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DC: The historic renovation and adaptive reuse of Glendale’s historic Masonic Temple into CBRE’s new offices is one of my favorites. On May 1 of last year we were brought in to evaluate the historic eight-story concrete building, contin- ued to design the seismic retrofitting and other structural modifications, and construction was completed by the end of December. The $16 million renovation was completed in approximately eight months from beginning of design to occupancy. The contractor’s thorough documentation of un- foreseen conditions and the architect’s flexibility in design, coupled with our out-of-the-box solutions, are credited for the success of the project. The project has won numerous structural, architectural, and preservation awards. TZL: How have you helped your firm to outperform some competitors? What do you feel sets your firm apart? DC: Strong communication skills are essential in all aspects of our lives. My emphasis on great communication has been key to my success. At Structural Focus, we strive to become “trusted advisors” to our clients. Therefore, we hire top quality technical people with the personality and communi- cation skills to develop strong relationships with our team and our clients. We strengthen our skills through contin- uous education, not only technical but also non-technical training. “We are constantly working on becoming a leader in our industry. We want to design structures that we can be proud of, and be proud of how we do it. I want Structural Focus to have the opportunity to design or rehabilitate some of the best projects in the region.” TZL: Any news you care to share about Structural Focus projects or anything else? DC: We are constantly looking to hire great engineers at all levels! We are currently working on great projects includ- ing the renovation of a large historic hotel in downtown Los Angeles and the design of new headquarters for a major en- tertainment company. Structural Focus is rapidly growing and I am very optimistic about our future! We are also very excited to have been named the #1 structural firm in the Best Firms to Work For list by the Zweig Group in 2016 and Top 5 Best Places to Work in Los Angeles by the Los Ange- les Business Journal . It’s a wonderful feeling to have our staff validate that we have successfully created the firm that I en- visioned at the beginning of this journey. TZL: Are you married? Children? Pets?

mission “to provide exceptional engineering and superior client service in order to accomplish projects of which both we, and our clients, can be proud.” Through the years, we are very fortunate to have been able to develop loyal relation- ships with great clients who trust us. It is very rewarding to see the firm’s growth without compromising our mission. Structural Focus started with me as the lone structural en- gineer and my wife, Kate, providing administrative and ac- counting support (she had 19 years of project management experience at Bechtel ). We now have 19 employees. “I am ‘casual’ in my manner and I believe that humor is important every day. I am very collaborative and I expect mutual respect. I strive to manage with clarity and I require accountability.” TZL: What are your key leadership strengths? DC: Honesty, communication skills, and the ability to em- pathize with others. TZL: What do you feel the key strengths are for an effec- tive leader? DC: Effective leaders must have a clear vision, demonstrate integrity, lead by example, and he/she must not be afraid to surround him/herself with smart people and listen to them. TZL: How would you describe your leadership style? DC: I am “casual” in my manner and I believe that humor is important every day. I am very collaborative and I expect mutual respect. I strive to manage with clarity and I require accountability. TZL: To date, what has been a top challenge and how did you deal with it? What was the outcome? DC: Structural Focus strives to develop a “work family” and although our turnover is very low, every time that someone leaves, it can truly impact our team. Every company has to expect that some employees will leave at some point to ex- plore other opportunities. We have overcome this by show- ing our employees that change brings opportunities for growth and career advancement. TZL: What is your vision for the future of Structural Fo- cus? DC: We are constantly working on becoming a leader in our industry. We want to design structures that we can be proud of, and be proud of how we do it. I want Structural Focus to have the opportunity to design or rehabilitate some of the best projects in the region. TZL: Tell me about a recent project you are especially proud of and why.

See Q&A, page 8

uary 23, 2017, ISSUE 1184

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