building sciences projects involving structural forensics investigations as well as testing and condition surveys

of concrete, masonry, and structural steel structures. He also brings specialized practice expertise in structural corrosion evaluations, foundations stabilization and strengthening of historic and modern construction buildings, parking structures, tunnels, stadiums and retaining walls. Additionally, McGuire has extensive civil and environmental engineering, business development and marketing expertise from his diverse career. Based in Minneapolis, employee-owned Braun Intertec is a premier engineering, environmental consulting and testing firm with nearly 1,000 employees located in Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, North Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin.

ANDY PLATZ, from page 9

communication on the status of the plan. Engaged employees are energized employees. People do their best work when they are making a difference in the company’s success. “Instead of viewing your strategic plan as an obligation that sits on the shelf for the next five years, take the time to listen to your employees. Engage them. Motivate them. You have nothing to lose.” LOOKING BEYOND THE DOLLARS. The best strategic plans gener- ate energy and excitement within the organization. This means looking at your company from a holistic perspec- tive. Mead & Hunt’s strategic plan goes beyond financial metrics. We look at where we are going culturally as a company, what our ethics currently are and will be moving forward, and what values we want to espouse, now and in the future. During this time of very tight talent availability, it’s even more important for employee retention. Employees want a firm that has a clear purpose and vision for the future. Younger generations want to know where their firm is headed and why. A well-crafted strategic plan grabs attention and gains respect. A strategic plan provides Mead & Hunt with a company- wide vision for the future, and a chance to benefit from the collective ideas of the entire organization, rather than a handful of vice presidents or company leaders. It offers our employees the opportunity to be a part of something bigger, to contribute to the firm’s overall success. The company’s success rests on our employees’ success, just as theirs rests on ours. By listening to and engaging with our employees, we all win. So, instead of viewing your strategic plan as an obligation that sits on the shelf for the next five years, take the time to listen to your employees. Engage them. Motivate them. You have nothing to lose. ANDY PLATZ, PE, recently became CEO at Mead & Hunt. He also serves as president. He can be reached at andy.platz@meadhunt.com.

level meetings or surveys and consolidated by market or service line. Now you have created an inclusive process that can be used by a smaller or more tightly defined strategic planning group to analyze data and prioritize initiatives. This process can reveal where separate departments are heading and identify trends and new ideas. This drill-down approach helps everyone understand what it will take to align the goals of the entire organization. If the only thing that comes out of a strategic planning process is organizational alignment, it’s a success. ENGAGING EMPLOYEES. It may seem difficult or impossible to engage every employee, especially if you are working within a very large or geographically diverse organization. However, employee engagement is critical, regardless of firm size. There are many ways to achieve employee engagement. For example, employee listening sessions and market research by employees allow voices to be heard. Decentralizing the process also helps groom the next generation of leaders, allowing them to research and determine corporate viability and growth strategies. Large, market dominating, AEC firms have been brought to their knees through a lack of employee input. “The right one can help the company set priorities and create a vision for the future. A cohesive plan offers a way to objectively measure progress and makes sure all facets of a company are aligned, working toward one goal.” Your employees hold vast value for your organization, offering a direct link to clients and a wealth of new ideas. Let their voices be heard. Some of the best and most innovative ideas might be buried deep within your organization. A formal rollout of the plan can also bolster buy-in. Publish it. Present it. Let your employees know how they fit into the plan. And, as time progresses, maintain consistent

THE ZWEIG LETTER September 17, 2018, ISSUE 1264

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