TZL 1233

ON THE MOVE POND RECOGNIZES NEW SENIOR ASSOCIATES Pond , an industry leader in planning, architecture, engineering and construction services, is proud to recognize individuals who demonstrate extensive knowledge in their respective fields, with promotions to senior associate. These leaders embody Pond’s dedication to providing its clients with exceptional service and innovative solutions. Corporate Health and Safety Director Jim Davis has successfully completed more than 30 years of professional safety leadership. He utilizes this experience at Pond to develop, implement and manage complex environmental, health, and safety programs, policies, and procedures for internal and external clients worldwide. Director of Human Resources Pam Gower has more than 25 years in corporate environments focused in general human resources management excelling at talent sourcing and acquisition, engagement and retention, training and development, performance and change management, benefits negotiation and administration, policy/program design and

implementation, organizational development, regulatory and reporting compliance and strategic planning. Director of Development Allan Iosue oversees Pond’s Florida business development for all Pond’s programs. Over the past 20 years, his experience has included design, land development, public involvement, leadership and strategic partnering. He is committed to the city of Jacksonville and its future. Iosue is a trustee in the Jacksonville Chamber, and serves as the Chair for the Context Sensitive Street Standards Committee. Program Director of Fuels Maintenance and Construction Mike Jeffreys has 30 years of experience in the fueling industry. His areas of expertise include program and project management of fuel system design build, construction and installation of fuel equipment and systems, troubleshooting and commissioning for complex systems and Pond’s clients around the world. Director of Mechanical Engineering Van Lynn has over 18 years of experience in commissioning, mechanical, and plumbing engineering design for new facilities and

renovations in many areas that include office, retail, commercial, industrial, municipal and institutional. Van has experience in sustainable and LEED design, and energy conservation practices and analysis. Director of Civil Fueling Kenn Ussery, PE, LEED AP has over 25 years of architectural and civil engineering design and construction experience in many areas that include commercial, industrial and institutional, military, and fueling-related developments. Matthew Wilder has been a practicing landscape architect for 16 years. Throughout his career he has focused on public space design, parks, trails, greenways, and college campuses. All of his work is founded in the principles of conscientious environmental design and upon ethics of equity and sustainability. Wilder, Pond’s Director of Landscape Architecture, is a member of American Society of Landscape Architects. “These individuals have demonstrated an exceptional level of commitment to our firm; they have gone above and beyond to contribute to our continued success,” says President and CEO Tony Parker.

STEPHEN LUCY, from page 9

doing so, you have either told your client that you were trying to price gouge him on your first fee or that you are going to reduce your services and quality on your second fee. Either way, it is not a message that you want to send, and it is not a sustainable approach toward maintaining your client. 4)Be willing to say goodbye. While you may have been the one sending out undervalued fee proposals, your clients were the ones expecting them and will be the ones continuing to expect them. You may be able to rehabilitate some of these clients to ultimately pay proper fees, but others will not be willing to change. The only solution to that dilemma is to say good-bye and move on to those clients who value your firm. You have finite resources and you want to use those resources to maximize your benefit. 5)Delivery on your claims. Absent fulfillment of your commit- ments of service, quality, expertise and a differentiating expe- rience for your clients, you will not be able to sustain requests for higher fees. We have all seen firms that start out with a flash, rapidly gain market presence, and then crash when they cannot consistently deliver on their promise. How many of those firms gained all that early attention because the one differentiator that they had in the beginning was lower fees? Yes, they were a huge disruptor in the marketplace, but with- out providing the differentiating benefits to their clients, they fade to the background. BOTTOM LINE – VALUE YOUR FIRM. It all starts with you. If you do not place value on your firm, why should your clients? Know your differentiators, be able to demonstrate them, and deliver on them internally and externally. Build a prof- itable path for your firm based on a great reputation, not as a commodity, and your results should be nothing short of wonderful. STEPHEN LUCY is CEO of JQ with offices in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and Lubbock, Texas. Contact him at slucy@jqeng.com.

and not just old? For that reason, enlist outside help to inde- pendently facilitate this evaluation. If you are serious about implementing change, the cost of this assistance is worth it so that you can start with the best data. 2)Determine your differentiators. The only real way to be al- lowed to appropriately or even aggressively price your work is to be different from those around you. But this cannot be differentiation by catchphrase. It must be tangible and demonstrable in how you operate compared to others. How tired is your client of hearing value-added or cost-effective or schedule-driven when none of these are shown in your work? Just saying that you are better does not make you better no matter how much you wish it were so. “It all starts with you. If you do not place value on your firm, why should your clients? Know your differentiators, be able to demonstrate them, and deliver on them internally and externally.” Also, your differentiators cannot be differentiators that only matter to you because you are not selling to yourself. Those differentiators must be operating traits or expertise that mat- ter to your clients. The differentiators that you promote may vary client to client as the needs and desires of your clients vary. Your firm should not strive to be all things to all clients, but you can interface and provide different expertise to differ- ent clients provided they are the right clients for your firm. 3)Be consistent. You must be consistent in your approach. You cannot give your client an appropriate yet higher fee on one project only to turn around on the next and drop the bottom out of your fee just because you “have to have the job.” By

THE ZWEIG LETTER January 29, 2018, ISSUE 1233

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