TZL 1299

T R E N D L I N E S W W W . T H E Z W E I G L E T T E R . C O M J u n e 3 , 2 0 1 9 , I s s u e 1 2 9 9

Architect principals

Focusing on problems and opportunities

I f you truly understand the psyche of many of those of us who work as consultants, you’ll agree with this statement: Consultants are geared to be problem solvers, so we tend to focus our energies on problems. Focusing on problems doesn’t make you a negative person. Some people genuinely enjoy solving problems. It can be very gratifying. That’s why people play certain games on their phones. That’s why people build puzzles. That’s why people like doing projects. Solving problems gives you a reason for your existence. But the real question is this: Does a heavy focus on fixing problems get in the way of maximizing your opportunities? It takes a fine balance. Some business problems, if ignored, can result in financial ruin. They HAVE to be dealt with. Yet never having any time to focus on the good things – the things you do well or do best – will surely result in you falling short of your potential. Not to mention that too many problems to solve can stress you out. It’s a balancing act. Deal with problems – big ones – urgent ones. But don’t forget to invest in your future by spending time doing more of what you do well and figuring out how to capitalize on opportunities. This is what real entrepreneurs go through every day. “Do I spend time on my problems? Or do I focus on opportunities?” You have to do both of these things! MARK ZWEIG is Zweig Group’s chairman and founder. Contact him at mzweig@zweiggroup.com.

“It’s a balancing act. Deal with problems – big ones – urgent ones. But don’t forget to invest in your future.”

Mark Zweig

In Zweig Group’s 2019 Principals, Partners & Owners Survey of AEC Firms , principals were asked how their actual time breaks down relative to their ideal time. Zweig Group found that about half of an architect principal’s actual time is spent on firm and project management while just a quarter of their time is spent on design work and mentoring. Ideally, these principals would want to spend the most time on design and technical work. Participate in a survey and save $320 on any Zweig Group research publication. Visit bit.ly/TZLsp to learn more. F I R M I N D E X Ayers Saint Gross. ................................12 Burns & McDonnell. ................................4 CT Consultants, Inc.. ..............................2 Derck & Edson, LLC. ............................10 Fuscoe Engineering, Inc........................10 Harrison Kornberg Architects................12 JQ Engineering. ................................4, 12 Shah Smith & Associates......................12 STV.........................................................2 Treanor. ................................................12

MORE COLUMNS xz STEPHEN LUCY: Problems, solutions Page 3 xz JANE LAWLER SMITH: A common misstep Page 9 xz LINDSAY YOUNG: Eating elephants Page 11

Page 6 The growth guy: Peter Stevens

T H E V O I C E O F R E A S O N F O R A E C F I R M S & M A N A G E M E N T C O N S U L TA N T S

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ON THE MOVE STV PROMOTES JOHN PONZIO TO SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT John Ponzio, an experienced rail and transit systems engineer whose leadership has led to significant growth at the firm, has been promoted to senior vice president of STV’s national systems practice. Ponzio has 20 years of experience within the transit industry, having begun his career at STV as a junior engineer with the firm’s systems group. Since then, he has been instrumental in fostering the team’s growth from four to its current staff of 130 professionals. Under Ponzio’s purview, the system’s practice has expanded to include multidisciplinary expertise across a broad spectrum of services for the firm’s clients in rail/transit operations, intelligent transportation systems, safety, corrosion control, cathodic protection, and security and resilience services. Based in STV’s Philadelphia office, Ponzio will manage the firm’s national team of experts to further grow the practice into new areas and continue to focus on providing quality services to its existing clients. “The growth and success in STV’s national practice is a direct result of John’s skills as a leader and his abilities as a professional in the industry,” said Martin Boyle, executive vice president of STV’s Transportation & Infrastructure Division. “Through his knowledge and understanding of industry trends, John has positioned STV as a leader in systems design and has spearheaded our efforts in intelligent transportation systems, security and resiliency services and other areas.” Ponzio earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Pennsylvania State University. Ponzio is a member of the Society of American Military Engineers, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and the International Council on Systems Engineering. Founded more than 100 years ago, STV is a leader in providing engineering, architectural,

planning, environmental and construction management services for transportation systems, infrastructure, buildings, energy and other facilities. The firm is ranked 37th in Engineering News-Record ’s Top 500 Design Firms survey and 9th in its transportation category. STV is 100 percent employee- owned. CT CONSULTANTS ANNOUNCES NEW MARKET LEADER, DIANE ORESS The management team of CT Consultants, Inc. has selected Diane Oress, PE to be named Market Leader. Oress leads the firm’s Lakeshore Division including the Departments of Public Works and Landscape Architecture. As market leader Oress is responsible for the management of the mission and vision of her market. The market leader defines the services to be provided, the geography to be served and the client mix. They operate independently and consistent with the philosophies defined by the President. Oress has more than 11 years of experience in the successful delivery of design and construction management projects related to water, wastewater, stormwater, roadways and recreational facilities for the public sector. Oress has served as project manager for projects up to $12 million in size and was directly involved with the acquisition of project funding for clients from federal, state, and local sources. Oress is experienced with master planning for a wide variety of disciplines including water/ wastewater, transportation, land use, aviation and the associated permitting required from NEPA, ACOE, EPA, State DEQ, and State DOT. CT Consultants, Inc. is a growing consulting engineering firm, acquiring eight firms in the past five years. With this growth comes opportunities for career advancement.

SEATTLE MINNEAPOLIS NYC

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1200 North College Ave. Fayetteville, AR 72703 Chad Clinehens | Publisher cclinehens@zweiggroup.com Richard Massey | Managing Editor rmassey@zweiggroup.com Christina Zweig | Contributing Editor christinaz@zweiggroup.com Sara Parkman | Senior Editor and Designer sparkman@zweiggroup.com Liisa Andreassen | Correspondent landreassen@zweiggroup.com

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THE ZWEIG LETTER June 3, 2019, ISSUE 1299

O P I N I O N

Problems, solutions

R ecently, I have read a lot of opinions and articles focused on achieving gender equity and greater diversity in our profession. While I know that barriers still exist, I still thought in my own naïve way that hurdles had been lowered, given so many other stories about increasing STEM opportunities. We’re not too late in achieving gender balance and equity in engineering, but to make it happen, a lot of work needs to be done.

As past-chair of the industry advisory council for the Zachry Department of Civil Engineering at Texas A&M University, I am aware that the numbers are improving. Women represent more than 30 percent of the incoming class in civil are STEM jobs ... And women in STEM fields comprise the lowest in engineering with less than 15 percent of women choosing our profession.” “Although women hold nearly half of all U.S. jobs, less than half of those

Stephen Lucy

Yet the statistics bear otherwise. According to research conducted by Catalyst, a global nonprofit working with some of the world’s most powerful CEOs and leading companies to build workplaces that work for women, women earned more than half of bachelor’s degrees (57.2 percent), master’s degrees (59.2 percent), and doctorate degrees (52.7 percent) in 2017, and the trend has persisted for degrees in medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and law. That’s good news for healthcare and law. But engineering? Although women hold nearly half of all U.S. jobs, less than half of those are STEM jobs, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Commerce. And women in STEM fields comprise the lowest in engineering with less than 15 percent of women choosing our profession.

See STEPHEN LUCY, page 4

THE ZWEIG LETTER June 3, 2019, ISSUE 1299

BUSINESS NEWS BURNS & MCDONNELL OPENS NEW WASHINGTON, D.C. OFFICE Burns & McDonnell has announced the opening of a new office in Washington, D.C. This office will allow Burns & McDonnell to better serve its clients in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Derek Brown, senior railroad and transit project manager, leads Burns & McDonnell’s team of talented experts in Washington, D.C. Burns & McDonnell’s new space ensures

the firm will continue to deliver specialized engineering expertise for its clients’ toughest transportation and infrastructure projects, and will allow Burns & McDonnell to attract the very best talent in the region. The address for the new Washington, D.C. office location is 100 M Street SE, Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20003 Founded in 1898, Burns & McDonnell is a full- service engineering, architecture, construction,

environmental, and consulting solutions firm, based in Kansas City, Missouri. Burns & McDonnell’s staff of 7,000 includes engineers, architects, construction professionals, planners, estimators, economists, technicians and scientists, representing virtually all design disciplines. Burns & McDonnell plans, designs, permits, constructs, and manages facilities all over the world, with one mission in mind: Make our clients successful.

STEPHEN LUCY, from page 3

and take tangible action to address the problem. Overall our industry has not been effective in taking action and implementing change. Answering these questions may help to guide a firm’s efforts to change: 1) Is your firm’s culture inclusive and open-minded? 2) Do you offer career paths that are gender neutral? 3) Do you bring women into the management process, including strategic planning discussions? 4) Do you promote and compensate equally? 5) In evaluating future leadership, do you weigh your selection based not only on skills and contributions but also on inten- tionally diversifying your top ranks? Don’t misunderstand me, promotions and opportunities must be based on ability and performance. However, based on my 30 years of experience, I know how hard women can work, how intelligent and competitive they can be, and how much their performance can impact a firm’s success. But the barriers are still there. EMBRACING THE FUTURE THROUGH DELIBERATE CHANGE. Our reality is that we cannot immediately hire ourselves out of this is- sue. We can hire ourselves into addressing it better moving forward. With so much generational transition ahead, it is imperative that we plan for greater gender diversity within our ranks, and that it involves a thoughtful, well-planned, multi-year process. Moreover, if the future is to remain bright and vibrant for women, we have to start earlier with our support. Gender disparity in high school is most evident when twice as many young men earn STEM credits than young women. At college, twice as many men select STEM majors compared to women, according to the 2018 National Science Foundation Science and Engineering Indicators Report. And scholarships and grants for women in engineering are profoundly lacking in size and scope. Perhaps this is where our legacies can and should prevail as firm leaders: Through earlier mentoring and classroom conversations about STEM opportunities. Through financial support in the form of scholarships and grants, earmarked for women. Through greater visibility of the achievements and contributions of women in our profession. And, ultimately, through partnerships, ownership, and equitable promotions and pay. STEPHEN LUCY is CEO of JQ Engineering with offices in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Lubbock, and San Antonio, Texas. Contact him at slucy@jqeng.com.

engineering at TAMU in 2018 – well above average for the overall college and above prior years – and the top civil engineering graduate is almost always a woman. Yet, even with those gains, today’s headlines read: “We’re addressing gender disparity in engineering way too late,” and, when astronaut Dr. Mae Jemison talks about STEM programming efforts, she says we are losing talent and capability through systemic hurdles for women. SOLUTIONS BEGIN WITH AWARENESS AND ACTION. At first glance, our firm would be considered ethnic and gender diverse with approximately 50 percent of our workforce comprised of minorities or women. Granted, we have made overall in- roads to becoming diverse, but we struggle within our lead- ership ranks where we remain 100 percent male despite our best intentions. We give ourselves an out by saying this is no different than most firms in our industry, but that is such an amazingly poor excuse. Most of us can talk about the research proving business benefits that diversity provides, from improving performance and recruitment, to enhancing the culture and demonstrating a more representative team among our clients and communities. Then, we turn right around and talk about the downside – the number of women leaving our profession after only a few years. “We have made overall inroads to becoming diverse, but we struggle within our leadership ranks where we remain 100 percent male despite our best intentions. We give ourselves an out by saying this is no different than most firms in our industry, but that is such an amazingly poor excuse.” Do we know why women are leaving? Are we to blame? Have we created an unequal gender balance by not addressing those issues which impact women’s lives? More importantly, have we ignored systemic inequities that persist among ourselves as firm leaders? As with all problems, the most important first step is to acknowledge the problem and as an industry we appear to have taken that step. The harder next step is to determine

THE ZWEIG LETTER June 3, 2019, ISSUE 1299

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THE ZWEIG LETTER June 3, 2019, ISSUE 1299

P R O F I L E

The growth guy: Peter Stevens President of JCJ Architecture, a local, national, and global architecture, planning, and interior design firm based in Hartford, Connecticut.

By LIISA ANDREASSEN Correspondent

S tevens is responsible for managing the “business of ar- chitecture.” His focus is on the company’s overall finan- cial strength and growth, including the development of new business and market strategies that align with the firm’s long-term vision and goals. A CONVERSATION WITH PETER STEVENS. The Zweig Letter: Internal transition is expensive. How do you “sell” this investment opportunity to your next generation of principals? How do you prepare them for the next step? Peter Stevens: Over the past 20 years, JCJ has transitioned 100 percent of its ownership/shares twice. The first tran- sition was done internally with after-tax dollars for the firm’s third generation of ownership (the firm was founded in 1936). Buyers of shares would personally finance their purchase shares with post-tax dollars. As an S-corp, indi- viduals could use their annual distribution (based on per- centage of ownership) to pay down their personal loans tak- en to pay for their purchased shares. Year-end distribution of profits to shareholders were fully taxable, so purchasers

were buying the shares with after-tax dollars. In addition, all shareholders would loan back to the firm their portion of the operating capital required to start the new year (rang- ing from $2 million-$3 million) based on their ownership percentage. This “operating capital” loan was paid back to the shareholder (without interest) during the course of the year based on the performance of the firm during the year. The “selling” of this process is two-fold – performance/re- ward. Such an internal transition can’t occur without the firm being significantly profitable. Secondly, a majority of the profits (up to 85 percent) were to be distributed to the shareholders during the “buyout term” based on the num- ber of shares owned The second transition occurred when the firm converted ownership to a 100 percent ESOP (S-corp structure). Selling shareholders had the choice of short- and long-term loans, with short-term loans (five years) earning a lower interest rate on their outstanding shares and long-term loans (be- ginning in year six) earning a significantly higher rate of in- terest. In case of the ESOP shares, there was no selling of the concept to employees. There was a significant selling to the

THE ZWEIG LETTER Ju

existing shareholders to go the ESOP route. The earned interest rate on their shares was a big incentive to go forward with the ESOP. In the case of a 100 percent ESOP, the ES- OP’s purchase of shares is done with pre-tax dollars. TZL: What actions do you take to address a geographic office or specific discipline in the event of non-performance? PS: JCJ has intentionally operated as a sin- gle profit center and uses the individual proj- ect as the common denominator for project- related performance (financial and other) evaluation. We have a highly evolved system of work share among our nine offices and don’t include corporate overhead assign- ments/costs to our offices. If we see nega- tive trends in market share and/or profit- ability for a particular office and/or market sector, we initiate discussions with leader- ship and take a deeper dive on the specifics of underperformance, including what fac- tors may be causing a lack of results: Are the indicators isolated or systemic? Are these results part of larger patterns in our indus- try or our target markets? We try to strike a balance between a desire to improve results with analysis of underlying causes. Once we have further information we take action ac- cordingly. By having a full range of metrics – operational/performance goal for each of- fice that includes its potential market and our expected market share, cost of opera- tions, project profitability, client relation- ships, and opportunities for future growth – we get a holistic picture of the office’s via- bility. If negative performance on the above occurs in consecutive years, closure of that office is analyzed and an appropriate action is developed. TZL: When did you have the most fun run- ning your firm, and what were the hall- marks of that time in your professional life? PS: During most of my 38-year career, I’ve been the perpetual “growth guy.” It’s in my DNA. This has been tempered some- what recently with more focus on efficien- cies and profitability. I’ve had two “most fun” times in leading the firm. The first was when we engaged in a growth mode from 1995-2008 and went from a region- al single office firm with annual revenue of $10 million to a three-office firm generating $54 million in revenue. Much of this growth was on my shoulders (when I was 39 to 52 years old) along with a few others. We had annual growth ranging from 15 to 30 per- cent. While this growth was significant, the depth of firm leadership was relatively thin. Leadership was more reminiscent of the

single office parochial firm, $10 million rev- enue firm then of a fast-growth multi-office national practice. This would not have been sustainable in the long run. The second “most fun” time is where we are today. We’ve rebounded from the recession and are on a “medium-plus” growth trajec- tory. Over the past five years, we’ve signifi- cantly built our leadership team both from within and with strategic hires. We now have the required multi-generational bench depth to continue our future growth. It’s very gratifying to see our current leadership step forward and embrace our future. TZL: Describe the challenges you encoun- tered in building your management team over the lifetime of your leadership? Have you ever terminated or demoted long- time leaders as the firm grew? How did you handle it? PS: We’re a very culture-based enter- prise. I’ve learned along the way that “cul- ture trumps strategy.” We were able to grow largely on strategy from 1995-2008, but this time also highlighted that our cul- ture had to change in order to sustain this type of growth and the firm’s success. With such rapid growth, geographical diversifica- tion, and creation of new markets, it was in- evitable that situations of non-alignment would arise. A bit of entitlement also crept into some of our shareholders, especially after some years where we generated 30 to 40 percent profits on NSR. We took a very fair, but firm approach to this situation. The combination of going from a closely held S-corp with 10 to 14 owners to a 100 percent ESOP was a significant change resulting in a holistic “repositioning” of the firm. Some of the leadership moved and/or were moved on for various reasons. Some of these for- mer shareholders still have loans with the ESOP. Seven years into the ESOP, the firm has met its obligations to all former share- holders who are no longer with the firm. TZL: How do you promote young and new leaders as the firm grows? PS: We have a very clear and defined career “lattice of development” that is published for all employees’ consideration. We have an annual promotion/nomination process for the firm-wide designations of associ- ate, senior associate, and principal designa- tions. We actually just completed this effort and announced this year’s promotions. This effort coincides with our annual employee performance evaluation which allows such decisions to be tied to the most current per- formance evaluation. See THE GROWTH GUY, page 8

YEAR FOUNDED: 1936 HEADQUARTERS: Hartford, CT OFFICE LOCATIONS: 9 NO. OF EMPLOYEES: 133 AREAS OF EXPERTISE:

❚ ❚ Adaptive reuse ❚ ❚ Arts and culture

❚ ❚ Community, non-profit ❚ ❚ Corporate, commercial ❚ ❚ Civic ❚ ❚ Entertainment ❚ ❚ Higher education ❚ ❚ Historic preservation ❚ ❚ Hospitality ❚ ❚ Independent K-12 ❚ ❚ Mixed use ❚ ❚ Public K-12 ❚ ❚ Public safety and justice SERVICES: ❚ ❚ Pre-design feasibility and planning ❚ ❚ Architecture ❚ ❚ Interior design ❚ ❚ Project management ❚ ❚ Construction documents ❚ ❚ Construction administration ❚ ❚ Regulatory approvals ❚ ❚ Sustainable design ❚ ❚ WELL design ❚ ❚ Graphic design/ environmental branding MISSION: To provide design solutions that enhance the built environment, enrich people’s lives and help organizations to succeed.

une 3, 2019, ISSUE 1299

Annual JCJ ESOP team building event. Each office has the opportunity to design a unique event that gets staff away from their desks and out of their usual context so they can engage in team building.

THE GROWTH GUY, from page 7

growth you need to adapt to new models. What is your program? PS: We are very much a seller-doer organization. I could spend hours on this issue. Given our size, I’m a very strong advocate of this approach. That said, we have created a hy- brid approach that celebrates a “seller/doer-doer/seller” model. Depending on the strengths (BD, design, PM, client relationships) of the individual, the expectations and re- sponsibilities will be placed along this continuum. I agree, that at a certain size a firm will have to move into a more compartmentalized structure where seller/BD roles are dif- ferentiated from the doer/project roles. TZL: A firm’s longevity is valuable. What are you doing to encourage your staff to stick around? PS: As a 100 percent ESOP, our success and the firm’s val- ue is tied directly to what our employees will benefit from through their tenure with the firm. Employees become fully vested in the ESOP after five years. Long-term employees will benefit from this as long as the firm is profitable and the valuation of the ESOP shares remain strong. In addi- tion, we continue to evaluate our overall benefits package and we’ve been able to maintain our position as a leader in our overall benefit offerings. TZL: How have the tax cuts impacted your firm’s valua- tion? Do you plan on doing another valuation due to the tax cuts? PS: The ESOP share valuation for 2017 was significantly im- pacted by the federal level tax cuts. As reported to us in our third party’s (Empire) valuation, our ESOP share value in- creased from $21.33/share (2016) to $41.67/share (2017). Empire’s analysis stated that $12/share (60 percent) was at- tributed to the firm’s financial performance and $8/share (40 percent) was attributed to the Federal Tax Reform. We are required to do an annual evaluation and we will be com- pleting this effort in Q2.

TZL: In one word or phrase, what do you describe as your number one job responsibility as CEO? PS: To place JCJ Architecture in a “most sought after” sta- tus in our industry based on our practice and financial per- formance. TZL: There is no substitute for experience, but there is pressure to give responsibility to younger staff. What are you doing to address the risk while pursuing the oppor- tunity to develop your team? PS: Progressing younger staff is an inherent obligation of our firm. It must be done in a planned and monitored pro- cess. Culturally, we must accept an “it’s alright to make mis- takes/fail” mentality, but under a very controlled basis. Our risk management procedures and firm-wide QA/QC are geared to this process so that such mistakes are discovered/ corrected in-house before going to our clients. This process requires an openness between managers and staff without pre-judgement. TZL: Engineers and architects love being engineers and architects, but what are you doing to instill a business culture in your firm? PS: As a non-architect leader of an architectural/interi- or design firm, I am very cognizant of this issue. Given my background in planning and business and 38 years in the industry, I am aware that architects and interior designers are largely not exposed to the business aspects of running a business. As president of an employee-owned firm, it’s my obligation to make sure that all of our employee-owners are exposed to the financial metrics/KPIs and have the busi- ness acumen that goes hand-in-hand with the success of our firm. We are very transparent in the financial/business as- pects of the firm. TZL: The seller-doer model is very successful, but with

THE ZWEIG LETTER June 3, 2019, ISSUE 1299

O P I N I O N

A common misstep

I n the AEC industry, project work is where it’s at. Maximizing billable time for production staff is the main goal. And logically so. We are all in business to make a profit, right? A lot of AEC firms fall into the trap of neglecting their marketing departments because the work is not billable. Marketers need to fight back with consistent effort.

priority and everything else plays the part of ugly stepchild. After all, billable work is billable. However, the whole point of marketing is to develop future billable work, so doesn’t that make marketing as important to the health of your firm as today’s billable work? So how do we stay out of the trap? should be making progress toward reaching your marketing plan goals.” “A consistent application of marketing effort makes all the difference. Every day, your firm

But somehow, that project-time-as-all-consuming- time mentality has seeped into every corner of many firms. The smaller the firm, the more likely this is, as staff members are called on to serve multiple functions, especially if they are billable functions. This is especially true for marketers – who are often closest to a project in the beginning stages, due to the proposal process. At those initial stages, who else knows more about the project and what the firm is expected to deliver as the marketers who first reviewed the RFP and helped to bring the proposal submission to completion? It is very easy to fall into this trap, which is one of the biggest challenges for AEC marketers – when project work and proposals are your first

Jane Lawler Smith

See JANE LAWLER SMITH, page 10

THE ZWEIG LETTER June 3, 2019, ISSUE 1299

ON THE MOVE FUSCOE ENGINEERING TWO NEW SENIOR PROJECT MANAGERS Fuscoe Engineering, Inc. announced that two employees from its Irvine office, Debra Schales and Howard Wen, have been promoted to the position of senior project manager. Schales is a strong, motivated trailblazer with more than 30 years of experience in all facets of civil engineering. She has overseen numerous residential, commercial, and public projects in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. ANNOUNCES Over the course of her career, Schales has earned a reputation for both innovative design and technical accuracy, with a specialty in water, sewer, and storm drain design. Her expertise includes Sewer Capacity Reports, Low Impact Development Plans, Best Management Practices Plans, Water Quality Management Plans, and Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans for various new developments. Her experience also includes extensive coordination with public and private agencies and consultants. In recent years, Schales has become an affordable housing, multi-family and urban infill trusted advisor serving top tier clients. She is currently working on the Jordan Downs affordable mixed-use project in Los Angeles for Jordan Downs Community Partners, which includes the City of Los Angeles Housing Authority, Michael’s Development Company, BRIDGE Housing and Primestor Development. Moreover, Schales has provided services for Via 401 & 425 Apartments in Carson for The

Related Companies; Arbor Green Apartments and Bella Vita Senior Mixed-Use development in Carson for Affirmed Housing; Belmar Apartments at The Village in Santa Monica for The Related Companies/City of Santa Monica/ CCSM; and Vermont Villas Veterans/Senior Housing in Los Angeles for Affirmed Housing. In addition, Debra has overseen the luxurious Meridian condominiums in Newport Beach for The New Home Company; Park Place III Apartments in Irvine for The Irvine Company; Sausalito Villa Apartments in Playa Vista for The Irvine Company; and Eleven 10 West Apartments for the Picerne Group. Schales is a resident of Huntington Beach. Wen has 16 years of experience in developing, implementing and innovating stormwater programs. Howard has offered his expertise in NPDES stormwater policies and regulations as a consultant to the Cities of Yorba Linda, Brea, Los Alamitos, Tustin and Anaheim, as well as Phase II MS4 permittees, such as Del Mar Fairgrounds and OC Fair & Event Center. Roles with these permittees include stormwater program administration, technical support for RWQCB audits, WQMP/LID plan checking and MS4 inspection services. Wen and his team have completed hundreds of MS4 inspections for construction sites and commercial/industrial facilities, as well as LID and BMP operations inspections for Cities. He has also led development of database/GIS management tools to track MS4 compliance inspections. As a QSD, Wen also serves as the head of

the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan Monitoring Team that inspects construction sites for NPDES compliance. The team’s services help mitigate downstream impacts to creeks, rivers, or public drainage facilities. The team also provides on-site resolution for Regional Board inspections and notices of violations for private developers and public agencies. Wen has prepared Municipal Stormwater Program Annual Reports for more than 15 years and has developed processes to analyze spatial and temporal data collected by Cities to evaluate program compliance and water quality improvement. Cities can feel confident that the iterative improvements made to their Stormwater Programs are grounded by the results of their inspection, monitoring and enforcement activities. Wen has also assisted Cities in evaluating Trash Amendment TMDL Track 1 impacts through GIS, to identify where full trash capture systems need to be installed. These evaluations allow Cities to financially plan for compliance with this Statewide TMDL. Wen resides in the city of Irvine. “Debra and Howard are true professionals,” stated John Olivier, P.E., president of Fuscoe Engineering. “Both are exceptionally talented individuals who are outstanding managers as well as experts within their respective fields.” Fuscoe provides civil engineering for land development and public infrastructure, using an eco-adaptive approach. Specialty practices include survey and mapping, stormwater management, sustainable site design, and geospatial technology services.

JANE LAWLER SMITH, from page 9

scheduling and attending meetings – but these activities do not advance your marketing goals in an intentional way. Ideally, your marketing plan consists of goals. These goals each have a strategy behind them. Each strategy has an accompanying set of tasks. Each task may even have multiple to-dos that need to be completed before that task is finalized. So truly, slow and steady wins the race. Steady progress on a daily basis will lead you to goal attainment. Steady progress is also manageable and achievable in the face of that daily grind of phone calls, emails, RFPs, and meetings. Steady progress is motivating and perpetuating, and that is a lot of fun. Our marketing friend Seth Godin has this to say: Persistence is sort of annoying. Consistency, on the other hand, is the happy twin brother of persistence. Consistent with your statements, consistent in the content you create, consistent in the way you chip away at the problem you’re seeking to solve. Persistence can be selfish, but consistency is generous. And the best thing is that you only have to make the choice to be consistent once. After that, it’s simply a matter of keeping your promise. JANE LAWLER SMITH, MBA, is the marketing manager at Derck & Edson, LLC. She can be reached at jsmith@derckandedson.com.

Consistency. A consistent application of marketing effort makes all the difference. Every day, your firm should be making progress toward reaching your marketing plan goals. If you have a marketing department of one, that one individual, no matter how busy, should make some positive progress toward the completion of your marketing plan. If your marketing department consists of five people, that effort should be multiplied by five. Every day. “Ideally, your marketing plan consists of goals. These goals each have a strategy behind them. Each strategy has an accompanying set of tasks. Each task may even have multiple to-dos that need to be completed before that task is finalized. So truly, slow and steady wins the race.” This progress is outside of the day-to-day demands of the job. A lot of what takes up the work day is valuable – fielding phone calls, answering emails, reviewing RFPs,

THE ZWEIG LETTER June 3, 2019, ISSUE 1299

O P I N I O N

Eating elephants

The best way to do it is one bite at a time. The same can be said of your marketing plan.

M arketing and business development require patience and consistency, especially in the AEC industry. Architects, engineers, and contractors have long lead times when it comes to these two areas. When a successful, consistent marketing and business development plan is written and implemented, the sales cycle is shortened, yes – but it still requires a great deal of patience and consistency.

Lindsay Young

probably get distracted by many things in your business: customer calls, finishing up a set of drawings, insurance issues, and personal matters. Oh, and let’s not forget the daily firefighting that occurs in every business outside of the “Don’t sit back and wait – take steps every day to bring in the work. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! Nothing valuable happens overnight. You are always setting up your firm for future success.”

There is no typical sales cycle for the design and construction industry. Some projects come to completion in six months while others can take 10 years. Your relationships are the important piece to this, and consistently staying in touch with past clients and current prospects is key. If you’ve targeted prospects, set up touch points throughout your marketing plan, and build these relationships, then the projects will come. Don’t sit back and wait – take steps every day to bring in the work. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! Nothing valuable happens overnight. You are always setting up your firm for future success. Having patience and consistency for your marketing and business development efforts to come together is easier said than done. You

See LINDSAY YOUNG, page 12

THE ZWEIG LETTER June 3, 2019, ISSUE 1299

ELEVATE / CELEBRATE JQ RECOGNIZED FOR ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE ON TEXAS A&M’S AWARD-WINNING PROJECT: THE ZACHRY ENGINEERING EDUCATION COMPLEX RENOVATION AND EXPANSION The American Council of Engineering Companies of Texas has awarded JQ the Eminent Conceptor Award, the highest statewide engineering excellence award, for the firm’s structural engineering work on the Zachry Engineering Education Complex renovation and expansion project at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, according to JQ’s CEO Stephen Lucy, P.E. The Zachry EEC project also earned JQ an ACEC Texas Gold Medal in the Structural Systems category and an ACEC National Recognition Award. “We are honored to have received these awards and the national recognition for our structural engineering expertise on this project,” says Lucy. As the structural engineer of record and a consultant to the prime firm TreanorHL, JQ was involved in the reimagining and expansion of the Zachry EEC which is the cornerstone of the College of Engineering on the campus of Texas A&M University. In 2013, the Texas A&M College of Engineering launched the 25 By 25 initiative to enhance the quality of engineering education, to shape the engineer of the future and respond to the workforce needs of industry. The College of Engineering aimed to increase enrollment from 14,000 students in 2013 to 25,000 students by 2025 by transforming the engineering classroom into a 21st century model with a focus on technology enabled learning, hands- on projects, and collaborative, multidisciplinary learning spaces. The first major step towards this goal occurred with the completion of the Zachry EEC which now stands at 525,000 square feet and was achieved by renovating the original 300,0000-square-foot building, vertical expansion of the original building and two five- story building additions. Michael Young, president of Texas A&M University, stated at the dedication ceremony, the Zachry Engineering Education Complex is a “stunning feat of engineering.” The

facility contains technology-enhanced active- learning studios, interdisciplinary laboratories, 60,000 square feet of makerspace (design center containing machining and fabrication equipment), a student career center, study and gathering spaces, engineering-inspired art, and a 13,000-square-foot green roof terrace. Much of the building structure is concealed by architectural finishes; however, the building contains an abundance of structure on display: architecturally exposed structural steel canopies and trellises with spans in excess of 70 feet, a 3,800-square-foot steel- framed skylight structure over a central atrium, exposed cast- in-place concrete structure, active-learning (seating) stair to promote collaboration, and an engineering quadrangle with a rain garden, shade structures and engineering-focused artwork. Interior floor-to-ceiling storefront provides visual access into the fabrication center and engineering laboratories to put engineering education and experiments on full display. According to JQ’s principal Carlo Taddei, PE, “The most complex requirement was to make all of the exterior load-bearing precast concrete on the original building disappear.” In addition to the existing precast elements that were 10 foot wide columns, there was a void space in the middle of each element which served as a mechanical chase. All loadbearing precast concrete wall elements were replaced by a new steel exoskeleton while retaining all of the existing four floors supported by the original precast. The Zachry EEC is now the largest academic building on campus with 525,000 square feet of space, accessible to engineering students 24/7 which has increased the utilization and efficiency of the building. To many, the Zachry EEC is so unrecognizable since its transformation that many believe the original 300,000-square-foot building was demolished. In reusing 80 percent of the original building, significant economic and sustainable benefits were achieved. Says Lucy, “The work of the entire project

team involved a tireless effort to innovate and create a significant academic building on the Texas A&M campus that would address the university’s enrollment and programmatic goals and resonate with young engineers as a forward-thinking, forward-looking place of learning.” Project team: ❚ ❚ Treanor (architect/prime firm) ❚ ❚ Ayers Saint Gross (associate architect) ❚ ❚ Harrison Kornberg Architects (associate architect) ❚ ❚ JQ Engineering (civil and structural engineers) ❚ ❚ Shah Smith & Associates (MEP engineering) ❚ ❚ Coleman & Associates (landscape architect) ❚ ❚ 4b Technology Group (IT/data technology) ❚ ❚ Vaughn Construction (general contractor) ACEC Texas is the business association of Texas engineering firms. The ACEC Texas Engineering Excellence Awards honors and recognizes outstanding achievements within the engineering field. The distinguished panel of judges selected nine gold medal and six silver medal winners based on uniqueness, originality, technical, value to the engineering profession, complexity and how successfully the project met the needs of the client. The national ACEC EEA recognizes preeminent engineering achievements from throughout the world. Founded in 1984, JQ provides structural and civil engineering, geospatial and facility performance services throughout the United States. The firm is considered a leader in engineering design innovation and technology to support its complex, multi-state and multi- market projects. Nationally, JQ has been recognized as a “Best Place to Work” and as a “Hot Firm” by Zweig Group. JQ has offices in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Lubbock and San Antonio.

places. Then take a big gulp of patience to see you through to the fruits of your labor. LINDSAY YOUNG is the founder of nu marketing and is celebrating five years in business! She can be reached at lindsay@numarketingllc.com. “If you have strategized with your team and assembled a great plan, then implement it, keep everyone accountable, and measure your success. Plan the work and work the plan!”

LINDSAY YOUNG, from page 12

ones mentioned. You might put marketing and business development at the bottom of your priority list when it should be toward the top. Work on your plan, be patient, and be consistent. If you have strategized with your team and assembled a great plan, then implement it, keep everyone accountable, and measure your success. Plan the work and work the plan! Measure your results and make sure you’re continually evaluating what you are doing. Make sure you are investing time, money, and resources in the right

THE ZWEIG LETTER June 3, 2019, ISSUE 1299

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