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CH: We don’t operate as profit cen- ters. We have six offices, one of which focuses mainly on research. Our ap- proach is collaborative. Designers from different offices work together and we track revenue and growth from office to office, but we don’t track ex- penses or profits from office to office. We have a central location with our file server and such, and we track individ- ual project profit which is quite high compared to many other companies. We have nice long lead cycles and are booked with projects through 2019. TZL: What’s your policy on sharing the firm’s financials with your staff? Weekly, monthly, quarterly, annu- ally? And how far down into the org chart is financial information shared? CH: We share all information with the whole company twice per year at a for- mal meeting called “The State of Huck- abee.” We have a Q&A session where anonymous questions are answered, too. It’s effective to be open and can- did. During the downturn, we were in a good position due to our trans- parency. We had no layoffs and that’s because we’re prudent. On a monthly basis, we also distribute an executive review and KPIs to all executives that project revenue through 2019. TZL: As you look for talent, what po- sition do you most need to fill in the coming year and why? CH: We have a brisk hiring pace now. We’re adding about two to three peo- ple per week. We’re looking for prin- cipals and senior-level staff. We don’t use outside recruiters. It’s all done in- ternally. 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 gen- eration of owners? “We give staff at multiple levels the ability to lead and work with other people. We create opportunity internally and always seek to fill positions from the inside first.”

CH: It’s the most critical thing a firm can do. My dad started this business more than 50 years ago. I joined in 1991 and he recognized the need to teach me about transition. He created a 30 percent ESOP. It takes time. Time is the key. You can’t microwave these things. One year ago, our CFO unex- pectedly passed away. We had a robust succession plan in place. Even though I was not personally prepared (it was an emotional experience), the team knew what to do. You need to have a robust board working with you, too. “Run towards your problems. Problems are not like a fine wine. They don’t get better with age. It’s also important to not hide a problem.” TZL: Zweig Group research shows there has been a shift in business development strategies. More and more, technical staff, not marketing staff, are responsible for BD. What’s the BD formula in your firm? CH: Our BD team is internal. Most of the principals and directors are ex- pected to be the forward point of mar- keting. TZL: Diversifying the portfolio is never a bad thing. What are the most recent steps you’ve taken to broaden your revenue streams? CH: For us, diversifying is a bad thing. We do one thing. We do it well. We are growing substantially and our diver- sity has been in two areas: geography and building a higher-end portfolio. TZL: The list of responsibilities for project managers is seemingly end- less. How do you keep your PMs from burning out? And if they crash, how do you get them back out on the road, so to speak? CH: Annually, we ask this question on a survey: How do you manage stress? We look at those replies and work to manage schedules so they don’t burn out. We draw in different expertise from around the firm and PMs know that they can always reach out to help fill in gaps they need. It’s not a per- fect formula, but we try really hard to

YEAR FOUNDED: 1967 HEADQUARTERS: Fort Worth, TX OFFICES: 6 offices in Texas NO. OF EMPLOYEES: 300

CHRISTOPHER HUCKABEE: He was 8-years- old when he first started “working” at the firm. His dad was the founder and he’s been there ever since. THEIR PASSION: For more than 50 years, Huckabee has exclusively designed learning environments. They are a team focused on one thing. SERVICES OFFERED: ❚ ❚ Assessment and feasibility analysis ❚ ❚ Long-range planning ❚ ❚ Master planning ❚ ❚ Communications and branding ❚ ❚ Bond services ❚ ❚ Programming ❚ ❚ Architectural design ❚ ❚ Interior design ❚ ❚ Furniture coordination ❚ ❚ Environmental graphics and wayfinding ❚ ❚ Sustainable design ❚ ❚ Structural engineering ❚ ❚ Cost estimating ❚ ❚ Jurisdictional review and permitting ❚ ❚ Construction administration ❚ ❚ Close-out and warranty LEARNING EXPERIENCE LABS: Huckabee partnered with Baylor University and ESC Region 12, creating the Learning Experience Laboratories, or LEx Labs, to conduct real research of how the learning environment impacts student achievement.

See CONFERENCE CALL, page 8

ober 1, 2018, ISSUE 1266

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