6
PROFILE
An employee-first approach: Lisa Kramer President of Prairie Engineers, P.C. (Columbia, IL), a firm made up of engineers, surveyors, and scientists focused on solving problems for public and private clients.
By LIISA ANDREASSEN Correspondent
S he’s a woman on the move. Kramer founded Prairie Engineers, P.C. in 2010 and has since grown the firm to 75 employees in nine offices throughout the Mississippi Valley region. What’s her strategy? She tends to build locations and services around new hires and not the other way around. She takes an employee-first approach. “We’ve always been focused on finding the right employees to fit the firm’s values and have been less concerned with their location or particular skills. That’s why we’ve opened several offices around new hires who lived in different geographic areas and also expanded services when an employee has come in with unique skills,” she says. Prairie Engineers has also made a few firm acquisitions where they had a strong existing business relationship. Their experience with these firms confirmed the mutual opportunities and the long-term cultural fit. Being very employee focused and maintaining a happy place to work has been their key strategy. This is likely why they’ve been named a Best Firm To Work For by multiple entities, including Zweig Group .
Kramer says Prairie Engineers truly has a great team that enjoys working together and supports one another. The culture is strong and the staff is accustomed to a culture of constant change and evolution because it’s this environment that provides more opportunities for growth. EMPLOYEES DRIVE GROWTH. “We’re very open with information and share updates company-wide frequently, and work with individuals to make sure their contributions are meaningful to both the company and their own career objectives,” she adds. Prairie Engineers takes pride in planning, designing, and building infrastructure projects that enhance the livability of communities. They practice giving back by encouraging community service and participating in community organizations. So, when making a new hire, Kramer and her leadership staff look for certain things such as meaningful involvement in extra-curricular activities and professional societies. They also look for relevant jobs held during summer or part-time during
THE ZWEIG LETTER DECE
Made with FlippingBook Annual report