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infrastructure funding will accelerate the markets we serve and carry the day for years to come. I’m not overly optimis- tic that infrastructure legislation will be passed soon in Washington, but hopeful- ly I’ll be pleasantly surprised. More than likely, we will see growth in our public in- frastructure spending combined with a far stronger public/private collaboration. In terms of other segments that we ex- pect to perform well, the energy sector seems to be hot, and I’d expect it to re- main hot despite growing competition in this space. Private development has his- torically been the first to be hit when the economy takes a downturn, and we ex- pect that to remain true. TZL: The talent war in the A/E industry is here. What steps do you take to create the leadership pipeline needed to retain your top people and not lose them to other firms? JH: We spent close to a year creating a discernible path to leadership for every position in the firm, ensuring that every employee understands what is required to advance to a leadership role. Our internal education infrastructure supports ongo- ing and specific leadership education for multiple career paths and interests. We are focused on empowering our next gen- eration to make decisions, and we’ve cre- ated committees designed to allow aspir- ing leaders the opportunity to engage in corporate management. TZL: As you look for talent, what posi- tion do you most need to fill in the com- ing year and why? JH: We’re fortunate to have strong growth across our organization. We’re looking for all types of talent – but experienced PMs, practice leaders, and technical experts are the most significant roles we need to fill currently. Additionally, our leader- ship team strongly believes that a diverse workforce is essential to best serving our clients, and we’ve put initiatives in place to continue to attract and retain diverse talent. We’re particularly aware of the in- dustry-wide need for more women and minorities in senior leadership roles and are creating programs to foster growth of this talent within OHM Advisors. TZL: While plenty of firms have an own- ership transition plan in place, many do not. What’s your advice for firms that haven’t taken steps to identify and em- power the next generation of owners? JH: Several years ago, we identified that our future ownership transition

needed to be staggered to minimize vol- atility while also encouraging the next generation to come to the ownership ta- ble. Identifying and empowering the next generation of owners is critical, and we’re fortunate to have 36 partners, all at var- ious stages of their careers. We recom- mend that firms continually train and de- velop the next generation of talent, and in doing so, they strengthen their firms and reduce the volatility around owner- ship transitions. TZL: Monthly happy hours and dog friendly offices. What do today’s CEOs need to know about today’s workforce? JH: We’ve worked hard at being a “cool place to work” for some time now. We’ve embraced a more casual dress code, im- proved our physical environment, offered flexible work hours, and targeted events and wellness to name a few. But, what I believe people in today’s workforce really want is to be a part of something they’re passionate about that brings value to the greater good. When they feel engaged and energized in this way, they seek out op- portunities to contribute. We’ve built our firm’s mission around the idea that our team members truly aim to make a differ- ence for the clients and communities they serve. Compliment this with an open door management philosophy and encourage people at all levels of the organization to bring forward ideas that challenge the status quo and then be willing to change. No matter how successful we’ve been, we can always get better. TZL: Zweig Group research shows there has been a shift in business develop- ment strategies. More and more, tech- nical staff, not marketing staff, are re- sponsible for BD. What’s the BD formu- la in your firm? JH: OHM Advisors has always had a “do- er-seller” culture, so there hasn’t been a major shift in our business development efforts. Our practice leaders, who under- stand the industry and live it every day, are in the field making connections. For years, we’ve had marketing and tech staff working collaboratively on proposals and other BD opportunities. We have long re- alized that prospective clients want to work with the technical talent, not a sales team. TZL: Diversifying the portfolio is never a bad thing. What are the most recent steps you’ve taken to broaden your rev- enue streams? See CONFERENCE CALL, page 8

YEAR FOUNDED: 1962 HEADQUARTERS: Michigan OFFICES: 13 offices in three states NO. OF EMPLOYEES: 440 SERVICES: ❚ ❚ Engineering ❚ ❚ Planning ❚ ❚ Urban design ❚ ❚ Architecture ❚ ❚ Construction engineering ❚ ❚ Surveying ❚ ❚ GIS COMMUNITY: We’re more than an architecture, engineering and planning firm. We are the community advancement firm. NEWS: At the December 7, 2017, shareholders meeting, partners in the community advancement firm elected four new mission-driven shareholders to the ranks of OHM Advisors’ owners. The Columbus, Ohio chapter of WTS International – Women’s Transportation Seminar – honored Frances Rubio Rourke, P.E., as its 2017 Member of the Year at a recent awards dinner. Rourke is the firm’s Ohio transportation manager. VALUES: ❚ ❚ Advancement opportunities ❚ ❚ OHM grad school ❚ ❚ Supportive work environment ❚ ❚ Family atmosphere ❚ ❚ Ongoing training seminars ❚ ❚ Employee wellness program

pril 23, 2018, ISSUE 1245

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