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T R E N D L I N E S J a n u a r y 1 1 , 2 0 2 1 , I s s u e 1 3 7 4 W W W . T H E Z W E I G L E T T E R . C O M

EBITDA margin

Decentralization of structure within our firms allows for a more agile, adaptable, and unified organization. Decentralization

T he start of a new year is often a time for reflection and contemplation. I always encourage others to take this time to look back on the lessons they have learned and look forward toward the triumphs that are yet to be won. There is much to celebrate, even though last year was a difficult one. We’ve learned that our organizations need to be more agile and adaptable, our vision clearer. We need everyone to understand the purpose we are building toward, and that everyone is valuable. We’ve also learned that there is never a better time to develop ourselves and our people than now. It can be difficult to look at ourselves and our firms clearly and admit that change needs to occur. Therefore, as we enter this new year with much hope and anticipation, let us empower those around us and work toward a more decentralized structure within our workplace. Admittedly, I have something to get off of my chest before entering the new year – something I hope we leave behind. I’ve had too many discussions with leaders who feel like their people cannot understand certain concepts and ideas. It is certainly phrased in a myriad of ways, but it essentially boils down to two things: Either “My people are too stupid to understand” or “They are not ready.” It makes me want to say, “Stop treating people like they are stupid.” This mentality being so pervasive within our space is troubling. I doubt that when pressed any leader would truly say this is how they feel, but if this is my takeaway, you can be certain the people they lead get the same impression. Exposure to advanced concepts, principles, and ideas in the way our businesses operate, how things fit together, and what we are building toward have long been understood to be beneficial to an individual’s career. It has also been shown that the higher the average intelligence (business, emotional, etc.) of the people who comprise an organization, the more successful that entity is. The reticence in sharing information or concepts simply astounds me given these precepts. So, without elaborating any further, I’d like to leave this negativity behind us in 2020. As you reflect on your performance this past year, let’s recognize that we can do a better job moving forward. I encourage you to find the opportunity to learn/teach the more advanced concepts that we all know would make us more successful. Even if you or your people cannot put everything into practice at a particular moment, allow the time for growth and a recognition of concepts that we must be aware of. It will allow the performance of the firm to be elevated substantially. OK, now onto the second premise of this article which the first

F I R M I N D E X A. Morton Thomas and Associates, Inc...4 Dewberry................................................4 SEH........................................................6 Ware Malcomb......................................12 MO R E A R T I C L E S xz LEO MACLEOD: Successful delegation Page 3 xz Creating success: David E. Ott Page 6 xz MARK ZWEIG: New Year’s resolutions Page 9 xz LINDSAY YOUNG: The new normal Page 11 Zweig Group’s 2020 Best Performing Firms Report of AEC Firms combines data from six publications and three surveys filled out by award-winners to compare the best of the best to the AEC industry average. Included in this report is a chapter on financial performance of high performing firms. Looking specifically at EBITDA margin on net service revenue, it’s not shocking that fast growth firms and very high profit firms are outpacing the industry standard by a significant margin. How does your firm stack up against the best in the industry? Participate in a survey and save 50 percent on the final or pre- publication price of any Zweig Group research publication.

Phil Keil

See PHIL KEIL, page 2

T H E V O I C E O F R E A S O N F O R T H E A E C I N D U S T R Y

PHIL KEIL, from page 1 helps us facilitate. That is the decentralization of structure within our firms to allow for a more agile, adaptable, and counterintuitively unified organization. This certainly elicits a larger conversation around organizational theory which I hope to expand throughout 2021, but in the remaining space I have in this article, let’s see if I can give you, the reader, a better understanding of the components required. I also welcome debate on the premise as it may not be as self-evident from the events in 2020 and the projected near-term future as I may think. In order for a firm to pursue a decentralization strategy, it needs to be able to do a few things well. I covered one of them already in the training and development of the entire organization – treating everyone as a vital and valuable component of a larger system. Another component is teamwork with its fundamental precepts being trust and communication. One person is ill-equipped to succeed compared to a well- functioning team of two. Now think about if that two becomes four. It is not a linear expansion of impact and capability, but exponential. Without coordination and cooperation between teams, the organization is doomed to fail. The next is a clear vision. Your teams need a simple and clear goal for everyone to work toward. It isn’t a how, but a why. Communication is key both up and down the chain of command, so it is important to focus on the simplicity of the message. The next important component is the ability to prioritize and execute on tasks. A painful lesson that many firms learned this year is that they were focused on too many things and implemented very little of their strategic plans as a result. If a team tries to accomplish too many things at once, they will likely accomplish nothing. Utilizing these key components allows an organization to decentralize in a way that makes a firm come to life and accomplish some amazing things. It allows for everyone to step up and become a leader. Think about this: If each division leader clearly knew what your intent was and what you wanted each team to accomplish, and they took the initiative to accomplish that intent, wouldn’t that make your job fairly easy? Now, this requires your communication to be simple and clear, and simultaneously requires the division leaders to feel empowered enough to make things happen so that they will step up and lead. This has to be imbedded into the culture of your firm. Finally, two additional components are needed to make this strategy work: Accountability and balance. Everyone needs to feel ownership, not make excuses, or blame anyone or anything else when problems occur. Leaders also need to be balanced. For example, you can’t talk too much or too little, you also cannot be overly assertive, etc. As I come to a conclusion, I would like to touch on one final thing that many leaders struggle with yet is required for a decentralized structure: Delegation of authority. Leaders must push tasks and authorities down to their subordinate leaders and so on. It is only when you have delegated all actions that you can truly lead strategically. It is impossible to do so when you are busy trying to manage less significant tasks that could be handled by others. This doesn’t mean you should be trying to do nothing. In fact, from time to time, you should be willing to do the most awful job and get your hands dirty. It will clearly display your humility and increase your team’s respect for you. That is all I have to share to start out the year. Let me know if this reflection is something that resonates with you and how we might help you put these ideas into practice within your own organization. PHIL KEIL is director of strategy services at Zweig Group. Contact him at pkeil@zweiggroup.com.

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THE ZWEIG LETTER JANUARY 11, 2021, ISSUE 1374

O P I N I O N

Successful delegation

P ete, a seasoned project manager, has hit a wall. His to-do list has been getting longer. He’s tried to work longer hours to catch up, but it’s no use. Exhausted and alienated from his family, he doesn’t know how much longer he can continue. Delegation is a sign of a mature leader. It allows you to focus on how you can contribute at the highest level given your experience and wisdom.

His manager has told him if he wants to advance in his career, he needs to learn to delegate. A perfectionist by nature, Pete simply can’t let go of projects. He can’t trust others will do it to his satisfaction. It’s just more work to bring someone up to speed, and he just has to do it over to meet his expectations anyway. His world comes crashing down when his father dies. On the way to the funeral, he’s texting clients. His wife looks at him incredulously and says, “Really?” Pete responds, “I don’t have any other choice.” She says, “Yeah, you do.” He realizes she’s right. You’ve worked your entire career to be able to deliver at the highest level. Clients love you. You’re respected in the office. Younger people want to learn from you. And now you’ve been told that to grow as a leader, you need to delegate more. In other words, let go of your entire identity as an individual contributor and, instead, be responsible for someone else’s work product.

Delegating can make you feel like you’re letting people down: clients who are used to your level of detail and staff who are already burdened by their own work. To make yourself feel better, first accept the reality of what will happen if you don’t delegate: your team will not grow; you won’t be able to focus on higher-level work; and the firm will be paying you for something that someone else can do at a lower rate. Then make it clear to whom you are delegating why you shouldn’t do the task. It might start like this: “I need your help so I’m not working on design review and can spend more time on business development, so we can keep people employed.” Let’s break that down: “I need your help.” This is very different from telling someone they need to do something. It sets a friendlier tone that appeals to their better nature of wanting to be seen as helpful. (By the way, this

Leo MacLeod

See LEO MACLEOD, page 4

THE ZWEIG LETTER JANUARY 11, 2021, ISSUE 1374

ON THE MOVE DEWBERRY’S CARL KACZMAREK RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF ENR MIDATLANTIC’S 2021 TOP YOUNG PROFESSIONALS Dewberry , privately held professional services firm, has announced that associate and senior project manager Carl Kaczmarek III, PE, has been recognized by Engineering News-Record MidAtlantic as a Top Young Professional for 2021. The awards program honors professionals who have built a strong portfolio in their industry as well as donated time and expertise to serve their communities. The award recipients will be profiled in the February 2021 issue of ENR MidAtlantic. Kaczmerak has been in the industry for more than 11 years. He is an experienced transportation project manager focused on transportation design and construction. Kaczmerak has been involved in a variety of landmark projects, including the Intercounty Connector (ICC)/MD 200, Dulles Corridor Metrorail Projects, and the Warrenton Southern Interchange, where he served as the lead designer/deputy design manager. Kaczmerak earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Virginia Tech (2008). He is a professional engineer in Maryland, and Virginia, and recently authored an article for Dewberry’s website on the differences between design-build and design-bid-build practices. Kaczmarek remains involved in the

industry by attending Locally Administered Project and Design-Build Institute of America conferences to continue his growth in the engineering field. Dewberry is a leading, market-facing firm with a proven history of providing professional services to a wide variety of public- and private-sector clients. Recognized for combining unsurpassed commitment to client service with deep subject matter expertise, Dewberry is dedicated to solving clients’ most complex challenges and transforming their communities. Established in 1956, Dewberry is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, with more than 50 locations and more than 2,000 professionals nationwide. JANICE GARY SELECTED FOR 2020 NATIONAL ACEC COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Fellows Committee has selected A. Morton Thomas and Associates, Inc. ’s Janice Gary as a recipient of the 2020 National Community Service Award. Gary has contributed her time and energy to groups ranging from educators, AEC organizations, religious congregations, college students, underprivileged families, and many others. Janice has served as the President of the Senior Usher Ministry at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Rockville, Maryland for more than 10 years, an organization through which she

drives involvement in events. She also acts as a champion for college and university students of color through her assistance with the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Educational Advancement Foundation, which provides scholarships and financial aid to students across the United States. As a previous Chair of the ACEC/MD Human Resources Committee, Gary led a group of professionals in discussions of issues facing AEC organizations and their employees. Gary is a vice president and director of human resources with A. Morton Thomas and Associates, Inc. and recently celebrated her 25th anniversary with the firm. She has a bachelor’s degree from University of Memphis and a master’s degree from Strayer University. Janice resides in Germantown, Maryland, with her husband Tony and two daughters. A. Morton Thomas and Associates, Inc. is a 100 percent employee-owned firm that provides multidisciplinary services including engineering, environmental, landscape architecture, surveying, and construction administration and inspection on a regional basis to a variety of public and private clients. AMT maintains its reputation by teaming with its employees, clients, and community to provide high-quality, sustainable projects to its clients.

LEO MACLEOD, from page 3

Daniel Pink in his book Drive says people are motivated less by money and more by the autonomy to be left to do the work on their own; the mastery to develop their skills and competence; and the sense of purpose that the work has meaning. When first delegating work, be clear: “I need to give you a task for you to do completely and deliver on time without me micromanaging you to get it done. Can we spend some time going over it now, so you can ask questions, and then set a check-in time for questions?” Appeal to their motivation for greater autonomy, their desire to be treated as a key member of the team. At the same time, you’re spelling out a clear expectation based on a concrete need, rather than a wish, which is softer. If they come back with questions and they have the resources to answer them themselves, help them understand that. If they express being unable to do a portion of the work, remind them of their ability. Revisit your initial conversation on the importance that the work stay in their court as much as possible. Delegation is a sign of a mature leader. You’re not abdicating responsibility. You’re just focusing on how you can contribute at the highest level, given your experience and wisdom. Let others grow by explaining why it’s important that they take on a delegated task with a true sense of ownership. It’s their first step toward getting to your position. LEO MACLEOD is a leadership coach in Portland, Oregon. He can be reached at leo@leomacleod.com.

is not a negotiation, just a softer opening.) By explaining “so I’m not working on design review and can spend more time on business development,” you’re communicating that design review is not the best use of your time. By communicating you’ll be spending your time on business development, you’re not saying you’re delegating so you can work less. You’re explaining how you will be spending your time. Lastly, saying “so we can keep people employed” makes it even clearer why they should be motivated to fully take on the task. You’re appealing to them as a teammate. They have their job, and you have your job, and together you’ll both be employed! It also makes clear the dilemma: Time is limited, and you can’t do design review and business development. “Let others grow by explaining why it’s important that they take on a delegated task with a true sense of ownership. It’s their first step toward getting to your position.” You are both inviting them to help you and the firm and elevating what might be considered a menial task into one of greater importance. Help them see they are playing a major role in directly contributing to everyone’s livelihood, including their own.

THE ZWEIG LETTER JANUARY 11, 2021, ISSUE 1374

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THE ZWEIG LETTER JANUARY 11, 2021, ISSUE 1374

P R O F I L E

Creating success: David E. Ott CEO and president of SEH (St. Paul, MN), a firm that’s simplifying the world’s complex challenges by designing better places, engineering clean water, and renewing infrastructure.

By LIISA ANDREASSEN Correspondent

D ave Ott joined SEH as CEO and president in May 2019. He’s had a long career in the engineering industry spanning more than 30 years of leading people and delivering complex projects, nationally and internationally. “At SEH, people come first,” Ott says. “When you meet an SEH employee, you’re meeting an owner of our company. Our welcoming culture is built around being an employee- owned firm – all of our employees are shareholders, and this builds a deep culture of pride and support.” A CONVERSATION WITH DAVID OTT. The Zweig Letter: Your online bio quotes you: “Leadership is motivating people to contribute their best ideas and efforts to achieve a shared vision.” Can you give me an example or two of how you’ve recently carried this out?

David Ott: When you believe in your employees and you trust them to do what’s best, the organization moves ahead quickly. We strive to put responsibility on our employees, and provide them with the tools to grow. One example of this is that in response to the disruption caused by COVID-19 earlier this year, we formed a cross- company Tiger Team to look at our sales pipeline and sales structure in a new way. We pulled together staff from different regions and practices, got them together, told them to challenge our current assumptions, and then got out of their way. This group has been looking at our clients and our processes in a new light, coming up with new and different strategies to effectively win work in this new virtual environment and turbulent economy. As a result, we closed our fiscal year with record new contracts, despite impacts from COVID-19. TZL: How has COVID-19 impacted your firm’s policy on telecommuting/working remotely?

THE ZWEIG LETTER JANU

DO: Prior to COVID-19, SEH offered the opportunity to telecommute, though few people were working remotely. As a result of the pandemic, we are nearly 100 percent working remotely. We’re successfully delivering projects. Our employees have the flexibility they need to manage work and home. And, we’ve improved our ability to be connected with each other and clients across geographic boundaries. In a pulse survey conducted after two months of our employees working remotely, more than 50 percent indicated they would like to continue working remotely post-pandemic. Given our team’s success, we are modifying our remote work policies to provide more guidance for supervisors to manage remote teams, improved technology to handle heavy design software, and more specific equipment/home office allocations for remote working. In addition, we’re carefully considering the cultural impacts of a large portion of the employees working at home, and putting in place measures for our teams to stay connected and engaged. TZL: How much time do you spend working “in the business” rather than “on the business?” DO: Working in the business allows me to strengthen connections with clients and stay abreast of growing or declining market or client sectors. This drives profit and growth. Working on the business is where I can guide the company to respond to future challenges and opportunities. It’s this delicate balance between in the business and on the business that moves our company forward. As CEO, I strive to spend the majority of my time “on the business,” but I prioritize one aspect of working “in the business,” which is development of staff. “We create an environment where our employees feel welcomed, believe they are valued, have the support they need, have opportunity, and know they make a difference in helping SEH achieve its goals.” TZL: Trust is crucial. How do you earn the trust of your clients? DO: Delivering what you promise and living our core values is how we earn and keep the trust of our clients. Some of our

clients have been with us for nearly 90 years. Many of our clients are responsible for the safety and well-being of their residents – safe roads and bridges, clean water, sound infrastructure, and improved quality of life. It’s paramount to their success that we uphold and deliver what they expect. They deserve our best every day. That’s how you build trust. “With established career tracks and a guide to gain the competencies to advance, our employees have access to multiple professional TZL: How often do you valuate your firm and what key metrics do you use in the process? Do you valuate using in-house staff or is it outsourced? DO: As an ESOP firm, SEH’s stock is professionally appraised by an outside firm each year to establish its fair market value. This outside valuation includes comparing SEH to other firms in the industry and uses multiple industry- standard methodologies to determine the fair market value of SEH. The opportunity to reward our employees annually through the valuation and the ESOP program is essential to employee retention, and for creating success and security for our employees. As a result of the ESOP, our employees are able to realize, on average, 97 percent of their annual income in retirement. TZL: SEH has been recognized many times as a best place to work. What are the main factors that account for this honor? DO: At SEH, people come first. When you meet an SEH employee, you’re meeting an owner of our company. Our welcoming culture is built around being an employee-owned firm – all of our employees are shareholders, and this builds a deep culture of pride and support. Our employee owners join together in a shared passion in furthering our core purpose: Building a Better World for All of Us®. Our daily work is reflective in the complexity of projects involving multiple SEH disciplines supporting our public and private clients with their See CREATING SUCCESS, page 8 development opportunities to gain skills and experiences.”

HEADQUARTERS: St. Paul, MN NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 800 YEAR FOUNDED: 1927 NUMBER OF OFFICE LOCATIONS: 31 offices in 8 states MARKETS SERVED: ❚ ❚ Public sector: Counties/ municipalities; federal agencies; public utilities; and state agencies. ❚ ❚ Private sector: Commercial; food and beverage; land developers; healthcare; hotels and hospitality; industrial/ manufacturing; mining; and oil and gas. SERVICES: Airport planning, design and construction; architecture building and design; bridge design and inspections; civil engineering; community development and project funding; community engagement; construction services; drinking water; drones; environmental services; flood risk mitigation; food and beverage; GIS; geotechnical engineering; highway design; land development; landscape architecture; mechanical and electrical engineering; planning and urban design; railroad design; street and road design; solid waste management; stormwater engineering; structural engineering; surveying; telecommunications and site development; traffic engineering; transportation planning; trenchless technology; utility design; visualization services; wastewater engineering and water resources.

UARY 11, 2021, ISSUE 1374

CREATING SUCCESS, from page 7

DO: We create an environment where our employees feel welcomed, believe they are valued, have the support they need, have opportunity, and know they make a difference in helping SEH achieve its goals. We recognize our employee owners have choices. We work to ensure that SEH is the “employer of choice” whether it is to join our company or stay with our company. As an employee-owned company, our owners (the shareholders) have a greater sense of connectedness to each other to achieve SEH’s goals as 100 percent of our profits are distributed back to our employee-owners. We also know it’s incumbent on us as leaders to create an environment where our employees have the flexibility to balance the responsibilities of home with those at work. While our retention rate is above industry standard during a tight labor market, creating an environment where our employee owners can be their best remains a top priority. TZL: Are you seeking any financial assistance during the pandemic? DO: No. SEH has a strong cash balance and a solid backlog. TZL: You’ve dedicated your career to improving infrastructure. When did you first realize you wanted to do this and why? DO: In my childhood, I realized that I had a knack for mathematics and a desire to build things. In high school, as I explored potential careers, I realized that engineering the built environment allowed me to apply these skills and preferences, and done right could improve society’s well- being. I obtained a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering to further my positioning for this. After serving a rewarding tour as a submarine officer in the U.S. Navy, I realized I wanted to be more directly contributing to the improvement of our civic infrastructure, and resigned my commission to join a small firm focused on cleaning up hazardous waste sites. Since then, I have continuously looked for positions to directly impact our built and natural environment in a positive way. TZL: Diversity and inclusion are lacking. What steps are you taking to address the issue? DO: Inclusion is one of our core values – all of our employee-owners should feel welcome. While we have made some progress in this area, there is still room for improvement. Important to creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment is to first embrace our responsibility to be an active part of the solution. And, second to recognize that acts are more important that words – we need to take action, not just discuss the issue. Three years ago, we launched a Women in STEM Employee Resource Group, which continues to grow in its outreach and attendance, and a new ERG focused on inclusion and diversity launched late in 2020. Our in-house supervisor learning and development series helps our managers recognize and challenge their own biases. And, our recruitment efforts deliberately reach out to under- represented communities to increase our candidate pool. As our company grows, we seek talent to help us reflect the communities in which we live and work.

infrastructure needs. We have a shared vision to make a difference in areas such as clean water, safe and improved transportation systems, infrastructure that stands the test of time, and buildings that enhance the civic environment. Contributing to the honor of being named a best place to work includes the opportunity to grow one’s career. With established career tracks and a guide to gain the competencies to advance, our employees have access to multiple professional development opportunities to gain skills and experiences. To foster this environment where employee owners work together to achieve our vision and advance their careers, we focus on strengthening the employee and supervisor relationship. Through our leadership development series, we provide our supervisors with the resources and training to help create an inclusive and supportive workplace where our employees can do their best. “When you believe in your employees and you trust them to do what’s best, the organization moves ahead quickly. We strive to put responsibility on our employees, and provide them with the tools to grow.” TZL: Research shows that PMs are overworked, understaffed, and that many firms do not have formal training programs for PMs. What is your firm doing to support its PMs? DO: SEH prides itself on developing our project managers as they’re vital to successful project delivery, creating effective project teams, communicating with stakeholders, and gaining and keeping the trust of our clients. This requires a multipronged approach of formal and informal training and development, including in-house training and external programs. Prior to assignment, our project managers complete a certification program; we then continue supporting our PMs with annual professional development opportunities. We are continually looking for ways to streamline the tasks that PMs must perform. For instance, we’ve deployed new software to ease the tasks of multi-office plan set reviews, and for collecting, tracking, and responding to comments and RFIs. We’ve developed online financial reporting to provide the PMs timely and accurate data on hours and dollars spent on their projects, and tools to help them forecast future expenditures. Since the pandemic started, we’ve held training brown-bag sessions to help them manage stakeholder engagement in a virtual environment, including tips and hints for hosting video conference calls both small and large. TZL: In one word or phrase, what do you describe as your number one job responsibility as CEO? DO: Creating success and security for SHE employee owners, now and in the future. TZL: A firm’s longevity is valuable. What are you doing to encourage your staff to stick around?

THE ZWEIG LETTER JANUARY 11, 2021, ISSUE 1374

O P I N I O N

New Year’s resolutions

Our businesses need the same care we are giving ourselves to remain healthy and viable in the year ahead!

I have never been a big fan of New Year’s resolutions. If something is a good idea to do, it should be done no matter what time of the year it is. But nevertheless, maybe with the holiday downtime – when everything quiets down and we have a chance to do a little introspection – it’s normal to come up with a list of things you want to change about yourself or how you are running your business.

Mark Zweig

If you are like most owners or managers of A/E firms, you aren’t alone. The problems you are facing are also being dealt with by most other companies in the business. We are operating in a period of great uncertainty. The road ahead looks bumpy – at least for a few years. Here are some things I would be doing to meet the challenges of 2021 if I were you: 1)Do a new business plan. Now, more than ever, it’s time to document your thinking on what the future will be for your business. Make sure your future vision and goals are still viable. Decide what changes you have to make to reduce costs and create more efficiency. Commit to constant monitoring and reporting of how the company is doing and what the trends are showing, as well as a process for quickly

making changes in the business to reflect those trends. 2)Raise prices. I just commented on a LinkedIn

article I read yesterday that was all about managing project budgets in an A/E firm. Now in my 41st year in this industry, my belief is we would all be a lot better off if we spent the time we are spending managing too-small project budgets looking for new clients who will pay better fees, and doing other things that will allow us to earn better fees. Getting paid well is more important than ever, especially if the overall volume stays flat or is going down. Focus on getting paid for what you know (value pricing) versus just what you do (effort expended).

See MARK ZWEIG, page 10

THE ZWEIG LETTER JANUARY 11, 2021, ISSUE 1374

BUSINESS NEWS DEWBERRY DESIGN PROJECT RECEIVES AIA EASTERN OKLAHOMA AWARD Dewberry , a privately held professional services firm, has announced that its conceptual design for a proposed mixed-use development in downtown Cleveland, Ohio’s, Nautica Waterfront District was recently awarded the 2020 Citation Award in the unbuilt category by the American Institute of Architects Eastern Oklahoma chapter. Award winners were announced during a live presentation held at the Admiral Twin drive-in movie theater in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Dewberry provided conceptual architectural design services for the proposed development on behalf of developers WIN Capital, LLC, based in Washington, D.C., and Heffner & Weber, based in Maryland. The proposed 120,000-square-foot, mixed-use, multi-block development features a waterfront boutique hotel, multi-family and urban town house residential space, and the EQUILIBRIUM brand that combines sports, wellness, experiential retail, restaurants and entertainment, as well as co-working and co-living space. “When this project was brought to us, we were beyond excited to take on the unique challenge and work with a client who encouraged us to let loose our creative juices and create a concept for a place that would enhance an already great city,” says Dewberry Director of Design Eric Vogt, AIA, LEED, RA.

The design addresses a lack of modern hospitality and residential infrastructure, while preserving the architectural history of the area. Using dynamic combinations of design elements, the team aimed to reflect the dynamism that the development will bring to this part of Cleveland. Dewberry is a leading, market-facing firm with a proven history of providing professional services to a wide variety of public- and private-sector clients. Recognized for combining unsurpassed commitment to client service with deep subject matter expertise, Dewberry is dedicated to solving clients’ most complex challenges and transforming their communities. CALIFORNIA’S FIRST DIVERGING DIAMOND INTERCHANGE OPENS TO PUBLIC TWO MONTHS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE Dewberry | Drake Haglan, a privately held professional services firm, has announced that the State Route (SR) 120/ Union Road diverging diamond interchange in Manteca, California, is now open to the public. California’s first DDI converts an aged, tight-diamond interchange to an upgraded interchange that carries travelers more efficiently on and off the freeway and to destinations north and south along Union Road. The $25-million project includes new signalized

intersections, highway lighting ramp metering, signs and striping, as well as a Class I pedestrian trail to carry pedestrians and bicyclists safely across the SR 120 freeway fully separated from traffic. “We’re very excited that this critical intersection is now open to the public,” says Dewberry | Drake Haglan Construction Manager and Resident Engineer Rob Shackelford, PE, CCM. “Offering a safer intersection for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists ahead of schedule is something that our entire team is proud of.” Dewberry | Drake Haglan provided construction management services, as well as environmental monitoring and public outreach on the project from its office in Manteca. Dewberry is a leading, market-facing firm with a proven history of providing professional services to a wide variety of public- and private-sector clients. Recognized for combining unsurpassed commitment to client service with deep subject matter expertise, Dewberry is dedicated to solving clients’ most complex challenges and transforming their communities. Established in 1956, Dewberry is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, with more than 50 locations and more than 2,000 professionals nationwide.

MARK ZWEIG, from page 9

may not be able to respond instantly to them as you have done in the past. You will get more done and feel better if you can pull this one off. 5)Make a better effort to communicate with your people. Alienation, fear, anxiety – these feelings and more are widespread in your employees today. You need to be sure they aren’t misinformed and have a full understanding of where you stand and what the company is doing to meet the challenges you are dealing with. This is where open-book management really becomes more crucial than ever before and also where your people skills will either shine or evidence their deficiency. 6)Commit a certain amount of time every week to talk to your clients. This cannot be overemphasized. You need to fully understand how your clients are doing and what they need your help with. You may need to make changes in your offerings. You may need to add new services and capabilities to better help your clients. Pick up that phone. Send out those emails. Set up those Zoom calls. Allocate a certain amount of time to this effort by scheduling it in your calendar. Look – I’m sure we could all add to this list of things we need to do in 2021. I’m sure many of us have resolutions to exercise more, change our diets, and work on our bad habits, but don’t forget our companies have a life of their own. They need the same care we are giving ourselves to remain healthy and viable in the year ahead! MARK ZWEIG is Zweig Group’s chairman and founder. Contact him at mzweig@zweiggroup.com.

3)Do something for your best people to keep them going. You are more vulnerable than ever to losing good people. They are likely more mentally separated from the company just because either they or their teams are not all working in the office together every day. Maybe now is the time to make new ownership offers? Maybe some people deserve a raise even though most others in the firm may not get one and owners may have to take a pay cut. At a minimum, you had best show a keen interest in how your best people are doing and where they are mentally so you keep them on board throughout 2021. “Maybe with the holiday downtime – when everything quiets down and we have a chance to do a little introspection – it’s normal to come up with a list of things you want to change about yourself or how you are running your business.” 4)Put down that phone for some period of time every day. It’s become more apparent to me throughout 2020 that our phones – while truly amazing tools for finding information and communicating with other people – are the greatest single source of distraction that is hurting our ability to focus on anything that takes some mental concentration. So create some “phone-free” time every day when people know you

THE ZWEIG LETTER JANUARY 11, 2021, ISSUE 1374

O P I N I O N

The new normal

Through recessions and tough times, innovations explode as people are forced to slow down and think. Many are already working on the next big thing for their business. Are you?

N ormal. It’s been almost a year since anything really has been normal. In March, the world was ticking away. Business was good. Life was grand. Then the world stopped. Things got weird. They still are weird. Normal is a word I use frequently to describe what life used to be like. I have now been using the phrase, “The new normal – whatever that is.” I still don’t know what the new normal is going to be. It changes almost daily and is a moving target.

Lindsay Young

spaces clean – eliminating carpet throughout the entire hotel, including guest rooms. Restaurants have already changed the way they serve patrons by spacing tables out to give the six feet distance. Many restaurants have added outside seating or additional patio space. Some even offer pick-up and delivery. They have adapted their business model to stay in business. There have even been “tents” set up outside restaurants to separate groups of people. “What are you doing as a business owner to be innovative and creative? There is no better time than now!”

The one thing I do know is people still need to connect with people. People and businesses still need the services our industry provides. That is not stopping any time soon. I do know that. Although things may have shifted, postponed, or completely changed, it doesn’t mean they don’t need architecture, engineering, or construction services. What it looks like may be different. I’ve read some articles about how spaces will change, and real estate will be different for all types of business. For example, many businesses are changing from open concept back to the office, or they are spacing out cubicles to give employees their required social distancing space. I’ve also heard of hotels changing their material selections, so it makes it much easier to keep the

See LINDSAY YOUNG, page 12

THE ZWEIG LETTER JANUARY 11, 2021, ISSUE 1374

ON THE MOVE WARE MALCOMB ANNOUNCES JAMIE SALVO HAS JOINED FIRM AS DIRECTOR, INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN IN PLEASANTON OFFICE Ware Malcomb , an award-winning international design firm, announced Jamie Salvo has joined Ware Malcomb as director, interior architecture and design in the Pleasanton office. In this role, Salvo is responsible for the growth and management of the Interior Architecture & Design Studio and oversees all interiors projects for the Pleasanton office. Salvo, who relocated from Southern California to join Ware Malcomb’s Pleasanton leadership team, brings more than 20 years of industry experience to her new position. Her project experience spans a wide variety of sectors including corporate headquarters, commercial office, restaurant and hospitality. She is also a frequent speaker and thought leader in the industry, recently serving as a panelist at Bisnow’s “Workplace of the Future” conference. “Jamie’s strong project management, business development, mentoring and communication skills have earned her the respect of clients and peers alike,” said Jim Terry, Principal of Ware Malcomb’s Pleasanton office. “She brings a wealth of knowledge and design talent to our Interior Architecture & Design Studio, and we look forward to her contribution to the continued growth and leadership of Ware Malcomb in the Northwest region.” Salvo received a bachelor’s degree in human environmental sciences and design from Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California, and completed a Summer Studies Program at the Rhode Island School of Design. She is an active member of Commercial Real Estate Women and holds a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional credential from the U.S. Green Building Council. Established in 1972, Ware Malcomb is a contemporary and expanding full service

design firm providing professional architecture, planning, interior design, civil engineering, branding and building measurement services to corporate, commercial/residential developer and public/institutional clients throughout the world. With office locations throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico, the firm specializes in the design of commercial office, corporate, industrial, science and technology, healthcare, retail, auto, public/ institutional facilities and renovation projects. Ware Malcomb is recognized as an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing private company and a Hot Firm by Zweig Group. WARE MALCOMB ANNOUNCES EXPANDED ROLE FOR PRINCIPAL JIM TERRY IN PLEASANTON OFFICE Ware Malcomb , an award-winning international design firm, announced an expanded leadership role for Jim Terry as Principal of the Pleasanton office. In this new role, Terry takes on responsibility for the overall leadership, management and growth of the firm’s Pleasanton office. Terry brings over 35 years of architectural, design, and management experience to his new position. He joined Ware Malcomb in 2003 as a project manager in Denver, relocated with the firm to Northern California in 2004, and a year later was promoted to director, commercial architecture. In 2015, Terry was promoted to principal, commercial architecture in the firm’sPleasanton office. In this role, Terry joined the firm’s senior leadership team in addition to overseeing all commercial architecture projects in Northern California. During his tenure, he has managed a variety of master planning, industrial and commercial office projects for the firm. Terry will now add the overall management and oversight of the Pleasanton office to his role. “I want to congratulate Jim on his expanded leadership responsibilities as Principal of the Pleasanton office,” said Gary Drew, regional

vice president of Ware Malcomb. “Jim has played a key role in the strong growth of our architecture practice throughout Northern California, and in his new role he will work closely with all practice leaders to manage and expand our design services in the region. In addition to leading our extremely talented Pleasanton team, Jim will have a particular focus on Ware Malcomb’s industrial business segment and the growth of this business across Ware Malcomb’s offices.” Terry is a Licensed Architect in the state of California and is a graduate of the Phoenix Institute of Technology, where he received his degree in Architecture. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects and holds a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional credential from the U.S. Green Building Council. Established in 1972, Ware Malcomb is a contemporary and expanding full service design firm providing professional architecture, planning, interior design, civil engineering, branding and building measurement services to corporate, commercial/residential developer and public/institutional clients throughout the world. With office locations throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico, Ware Malcomb specializes in the design of commercial office, corporate, industrial, science and technology, healthcare, retail, auto, public/institutional facilities and renovation projects. Ware Malcomb is recognized as an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing private company and a Hot Firm by Zweig Group. The firm is also ranked among the top 15 architecture/engineering firms in Engineering News-Record ’s Top 500 Design Firms and the top 25 interior design firms in Interior Design magazine’s Top 100 Giants.

or at least well attended that first year after all the social distancing restrictions are lifted. Time will tell. What are you doing as a business owner to be innovative and creative? There is no better time than now! LINDSAY YOUNG is president and founder of nu marketing. She can be reached at lindsay@numarketingllc.com. and our community better options and things we may not have previously even thought of.” “Our industry is full of smart people, and we need to utilize our skills to make our communities a better place. It gives society

LINDSAY YOUNG, from page 11

Through tough times, smart business people come up with innovative ideas. Our industry is full of smart people, and we need to utilize our skills to make our communities a better place. It gives society and our community better options and things we may not have previously even thought of. Historically, through recessions and tough times, innovations explode because we are forced to slow down and think. Realize the last year has been “busy” but people are working on the next big idea for their business. I don’t know what the new normal will look like. I don’t know when the new normal will be here. I do know we are resilient in nature as business people. We want to connect with others. We are human and we all need that human connection. Networking events will be much different,

THE ZWEIG LETTER JANUARY 11, 2021, ISSUE 1374

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