8
TRANSACTIONS ATWELL ACQUIRES
CAPITAL
by Michael McQuillen, the CCE team has decades of experience with regional and national projects. “At CCE, we have a strong reputation of professionalism, high standards of quality, and client satisfaction,” said Kane. “Atwell shares the same values and goals, so we’re looking forward to expanding our capabilities and introducing new opportunities to our clients and employees.” “CCE has an impressive portfolio of work and strong partnerships throughout
North Carolina and beyond,” said Ron Waldrop, senior vice president at Atwell. “Their engineering expertise and client- centered approach mirror Atwell’s commitment to exceptional work and building strong relationships. We’re excited to work with the CCE team to support existing and future clients in reaching their goals.” Atwell, LLC is a national consulting, engineering, and construction services firm with more than 1,700 professionals located across the country.
CIVIL
ENGINEERING,
EXPANDING
ENGINEERING AND EXPERTISE IN THE SOUTHEAST Atwell has acquired the operations of Capital Civil Engineering, an engineering firm located in Apex, North Carolina. This acquisition expands Atwell’s presence in North Carolina and the Southeast. RESOURCES With a 15-year history of engineering excellence, CCE is known for its expertise in engineering, site planning, land planning, and stormwater management. Founded by Michael Kane and co-owned
■ They are using the field as their talent pipeline and creating opportunities for them to cross into the office as PMs, project executives, etc. ■ They are training their senior leadership and middle management on the principles of servant leadership so that they are great at developing and retaining the next generation. And I’m aware that in a lot of ways I’m a hypocrite because I’m one of those people who never learned in the field (and worse, now I’m consulting on the construction industry!), but I’m telling you the tides I’m seeing in the market, and what I feel confident needs to happen for your business to be successful. HOW TO MOVE FORWARD. If you’re worried about the future of your business, I’d recommend asking yourself the following questions: ■ What are we doing to teach the next generation how to build? ■ How are we connecting the different generations in our business?
MATT VERDERAMO, from page 7
because our top leaders were more focused on being macho than helping them grow? I’m not saying this to be negative about the construction industry. I just think it’s time we face the facts. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? My role as a consultant for some of the top subs and GCs in the country gives me a unique view into how the top contractors are attacking this challenge. I get asked a lot: “What should we do to prepare for the next generation?” My answer is simple. We’ve got to merge the old school and the new school. This means that rather than fighting between the two, we need to take the best elements of both and fuse them together:
Mentor the new school on how to build
■
■ Prioritize field learning experience for all new employees
■ Train senior and middle management on how to lead in today’s age As more Gen X and baby boomers retire, I see the value of real building knowledge increasing. The better you are able to transfer that knowledge from generation to generation, the more likely you are to build a sustainable business. I see mentoring and field experience at the center of this strategy. Plus, to keep your top new school talent, I’m convinced you need great leadership – at the top and in middle management. People are fed up with being treated poorly in return for a paycheck. They just don’t deal with it anymore. Top contractors are making investments in both of these areas. What does this mean for you right now? For our clients, this fusion approach causes a few important shifts: ■ They are finding ways to connect new employees and senior employees. ■ They are making field management – and in some cases field labor – part of the onboarding and early learning process.
■ Do we have plenty of leaders other people want to follow?
■ Are we spending enough time, money, and energy on leadership development? Depending on your answers, you should begin to understand if you are headed in the right direction, or if it may be time for a shift in strategy. STRATEGY MATTERS. This type of long-term thinking and planning is what we help our clients do every day. With clarity of where they want their business to go in the future, it becomes much easier to decide what to prioritize today. Whether you believe in new school or old school methods, I’d bet you want your business to survive for the long-term, which means you need to be thinking ahead. Matt Verderamo, MS is a consultant at Well Built Construction Consulting. Connect with him on LinkedIn .
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THE ZWEIG LETTER AUGUST 11, 2025, ISSUE 1597
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