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facebook.com/ ZweigGroup Williams TZL: 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? DW: We have a long history of organic growth, which we’ve used to build a firm foundation on which to support merg- ers and acquisitions. That foundation allows us to occasion- ally take on a smaller firm – such as Wichita, Kansas-based Ruggles & Bohm – and seamlessly integrate them into our culture as long as their staff embodies the same values as ours. Because of the support structure we’ve built organi- cally we can be selective when it comes time to consider any mergers and acquisitions. “We realize that, when outside of the office, employees are going to tell the truth. So, we take that to mean we’re doing something right if our employees recruit candidates from career professionals to new graduates.” TZL: The talent war in the A/E industry is here. What steps do you take to create the leadership pipeline need- ed to retain your top people and not lose them to other firms? DW: We realize that, when outside of the office, employees are going to tell the truth. So, we take that to mean we’re doing something right if our employees recruit candidates from career professionals to new graduates. We work hard every day to make this a place that attracts and retains great talent. I think it’s one of the things that makes us a Best Firm to Work For. We walk the talk – that’s how we’ve been able to get great people who serve as living testimonials for what goes on here year-round. TZL: As you look for talent, what position do you most need to fill in the coming year and why? DW: The most challenging position for us to fill is the engi- neer with anywhere from five to 15 years of experience – the project manager role. Whether it’s because of a reluctance of those professionals to move, or of the lack of engineer- ing students during a previous era, our task continues to be identifying those market leaders. Our push will continue to fill those leadership voids. 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? DW: The reality is that when you’ve been around as long as we have, ownership changes. It’s an ongoing process that’s built into our DNA. The key is to consistently develop employees within your company who display your values,

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vision and mission. That way, you can eventually trust them with transition when the time comes. TZL: Monthly happy hours and dog friendly offices. What do today’s CEOs need to know about today’s workforce? DW: We’ve been named a Best Firm for four consecutive years for a reason – our employees are satisfied with the culture. We’re an adaptable company, but at the same time, we’ve been around for 98 years and we’re not going to chase every trend. We hire good people who can build relation- ships with clients and we trust them to do their jobs. 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? DW: We’ve always operated under the doer-seller model. Our technical staff knows they need to get out there and build relationships not just so we can win a single project, but so we can become a client’s go-to firm any time a project comes up. We also prioritize giving our technical staff the support staff they need to put their best foot forward. Busi- ness development is about finding the perfect balance be- tween the relationships we build and our ability to execute a pursuit strategy. TZL: Diversifying the portfolio is never a bad thing. What are the most recent steps you’ve taken to broaden your revenue streams? DW: We’ve established what we’re good at and we’re not go- ing to do things we don’t know how to do. For us, broaden- ing means promoting collaboration and cross-selling while bringing all of our service offerings to all clients. Diversi- fying also means expanding our geographical reach, which we’ve done by expanding a footprint that now includes 24 offices in 10 states. “The reality is that when you’ve been around as long as we have, ownership changes. It’s an ongoing process that’s built into our DNA. The key is to TZL: What is the role of entrepreneurship in your firm? DW: It goes back to our doer-seller model and our diverse ca- pabilities. If we have a technical expert in a field we haven’t worked much in before, we trust that employee to go out there and be an entrepreneur by selling that new service to clients or to take that service to a newmarket area. In short, See CONFERENCE CALL, page 8 consistently develop employees within your company who display your values, vision and mission.”

uary 29, 2018, ISSUE 1233

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