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Conference call: Jon Lindberg President of Gale Associates Inc. (Best Firm #18 Multi-discipline for 2018), a 115-person consulting firm based in Weymouth, Massachusetts.
By LIISA ANDREASSEN Correspondent
“G ale has been involved with a number of design-build procurements, primarily for our federal agency cli- ents,” Lindberg says. “Our success can be attributed to a couple of key factors: knowing your partner (builder) and a strong risk management process. If the contract terms and conditions are not favorable, we walk.” A CONVERSATION WITH JON LINDBERG. The Zweig Letter: While M&A is always an option, there’s something to be said about organic growth. What are your thoughts on why and how to grow a firm? Jon Lindberg: Gale is 100 percent organic. I constantly re- ceive calls and inquiries regarding our interest in buying, selling, or merging. Growing organically is akin to sustain- ability. We don’t hire staff specifically for a large project, just to release them when the project is done. Systematical- ly hiring and training capable and driven staff for depth and opportunity equals longevity and loyalty. If a firm does not provide staff with a profession and a future – why should they stay? It has been working for Gale for 54-plus years and gives those with loyalty and drive an opportunity to be a leader and owner.
TZL: While plenty of firms have an ownership transition plan in place, many do not. What’s your advice for firms that have not taken steps to identify and empower the next generation of owners? JL: Gale is currently in its fourth ownership transition in 54-plus years. Although today’s environment appears to be dominated by M&A, Gale has remained an organically- grown firm and will continue to give motivated staff the op- portunity to be an owner. Ownership transitions take years and they are constantly morphing. If today’s managing partners/principals have not been transitioning staff from the day they are employed, the choices will come down to sell externally or establish an ESOP! At Gale, we’ll continue the internal transition and ownership route. TZL: There are AEC leaders who say profit centers create corrosive internal competition for firm resources. What’s your opinion on profit centers? JL: In today’s quickly-changing economic landscape, busi- nesses have to understand their market share and their rev- enue producers. We use profit centers to gauge performance and investment. As our leadership team is unified, when the
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