TZL 1372 (web)

T R E N D L I N E S D e c e m b e r 2 8 , 2 0 2 0 , I s s u e 1 3 7 2 W W W . T H E Z W E I G L E T T E R . C O M

Benchmarking salaries

Management incentives can be used to motivate key staff and to build capital and liquidity for individuals in the event of a transition. Incentive compensation

G rowing organizations face plenty of struggles, but one issue I encounter frequently is the rapid increases in stock values from year to year. Another is a disjointed organizational structure that is not widely understood throughout the firm as it grows and changes. With both of these issues, there is one area of management that can be used to help remedy (or create new) disputes. Incentive compensation! Management incentives at design firms can be employed to motivate key staff, but they can also be used to build capital and liquidity for individuals in the event of an ownership transition. There are plenty of ways to bonus stock, bonus cash to be used for stock purchases, utilize defined contribution plans and safe harbor 401(k)s to build pools of cash; but not having the right communication in place to let people know how and why these programs exist can be just as detrimental as not having the programs in the first place. After all, we are trying to elicit certain behaviors from individuals with this effort. We cannot lose sight of that opportunity with the roll out of a new incentive program. Whether that is selling work, doing work, managing staff, or some combination of all three, getting leaders to work toward a common purpose is the overarching goal. Sometimes, decision making and authority can get muddled in a growing organization, leading to overall restlessness among key tiers of the organization as staff compete for the ability to make decisions. In some instances, staff will go rouge and alienate entire profit centers from the mother ship as they try to pave their way to becoming noticed. If this is done outside of the direction of the president, CEO, or managing partner, the impacts from these kinds of moves can be wide ranging and quite disruptive to an organization. One of the ways leaders in growing organizations can combat this is by using strong incentives to keep key individuals aligned with the values and goals of the firm. Ownership is one tool for gaining alignment, but that may not be the best option for some firms. Cash bonuses are another option and title changes coupled with raises are yet another. The associate pool seems to be a dying breed in the industry as it fails to convey the prestige that comes with other titles and can even become a landing area for aging staff, leading to a mix of high performing young professionals on the path to principal with a pool of aged professionals who have not risen to the next stage. The messaging gets tricky as you create new titles, but aligning incentives for individuals with their path in your organization

In Zweig Group’s 2020 Best Performing Firms Report of AEC Firms , the fastest- growing, most profitable firms and Zweig Group’s 2020 Best Firms To Work For award winners are compared to industry norms. One interesting topic was how firms handled their compensation plans from budgeting to raises to benchmarking. Looking specifically at benchmarking, the chart above shows that top performing firms are more likely to benchmark their salaries to make a conscious effort to remain competitive within the industry. These firms are also more likely to budget for pay increases and maintain a formal compensation plan for employees to follow based on experience level and grade. Is your firm matching the competition in its compensation planning? F I R M I N D E X A. Morton Thomas and Associates, Inc...8 Mark Thomas & Co.................................4 Pennoni. .................................................4 Salas O’Brien..........................................6 Shive-Hattery........................................10 TETER. .................................................12 Urban Engineers. ..................................10 Ware Malcomb......................................12 Woodard & Curran..................................4 MO R E A R T I C L E S xz JOSEPH SPADEA: Video marketing Page 3 xz Positive impact: Darin Anderson Page 6 xz MARK ZWEIG: Hire for character, train for skill Page 9 xz MEGAN CHANG: Fitting the task to the time at hand Page 11

Will Swearingen

See WILL SWEARINGEN, 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

BUSINESS NEWS WARE MALCOMB ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF PANTON MILL STATION LUXURY APARTMENTS IN SOUTH ELGIN Ware Malcomb , an award-winning international designfirm, announcedconstruction is complete on the Panton Mill Station Luxury Apartments located at 355 North La Fox Street in South Elgin, Illinois. Ware Malcomb provided architecture and interior design services for the project. Located on the banks of the Fox River, Panton Mill Station is a new four-story 115,743 square foot multifamily building with 100 residential units, a 10,000 square foot retail outlet, and a 180-stall surface parking lot. The new family-friendly, affordable luxury residential development includes a professionally-equipped fitness center, outdoor kitchens, business center, state-of-the-art security, keyless entry, and pet-friendly living. Interior floor plans were designed to take advantage of views of the river with largewindows that also let in natural light. Apartments feature spacious layouts, stainless steel appliances, in-unit washer and dryers, and walk-in closets. With efficient design and the strategic use of materials, residents enjoy the amenities of a large and luxurious apartment community with the aesthetics of a single- family home while complying with ADA requirements. The area is popular with young families and commuters, with a host of restaurants and shopping areas for people of all ages. Panton Mill Station complements the local surroundings and has activated the South Elgin community with local parks and bike paths along the Fox River. The proximity of public transportation accentuates the urban feel of the city and easy access to the downtown area. “The city’s vision was a multifamily development

that would attract a diverse array of young professionals and others into the South Elgin community,” said Cameron Trefry, principal of Ware Malcomb’s Oak Brook and Chicago Offices. “Panton Mill Station is designed to be an ideal addition to the neighborhood, bringing stylish and affordable luxury apartments along with a host of amenities to residents.” The general contractor for the project was Synergy Construction Group, a multi faceted general contracting and construction management firm based in Chicago, Illinois. The company provides a broad range of construction services from commercial and residential construction to renovation and land development. 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.

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Chad Clinehens | Publisher cclinehens@zweiggroup.com Sara Parkman | Senior Editor & Designer sparkman@zweiggroup.com Christina Zweig | Contributing Editor czweig@zweiggroup.com Liisa Andreassen | Correspondent landreassen@zweiggroup.com

WILL SWEARINGEN, from page 1

is the ideal goal here. Finding high performers and rewarding them should be a constant activity for firm owners. As it relates to ownership transition, beginning to position these staff for ownership should be a priority. Perhaps the most important thing here for firm leaders and owners is to define what it means to be an owner, associate, or project manager and connect incentives to those areas as it relates to the job role expectation. Do this in the context of your overall firm strategy and tie it to your ownership transition strategy. WILL SWEARINGEN is director of ownership transition advisory services at Zweig Group. He can be reached at wswearingen@zweiggroup.com.

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2020 INCENTIVE COMPENSATION REPORT Zweig Group’s 2020 Incentive Compensation Report provides firms with important data that they can use to improve the programs they have in place; start up new plans from scratch; decide which employees should receive which types of bonuses, how often, and at what amounts; and more.

THE ZWEIG LETTER DECEMBER 28, 2020, ISSUE 1372

O P I N I O N

Video marketing

Getting creative with your video marketing efforts requires a continual adaptation of your strategy, but doing so will allow you to make the most of this valuable marketing tool.

V iewers watch more than 1 billion hours of video daily on YouTube, so it is no surprise that AEC firms are increasingly using video marketing as a component of their marketing programs. One of the newer trends in proposal development is the use of embedded videos and hyperlinks to videos, allowing traditional proposals to benefit from more dynamic content. With fewer in-person business development and networking opportunities, we’ve found that videos provide a connection with our clients during the proposal and interview process, and that can be extended into the design, construction, and overall lifecycle of the project.

Joseph Spadea

A few years ago, we introduced Pennoni FX Studios, our in-house design visualization team, which uses engineering data to bring our projects and designs to life. Through these efforts we’ve seen success in achieving stakeholder approvals and providing understanding of complex projects to the public. We’ve seen more opportunities to utilize these visualizations and videos in our proposals, shortlist interviews, and even as stand- alone, fee generating projects. Our PFX group has grown and we recently had our busiest month creating design visualizations for our colleagues in various stages of their

projects. These visualizations can range from still images with surrounding context provided from sources such as NearMaps to full videos with real time HDLS and drone imagery. As our design visualizations efforts have taken off, we’ve added non-traditional “out of the box” hires to take our videos to the next level. Our “visionaries” are a diverse group with a unique combination of engineering, gaming, and artistic skill sets. They are engineers, designers, and industry animation experts that all have a passion for storytelling.

See JOSEPH SPADEA, page 4

THE ZWEIG LETTER DECEMBER 28, 2020, ISSUE 1372

ON THE MOVE TOP ENVIRONMENTAL FIRM WOODARD & CURRAN ANNOUNCES ALYSON WATSON AS NEW CEO Industry-leading water and environmental firm Woodard & Curran has announced that its board of directors selected Alyson Watson, PE to succeed Doug McKeown as CEO effective January 1, 2021, making her the firm’s third CEO in its 41-year history. This is the culmination of a three-year process to transition CEO leadership proactively and seamlessly. The board selectedWatson froman exceptional list of internal and external candidates, as the firm prepares to wrap up another successful fiscal year despite the social, economic, and public health challenges that 2020 presented. Watson is based in the firm’s San Francisco office. “I am truly honored to lead this incredible company as its next CEO,” Watson said. “Woodard & Curran is a different kind of firm. Focused on our people, our clients, and the community, we bring a complete range of capabilities to meet the most critical water- and environment-related challenges. But the thing that makes us special, and the thing that really sets us apart, is the level of professionalism and commitment our talented people bring to every client and project. I could not be more grateful for the opportunity to lead this excellent team as we transition into our next phase of growth.” Watson is a Stanford University graduate

and accomplished triathlete with 20 years of experience as an executive leader, environmental consultant, and project manager focused on water resources planning and water quality analysis. Watson joined Woodard & Curran in 2016, following the acquisition of RMC Water and Environment where she had served as president and CEO. Since then, Watson has successfully led the Municipal West strategic business unit for Woodard & Curran. She was elected to the firm’s board of directors in 2018 and is currently serving as the chair of the Governance & Nomination Committee. She is also a director and ESOP trustee for Mark Thomas & Co. , a California-based transportation engineering firm. “I couldn’t be more excited handing the reins to Alyson,” McKeown said. “She represents the next generation of leadership for our firm and will guide us forward with a commitment to the same values that our founders, Frank Woodard and Al Curran, built this firm on and that I have been a steward of since 2007. Her strategic mindset and resilient attitude will serve us well as we head into the next chapter in a rapidly changing landscape.” McKeown joined Woodard & Curran in 1992 to start-up and lead the firm’s operations and maintenance business unit, and he later served as director of marketing. In 2007 he became Woodard & Curran’s second CEO, taking the helm from co-founder Al Curran.

Under McKeown’s leadership, the firm’s revenue tripled, employee count grew from 450 to more than 1,100 people serving clients across the U.S., and private ownership expanded tomore thana thirdof theemployees. Other noteworthy accomplishments under McKeown’s tenure include climbing to No. 74 on Engineering News-Record’s Top 500 Design firms list, the formation of the Woodard & Curran Foundation, publication of the firm’s first Corporate Social Responsibility Report, a commitment to diversity and inclusion, and a culture of health and safety. Woodard & Curran is a privately held company known for handling a wide range of water and environmental issues, solving complex problems with creativity and tenacity. The firm celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2020, and remains committed to its mission to: develop and perpetuate a safe, enjoyable, gratifying, and fulfilling place to work with the important objectives of growth, freedom, challenge, recognition, and reward; deliver to clients and the community a continually expanding range of high-quality consulting engineering, science, and operations services; and in all endeavors of the company to act in a character of good faith and fairness, and at all times, hold protection of the environment in a regard superior to that of all other interests.

JOSEPH SPADEA, from page 3

as well as attract potential investors to enhance economic development in the city. ❚ ❚ To assist with conveying the design team’s concepts during the proposal and interview stages, we developed a complete digital twin of the communities that would be impacted by bridge replacement projects, including incredible attention to engineering detail and aesthetics. ❚ ❚ To attract investors and educate stakeholders, we developed videos showing the complexity of process equipment that takes waste and converts it to energy. ❚ ❚ Anything is possible once we vet the client needs and understand their potential audience. Getting creative with your video marketing efforts requires a continual adaptation of your strategy. However, finding ways to integrate those efforts into the work you’re doing for your clients is a great way to take advantage of the impact that videos can have on your audience. We live in a three-dimensional world and with the evolution of technology, we have found that our clients will expect these types of presentations. We have also begun integrating virtual reality into our videos. As the technology evolves, more and more will be expected. The AEC world should be a leader in adding these types of offerings to our list of services. JOSEPH SPADEA, PE is Pennoni’s design visualization practice leader and a senior bridge engineer. Contact him at jspadea@pennoni.com.

Some examples of where we’ve seen success in implementing our videos beyond YouTube and other social platforms includes: ❚ ❚ The development of a public outreach video series for a department of transportation. This series shows staging for a variety of typical DOT construction projects. These videos help the DOT answer questions from the public, such as, “Why does it take so long to replace a culvert?” “We live in a three-dimensional world and with the evolution of technology, we have found that our clients will expect these ❚ ❚ Smart City and innovation initiatives can be highly technical and complex. We developed a video to help a research institute illustrate the purpose and end result of implementing a living laboratory testing ground in the heart of a city. The video helped provide awareness for the public types of presentations. We have also begun integrating virtual reality into our videos. As the technology evolves, more and more will be expected.”

THE ZWEIG LETTER DECEMBER 28, 2020, ISSUE 1372

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THE ZWEIG LETTER DECEMBER 28, 2020, ISSUE 1372

P R O F I L E

Positive impact: Darin Anderson Chairman and CEO of Salas O’Brien, an employee-owned firm with no corporate headquarters that provides building and facility solutions to clients across the United States.

By LIISA ANDREASSEN Correspondent

A s chairman and CEO, it’s up to Anderson to ensure Salas O’Brien remains a leading engineering, architecture, commissioning, and technology firm. The company delivers more than 5,000 projects per year and has had zero professional liability or errors and omissions claims in its company history. “Relationships are everything to us,” Anderson says. A CONVERSATION WITH DARIN ANDERSON. The Zweig Letter: Your website states that you’re currently helping federal agencies and private sector companies adapt to meet the healthcare challenges caused by COVID-19. Can you provide an example or two of projects that you’re currently working on related to this? Darin Anderson: This has been very fulfilling work for our team. A couple of examples include temporary hospital facilities in Georgia that our team helped design using shipping containers, and several facilities in Illinois where

we helped open shuttered hospitals to serve as alternative care sites. We are now shifting our focus to helping clients of all sorts assess their facilities and help make them as healthy and safe as possible. That said, we will continue adapting as the pandemic progresses – if a new healthcare focus becomes needed, we have the team and experience to quickly respond. TZL: How has COVID-19 impacted your firm’s policy on telecommuting/working remotely? DA: People often don’t believe me when I say that we have no corporate headquarters. Both our executive and technical leadership are spread across the country and are highly comfortable working virtually. That’s why it was not a huge cultural shift for us to move essentially all employees to remote work. While some of our offices now have team members working from the office in a more limited capacity, we are comfortable with and support our team’s productivity from whatever location keeps them safe and healthy. Looking to the future, our team’s

THE ZWEIG LETTER DECEM

feedback on this impromptu experiment working from home indicates that many would like to see a combination home/ office approach become normal. “I don’t want to be the kind of leader who has to control every detail. I’d much rather work with a passionate and caring team that has a strong commitment to shared values and a unified strategy, and watch the magic happen.” TZL: How much time do you spend working “in the business” rather than “on the business?” DA: Because of my background, almost all of my time is spent “on” the business improving systems, processes, recruiting, developing leaders, and pursuing growth. I am blessed with an organization of leaders who I fully trust to serve our clients with excellence. (Anderson has an MBA in finance and strategy and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of California; and is a graduate of the Executive Leadership Program at Duke University.) TZL: What type of leader do you consider yourself to be? DA: The word I often come back to is “entrepreneurial” – or, perhaps better, a leader of entrepreneurs. I don’t want to be the kind of leader who has to control every detail. I’d much rather work with a passionate and caring team that has a strong commitment to shared values and a unified strategy, and watch the magic happen. TZL: Stanford White recently joined Salas O’Brien. What was the main impetus for this? How many staff were added? DA: Stanford White is simply a great team of capable leaders who fit well into our organization. It’s amazing to see the collaboration that is already happening among our team. The main thought process behind any merger is always this: “Are we making both teams better, stronger and providing more opportunity for our team and clients?” If there is mutual commitment, matched with culture and value as well as financial alignment, we proceed. Stanford White

was our first office in North Carolina, and there are obvious advantages to a location in the Research Triangle and its focus on science and technology, healthcare as well as higher education – both of which are strong markets for us nationally. TZL: It is often said that people leave managers, not companies. What are you doing to ensure that your line leadership are great people managers? DA: I totally agree. We talk about this all the time. It is so important to ensure there is a strong connection between peers and supervisors. People want to know they are valued, are learning, being rewarded, and have opportunities to grow. Even with tough conversations, the feedback needs to be delivered positively and constructively with great care. TZL: Is change management a topic regularly addressed by the leadership at your firm? If so, elaborate. DA: Our growth strategy gives us ample opportunity to address change with our team. For example, when we bring a new firm on board, we acknowledge that it’s a change, but also acknowledge that change is the only constant at growing, thriving firms. We also remind our team that embracing change is literally built into the very words of our firm’s core values. With every merger, our “thesis” is that everyone has to be the same or better than they were before and that we are bringing more opportunity to our clients. “We never want people to feel they have to leave the firm in order to grow, and with only a small number of exceptions, our mid-level and senior leaders have all stuck around for the long-term.” 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? DA: Because of our structure as an ESOP we do perform an outside annual valuation of our company, but we obviously don’t wait for that in order to evaluate where we are as a firm. Monthly financial and operational updates as well as annual strategic reviews are shared

HEADQUARTERS: Virtual NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 850 YEAR FOUNDED: 1975

NUMBER OF OFFICE LOCATIONS: 35 offices in 17 states and the District of Columbia MARKETS: ❚ ❚ Bulk material handling ❚ ❚ Chemical process ❚ ❚ Corporate and commercial ❚ ❚ Data centers and telecom ❚ ❚ Education (higher ed) ❚ ❚ Education (K-12) ❚ ❚ Federal government ❚ ❚ Healthcare ❚ ❚ High-rise ❚ ❚ Hospitality ❚ ❚ Manufacturing ❚ ❚ Mixed-use ❚ ❚ Municipal government ❚ ❚ Power generation ❚ ❚ Retail ❚ ❚ Science and technology ❚ ❚ Transmission and distribution SERVICES: ❚ ❚ Mechanical and electrical ❚ ❚ Commissioning ❚ ❚ Industrial process ❚ ❚ Civil and structural ❚ ❚ Roofing and waterproofing ❚ ❚ Clean energy ❚ ❚ Technology design ❚ ❚ Fire protection ❚ ❚ Automation and controls ❚ ❚ Architecture and interiors ❚ ❚ Construction management OWNERSHIP VALUES: Expect leadership; expect results, expect relationships

See POSITIVE IMPACT, page 8

MBER 28, 2020, ISSUE 1372

BUSINESS NEWS ARTBA HONORS AMT WOMEN LEADERS WITH GLASS HAMMER AWARD A. Morton Thomas and Associates, Inc. received the Glass Hammer award during the American Road & Transportation Builders Association National Convention. The award was presented virtually with Janice Gary, AMT’s vice president and director of human resources, accepting the award of the firm’s behalf. “It is a very important honor for AMT to secure this prestigious national award from ARTBA. I am proud that AMT has helped so many women to succeed in the transportation industry,” says Murphy Tuomey, chief administrative officer and board member. The Glass Hammer award is given annually to a company in the transportation industry that has innovative programs and activities directed toward promoting women leaders within the firm as well as promoting women leadership within associations and community organizations. Women have held influential leadership positions with AMT throughout the 65 years that the firm has existed. AMT was co- founded by A. Morton Thomas and his wife Georgia Thomas, who served as chief financial officer until 1983 when Christine Teates

became president. As one of the first female presidents of a civil engineering firm in the Mid-Atlantic region, Teates worked to continue elevating female presence in the AEC industry. A formerly woman-owned firm, AMT is also a proud graduate of the DBE program. Due to the firm’s dedication to supporting DBE firms, AMT was awarded “The Prime Consultant Firm of the Year” in 2016 by Virginia’s Division of Civil Rights. The objective of empowering female employees remains firmly embedded in AMT’s culture and is reflected in the diverse roles and contributions of women across all divisions. With 15 female licensed professional engineers and surveyors, more than 80 female staff within marketing and operations, and representation on the board of directors, AMT boasts more female management and visibility than ever before. AMT has been awarded more than 140 awards in the last decade, with female project managers and marketing managers at the helm of many of the projects recognized for engineering excellence and innovation. A couple of these award-winning projects include the Southgate Drive/US 460 Bypass Interchange, which won an ACEC National Recognition Award and the Maryland 4/ Suitland Parkway project, which won the

Innovative Transportation Solution Award for an Innovative Project Managed by a Woman from WTS Baltimore. In addition to achieving accolades and recognition for excellence within the industry, AMT women have served on the board of directors for organizations including the Society of American Military Engineers, the Society for Marketing Professional Services, the American Council of Engineering Companies, the Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance, and the Design-Build Institute of America, and Women’s Transportation Seminar. A. Morton Thomas and Associates, Inc. has a deep appreciation for establishing vision and achieving goals. Client-focused since the firm’s 1955 inception, AMT has evolved into a multidisciplinary engineering and design consultancy with more than 20 offices throughout the eastern United States. As an ESOP managed and 100 percent employee-owned firm, AMT employs highly qualified individuals who are experts in their respective fields to oversee, perform and manage our business practices. These team members are driven to positively impact the communities where they live, work, and play.

POSITIVE IMPACT, from page 7

big-name national clients, but could only do that on a regionally limited basis. We wanted to be their go-to national resource, and growth was the only way to get there. We’ve learned many lessons along the way, but the most important is: pursue growth only when character, values, and firm culture align, whether it’s in hiring or M&A. Do that and everything else follows. TZL: Diversity and inclusion are lacking. What steps are you taking to address the issue? DA: This is obviously a huge issue that can’t be solved with a brief answer. My passion from the very beginning of my time with Salas O’Brien has been to raise up people from all backgrounds and give them amazing opportunity to grow and thrive. I think we have done that. However, good intentions and passion alone can’t carry this. That’s why we are in the process of creating a diversity and inclusion team to do more outreach, and invest more time in high schools and colleges to get all kids excited about STEM and what we do, and show them anybody can do it. We want them to see us as models and provide them support. TZL: A firm’s longevity is valuable. What are you doing to encourage your staff to stick around? DA: Two things primarily: First, we empower the team to make decisions and do not encumber them with a top- down bureaucracy. Second, we offer growth opportunities to any who seek them. We never want people to feel they have to leave the firm in order to grow, and with only a small number of exceptions, our mid-level and senior leaders have all stuck around for the long-term.

widely with the firm, and during the recent pandemic, we started creating weekly updates. TZL: In one word or phrase, what do you describe as your number one job responsibility as CEO? DA: Grow leaders – both short- and long-term – and to have a positive impact on the world. That is the path to success. “People often don’t believe me when I say that we have no corporate headquarters. Both our executive and technical TZL: Founded in 1975, your firm has seen many changes. To date, what’s been the most challenging obstacle and how was it handled? Lesson learned? DA: I don’t know if “challenging” is the word I’d pick, but the most significant pivot for us came about 10 years ago when we began pursuing part of our current growth strategy through mergers. We were already working with leadership are spread across the country and are highly comfortable working virtually. That’s why it was not a huge cultural shift for us to move essentially all employees to remote work.”

THE ZWEIG LETTER DECEMBER 28, 2020, ISSUE 1372

O P I N I O N

Y ou have probably all heard it by now: “Hire for character, train for skill.” Many people in the A/E business will say they agree with this idea. Yet the people doing the hiring rarely do it. Many people in this business will say they agree with this idea, yet the people doing the hiring rarely do it. Hire for character, train for skill

the job candidate’s character isn’t up to standard. And believe me, I have found plenty of lying job applicants (or worse, employees) in A/E firms over the years. One of the most dramatic cases was a fellow who claimed to have both a bachelor’s degree in finance and an MBA. The firm I had just gone to work for interviewed this guy for our CFO position, and the chairman of the firm offered him a job on the spot. Needless to say, when we found “How can you really figure out what someone’s character is? It’s not easy. You can follow your gut after what most likely will be a few short conversations or meetings with a job candidate. That is helpful, but not your only source of information.”

Why is that? There are many reasons. One big one is the fact that sometimes we have to have people with a license or registration. How many? That isn’t always easy to say. Yet I can certainly understand the idea that principals of an A/E firm should be registered professionals. Some states require that credential for firm owners by law. Once registration is a requirement to fill a job, you narrow the field radically and there are fewer choices in who you can hire. Besides that, how can you really figure out what someone’s character is? It’s not easy. You can follow your gut after what most likely will be a few short conversations or meetings with a job candidate. That is helpful, but not your only source of information. You should have them talk with other people in your firm whom you respect to get their readout as well. Of course, you should be sure to check out the credentials anyone you are considering hiring claims to have. Lying is a good indication that

Mark Zweig

See MARK ZWEIG, page 10

THE ZWEIG LETTER DECEMBER 28, 2020, ISSUE 1372

ON THE MOVE SHIVE-HATTERY ANNOUNCES NEW PRESIDENT & EXPANSION INTO NEW MARKETS Shive-Hattery , a leading architecture, engineering and interior design firm, announced the election of Jennifer Bennett as president and expansion into the Madison, Wisconsin and Omaha, Nebraska markets. Bennett has served as executive vice president since March 2020 and has succeeded Jim Lee as president. Lee has served as president since 2012. He was elected Chairman of the Board of the company in 2019 and will continue in that role. “Our steady and sustainable growth is dependent upon leaders with a clear vision,” said Shive-Hattery Chairman, Jim Lee. “With Jennifer Bennett as President, her leadership will support and strengthen the firm’s positive trajectory to benefit both our clients, our employees and our communities.” Bennett joined the design firm in 2003 and has 25 years of experience of client service, talent development and market growth. She has a structural engineering background and previously served as the Vice President and Office Director of Shive-Hattery’s Quad Cities location. “My new role allows me to build upon our One Firm culture which is dedicated to delivering a seamless client experience that leverages the best talent across our organization,” said Shive-Hattery President Jennifer Bennett. “Enhancing this culture means the best design solutions for our clients while our employees experience thriving and rewarding careers.

These elements will ensure our firm’s solid position as we expand into Madison and Omaha.” As president, Bennett is responsible for the overall leadership, strategic planning, culture, vision and direction of current and future operations of Shive-Hattery. The geographic expansion allows Shive-Hattery to strengthen support to its existing clients, foster new client relationships and recruit new talent. Shive-Hattery is a 425-person architecture and engineering firm with design offices in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and West Des Moines, Iowa; Bloomington, Chicago, and Moline, Illinois; South Bend and Valparaiso, Indiana; Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska; and Madison, Wisconsin. JEANNE COTTER JOINS URBAN ENGINEERS AS QUALITY MANAGER Urban Engineers is excited to welcome Jeanne Cotter, CQE, to the firm as a quality manager. Cotter joins the firm with more than 30 years of experience in quality management development and implementation. “Jeanne is an industry expert who has served as a key member of senior management teams contributing to overall business strategy, business development, and organization operations,” said Urban Senior Vice President and COO for Horizontal Services Mark Kinnee, PE. “We look forward to her insight and leadership as she oversees our Quality Management System.” “I am excited to join Urban, a firm with an excellent reputation for commitment to

quality in all of their services and projects,” said Cotter. “I look forward to bringing my expertise and industry experience to the organization.” In her new role, Cotter will be responsible for implementing and maintaining Urban’s Quality Management System. She will work closely with the management team and interact with employees across all of the firm’s offices and market sectors on process improvement initiatives. Cotter’s additional responsibilities will include managing the quality audit program; leading periodic Quality Management Reviews; reporting to executive management on the performance of the QMS and recommendations for improvement; and establishing and implementing the quality objectives set by the firm. An American Society for Quality (ASQ) Certified Quality Engineer, Cotter earned her bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from the Pennsylvania State University and an MBA from Point Park University. She is a longtime member of ASQ and previously held leadership positions in the Pittsburgh Chapter. Urban provides planning, design, and construction services for highways, bridges, railroads, buildings, transit, airports, and ports, in addition to environmental consulting. Urban maintains 15 offices in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Delaware, Connecticut, Texas, and California.

MARK ZWEIG, from page 9

he or she could sue the company for providing a negative reference. Not worth the risk! One last indication of character is creditworthiness. Does the person pay their bills or not? I will never forget a time many years ago a client had me check out someone they were considering hiring for a high-level management post. My sources said he had money problems, but my client hired him anyway! Six months later they fired him for embezzlement. I’m not sure about the legalities of credit checks for potential employees. The laws could vary from state to state. In any case you will need the employee’s permission to run a credit check on them. So “hiring for character” is undoubtedly easier to say than it is to do. But that doesn’t mean you can’t try to figure out what someone’s real character is! MARK ZWEIG is Zweig Group’s chairman and founder. Contact him at mzweig@zweiggroup.com.

out he had actually only taken one class at the university we had to renege. Can you imagine the damage someone who was that much of a liar could do in a CFO role? Plenty. “‘Hiring for character’ is undoubtedly easier to say than it is to do. But that doesn’t mean you can’t try to figure out what someone’s real character is!” Then there are references. I would say that for the most part, they are pretty worthless for determining character. And most companies at this point are giving no more info beyond dates of employment and (maybe) whether or not the employee is eligible for rehiring or not. No one will say anything bad because if the employee doesn’t get the job,

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THE ZWEIG LETTER DECEMBER 28, 2020, ISSUE 1372

O P I N I O N

Focus on getting stuff done and moving forward by fitting the tasks on your to-do list to either the timeslot or energy you have available. Fitting the task to the time at hand

T here are many ways to decide what to do with your time. I’m a completionist by nature, one of those strange individuals who views the act of crossing a task off the list and getting to move on to the next as its own reward. Coincidentally, the method I outline below focuses on getting stuff done and moving forward by fitting the task to either the timeslot or energy you have available. This method isn’t meant to supplant tried and true time management practices such as the Eisenhower Decision Matrix, it’s meant to complement them.

Megan Chang

The Eisenhower Decision Matrix helps you group tasks based on what’s important and what’s urgent, with tasks that are urgent and important having the greatest claim on your time and tasks that are unimportant and not urgent having the least claim on your time. When sorting through the tasks that are important, how well you can perform a task depends on the amount of time you have to work with and how alert you are. When you’re pressed for time (think those 15-minute intervals between meetings), it’s best to tackle tasks that won’t take long to do. As a general rule, most of those tasks won’t take much

brain power either. Responding to an email, delegating a task, and doing prep work for larger tasks are all excellent things to do with this time. You may be tempted to make a phone call or check in with a junior staff member, but unless you’re absolutely certain you can finish in the time slot you have without cutting them off, I suggest you leave it for a larger chunk of time. When you have medium-sized chunks of time (an hour or so), tackle those tasks that you know you have the energy for. If you’re a morning person,

See MEGAN CHANG, page 12

THE ZWEIG LETTER DECEMBER 28, 2020, ISSUE 1372

BUSINESS NEWS WARE MALCOMB WINS SUSTAINED GROWTH AWARD FROM ASSOCIATION FOR CORPORATE GROWTH Ware Malcomb , an award-winning international design firm, announced it has won the Sustained Growth award at the 25th Annual Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Orange County Awards competition held virtually this month. ACG’s Orange County Chapter supports the growth of middle-market companies in Orange County and the Inland Empire. The ACG Orange County Awards recognize the highest performing companies in the region as evaluated by top academic and business professionals. More than 140 companies were nominated for the awards this year, 30 finalists were selected, and 10 category winners were announced at the 2020 ACG Orange County Awards competition. In winning the award in the Sustained Growth category, Ware Malcomb was recognized for its consistent revenue growth, geographic expansion across North America, and industry leadership in offering innovative design services for commercial and corporate real estate clients. “We are excited to be recognized as one of the region’s highest performing companies by the Association for Corporate Growth,” said Kenneth Wink, Chief Executive Officer of Ware Malcomb. “Innovation has always been a key component of Ware Malcomb’s corporate culture and approach to client work, and I believe it is the impetus behind our successful and sustained growth over the years. I look

forward to working with our team of talented professionals across North America as we continue to grow and expand our business through innovation.” Ware Malcomb was previously a finalist in the Corporate Responsibility category at the 2019 ACG Orange County Awards. 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. WARE MALCOMB ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF BENCHMARK NORTHWEST DISTRIBUTION CENTER IN HOUSTON Ware Malcomb, an award- winning international design firm, announced construction is complete on the new Benchmark Northwest Distribution Center located at 5215 Campbell Road in Houston, Texas. Ware Malcomb provided architectural design services for the project. The newly-constructed 157,887 square foot building offers 4-star industrial and distribution space in the heart of Houston’s northwest industrial submarket. The project specifications include: a side-load configuration; 32’ clear height; ESFR sprinkler system; 33 dock-high doors; two grade-level doors; 33 trailer parking spaces; 130’ - 185’ truck court; 220’ building depth; 52’ X 50’ typical column spacing; 60’ speed bay; and

125 auto parking spaces (expandable to 202 spaces). “This new speculative industrial building offers state-of-the-art space in an ideal infill location,” said Chris Royster, Regional Director of Ware Malcomb’s Houston office. “The Benchmark Northwest Distribution Center is an exciting project that meets the needs of tenants looking to relocate or expand within the dynamic northwest Houston area.” The developer of the project is Stream Realty Partners and the General Contractor was Rosenberger Construction. 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. 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.

MEGAN CHANG, from page 11

make sure these time slots are available to you (something I highly recommend doing on a weekly basis). This is when you can do your deep thinking, working out more difficult problems, or starting (and completing) individual tasks. It’s much more efficient to begin and complete a task in the same time slot than to start and stop a task multiple times before it’s completed. “The Eisenhower Decision Matrix helps you group tasks based on what’s important and what’s urgent, with tasks that are urgent and important having the greatest claim on your time and tasks that are unimportant and not urgent having the least claim on your time.” Most of these suggestions are probably not new, but I hope this article has served as a good reminder for how you can keep moving forward, making the most of the time and energy you have on hand. MEGAN CHANG is an associate and professional engineer at TETER. Contact her at megan.chang@teterae.com.

you’ll want to start and complete those tasks that require a lot of focus in the morning and leave more mind-numbing, repetitive tasks for when your brain isn’t operating at optimal capacity. Conversely, if you’re an evening person, start and complete your difficult tasks in the evenings and leave the drudgery for the morning hours when you’re still working on your third cup of coffee. In the AEC field, tasks that require focus will likely look like: performing quality control audits of documents, writing proposals, or doing more complex analyses. Tasks that won’t require as much focus will likely look like: performing routine analyses, backchecking documents that have already been edited, or writing up tasks to delegate to others. It is important to note that whether or not a task requires focus, it is still important to do it well; you just need more focus to do complex tasks well than you do repetitive tasks! And, if you find yourself doing a repetitive task often, it’s probably worth taking the time to train someone else in that task and start to delegate it. Lastly, tackle large, complex tasks that require a lot of focus during those long, luxurious chunks of the day when you have a few consecutive hours to yourself with no interruptions. These happen rarely on their own, but you can block off chunks of time on your calendar in advance to

THE ZWEIG LETTER DECEMBER 28, 2020, ISSUE 1372

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