TZL 1292

TZL: You joined the firm in 2002. In 2017, you became the firm’s leader of the Portland office. You have lived the dream, paying your dues and finding career advancement without having to look elsewhere. How did you do it? Tell us about the journey. LH: I had identified my love for working for the commu- nity early on. I grew up in a really poor, rural community. Through some extraordinary circumstances, I was able to go to college because of the generosity of the small town I lived in. I’ve never forgotten. I live with a sense of gratitude and directed purpose. I want to give back to the community. “Being a part of a company with values and goals I believe in has really motivated me to have a larger perspective on life and obtain this goal. I never let the walls of work define my ambitions, and PCS never said no.” In college, I would I pick one thing to work on that would help me get to that dream. At first, it was looking internally, working on my engineering skills, and going to a lot of sem- inars. Then I needed help with public speaking, so I started going to Toastmasters and reading a lot of books. I was involved in many activities and organizations outside of the office like Habitat for Humanity, ACE Mentoring Pro- gram, local engineering communities, local city council de- sign review boards, etc. These activities were fun and helped me develop some of the leadership skills I needed. Being a part of a company with values and goals I believe in has really motivated me to have a larger perspective on life and obtain this goal. I never let the walls of work define my ambitions, and PCS never said no. PCS has been very supportive of that dream, both in and out of the office, for which I am very grateful. TZL: What was the toughest problem you had to solve in the first year of leading the Portland office? LH: We had to focus on clients who shared the same core values. There are a broad range of potential clients, and it can be tempting to pursue them all, but you want to focus your energies on working with people who share your vi- sion. We put our time and resources into identifying com- munity-led projects in K-12, higher education, and health- care, and pursued relationships with clients who value col- laboration. We have a distinct culture, and we wanted to be a good fit. TZL: While the Portland location was a natural fit for PCS, the firm did not rush into opening the new office. The firm took pains to make sure there was a unified cul- ture across all its offices, and that the right people were in Portland. What’s the importance of company culture as it relates to job satisfaction, client satisfaction and, ul- timately, the bottom line? LH: Involving staff in these decisions creates a legacy cul- ture for future generations. We knew we could add value to our client service by opening a third office, but a conscious

effort was made by leadership to engage junior staff. Vetting a new office opening was a nine-month process. The staff re- searched markets up and down the West Coast and report- ed out to the board of directors on their recommendations. Leadership staff commented on their likelihood to move to possible future office locations. Those individuals who were willing to move were involved in office location decisions and the final tenant improvement design. The bottom line? High client satisfaction is the natural re- sult of knowing why we do what we do, doing it well, and building people within our organization. TZL: If you were sitting in a classroom with high school students, what would you tell them about the opportuni- ties and lifestyle a career in civil structural engineering can provide? LH: Structural engineering is a way of thinking about prob- lems. Engineers are meticulous problem solvers, and we’re required to think creatively about solutions. Engineers to- day work within a highly collaborative work model that can provide a satisfying work life that meshes with your person- al goals. There is a high demand for engineers, and the wag- es are very competitive. An engineer’s salary will provide a good standard of living. TZL: What should every engineer know about the design- build delivery model? LH: It’s not a common delivery method, but we’re seeing it more often, particularly in our higher-ed projects. We’re on the leading edge of the first two design-build projects for K-12 in Washington. The biggest thing from a structural en- gineering standpoint is that the work is often a lot more front loaded. To make the process successful, it takes invest- ed and outspoken stakeholders who are willing to advocate for elements of the design. The ability to be flexible is para- mount. You must be able to communicate and understand cost. It’s an opportunity to build trusting relationships. It’s a really fun process and very rewarding. “In addition to great benefits, we find that retention is a natural result of a great fit with our culture. Our average tenure is about 10 years with many over 25 years. It’s a diverse group of talent and provides internal mentorship opportunities.” TZL: The labor crunch appears to be at its peak with no signs of relenting. What are you and your team doing to recruit new talent? How do you retain the talent you al- ready have? LH: Connecting with undergraduate and graduate students is a priority. We look for opportunities to give presentations at universities and host social events such as breakfast with CalPoly students. We also work with high schoolers through the ACE mentorship program to encourage future talent. We put a lot of energy into creating a collaborative, positive culture. Growth is managed with culture in mind, and as we See CORE VALUES, page 8

pril 15, 2019, ISSUE 1292

Made with FlippingBook Annual report