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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 A u g u s t 1 2 , 2 0 1 9 , I s s u e 1 3 0 8

Electronic payments

Straight feedback

“Real love doesn’t come from coddling. It comes from helping. And oftentimes the best way to help someone – and help your company – is by being brutally honest.”

I f you look at real leaders in AEC firms across the land, you’ll find they often share one characteristic. They are known for giving straight feedback to the people who work for them. I know it isn’t always easy or fun. No one wants to be known as a jerk, and most of us want to be loved by everyone. It certainly is a criticism that has been leveled at me more than once. But the fact is, real love doesn’t come from coddling. It comes from helping. And oftentimes the best way to help someone – and help your company – is by being brutally honest. There just isn’t any time to waste. Corrections have to be made. Behavior has to change. And while not everyone enjoys hearing bad news straight- up, your best people appreciate it because they understand your motivation behind it – that you want to help them to succeed. Human resources management, as a function, oftentimes forgets whose side they are on. They should be on the side of the company. When they get confused they start thinking their job is to protect the employees from inherently evil, bad, or mean management. When HR is doing their job, that means doing what is best for the business. And that may mean management will be delivering negative feedback, unfiltered when necessary. I know our culture today has gotten off- track. Everyone “gets a trophy” these days just for showing up. Maybe they get a trophy just for signing up even if they don’t show up. It makes it hard for those people to deal with negative feedback. Yet, if everything is

In Zweig Group’s 2019 Fee & Billing Survey of AEC Firms , firms were asked how they collected payments from clients and/or subconsultants. A record percentage of firms (89 percent) said they accepted electronic payments, a true sign of the times. This percentage has risen by 27 percent over the last five years. Electronic payments are a great way for firms to collect more invoices on time, thus leading to better cash flow. Participate in a survey and save $320 on any Zweig Group research publication. Visit bit.ly/TZLsp to learn more.

Mark Zweig

F I R M I N D E X Burns & McDonnell. ..............................12

MORE COLUMNS xz JOHN BRAY: Should I stay or should I go? Page 3 xz TLC ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS: Women’s Initiative and JUST Page 9 xz GREG SHIPLEY: The transition in ownership transition Page 11

CEI..........................................................6

CHA Consulting, Inc................................2

Dewberry..............................................10

Morrison-Shipley Engineers, Inc............12

TLC Engineering Solutions, Inc................9

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 Crystallize the vision: Christine Franklin See MARK ZWEIG, page 2 WGI. .......................................................4 Page 6

TRANSACT IONS CHA CONSULTING, INC. ACQUIRES JBS PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHA Consulting, Inc. , a highly diversified, full-service engineering consulting firm announced today that it has acquired JBS Project Management, a project and construction management firm of approximately 30 employees based in New York City. “JBS brings us experienced and talented PM/CM resources that support our strategic objectives for expansion of our service lines and presence in Metro New York,” said Michael Carroll, CHA’s president and CEO. “This strategic acquisition is another key step in creating a compelling PM/CM service offering and reaffirming CHA’s aspiration to elate our clients by offering them a truly one-stop-shop to meet their every need.” JBS Principal Ben Igoe said, “The opportunity to work with CHA is very exciting. We are eager to collaborate with the CHA team and bring the resources of a full-service engineering firm to our clients and their projects. Access to more markets, a deep bench of technical staff, and larger projects will also greatly benefit the growth and professional development of the JBS team.” “I am confident that the union of these two top-notch firms will provide a greatly enhanced experience for our clients as we work together to optimize the expertise, best practices, and experience of our teams. This partnership allows us to continue to serve our clients’ PM/ CM needs, but we now also have the resources of a large engineering firm to offer our clients,” said Sam Provisero, JBS Principal. “JBS’s project and construction management expertise and experience in the commercial facilities, education, and hospitality markets will bring combined synergies and great opportunities for growth of our PM/CM business line as well as for our teams in the New York Metro region and across the nation,” stated CHA’s Chief Strategy Officer Jim Stephenson.

CHA and JBS will work closely together to ensure a seamless transition for JBS’s clients. During the integration period, the two firms will also work together to optimize the expertise, best practices, and experience that both firms bring to the creation of an even better firm going forward. A first step in the integration process is a branding change for JBS. JBS will be known as JBS Project Management, a CHA Company effective immediately. AEC Advisors LLC initiated the transaction and served as JBS’s financial advisor. CHA Consulting, Inc. is a highly diversified, full-service engineering consulting firm which, along with its affiliates, provides a wide range of technology-enhanced planning and design services to public, private and institutional clients. CHA was ranked the 37th largest pure design firm in the United States in 2019 by Engineering News Record. With technical personnel and offices throughout the United States and Canada, CHA offers engineering, architectural, survey, construction, and other services necessary to complete projects on time and within budget. The CHA Companies include: CHA Consulting, Inc., CHA Tech Services, CHA Canada, Novara GeoSolutions, American Fire, CHA Architecture, Daedalus Projects, Inc., and Wolverton & Associates. JBS Project Management provides innovative, responsive solutions to the diverse needs of hospitality, commercial, residential and institutional clients throughout the United States with a broad range of capabilities from strategic conceptual planning through post-construction services. JBS’s experienced and skilled consultants provide its clients with considerable expertise in development and construction offering superior, yet affordable solutions to their project and construction management needs.

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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

MARK ZWEIG, from page 1

so sugar-coated that the message is lost, we are hurting the development of our people. The language commonly used in business today – terms such as “right-sizing” for laying people off, or “optics of the situation” when we talk about how someone’s behavior is affecting other employees – only obfuscates what we really need to be saying to people. Being clear and direct – THAT is how you can get the real respect of your people – and that is how you can best educate your people and effect change in your company. How do you stack up here? Are you doing what’s necessary and difficult, or are you dodging the problem and kicking the can down the road for another day? If you do the latter, someday the end of the street will be full of cans, and you’ll know exactly why.

Tel: 800-466-6275 Fax: 800-842-1560

Email: info@zweiggroup.com Online: thezweigletter.com Twitter: twitter.com/zweigletter Facebook: facebook.com/thezweigletter Published continuously since 1992 by Zweig Group, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA. ISSN 1068-1310. Issued weekly (48 issues/year) $250 for one-year print subscription; free electronic subscription at thezweigletter.com/subscribe © Copyright 2019, Zweig Group. All rights reserved.

MARK ZWEIG is Zweig Group’s chairman and founder. Contact him at mzweig@zweiggroup.com.

THE ZWEIG LETTER August 12, 2019, ISSUE 1308

O P I N I O N

With a low unemployment rate, more firms are relying on a national approach for recruiting. Should I stay or should I go?

I n the past year, Zweig Group celebrated the first organic expansion in firm history by opening a new office in Dallas. As an executive search advisor with the firm I was eager to be a part of the company’s emerging presence in Dallas, so I jumped at the opportunity to move from the company headquarters in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to our new location.

John Bray

that recruiting and retention were the biggest challenges their firms face today. For this reason, AEC leaders are increasingly relying on a national approach to recruiting that will continue to impact the hiring process in this industry for many years to come. Relocation opportunities present themselves “You need to be prepared to go above and beyond for candidates during a relocation if you expect them to deliver a signed offer.”

Not only do I work with candidates through the relocation process as an advisor for Zweig Group’s executive search team, but I recently engineered a successful and exciting relocation myself, so this is an important topic that I have both professional and personal experience with. In June, the National Unemployment Rate in the U.S. remained low at 3.7 percent and the labor market in the AEC industry was even tighter. With seemingly more work available than firms can complete, companies are finding it more and more difficult to hire director-level talent that will put their firm in a position to be successful. This was echoed in Zweig Group’s 2019 Principals, Partners, and Owners Survey where AEC firm leaders stated

See JOHN BRAY, page 4

THE ZWEIG LETTER August 12, 2019, ISSUE 1308

ON THE MOVE GLENN HAVINOVISKI TO LEAD WGI’S TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGIES PRACTICE WGI announced that Glenn Havinoviski, P.E. has joined the firm’s transportation engineering division as manager of transportation technologies and connected communities, leading the firm’s national efforts related to intelligent transportation systems and connected and automated vehicle initiatives. Over the last 34 years, Havinoviski emerged as one of the world’s foremost experts in ITS development and transportation systems management and operations. He served both as a practice builder and practice leader, providing project management and technical leadership for ITS and TSMO projects both in the U.S. and abroad, with a recent emphasis on preparing public agencies for CAVs. At WGI, he will apply his experience in ITS and CAV program planning and system architecture, design, deployment, and operations. He brings additional experience in managed lanes, active traffic management

tion. This gives the candidate everything they need to move right away and even provides additional funds to introduce them and their family to their new home. ❚ ❚ Family. You need to involve the candidate’s family (spouse and children) in the process early and often. Find out their spouse’s name, what they do for a living, where they’re from, etc. Invite the candidate and their spouse to visit their new location together for a weekend. We have been in situations before where the candidate was sold on a new opportunity, but his family was not. We flew the candidate and his entire family to the destination to meet with our clients in person and explore the city. You’d be surprised how adverse a candidate’s family can be to change until you show them why it may not be such a bad thing. The bottom line is that you need to be prepared to go above and beyond for candidates during a relocation if you expect them to deliver a signed offer. There is simply too much competition and too many things that can go wrong throughout the process for you not to put your best foot forward every step of the way. JOHN BRAY is an executive search advisor at Zweig Group. Contact him at jbray@zweiggroup.com. “Relocation opportunities present themselves to most everyone in the AEC industry at one point or another. These opportunities can represent a significant move forward in the career and life of the individual.” Havinoviski is a registered professional engineer in eight states. Havinoviski graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He will be based in northern Virginia. WGI has 18 offices in six states, serving an active client base in more than 30 states, specializing in land development/municipal engineering, traffic and transportation engineering, parking solutions, geospatial services, subsurface utility engineering, structures, landscape architecture, environmental sciences, architecture, land planning, MEP engineering, and creative services. systems, and integrated corridor management, along with real-time traveler information, road pricing, and transit signal priority. Havinoviski is a member of the Transportation Research Board Congestion Pricing Committee, is a former president of ITS Virginia, and served as US Expert to ISO Technical Committee 204 Working Group 1 from 2001 to 2012.

2019 PRINCIPALS, PARTNERS & OWNERS SURVEY Zweig Group’s 2019 Principals, Partners & Owners Survey is a comprehensive study of owners and top managers of U.S. AEC firms. This report covers ownership, stock appreciation, buy/sell agreements, non-compete agreements, voting rights, roles, responsibilities, perks, compensation, and more. This survey has data on the following: ❚ ❚ Principal compensation, benefits, and perks ❚ ❚ Common issues and

JOHN BRAY, from page 3

to most everyone in the AEC industry at one point or another. These opportunities can represent a significant move forward in the career and life of the individual, which presents a difficult decision for many professionals who are looking to take that next step. Firm leaders need to be prepared for this process if they want to hire the key people they need. Here are a few things you need to consider when looking to relocate a candidate for a new hire: ❚ ❚ Destination. A person may be relocating from one side of the Greater LA area to the other to avoid a longer commute, or changing set- tings completely from a familiar big city to a more modest location in the Midwest (and vice versa). No matter what the situation is, you should be prepared to show a candidate why the hassle of changing locations is worth it. Help them look at housing, take them out to a restaurant or two, introduce them to folks who are from that area, schedule a meeting on a Fri- day or Monday so they can spend the weekend there. Do whatever you can to help them fully understand what it’s like to live in this new place. They will take note of your willingness to go above and beyond and it will give them the confidence they need to accept an offer. ❚ ❚ Relocation package. If your firm is not offer- ing a substantial relocation package for candi- dates during this process, you’re already behind the curve. Today, it’s customary for AEC com- panies to, at the very least, reimburse candi- dates for their moving expenses. This should be considered the bare minimum as candidates are still forced to cover these costs on their own up front. The best way to go about reloca- tion packages is to factor it into a signing bo- nus, ranging from $5,000 to $25,000, based on the level of the position and cost of the reloca-

challenges related to running an AEC firm

❚ ❚ Qualifications, job

requirements, and demographics of principals, partners, and owners in the industry

❚ ❚ Employment

agreements, non- competes, and stock buyback provisions ❚ ❚ How principals manage time and break down the work day For the 2019 edition, principals from across the U.S. in the AEC industry responded to a questionnaire on the topics above. Their responses were then tabulated and analyzed. Visit bit.ly/2019PPOS for more information.

THE ZWEIG LETTER August 12, 2019, ISSUE 1308

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THE ZWEIG LETTER August 12, 2019, ISSUE 1308

P R O F I L E

Crystallize the vision: Christine Franklin President of CEI, a 20-year-old minority-owned engineering and contracting firm based in Miami Lakes, Florida.

By LIISA ANDREASSEN Correspondent

F ranklin has more than 25 years of experience as a civil and environmental engineer managing a variety of environmental and construction projects. From assisting clients to managing procurement programs and serving as engineer-of-record, Franklin ensures that CEI fulfills its obligations to its stakeholders – its clients, employees, and community. “It’s extremely easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of day-to-day activities. It takes discipline to work on the ‘important’ as well as the ‘urgent,’” Franklin says. “My philosophy is that we need to hire competent people and train them to work ‘in the business’ so that the executive team can focus ‘on the business’ in areas of strategy and vision.” A CONVERSATION WITH CHRISTINE FRANKLIN. The Zweig Letter: What are the three to four key business performance indicators that you watch most

carefully? Do you share that information with your staff? Christine Franklin: We check profitability as profit we reinvest into growing the business. Another KPI that we monitor is applied rate – the overall applied rate of the firm is an indicator that we are adequately staffed for our projects. Backlog is a good indicator of leading economic trends for the nation, and globally, as our business is connected to the stability of the economy. TZL: How far into the future are you able to reliably predict your workload and cashflow? CF: Generally, we have a good indication for workload 18 months out, and have a good indication of potential workload up to two to three years. Right now, we can project our workload into 2021. Cashflow is a whole different ballgame as the projections are also dependent on factors beyond our control such as the pay cycle of

THE ZWEIG LETTER Aug

economic slowdown in the future? CF: Economic cycles are not potential; they are real. There will be an economic downturn sometime in the future. We never get ourselves too close to the edge financially, and we exercise fiscal responsibility when making spending decisions. We hire wisely and when we need to fill positions. We monitor the external economic conditions, especially the leading indicators of a downturn. We lived through the last economic downturn by tightening our belts. We kept all of our staff who understood that we all needed to make some sacrifices to ride out the storm. The most important part of being ready for an economic downturn is to be prepared for that eventuality. TZL: Are you using the R&D tax credit? If so, how is it working for your firm? If not, why not? CF: We were not using it as we were unaware that it applied to us until we changed CPA firms and discovered a whole new world. The moral of that story is that there is a limit to loyalty, as we used our last firm for 19 years. We are using a new firm now and are exploring our options under that scenario. TZL: It is often said that people leave managers, not companies. What are you doing to ensure that your line leadership are great people managers? CF: I’ve heard that said, but I think people leave both managers and companies. A great manager in a toxic culture will not motivate a great employee to stay. Managers should always take good care of the people who work for them, helping them develop both professionally and personally. It’s really important to have an honest and authentic relationship with the people who report to you, and, if you do, you will not be blindsided by a resignation. TZL: What novel approaches are you bringing to recruitment, and how are your brand and differentiators performing in the talent wars? CF: Our most successful hires are those who have been referred to the company by current employees, so we have a very robust referral program called “RAP” or Refer Awesome People. Another approach is our “pull” approach of working toward becoming the Best Firm To Work For with a welcoming culture and core values See CRYSTALLIZE THE VISION, page 8

the client, the invoice approval process, timing of releases, and a myriad other factors. We try to predict cash flow as accurately as possible a year or so into the future, but must sometimes depend on our credit line for short-term financing of operations to account for these factors. “Failure is the greatest teacher. Failure is also a tremendous opportunity disguised as a great loss. There are few instances when I thought I had failed at something and then looked back, and did not realize that it was a stepping stone to a greater success.” TZL: How much time do you spend working “in the business” rather than “on the business?” CF: It’s extremely easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of day-to-day activities. It takes discipline to work on the “important” as well as the “urgent.” My philosophy is that we need to hire competent people and train them to work “in the business” so that the executive team can focus “on the business” in areas of strategy and vision. Of course, there are situations that arise daily that need your guidance, input, experience, and even your hands-on involvement, but once the “crisis” is averted or the situation is less critical, I return to my focus on the business. Right now we are working on some high-profile projects and our staff is growing so it’s 50/50, but I’d like it to be more 30/70 at this level. TZL: What role does your family play in your career? Are work and family separate, or is their overlap? CF: My immediate family, who live in the same house, consists of my husband and my dog. My husband is my biggest fan and my dog thinks I’m the cat’s pajamas. They make it so much easier for me to be successful. I try to make it home in time for dinner with them every night, to the extent possible, which forces me to end my day at a certain time. Having them in my life has provided the platform to focus on my career, knowing that they will always be there rooting for me. TZL: What, if anything, are you doing to protect your firm from a potential

YEAR FOUNDED: 1999 HEADQUARTERS: Miami Lakes, FL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 92 NUMBER OF OFFICE LOCATIONS: 4 SERVICES:

❚ ❚ Aviation fueling ❚ ❚ Vehicular fueling

❚ ❚ Environmental remediation ❚ ❚ Engineering and sciences ❚ ❚ Civil/heavy construction

CORE VALUES: ❚ ❚ Community ❚ ❚ Excellence ❚ ❚ Integrity

WHAT MAKES CEI UNIQUE: They do their own construction with their own people, equipment, and project managers. CEI doesn’t subcontract its core services; its record of past performance has led to a high bonding capacity unusual for a small business; the firm highly values quality and safety. All of CEI’s employees receive between 24 to 40 hours of annual training in various areas of technical subjects; such as: ❚ ❚ Health and safety

❚ ❚ OSHA HAZWOPER ❚ ❚ Project management ❚ ❚ Self-improvement

gust 12, 2019, ISSUE 1308

Biscayne Bay Cleanup Day, a CEI staff volunteer event.

CRYSTALLIZE THE VISION, from page 7

learned might be about failing to sway people to my way of thinking, but I learned that we all have our own paths and perspectives and each of us has our own journey. TZL: Research shows that PMs are overworked, understaffed, and that many firms do not have formal training programs for PMs. What is your firm doing to support its PMs? CF: We have started a project manager training program that all of our project managers must complete. It’s about a year long and helps equip them with some of the tools they need to be successful. TZL: In one word or phrase, what do you describe as your number one job responsibility as CEO? CF: To crystallize the vision of the firm. TZL: What happens to the firm if you leave tomorrow? CF: It will be stronger than ever. Our firm is not one person, but a group of people committed to our overall mission of “Fueling Solutions for a Sustainable World.” There are people in our firm who could do my duties or delegate them, so CEI would not miss a beat. I’m sure they would miss me, but they’d be just fine. It sounds trite, but it’s true. And I would have definitely failed, if that were not the case. “Life flows on within you and without you” – The Beatles. TZL: A firm’s longevity is valuable. What are you doing to encourage your staff to stick around? CF: We have implemented an ESOP to reward employees whose contributions add value to our firm. It’s proving to be a good incentive for people to stay on and retire with the firm. We keep improving the benefits and vacation time with longevity which is also an incentive to stick around and we also try to establish the CEI family culture where employees feel like they are part of a unit and are encouraged to remain with us for a long time.

that people can relate to. Our brand is based on our CEI Core Values (community, excellence, and integrity). It’s performing well in an industry where potential employees can relate to the importance of those values for a long- term career. TZL: Ownership transition can be tricky, to say the least. What’s the key to ensuring a smooth passing of the baton? What’s the biggest pitfall to avoid? CF: The key to ensuring a smooth passing of the baton is to have a plan in place long before you intend to pass the baton. It’s important that the overall transition happen over time and that the people who are taking over understand their roles and responsibilities and how they fit into the organization. I think the biggest pitfall is not having a plan in place at least seven to 10 years before you have to do the actual handover of duties. “Economic cycles are not potential; they are real. There will be an economic downturn sometime in the future. We never get ourselves too close to the edge financially, and we exercise fiscal responsibility when making spending decisions. We hire wisely and when we need to fill positions.” TZL: They say failure is a great teacher. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve had to learn the hard way? CF: Failure is the greatest teacher. Failure is also a tremendous opportunity disguised as a great loss. There are few instances when I thought I had failed at something and then looked back, and did not realize that it was a stepping stone to a greater success. The greatest lesson I

THE ZWEIG LETTER August 12, 2019, ISSUE 1308

O P I N I O N

Women’s Initiative and JUST

Intertwined programs achieving greater diversity and transparency for TLC Engineering Solutions, Inc.

F ounded in 2016 with the mission of promoting career satisfaction and advancement for women at TLC Engineering Solutions, Inc., the firm’s Women’s Initiative rapidly evolved to being “by women, for everyone.” Rania Sadrack, TLC principal, board member, and advisor to the group, summarized it as, “Formalizing our efforts brought a focus to diversity in our firm; not only gender diversity, but in all of the ways that each of us is unique.” The Women’s Initiative kick-off event was held during Engineers Week 2016 and consisted of a panel of senior-level female clients from TLC teaming partners and owners sharing their experiences in how their careers evolved, specifically how other women had supported and assisted them in their careers. Topics included the elusive work/life balance, the importance of mentorship, communicating in male- dominated atmospheres, and being self- confident in the workplace. All TLC staff that participated, of both genders, gained insight from the panel. In 2016, TLC’s Women’s Initiative also assisted in efforts to help TLC achieve the firm’s JUST label. Kristy Walson, P.E., LEED AP BD+C, LEED AP O+M, BEMP, and Tara Bleakley, regional client development manager, now both principals in the firm, worked together in the Women’s Initiative program’s first year to shape the agenda.

Rania Sadrack

Kristy Walson

Tara Bleakley

Vanessa Bermudez

Georgia Stoppenbrink

See TLC ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS, page 10

THE ZWEIG LETTER August 12, 2019, ISSUE 1308

ON THE MOVE MARK SAFRAN, MIKE SUTHERLAND, AND DR. AL KARLIN JOIN DEWBERRY’S GEOSPATIAL TEAM Dewberry , a privately held professional services firm, announced that Mark Safran, CP, GISP; Mike Sutherland; and Al Karlin, Ph.D., CMS-L, GISP have joined the firm’s geospatial and technology services group. Mark Safran is an associate vice president and senior program manager based in Fairfax, and has more than 30 years of experience in program management and business development with a focus on spatial technologies. In his new role, he is responsible for the oversight of major GTSprograms. Safran earned a bachelor’s degree in geography from San Francisco State University (1985). He serves on the council of the American Geographical Society and is also a member of the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation, American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Management Association of Private Photogrammetric Surveyors, National States Geographic Information Council, and past president of the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association. Senior Geospatial Analyst Mike Sutherland, based in Denver, has 10 years of experience

and most recently worked for the Cooperative Institute for Research and Environmental Sciences for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at the University of Colorado Boulder. As a senior geospatial analyst at Dewberry, Sutherland is responsible for quality control of lidar projects, coastal and topobathymetric domain staff training, and data processing workflow development and refinement. He earned his master’s degree in environmental studies from the College of Charleston (2010) and his bachelor’s degree in political science and environmental studies from the University of Florida (2005). Sutherland is a member of ASPRS. Based in Tampa, Senior GIS Professional Dr. Alvan Karlin brings with him more than 20 years of experience in the geospatial and remote sensing industry, where he recently worked as a senior GIS scientist for the Southwest Florida Water Management District. He has published numerous research articles and presented at conferences globally, and is an adjunct professor of biology at the University of Tampa. Karlin is actively involved in the Florida statewide lidar mapping project, which covers more than 32,000 square miles of ground. He earned a Ph.D. in theoretical population genetics from Miami University

(1978), a master’s in ecology from Indiana State University (1975), and a bachelor’s in biology from Rutgers (1972). Karlin has been an active member of ASPRS for more than 25 years and has served on various committees during his time. He has also participated on various GIS Certification Institute committees. “We are thrilled to welcome Mark, Mike, and Al to our geospatial team,” states Dewberry Vice President and Director of Remote Sensing Amar Nayegandhi, CP, CMS, GISP. “They each have a strong background in geospatial technologies, which will directly serve our clients by providing the best possible technical and management expertise to support their needs.” Dewberry is a leading, market-facing firm with a proven history of providing professional services to a wide variety of public- and private-sector clients. Recognized for combining unsurpassed commitment to client service with deep subject matter expertise, Dewberry is dedicated to solving clients’ most complex challenges and transforming their communities. Established in 1956, Dewberry is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, with more than 50 locations and more than 2,000 professionals nationwide.

TLC ENGINEERING SOLUTIONSL, from page 9

Events have included Sheryl Sandberg’s TED Talk on LEAN IN, with group discussion afterwards, as well as a breakfast during TLC’s annual GreenWeek with Sarah Boren, a leader in USGBC to discuss balancing her career in sustainability with family life. More recent events have included networking with major construction firms that also have women’s programs, including “Women Impacting Turner.” This panel discussion involved all staff, regardless of gender, and was broadcast across the firm and well received, generating follow-on discussion. “Founded in 2016 with the mission of promoting career satisfaction and advancement for women at TLC Engineering Solutions, Inc., the firm’s Women’s Initiative rapidly evolved to being ‘by women, for everyone.’” In 2018, TLC’s Women’s Initiative updated the group’s mission “To promote a diverse and balanced working environment for all employees at TLC.” The group, currently chaired by Vanessa Bermudez, CPSM, LEED AP, a new principal at TLC, and Georgia Stoppenbrink, Marketing Coordinator, have organized into committees focused on STEM/Mentorship, Programs, Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility. Events have included showcasing relevant TED Talks during Engineers Week, engaging with a central Florida high school to encourage young women in the study of engineering, and sponsoring

the American Heart Association Go Red for Women program. They are currently planning support for TLC’s GreenWeek, a firm-wide educational event for TLC staff, our clients and building owners. This year’s event is the week of September 16th. More information will be available on the firm’s website soon: tlc-engineers.com. RANIA SADRACK, director of healthcare strategy and a member of the TLC board of directors, has served as an advisor and resource to TLC’s Women’s Initiative continually. Rania can be reached at rania.sadrack@ tlc-eng.com. The Women’s Initiative was initially led by KRISTY WALSON, P.E., LEED AP BD+C, LEED AP O+M, BEMP, a senior mechanical engineer and principal in the firm, as well as TARA BLEAKLEY, principal/regional client development manager. Kristy and Tara can be reached at kristy.walson@ tlc-eng.com and tara.bleakley@tlc-eng.com. Current chairs of the Women’s Initiative are VANESSA BERMUDEZ, CPSM, LEED AP, principal/business development manager and GEORGIA STOPPENBRINK, marketing coordinator. Vanessa and Georgia can be reached at vanessa.bermudez@tlc-eng.com and georgia.stoppenbrink@tlc-eng.com.

THE ZWEIG LETTER August 12, 2019, ISSUE 1308

O P I N I O N

When new partners buy out old ones, you have to outline specific duties before assigning leadership roles, among other considerations. The transition in ownership transition

O ur company’s journey likely shares a similar story with most AEC firms. A group of young and eager “visionaries” believed they had finally gained the necessary experience to launch their own firm. The early years were filled with varying doses of promise and uncertainty, but with luck and a few successful projects headlining the firm’s résumé, the fledgling company established a foothold. Eventually, the client list greatly expanded, and those two to three early sustaining clients now comprised only a small percentage of annual revenues.

Greg Shipley

ownership transition imminent with the buyout of a founding partner and the addition of a new partner. While plans were in place to address the “While plans were in place to address the financial aspects of the transition, the company was not as prepared for the string of leadership and management changes that needed to follow.”

While the company matured into a sustainable enterprise, management roles along the way were mostly borne out of necessity. The “names on the door” served as the primary leaders, and even though their duties were different, the lines defining those duties were often blurry to the staff. The confusion grew as partners were added, dividing management roles even further. As growth continued, new duties were generally assigned to meet a pressing need or by matching a partner’s personality with responsibilities more so than skill set. Fast forward 22 years, and Morrison-Shipley’s now not-so-young visionaries found an

See GREG SHIPLEY, page 11

THE ZWEIG LETTER August 12, 2019, ISSUE 1308

ON THE MOVE TIM CAREY SELECTED TO LEAD GROWING ENERGY GROUP IN CHICAGO FOR BURNS & MCDONNELL Burns & McDonnell has selected Tim Carey to lead its growing regional Energy Group in Chicago. Throughout Carey’s career, he has supported many small projects and large- scale capital projects for utility and heavy industrial clients in North America. With nearly two decades of engineering, construction and management experience, Carey will focus on growing the firm’s team of professionals and continuing to support power generation and industrial clients in the Upper Midwest. “Tim has a proven track record of success and leadership supporting crucial power generation projects and programs across the country,” says Scott Newland, senior vice president and general manager of Chicago and Detroit offices for Burns & McDonnell. “His drive, commitment and deep understanding of the industry make him a strong addition to our leadership team.” Continued diversification into a broad number of major service specialties has resulted in another year of growth for Burns & McDonnell.

The firm ranks No. 10 on the 2019 Top 500 Design Firms list and No. 1 in the Power category by Engineering News-Record . The just-released 2019 ranking was based on 2018 design revenue of $1.67 billion, compared with $1.47 billion reported on the 2018 survey. Carey says this diversification, along with a strong construction team, is the key to executing engineer-procure-construct projects – a delivery method that creates the flexibility to meet increasingly stringent client demands for schedule and budget certainty – within the power industry. “Our multidiscipline team has supported the gamut of power generation projects – from reciprocating engines to renewable energy and storage, and from distributed energy resources to power plant improvements,” Carey says. “Our professionals’ skillsets not only support traditional power plant projects, but also gas compressor, steel, pulp and paper, and other heavy industrial projects. Because we have a comprehensive suite of services and contract delivery methods, we’re better positioned to deliver safe and efficient solutions on time and on budget.”

Burns & McDonnell is expanding operations in Chicago and plans to double the size of its local workforce – hiring more than 300 diverse professionals – within the next three years. The growth in the region is part of the 100 percent employee-owned engineering, architecture, construction, environmental and consulting firm’s nationwide effort to hire more than 1,000 professionals annually. “We’re excited to add entrepreneurial, dynamic, top-notch professionals to our team, helping us continue to deliver high-quality, state-of-the-art projects for our clients,” Carey says. Burns & McDonnell is a family of companies made up of 7,000 engineers, architects, construction professionals, scientists, consultants and entrepreneurs with offices across the country and throughout the world. Burns & McDonnell strives to create amazing success for its clients and amazing careers for its employee-owners. Burns & McDonnell is 100 employee-owned and is proud to be on Fortune’s 2019 list of 100 Best Companies to Work For.

GREG SHIPLEY, from page 11

(administration, marketing, production, etc.). Make sure to fill the gaps – very important. Group similar tasks and then determine specific management assignments. ❚ ❚ Choose management by skills, not by personality. The most outgoing person in the company may be viewed as a strong candidate to be the business development leader. But, what if their organizational skills are poor? A positive multi- plied by a negative is always a negative. ❚ ❚ Not all partners are managers. Purchasing company stock should not provide an automatic promotion to management. There are times when emotions tied to investments can get in the way of making objective decisions. Know where to draw the line. ❚ ❚ Not all managers are partners. While perhaps an inside track to becoming a partner, not all managers are partner material. Most firms define specific criteria for partners (my top two are over the top dedication to the best interest of the company, and the ability to attract new business). Hold true to your partner selection criteria and apply it consistently. ❚ ❚ Show the next generation that opportunities exist. The key to the future success of AEC firms is attracting and re- taining top talent – also known as future buyers of company stock. If these candidates cannot clearly see their future posi- tion within your firm today, they are certain not to stay. GREG SHIPLEY, P.E., is president of Morrison-Shipley Engineers, Inc., a civil engineering and land surveying firm with offices located in Arkansas, Texas, and Missouri. He can be contacted at gshipley@morrisonshipley. com.

financial aspects of the transition, the company was not as prepared for the string of leadership and management changes that needed to follow. The reasonable assumption was that we would move forward with management roles as they were, which we did, without one founder plus a new face. In hindsight, we should have used this opportunity to establish a more permanent management structure that could consistently be scaled for future transitions, knowing these would be more frequent in the coming years. Far more consideration should have been given to properly outlining specific duties rather than assigning general leadership roles. “We should have used this opportunity to establish a more permanent management structure that could consistently be scaled for future transitions, knowing these would be more frequent in the coming years.” AEC firms are often reminded to plan for ownership transition early and update those plans routinely. If I could rewind the clock 10 years, I would certainly give more consideration to the following: ❚ ❚ Define tasks before defining roles. Brainstorm a very spe- cific list of management tasks for the firm’s entire operation

WRITE FOR THE ZWEIG LETTER Have some advice for your peers in the AEC industry? Contact Sara Parkman at sparkman@zweiggroup.com for the chance to be featured in The Zweig Letter .

THE ZWEIG LETTER August 12, 2019, ISSUE 1308

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