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ON THE MOVE DPS GROUP EXPANDS VIRTUAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OFFERINGS WITH ADDITION OF ERIC ROSS: RECOGNIZED EXPERT IN THE FIELD BRINGS MORE THAN 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE LEADING VIRTUAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION AND BIM FOR A VARIETY OF COMPLEX PROJECTS DPS Group , a privately-owned, global engineering, procurement, construction management, and validation firm serving high-tech process industries, has announced that Eric Ross has joined the firm as virtual design and construction manager for U.S. Operations in the firm’s Albany, New York office. Ross will oversee virtual design and construction and building information modeling for all DPS projects within the United States. Serving high-tech industries around the world, DPS designs and builds facilities that turn scientific innovations into life-saving and

life-enhancing products. The firm delivers full-service engineering across a range of disciplines, including project management, procurement, design, construction management, health and safety management, commissioning, qualification, and facility start- up. In 2015, DPS opened its Albany office with a focus on the advanced technology, micro- electronics, semi-conductor, and life-sciences industries. Ross’s teamwill work collaboratively with DPS project teams to improve efficiencies and drive best-in-class quality performance for DPS clients. Current projects include Global Foundries, Aim Photonics, and NextGen. Ross brings more than 20 years of design and construction experience in advanced technology facilities, life science, and related process industries, and has worked on a variety of project types ranging from pharmaceutical,

biotech, ultra-pure water, chemical, process lateral services, tool install, and bulk gas projects. He has managed capital projects for clients such as Bristol Meyers Squibb, Intel, IBM, and Amgen. Ross received a professional certification of management for building information modeling from the Associated General Contractors of America. Fewer than 800 professionals in the U.S. have earned this certification. DPS Group is a global engineering, consulting, and project management company, serving high-tech industries around the world. DPS delivers services for clients across the complete engineering and construction value chain including feasibility studies, concepts, consulting, architecture, engineering, procurement, construction management, commissioning, qualification, and validation, in addition to contingent staffing solutions.

STEPHEN LUCY, from page 3

2)Leadership. Quality begins at the top and must always be ingrained in the actions of firm leadership. If we as leaders do not clearly exhibit and embrace quality, why should anyone else in the firm? 3)Engagement of people. All staff must be involved in the cre- ation and maintenance of a quality focused culture. 4)Process approach. You need a consistent process and con- sistent monitoring of that process. This includes all aspects of your company from design to accounting to human resources. 5)Improvement. Set metrics by which to evaluate the system and adjust your processes as needed. Nothing is 100 percent perfect so there will be areas of needed improvement. 6)Evidence based decision making. Make decisions based on the hard facts of what has worked best for your firm. Knowl- edge management is essential for this task to succeed. 7)Relationship management. Be proactive in management of internal and external relationships and hold people account- able for their actions. Creating and leading a firm that focuses on the quality of its deliverables from start to finish not only builds one’s culture but ensures growth and success. Finding a way to standardize that effort is paramount, and we need to know how to communicate and manage our staff through these standardized processes. If you can provide the context as to why your firm does certain things routinely in the same manner, then your team will understand, and, hopefully, embrace your quality processes. When quality is viewed from a business perspective, the lack of it can impact morale, finances, deadlines, and results. If you do not have quality, you do not have repeat clients. If you do not have quality, you get complacent employees. If you do not have quality, there is constant rework and you will not have profit. With so much at stake, the ultimate answer to our question is that quality absolutely matters! STEPHEN LUCY is CEO of JQ with offices in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Lubbock and San Antonio, Texas. Contact him at slucy@ jqeng.com.

unforeseen technical issues. And the owner may have unrealistic expectations for results. If that is not enough, we set our professional fees for a project that might last years based on a brief description of someone’s vision and as a percentage of construction cost, a cost per square foot, a cost per anticipated drawing count or some other completely irrational basis. For these, we have only ourselves to blame. “If you do not have quality, you do not have repeat clients. If you do not have quality, you get complacent employees. If you do not have quality, there is constant rework and you will not have profit. With so much at stake, the ultimate answer to our question is that quality absolutely matters!” How do we not think we have quality issues given these variables? And how do you not despair, update your resume, and seek employment in a more rational industry? At a root level, quality becomes doing what you say you will do. By not doing quality work, you are deceiving yourself, your staff and your clients, and you are putting your firm at great jeopardy. We probably know firms within our own network that do not offer quality, and it takes tremendous effort to get out of the downward momentum. Overall quality issues can drive a firm to success or failure. We can learn from other industries and begin to implement more holistic approaches to quality assurance and quality control. For example, ISO 9000 standards are based on seven quality management principles for organizational improvements. These principles are: 1)Customer focus. The more you know about your client, the easier it is to meet their requirements for a successful project.

THE ZWEIG LETTER November 12, 2018, ISSUE 1272

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