TZL 1537 (web)

May 13, 2024, Issue 1537 WWW.ZWEIGGROUP.COM

TRENDLINES

Chargeability

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What qualities give founders peace of mind and the necessary trust to hand over the reins of their business? Qualities of a worthy successor

With strong backlogs and a continued strain on capacity,

we saw the gap between actual and projected staff chargeability decline again this year, according to Zweig Group’s 2024 Fee & Billing Report . It has steadily declined from 6.3 percent in 2015 to 2.5 percent this year, indicating both enhanced project budgeting practices and consistent workloads. Participate in a survey and save 50 percent on the final or pre- publication price of any Zweig Group research publication.

T here are crucial components that will allow the founder(s) of your firm to confidently sell to the next tier of leaders. Succession planning is not only a time for the owners of the business to reap the rewards of their labor, but, most importantly, it’s a time to invest in the success of the next generation of leaders. It’s not an easy process. It’s time-consuming because the next generation of leaders must prove they are able to manage, sustain, and improve the business. Would you give the keys to your Ferrari to your young children? I hope not. Why? Because it takes experience to know how to maneuver a high- performance car like that. Your business isn’t a Prius, so don’t treat it like one! So, what will give founders peace of mind and the necessary trust to hand over the reins of their business? Here are the things you must do: ■ You have to be a leader. Being an owner requires you to be involved in all aspects of the business – and people are a major factor in each of these aspects. Leadership allows you to tackle all these multi-faceted problems and get to the right solutions. Any owner must be a leader. They must embody what it means to be an owner and the values of your firm. The caliber of individuals within your business determines its superiority or inferiority. This not only enhances credibility and trust for departing owners but also for those remaining within the firm. Ownership transition extends beyond the current owners; it also involves the perceptions of the rest of the employees regarding the successors. Therefore, it’s crucial for your successors to have a track record of proven leadership. An essential aspect of leadership lies in shaping the culture. Leaders serve as the ambassadors of their firm’s culture. They must embody the values and principles that define the essence of the company. ■ You have to deal with the pressure. What if your competitors are consistently outperforming your firm in proposals, key personnel were departing, and there’s a significant debt burdening the business’s balance sheet? How would you take it? Above all, the livelihoods of your employees and their families hinge on the success of your decisions. It’s an immense responsibility that only a select few can shoulder.

Ezequiel Tovar

FIRM INDEX A. Morton Thomas and Associates........... 4

Bennett+Y&C............................................................ 9

Bowman Consulting Group Ltd.................. 2

Fehr Graham............................................................ 8

SCS Engineers ......................................................... 4

MORE ARTICLES n DAVID HOSTETTER: The transformative power of mentoring Page 3 n MARK ZWEIG: Bad advice from your outside accountant Page 5 n ELIZABETH PRESTON: AI’s role in writing Page 7 n Finding opportunities: Leo Rubio Page 9

■ You must know how to sell. Selling is about creating deep,

See EZEQUIEL TOVAR, page 2

THE VOICE OF REASON FOR THE AEC INDUSTRY

ON THE MOVE BOWMAN APPOINTS DAN BREWER, PE, TO GROW OPERATIONS IN THE CAROLINAS Bowman Consulting Group Ltd., a national engineering services firm, has announced the appointment of Dan Brewer, PE, to principal, regional manager, Carolinas’ operations. Operating from Bowman’s Charlotte, North Carolina, office, Brewer will oversee operations across four offices – Charlotte, Raleigh, Charleston, and Columbia – with a focus on driving growth and development across the region. With a career spanning nearly 40 years in civil engineering, geotechnical engineering, and land development, Brewer will leverage his proven processes and strong reputation in

the industry to secure opportunities across all Bowman verticals and service lines. “It’s an honor to be joining Bowman in the Carolinas,” said Brewer. “The Company’s diverse talent pool and access to resources makes them an ideal partner for advancing the region’s infrastructure goals. I am excited to collaborate with the team and help them reach their full potential.” “Dan is the ideal person to lead operations in the Carolinas,” said Spencer Francis, executive vice president and division manager at Bowman. “With his experience and reputation, Dan brings a formidable skill set to the table that will drive growth and innovation in our Carolinas’ markets.”

Interested in learning more

about the projects and ideas driving the AEC industry forward? Learn more with Civil+Structural Engineer Media.

EZEQUIEL TOVAR, from page 1

meaningful relationships. The person who produces the most work is a tremendous asset to the firm. Every single future owner of the firm must know how to bring in work. This will allow for the founders to ensure that constant revenue streams are coming to the business while they are transitioning off. ■ You must know how to financially operate your firm. I have seen the issue of very talented architects and engineers who do not know anything about the financial component of their business. This is why learning ahead of time this knowledge will give you an edge over your peers. This is the opportune moment for the student within you to grasp these essential aspects of the business. The better informed you are, the better the business will perform. ■ You must know how to make decisions. I was talking to a CEO who was explaining to me that he would delegate certain tasks to the upcoming second tier group. I asked him how that process has been. He mentioned that tasks which he could complete in 30 seconds would take the second-tier leaders a couple of days to finish. How fast or slow you make decisions can have a great impact on your business. Experience, common sense, and sound judgement are what founders are looking for. So, refine your decision making process! ■ You must be a good communicator. Communicating to everyone a clear vision of where the firm is headed is a must. Having no room for interpretation will allow everyone to row in the same direction. Being transparent with the decisions the firm makes and explaining the why is helpful for the people of your firm. Additionally, as an owner, navigating difficult conversations – such as terminating an employee or addressing subpar performance among co-owners – requires tact and diplomacy in language and approach. While this list may seem obvious at first glance, achieving its items requires significant effort. More importantly, it demands acquiring the experiences that align with what founders seek in their successors. So, are you ready to be a successor? Ezequiel Tovar is an analyst within Zweig Group’s ownership transition team. Contact him at etovar@zweiggroup.com.

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THE ZWEIG LETTER MAY 13, 2024, ISSUE 1537

OPINION

M entoring is one of the most important things we can do to build individuals and companies. Throughout my career, I have had and continue to have mentors who have helped guide me in my professional and personal journey. As a young engineer starting at SCS Engineers, I was fortunate to be mentored by one of the firm’s founders, Tom Conrad. Mentoring the next generation of professionals requires care and dedication – and it will have a profound impact on your people and firm. The transformative power of mentoring

David Hostetter, PE, LEED AP, CEM

In my first year at SCS, I spent a portion of every day sitting with Tom, learning everything I could from him. It wasn’t always easy to receive his feedback, but I still have a paper box filled with his handwritten red ink corrections of dozens of reports that serve as a reminder that there is always room to improve. Tom always shot straight with me. If I did a good job, I’d know it. If I needed to improve, not only would he tell me, he’d show me how. Beyond mentoring me professionally, he also took the time to invest in my personal life. When my wife and I moved to Reston, Virginia, to take the job with SCS, we unfortunately moved into a bad rental situation. When Tom discovered this, he suggested we temporarily move into his home. The short- and long-term benefits of this type of consideration, while hard to measure, are invaluable.

As I look back on the beginning of my career at SCS, several things strike me about my mentoring experience: 1. The amount of time and effort Tom poured into me and the value of that time and effort. Tom spent hundreds of hours working with me – that’s a lot of time and effort to put into any one project, let alone a human development one. 2. Tom took the time to care, really care, about me as an individual. Not just Dave the SCSer, or Dave the Engineer, but Dave the person. How many of you would not only consider but genuinely offer to open your home to someone you were just starting to get to know? His offer to us was a true measure of Tom’s quality.

See DAVID HOSTETTER, page 4

THE ZWEIG LETTER MAY 13, 2024, ISSUE 1537

ON THE MOVE A. MORTON THOMAS AND ASSOCIATES, INC. WELCOMES STEVEN POMYKATA, PE AS WESTERN PA GROUP LEADER A. Morton Thomas and Associates, Inc. announced Steven Pomykata, PE has joined the firm’s Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania office. Bringing 29 years of experience in transportation engineering and project management, Pomykata will lead AMT’s Pennsylvania Transportation office as group leader for Western Pennsylvania. His responsibilities include spearheading the firm’s transportation practice and regional expansion strategy, with a particular emphasis on cultivating relationships with PENNDOT and local governments. Pomykata’s

extensive experience includes serving as lead highway engineer and project manager on various notable projects in Pennsylvania such as, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, Milepost 149 to Milepost 155, SR 0068 Corridor Project, I-81 Bridge Replacements, SR 0255 Sections A12 Culvert Replacement, SR 2027 Bridge Replacement over I-70, and SR 4012, Section K10 Culvert Rehab. Pomykata earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at The Pennsylvania State University, and he holds a professional engineering license in Pennsylvania. He has a background in project management, organizational management, and staff development. Pomykata’s comprehensive knowledge

also encompasses a range of specialties including highway design, ROW plans, erosion and sediment pollution control plans, drainage design, maintenance and protection of traffic, as well as the development of PS&E packages. AMT provides multidisciplinary services including engineering, environmental, landscape architecture, surveying and construction administration and inspection. The firm works in the Eastern Region of the United States for a variety of public and private clients. More than 450 strong, AMT is committed to maintaining its reputation by working with its employees, clients and community to provide high-quality, sustainable projects.

Something that I often reflect on with great appreciation is that I may have been one of the last people to receive this awesome blessing from Tom, but I was certainly not the first. He invested the same in many others over his 50 years at SCS. Several of them are leading our company today. We are all grappling with attracting and retaining the next generation of leaders to our industry and our individual companies. Mentoring is a necessary and critical part of that challenge. As Tom knew and I am learning, if you find someone who cares about their development as much as you do, you can transform them from an energetic, driven, and raw young professional into the next leader of your firm and industry. So, my challenge to each of you is to find your own young professional and start investing in them. Not just the work version of them, but all of them. Before they’ve graduated from your newly formed mentoring school, make sure to teach them how to mentor. Then start again – keep on going. If you’re doing it right, you’ll pick your head up in a few years and be looking at your next generation of leaders. Think of that impact! I came to SCS hoping to make a difference in the world through engineering and developing systems and processes that improve the environment or reduce negative impacts. SCS is a great place where, as an engineer, I can do things that truly help improve our world. I remember talking with my father about this several years ago. We realized that when I look back on my career, my true impact won’t be measured by how much methane gas I prevented from entering the atmosphere but by how many lives I’ve impacted through my investment into them as Tom invested in me. Remember Tom’s example as you move forward and build your own leaders. I also encourage you to take the time to thank all of the “Toms” who have invested in you. I’m sure they’ll thank you and tell you to pay it forward. David Hostetter, PE, LEED AP, CEM is vice president and RMC business manager at SCS Engineers. Contact him at dhostetter@scsengineers.com.

DAVID HOSTETTER, from page 3

3. Tom was tenacious. He didn’t give up on me when he still needed to bleed all over my 23rd consecutive report. He just kept commenting and taking the time to teach me why he offered the comments. 4. If Tom did this for me, I most certainly need to do it for others, and Tom was a great example to follow. I’m happy to report that although I am in no way as proficient as Tom, I am paying it forward by mentoring several people here at SCS. I’m sure he’d be happy to hear that while I don’t bleed all over things in red pen much anymore, I do review and comment on the things my group produces. More importantly, I try to take the time to teach why I’m providing corrections and comments. Quite frankly, mentoring is probably the part of my job that I enjoy the most and where I get the most satisfaction. “We are all grappling with attracting and retaining the next generation of leaders to our industry and our individual companies. Mentoring is a necessary and critical part of that challenge.” 5. Tom’s motivations for mentoring me and taking a personal interest in my future were not just driven by a potential improvement in the company’s future or financial bottom line. I think Tom was just an extraordinary guy who knew that if he found someone who cared as much about their development as he did, he could mold them into the person they both wanted them to be. Unfortunately, Tom passed last year. We miss him a lot here at SCS. I would have loved to have him review this article. He’d sit there with his coffee and red pen and mark this all up. He’d do that not because this article was about him but because he cared about SCS and me.

THE ZWEIG LETTER MAY 13, 2024, ISSUE 1537

FROM THE FOUNDER

I have often felt like small accountants (and occasionally those from larger firms, although far less often) give some really bad advice to their AEC firm owner clients. A lot of this advice is based on reducing personal or corporate income taxes, but at what cost? Keep the big picture in mind, and make sure you have the right outside accountants who understand more than the tax consequences of these kinds of decisions. Bad advice from your outside accountant

I will never forget the time about 30 years ago when our then-accountant sat my partner Fred White and myself down near the end of the year and said, “Mark and Fred – I still think you guys could have taken another $200K to $250K out of the company this year.” Being the brash young confrontationist I was at the time, my response was, “Let me ask you a question, Bob. How long have you been in business?” “Twenty years,” was his response. “And how many people do you have working for you

“Yes, counting family members,” I said. “Four or five, depending on the time of year,” he stated. My immediate (and brutal) response was, “Twenty years and a five-person firm – then maybe you shouldn’t tell us how to manage a growing business. Stick with accounting!” This was just some of the bad advice we got and typical of what we have heard our clients get over the years from their outside accountants – advice that may be good for reducing short-term tax obligations but could hurt the business in the longer term. Here is some more of it:

Mark Zweig

here now?” I followed up with. “Counting myself?” he asked.

“Yes, counting yourself,” I responded. “Counting family members?” he asked.

■ “Put your kid (mom, dad, etc.) on the payroll and

See MARK ZWEIG, page 6

THE ZWEIG LETTER MAY 13, 2024, ISSUE 1537

real external market value of the business does not provide a real opportunity to the other owners to grow their investment unless they eventually have an external exit. ■ “Create a second class of non-voting stock.” Why? What difference is it going to make if 2, or 5, or 10 percent of your owners have voting rights? All you have done is devalue their ownership out of your own paranoia about loss of control, when you won’t be losing control anyway. ■ “Own your building outside the business by yourself and overcharge the AEC firm for rent to reduce your income.” See my comments above about making the company performance look worse and demotivating your people. But the other problem comes in when you add other owners to your AEC firm who are also not owners in the building company. You set yourself up for a future conflict with your business partners about the excessive rent you are charging. Why risk that? I could keep going here but I think you get the idea. Make sure you have the right outside accountants who understand more than the tax consequences of these kinds of decisions. And then make sure you keep the big picture in mind yourself about what you are really trying to do with your business over the long haul. Mark Zweig is Zweig Group’s chairman and founder. Contact him at mzweig@zweiggroup.com.

MARK ZWEIG, from page 5

pay them so much per year not to do anything.” Sure, this may be a way to reduce your company profits and taxes and help your family members pay some money into FICA so they will eventually get Social Security payments, but at what price? Not only does this reduce your profits so your business looks worse if you ever want to sell it, it hurts morale when your other employees find out about it. Unproductive family members on the payroll? Bad idea! company.” See my comments above – same thing. If you heard as many employees complain about how their “company” owns a boat/RV/vacation house that they have never been to, you would know how it once again kills morale and makes the firm’s numbers look worse. ■ “Run your boat/RV/vacation house through the ■ “When you go on vacation have the company pay for all that so it’s a write-off.” Again – kills morale and makes the company’s financial performance look worse than it should be. because it’s easy.” This is very common and the problem with it is twofold. First, why would any rational person leave a dollar in their company to extract a devalued dollar 10 or 20 or 30 years later versus taking it all out now and ■ “Use book value for all internal stock transactions investing it elsewhere? Stripping all retained earnings every year is not the way to build a stronger company. Secondly – not tying the internal company value to the

THE ZWEIG LETTER MAY 13, 2024, ISSUE 1537

OPINION

AI’s role in writing

How do AEC industry businesses use artificial intelligence effectively and responsibly for writing?

T he glitz and glam of artificial intelligence tools have hit the business world with a head- on tackle that would make even the best NFL linebacker jealous. The promise of saving money and time with automation has some flocking to the ChatGPTs, Grammarlys, and OtterAi notetakers of the market. But, if you’re like me, you may feel some hesitancy toward the “AI solves all” trend.

Elizabeth Preston, Ph.D.

Perhaps this uncertainty stems from being cautious about in vogue things being pricey fads with low rates of return or from concern about the unknown. How do we know that generative AI-produced writing contains accurate information free of plagiarism and problematic material? Who is ultimately responsible for the texts that go into generative AI databases and come out of AI machines? Who owns and can profit from AI-produced material? As someone who makes her living writing and teaching writing, these questions plague me, and I can’t help but wonder if we’re opening the door to I, Robot or Millennium Man becoming our realities – neither of which I’m excited to see come to fruition (although they are good movies). As a bit of background, generative AI finds information in a database, puts it together, and produces a

combination of output in line with what you request of the AI. For example, I could ask ChatGPT for a technical report on acid rain’s three most harmful effects. With one click, boom! There’s my report. But therein lies the problem: Is the technical report really mine? Is the information correct? Is it something that my readers will positively respond to? Many public-facing generative AIs’ databases often consist of the entire internet. Everything that was, is, or has been posted on the internet is supposedly fair game. That’s a lot of material. But what about those authors who don’t want their copyrighted texts subject to being plagiarized in my technical report? Too bad. What about those who don’t want their information

See ELIZABETH PRESTON, page 8

THE ZWEIG LETTER MAY 13, 2024, ISSUE 1537

ON THE MOVE FEHR GRAHAM WELCOMES KYLE SAUNDERS AS CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER Fehr Graham, a leading Midwest engineering and environmental firm, announced the hiring of Kyle Saunders as chief strategy officer. With more than a decade of experience in municipal leadership and water infrastructure, Saunders joins Fehr Graham’s administrative leadership team. In his new role, Saunders will be spearheading the firm’s growth strategies, analyzing operational KPIs

and fostering relationships across the firm. Fehr Graham President Mick Gronewold is optimistic about the contributions Saunders brings to the firm. “Kyle’s leadership and experience in operations, organizational health and management of large teams are exactly what we need to better shape and ultimately drive our strategic goals forward,” Gronewold said. “His ability to connect strategy with operation will be pivotal as we continue to expand

and enhance our services across the Midwest.” To connect strategy and operation, Saunders will lead the firm’s branch managers, and human resources and marketing teams to propel initiatives and integrate merger and acquisition efforts. “Joining Fehr Graham is a tremendous opportunity to build on the firm’s success,” Saunders said. “I look forward to working with the teams to enhance and develop strategies that propel growth.”

database to be spell-checked, organized, or whatever else, it’s there. Forever. Your mother warned you about putting things on the internet, remember? So, what do we do? What’s the solution to using AI responsibly and effectively? 1. Companies can anonymize or eliminate sensitive information when using AI. 2. Businesses can go down the pricey path of creating their own generative AI that has access only to an internal database of information. Nothing but approved material goes into the AI and, theoretically, nothing gets loose on the Wild West of the internet. 3. Companies must train their teams to use AI. This training includes crafting effective prompts, developing privacy and intellectual property issues, and using critical thinking and problem-solving skills to edit writing, ensure that writing meets the writer’s and the organization’s desired outcomes, and craft writing so that it speaks to the writer’s target audience. This training can then be translated into clear guidelines. Businesses and writers who use AI without understanding how to apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to writing will ultimately fail in their writing and AI endeavors. Bottom line: If a team’s writing is bad now, AI won’t fix the problem. The writing will stay poor and may get worse with the added complication of reliance on AI. AI must be supervised and used in conjunction with human creation and critical thinking. We must view AI as a tool, akin to the typewriter or computer word processor. In short, AI cannot be the sole or primary creator, and it cannot replace sound human thinking and writing. Elizabeth Preston, Ph.D., is an executive consultant for Hurley Write and the producer and co-host of The Writing Docs podcast. Connect with her on LinkedIn. For more information, contact info@hurleywrite.com.

ELIZABETH PRESTON, from page 7

being used by someone they’ve never met for whose purposes they may not agree with? Sorry, you’re out of luck. What about the information that’s biased, hateful, or just plain wrong? Well, you better hope that’s not what the AI creates for you. Perhaps my bias is showing, but AI-produced texts can go horribly wrong. This isn’t to say that AI should be avoided at all costs in writing. AI is here to stay. I won’t pretend to be a fuddy-duddy who refuses to get on the AI train and who yells at neighborhood kids to get off my lawn. Yet, AI cannot be without human intervention if we’re to create texts that matter, are effective, speak to our readers, and don’t get us into trouble. Recently, in Thaler v. Perlmutter , a federal district court upheld the U.S. Copyright Office’s refusal to register a piece of AI-produced art because its origin wasn’t human enough. Essentially, a “natural human” must be the bedrock of a piece of art or writing for it to be considered for copyright. This legal precedent sets the tone for how America will view AI-produced texts. It shows that for something to be considered with ownership, humans must play an active role in its creation. Will texts produced mainly (or even only) by AI show up? Yes. I’ve read those one-note and boring AI articles, and they made me question the companies I saw attached to such muck. To use AI and eschew the human touch is to discredit one’s company and oneself. Businesses that wish to use AI in producing internal or external documents, in taking notes, or in data mining cannot expect to purchase the AI to ensure all will be well for their teams. Doing this will only throw team members to the robotic wolves. Organizations that handle sensitive or private information and/or wish to safeguard their intellectual property should be cautious when using AI. Once you put information into the AI’s

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN AEC Subscribe for free AI in AEC news, updates, and articles. This content is intended to help emerging and current leaders be at the forefront of the AI technological revolution. AI is not a trend or fad. AI is here to stay. Click here to learn more!

THE ZWEIG LETTER MAY 13, 2024, ISSUE 1537

PROFILE

Finding opportunities: Leo Rubio President and CEO of Bennett Engineering Services + Y&C Transportation Consultants, a firm that provides enduring and award-winning civil engineering services.

By LIISA ANDREASSEN Correspondent

I n January 2023, Bennett Engineering Services and Y&C Transportation Consultants merged – and Rubio reports things are going well. The merger has allowed both companies to cast a wider net by providing more services to each other’s existing clients. Bennett Engineering Services remains its legal name. “We understand the low success rate with mergers but, after more than one year, we have seen only exceptional growth,” Rubio says. “Our success is a result of building a solid partnership with Y&C over the years before our merger. Of course, we’re always looking at ways to improve our systems and culture, but we learn from one another to make our team better as the company continues to grow.” The strength of Bennett+Y&C’s culture plays an important role in its success, and Rubio credits all of the firm’s employees for that. Taking care of staff and creating a safe and fun place to work is a big part of this business’ culture. Rubio says they encourage team-building exercises (e.g., a solar-powered car building competition last fall); employee recognition; professional development via Bennett Academy; and external training opportunities to build skills, expertise, and value. HELPING COMMUNITIES HITS CLOSE TO HOME. As a

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, Rubio shares that helping communities in need is “important to us.” That’s why the company volunteers and fundraises for charitable organizations throughout the year. They also work closely with their clients and funding agencies such as SACOG, Caltrans, USDA, SRF, and more to identify a project for a grant that fits all of the criteria to be competitive. “We help local agencies prepare preliminary designs, assist with outreach efforts, and with grant applications,” he says. To be competitive for certain grants, many applicants invest in the project and have gained community support. And, depending on the grant – equity, safety, water quality, urban greening, and/or GHG reduction may factor into the selection. “Our pride comes from seeing the impact our work has on the community,” he says. As a recent example, the firm supported the City of Sacramento in acquiring millions of dollars for the Franklin Boulevard Complete Street project. The city is taking great strides to transform Franklin Boulevard into a corridor that offers more

See FINDING OPPORTUNITIES, page 10

THE ZWEIG LETTER MAY 13, 2024, ISSUE 1537

HEADQUARTERS:

Roseville, CA

NUMBER OF

EMPLOYEES: 47

YEAR FOUNDED: 1995,

This project aims to transform Franklin Boulevard in Sacramento into a corridor that offers more opportunities for alternative transportation while celebrating local diversity, business establishments, and amenities.

as Bennett Engineering

Services since 2008

project management, technical-focused roles, and other opportunities. “We are training for consistency without losing creativity,” he says. “We are striving to strengthen the company’s foundation by improving customer service, our knowledge base, and overall – the quality of our services.” Another venture that has him excited has to do with the company’s direction – a direct result of their merger with Y&C. Prior to the merger, Bennett Engineering Services mostly served the Northern California area, but with Y&C’s presence in the market, they’re now providing more services to Bay Area clients. What keeps Rubio and the company busy these days is the transportation and water resources industries – roadway systems that support new and autonomous vehicles, improvements to aging infrastructure, and traffic management. Aging infrastructure above and below ground is also having trouble keeping up with climate change that causes flooding and there’s a need for more stormwater management. To combat the issues regarding infrastructure and traffic management, the company uses the latest technology such as roller-compacted concrete, and it’s looking to transform core systems and implementing AI in Intelligent Transportation Systems. These ITS include surveillance cameras, vehicle detection systems, traffic signal coordination systems, electronic toll collection and toll pricing systems, and other traffic management systems. Overall, Rubio sees opportunities where there are challenges and will continue to keep the company flexible for whatever comes its way. “We have great clients and an incredible team. Together, we can accomplish great things,” he says.

FINDING OPPORTUNITIES, from page 9

opportunities for alternative transportation while celebrating local diversity and showcasing business establishments and amenities. The project goal is to build the identity of the business corridor, improve access and safety for pedestrians and cyclists, and to infuse the area with a sense of placemaking that works to ultimately strengthen the diverse community and individual businesses. City, county, and neighborhood business leaders also share the vision to transform the boulevard into a destination that celebrates local diversity and showcases its many culinary and business establishments. Together, Rubio and the Bennett+Y&C team are intent on bringing this effort to fruition and witnessing the impact it has on the community. An employee survey – conducted about a year ago – mirrors the overall firm philosophy. Employees highlighted how important contributing to a community’s services is to them – creating solid infrastructure, safer communities, and providing clean water, among other things. PREPPING FOR THE FUTURE. From hiring challenges to an evolving transportation industry, Bennett+Y&C is fielding these challenges by being proactive and working to stay one step ahead. The company participates in recruiting events, looking for qualified individuals, and also offers mentorship and training courses to its employees. Rubio says that one of the undertakings he’s most excited about is Bennett Academy – a resource extended to all employees that encourages professional development. Every individual has a growth path if they so choose – they can gain hands-on experience in a variety of projects and the potential to move into

OFFICE LOCATIONS:

Roseville, CA

■

Sacramento, CA

■

Fremont, CA

■

Milpitas, CA

■

MARKETS:

Transportation

■

Water resources

■

Land development

■

City engineering

■

SERVICES:

Civil engineering

■

Traffic engineering

■

Hydraulics and

■

hydrology

THE ZWEIG LETTER MAY 13, 2024, ISSUE 1537

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