Operating expenses

Zweig Group’s 2018 Operating

Expenses Survey reveals interesting

trends in spending. Over the last three

years, IT expenditures as a percentage

of NSR have steadily decreased while

that for Marketing has increased.

While the uptick in marketing budgets

is encouraging, the downturn in IT is

concerning. Have you assessed your

firm’s IT and marketing expenditures

lately?

T R E N D L I N E S

F I R M I N D E X

W W W . T H E Z W E I G L E T T E R . C O M

T H E V O I C E O F R E A S O N F O R A E C F I R M S & M A N A G E M E N T C O N S U L T A N T S

Ayres Associates ..................................10

C. H. Fenstermaker & Associates, LLC .12

CR architecture + design ..................2, 10

LandDesign ............................................6

Syska Hennessy Group ..........................2

Page 6

N o v e m b e r 2 6 , 2 0 1 8 , I s s u e 1 2 7 3

Conference call: Rhett Crocker

See MARK ZWEIG, page 2

Mark Zweig

“When we are going through times like this, we all have a

choice. We can sit back and think of

all the reasons why we are in the mess we are in, or we

can take action to change the

situation.”

Sometimes things just don’t seem to go well. It’s as if the whole world has

conspired against you to allow everything bad to happen that you hoped never would. As they say, “Things are the blackest before they go completely dark!”

When we are going through times like this, we all have a choice. We can sit back and think of all the reasons why we are in the mess we are in, OR we can take action to change the situation. My experience is this – even if the action proves unsuccessful, you will at least feel better because you TRIED! Here are some examples:

❚ Bad relationship – divorce, separation, breakup? Get a NEW relationship. There’s nothing better to take your mind off the past and get you into the present than a new love interest. And in today’s age of computerized match-making, you can probably find your soul mate in 30 minutes or less, IF you are willing to make the effort.

❚ Personal money problems? Sell off unneeded assets and stop spending so damn much! No magic to this one. Most of us have cars/bikes/real estate/art/junk we don’t need. Liberate yourself and get liquid starting today. And cut back on all those restaurant meals and other unnecessary expenses where you can quickly and easily do so.

❚ Not getting along with someone at work? Take the initiative to form a better relation-ship. Make the first move. Apologize if you did something that offended him or her. Be a bet-ter person yourself.

❚ Need more work? Get on the phone NOW. Call your current clients and past clients.

OPEN FOR PARTICIPATIONzweiggroup.com/survey-participation/

When you are down

MORE COLUMNSx❚ CONTINUING ED: Choose learning Page 3

x❚ FROM THE CHAIRMAN: Embracing new technologies Page 9

x❚ GUEST SPEAKER: Hail, wind, and floods Page 11

© Copyright 2018. Zweig Group.

All rights reserved. THE ZWEIG LETTER November 26, 2018, ISSUE 1273

2

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Liisa Andreassen | Correspondent landreassen@zweiggroup.com

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© Copyright 2018, Zweig Group. All rights reserved.

Check in. Keep calling. My guess is you will quickly turn up some new jobs to do.

❚ Need to collect some cash? Call the people who owe you. Stop sending statements. Stop sending emails. Pick up the phone and call them. Or even better yet, if the client is local, stop by their office at lunch with a couple of your fellow employees to see if you can pick up a check.

❚ Feeling bad physically? Go to the doctor. Eat better. Sleep more. Exercise. Go see a shrink.

❚ Problem employee? Confront them. Then they either reform or ship out. You cannot go on with this as an excuse for your firm’s or group’s poor performance.

❚ Not happy with your attorneys/accountants/bank? Get new ones. It just takes a little calling around. Sometimes your professional services advisors get stale and a shuffle is in order.

Make the change.

MARK ZWEIG is Zweig Group’s chairman and founder. Contact him at mzweig@zweiggroup.com.

MARK ZWEIG, from page 1

ON THE MOVESYSKA HENNESSY PROMOTES NINE PROFESSIONALS TO ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL Syska Hennessy Group, the international engineering firm, has promoted nine professionals across six offices to the position of associate principal.The professionals are: ❚ James Carrigan, associate practice area

director, fire/life safety ❚ Alex Engelman, associate practice area

director, lead electrical engineer ❚ Mike Falkenstern, associate practice area

director, commissioning ❚ Josh Fluecke, electrical systems design ❚ Niki Fox, associate practice area director,

commercial infrastructure and broadcast media

❚ George Hachem, associate practice area director, national life sciences

❚ Sean Marcel, associate managing director ❚ Kevin Meyer, electrical consulting ❚ Alex Myers, mechanical systems

“Syska is a management-owned firm, which is one of the keys to our success,” says co-president Cyrus Izzo. “Associate principals are rising leaders in the ownership structure.”Co-president Gary Brennen adds: “We just celebrated Syska’s 90th anniversary. These associate principals will play an important role in positioning us for the next 90 years.”Syska Hennessy Group is a global engineering firm that specializes in full-service MEP, information and communication technology, architectural lighting, vertical transportation, and commissioning. With more than 500 professionals across 18 offices, we provide a full range of engineering services for projects of every size and budget. Since 1928, Syska has been designing smarter, safer, and more efficient buildings by integrating essential systems that respond and adapt to a changing world.

CR ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN ADDS CONTROLLER TO HEADQUARTERS CR architecture + design announced that Jason Reverman has joined the firm as controller, reinforcing the continued path of investing in the firm’s infrastructure to drive sustained growth.Reverman is an industry-local accounting professional who most recently served in an accounting leadership role for a local international design firm. He was responsible for company-level budgets and performing financial analysis and reporting to optimize business results. A strategic problem-solver, Reverman also created company-wide process efficiencies, which led to improved productivity and created an impact across the business enterprise.As controller, he will lead all accounting functions and financial analysis for the firm. His background in leading change and directing teams with similar goals using industry-standard systems and tools will be heavily leveraged.“With the addition of Jason, we continue to drive our infrastructure initiatives to support our growth plans,” said Bill Dandy, COO. “Jason’s knowledge and experience in building and refining existing financial processes and tools will prove to be invaluable at this stage of CR’s growth.”A graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business, Reverman will be based in Cincinnati with CR’s corporate team. He will report to the CFO and will be responsible for directing the finance and accounting teams.Today, CR’s clients engage with architecture, interior design and MEP professionals across offices in Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Minneapolis and Seattle. Staying rooted in approach for quality design and innovation, CR has developed a national portfolio of projects in the retail, hospitality, government, higher education, K-12, commercial, housing and senior living markets.

3

THE ZWEIG LETTER November 26, 2018, ISSUE 1273

I have spent a good portion of the last eight months crisscrossing the country training professionals in the AEC industry on a variety of topics including

leadership, project management, hiring and keeping great talent, professional speaking, and communication. It never gets old. I enjoy helping others polish the diamond within themselves.

We’re all busy with our personal and professional lives, but that doesn’t mean we should stop educating ourselves.

O P I N I O N

Einstein said it best: “All that is valuable in human society depends upon the opportunity for development accorded the individual.”

We are all given options to advance ourselves, improve our calling, and contribute to society in a meaningful way. Our careers and chosen professions can provide us with a chance to make a mark that stands the test of time.

I remember when I graduated from college I swore up and down that I would never pick up a book again. Boy, was I wrong! I quickly developed a curiosity for learning that has pushed me into the unchartered waters of education, waters that started out as cold as the San Francisco Bay but ended up as warm as a South Beach Miami breeze.

So many of us have been there in our careers where we kind of limp along, just getting by but never really jump-starting our appetite for learning. We forget to stoke our curiosity.

Choose learning

See RANDY WILBURN, page 4

Randy Wilburn

CONTINUING ED

“Learning is one of those things that we either choose to do, or choose not to do, while we keep ourselves busy with everything else. My challenge to you is to figure out a way to do it all.”

© Copyright 2018. Zweig Group.

All rights reserved. THE ZWEIG LETTER November 26, 2018, ISSUE 1273

4

This learning deficit happens because we have so much on our plates and not enough time in the day to get all of it done. Couple that with our inability to prioritize those things that we deem essential, and you have a recipe for professional development purgatory.

Okay, maybe it’s not that bad, but you get the picture I’m trying to paint. If you don’t take the time to develop yourself, no one else will do it for you.

Learning is one of those things that we either choose to do, or choose not to do, while we keep ourselves busy with everything else. My challenge to you is to figure out a way to do it all.

Work hard, play hard, and most importantly, learn new things!

And, I might add, it’s not just a matter of getting PDHs or CEUs to maintain your professional license. That’s a part of it, but it’s certainly not everything.

Here are three things you can do right now to get your professional and personal development off the ground.

1) Take a quality speed-reading course. I used to laugh at the idea of speeding up my reading ability, but then I looked at the numbers. I could increase my reading words per minute from 200, with about 60 percent comprehension, to 550 to 600, with 85 per-cent comprehension. I noticed that books that used to take me several days to read now took a day or two, and my retention was much higher. And Bill Gates reading a book a week? I thought that was crazy, but now I know that with proper training, it’s possible for anyone – including you – to do.

2) Sign up for quality online educational training. These include great programs like Udemy, Coursera, Lynda.com, and, of course, ZLearning – Zweig Group’s online continuing education program. You can brush up on quality subjects and exciting topics that allow you to develop stronger skills and abilities that will take you further along in your career. The beauty of online education today is that for the most part it’s portable and can be consumed whenever and wherever you want. Plus, a lot of the

professional development training that you take for work can end up helping your per-sonal development, too!

3) Develop your communication skills. Whether speaking in public or writing effec-tively, there is always room to improve your ability to communicate. A lot of engineers and architects struggle unnecessarily in this area. Based on my project management training classes, effective communication is lacking in most firms, especially when it comes to working with the client. Com-munication problems are one of the biggest reasons for scope creep.

You can join Toastmasters or a similar group to develop your ability to communicate ideas effectively through the spoken word. Learning to employ simple things like pace, pitch, and tone can help, and creating messages with a beginning, middle, and end is immensely beneficial. Telling stories early and often, and knowing your audience and the message you hope to deliver, can help you to become someone that people want to listen to. Oh, and of course, practice makes perfect so you have to jump at every speaking opportunity that you can find.

When it comes to the written word, get someone that writes well to critique your work. Also get an online editor like grammarly.com, which is what I’m using right now as I write this article. Of course, I will have a great editor read through this before you see the finished product, but Grammarly does the heavy lifting, gently reminding me of all those things I forgot from Mr. Bogans, my eighth grade English teacher.

Chad Clinehens, our fearless leader here at Zweig Group, recently talked about Elevating the Industry at our annual Hot Firm + AEC Industry Awards Conference in Dallas. For Clinehens, it begins and ends with education. We all have to do better to be better. It starts with every individual in the design industry working to improve themselves.

Whether you are speaking, writing, reading, or taking courses online, there is so much more that you can do to improve yourself. It’s not hard. If you put your mind to it, you can make it happen. If you are looking for ideas or inspiration on where to start, feel free to email me and we can talk more about what you hope to accomplish and how Zweig Group can help.

RANDY WILBURN is Zweig Group’s director of education. He can be reached at rwilburn@zweiggroup.com.

RANDY WILBURN, from page 3

“Whether you are speaking, writing, reading, or taking courses online, there is so much more that you can do to improve yourself. It’s not hard.”

ZLEARNING ZLearning is an online continuing education program serving architects, engineers, and those in the design industry. This training course is geared to the AEC industry and the unique challenges design professionals face on a daily basis. ZLearning courses are led by industry experts with first-hand AEC experience, not the business management generalists that often lead similar programs.Each class is worth 1 PDH/0.1 CEU.ZLearning offers a variety of certified e-learning courses on the following topics: ❚ Project management ❚ Financial management ❚ Business development/sales ❚ Marketing/branding ❚ Leadership skills for AEC

professionals ❚ Soft skills for the AEC

professionals ❚ Hiring and keeping great talent

Why ZLearning? ❚ All of the courses are available

wherever you are. You can take classes on your computer, a tablet device, or smartphone.

❚ Most ZLearning classes offer a short quiz, completion certificate, and most importantly CEUs for your time and effort.

❚ Be challenged and entertained by fresh and engaging content, created with you in mind.

Zweig Group is devoted to bringing the best in specialized training, events, and seminars for AEC professionals.Visit zweiggroup.com/zlearning to learn more.

THE ZWEIG LETTER November 26, 2018, ISSUE 1273

5

www.zweiggroup.com/seminars/

MAR 13-1527

Successful Successor RoundtableExcellence in Project Management

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ZWEIG GROUP2019 EVENT SCHEDULE

THE ZWEIG LETTER November 26, 2018, ISSUE 1273

6

P R O F I L E

Conference call: Rhett CrockerPresident of LandDesign (Best Firm Multi-discipline #30 for 2017), a 165-person landscape architecture, civil engineering, and planning firm based in Charlotte, NC.

“From the day LandDesign was founded, it was intend-ed to be a firm that transcended generations; one that

was about ideas and inspired by ideals,” Crocker says. “The talent, expertise, and ability we have in our offices today is the best I’ve ever seen. That’s exciting.”

A CONVERSATION WITH RHETT CROCKER.

The Zweig Letter: The talent war in the A/E industry is here. What steps do you take to create the leadership pipeline needed to retain your top people and not lose them to other firms?

Rhett Crocker: We do well retaining; it’s the finding that’s a challenge. The talent war is really crazy. You have to be cre-ative and do whatever it takes. We’re doing things like in-vesting in new technology, offering great benefits, educa-tion, research and development, and opportunities for com-munity involvement. We give people more time to volunteer (outside of vacation and holidays) and make sure, culture wise, that we’re always learning and having fun, too. It’s key to provide opportunities for great work to keep staff ener-gized. We spend a lot of time on growth and career paths.

TZL: They say failure is a great teacher. What’s the big-gest lesson you’ve had to learn the hard way?

RC: A little bit of humility goes a long, long way. You have to focus and be confident in core values and expertise. Don’t get out of your lane. Just because you see a shiny object, doesn’t mean you should chase it.

TZL: There are A/E leaders who say profit centers create corrosive internal competition for firm resources. What’s your opinion on profit centers?

RC: Even though we have six offices, we are one firm. We measure each office and market to understand where we

By LIISA ANDREASSENCorrespondent

“You can’t look at transition as a retirement cash out. The value is in the people. Get in early and go deep. We have third- and fourth-generation small owners now who are locked into the system.”

© Copyright 2018. Zweig Group.

All rights reserved. THE ZWEIG LETTER November 26, 2018, ISSUE 1273

7

YEAR FOUNDED: 1978

HEADQUARTERS: Charlotte, NC

OFFICES: 6 offices:

❚ Charlotte, NC

❚ Dallas, TX

❚ Orlando, FL

❚ Boulder, CO

❚ San Francisco, CA

❚ Washington, D.C.

NO. OF EMPLOYEES: 165

MARKETS:

❚ Mixed use

❚ Education

❚ Office

❚ Cities/regions

❚ Public spaces

❚ Infrastructure

❚ Neighborhoods

❚ Destinations

SERVICES:

❚ Urban design

❚ Landscape architecture

❚ Civil engineering

❚ Planning

❚ Branding

GIVING BACK: Volunteering and giving back is in LandDesign’s DNA. Each year, every employee gets eight hours (on them) to give back. LandDesign is driven by the desire to make the world better, one place at a time. Whether planting trees, cleaning streams, or simply encouraging others to get outside, the firm embraces every opportunity to build a great community.

COLLABORATIVE CULTURE: On its website, LandDesign states, “First names matter. Emails are good, phone calls are better. Explore the faces and names of the people you will be collaborating with at LandDesign.”

need to ramp up or share work. We don’t use the term “profit centers” – we just do great work. We don’t want to be a spreadsheet company. We measure so we can understand better. We all under-stand that it’s possible for one office to be up while another is down. It balances out.

TZL: What’s your policy on sharing the firm’s financials with your staff? Weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually? And how far down into the org chart is financial information shared?

RC: We’re very transparent and there’s never been a negative to that. We want people to learn about the business and to understand it. It helps people to bet-ter understand contracts and ultimate-ly, do better work. Even the most en-try-level staff member appreciates work-ing for a profitable firm. Our accounting staff is part of our team and meets a few times per month. They share informa-tion with studio leaders and project man-agers and discuss things like change or-ders and project performance. Face-to-face meetings are important. We also have a dashboard for project managers and stu-dio managers which delivers real-time data.

TZL: As you look for talent, what posi-tion do you most need to fill in the com-ing year and why?

RC: We’re always looking for industry ex-perts and great designers who can think, draw, and be visionary. You can’t teach people how to be visionary. We need peo-ple who can lead teams, no matter their ex-perience level or age.

TZL: While plenty of firms have an own-ership transition plan in place, many do not. What’s your advice for firms that have not taken steps to identify and em-power the next generation of owners?

RC: If you haven’t started, it’s probably too late. I can’t emphasize enough how impor-tant this is. Ours is favorable to the next generation and we’ve worked to make the financial transition smooth. They’re vest-ed now for the future. You can’t look at

transition as a retirement cash out. The value is in the people. Get in early and go deep. We have third- and fourth-genera-tion small owners now who are locked into the system.

TZL: Zweig Group research shows there has been a shift in business develop-ment strategies. More and more, techni-cal staff, not marketing staff, are respon-sible for BD. What’s the BD formula in your firm?

RC: In order to get new work, you have to be in the work. You have to understand what clients are facing. A high percent-age of our work comes from repeat clients (80 to 90 percent) because we over deliver and push innovation. We’ve invested time and money in a business development di-rector and also have marketing staff. Mar-keting finds new markets and niche loca-tions and business development makes the connection. It’s key to make it per-sonal. We often make the mistake of let-ting business get in the way too much. It’s important to cultivate a social relation-ship, too – go to dinner – the social side is important. Business development is the front line and then hands it off to be built upon.

TZL: Diversifying the portfolio is never a bad thing. What are the most recent steps you’ve taken to broaden your rev-enue streams?

RC: Our brand is collaborative. We set a vision and stay the course. Every office should represent our core disciplines and then diversify based on geographic need. For example, in Washington, D.C., we re-cently invested in civil engineering. In Dal-las and Orlando, we’re doing more in hos-pitality and resort development. We’re also trying to get better at balancing public and private projects. We’re always looking for what’s next, but not trendy. It has to be sustainable and long-term.

TZL: The list of responsibilities for proj-ect managers is seemingly endless. How do you keep your PMs from burning out?

See CONFERENCE CALL, page 8

“Project managers are the lifeblood. Give them all the information, tools, and resources that they need. Try to make their lives as easy as possible.”

“Our brand is collaborative. We set a vision and stay the course. Every office should represent our core disciplines and then diversify based on geographic need.”

© Copyright 2018. Zweig Group.

All rights reserved. THE ZWEIG LETTER November 26, 2018, ISSUE 1273

8

And if they crash, how do you get them back out on the road, so to speak?

RC: Project managers are the lifeblood. Give them all the information, tools, and resources that they need. Try to make their lives as easy as possible. The dashboard I men-tioned before helps with forecasting, too, and makes it possible for them to get ahead of a problem so they can be proactive, not reactive. We also have to be flexible. Un-derstand that people have lives and need to take their kids to school, go to a soccer game, etc. We encourage balance.

TZL: What is the role of entrepreneurship in your firm?

RC: It’s vital for our firm and structure. We’re always look-ing for entrepreneurial qualities and even mentor and teach those qualities. To date, we have not grown by acquisition. We’ve grown organically and just about every office was

started by a staff member who proposed they could do the job. We get behind them and learn together. Get out of the way and let people do what they do best. You learn more when you listen.

TZL: In the next couple of years, what A/E segments will heat up, and which ones will cool down?

RC: Urban density projects and master planned communi-ties will heat up – places that have high walkability in ur-ban areas. Every city is challenged with affordability is-sues. Infrastructure is not spreading out as much. Trans-portation is also hot. How people are moving will remain a hot button issue. Things are really going to change. More and more people want to live and work in the same community so they have more free time. It’s fascinat-ing to think about and I could go on and on about the subject.

TZL: While M&A is always an option, there’s something to be said about organic growth. What are your thoughts on why and how to grow a firm?

RC: We’re not opposed to M&A. In fact, we’re much more open-minded about it than we used to be. We realize there’s risk, so it would take a unique opportunity, but we’re open to it. Never say never.

TZL: What’s your prediction for 2018?

RC: We’re in growth mode. This year, we’ve had about 10 to 15 percent growth in revenue and anticipate a strong fin-ish.

CONFERENCE CALL, from page 7

“To date, we have not grown by acquisition. We’ve grown organically, and just about every office was started by a staff member who proposed they could do the job. We get behind them and learn together. Get out of the way and let people do what they do best. You learn more when you listen.”

9

THE ZWEIG LETTER November 26, 2018, ISSUE 1273

This must surely be the most interesting time to be designing and developing buildings. The new technologies that are zooming forward are truly changing the

world of the built environment – and very much for the better.

Things I could not have imagined just a few years ago are now coming to market, are affordable and practical, and are changing the world for the better.

O P I N I O N

Take, for instance, power sources, distribution, and consumption. Some of the technologies we’re exploring today, I hadn’t even imagined five to 10 years ago. Solar generation of electricity is with us today in a big way – not only solar panels (the cost of which continues to go down) on the top of office buildings, but in large arrays being built by utilities and incorporated into our power grids.

Along with solar power (only available during sunlight hours), storage for non-sunlit times is advancing. When I first incorporated solar panels on the roof of a house I built in San Francisco in 2001, I wanted to have a battery backup. This consisted of a rack of 12-volt car batteries – expensive and high-maintenance. There were no Tesla Power Walls in 2001, nor other more efficient and less expensive storage systems. Today there are several, with others being designed and coming to market every day, reducing cost, increasing efficiency and improving maintenance. The only good thing 17 years ago

was that photovoltaic panels generated 12-volt DC current and that’s what batteries liked. Back then, I still needed an inverter to power the lighting in my home to inefficient incandescent lamps and, although a little more efficient, fluorescent lamps.

Today, the world is being lighted increasingly by LED (light-emitting diode) lamps, with much longer lamp-lives and much reduced power consumption. And color technologies with LEDs have improved greatly, with many of them being manufactured to allow tuning to exactly the color temperature that you desire or continuously tunable to follow the circadian cycle of daylight.

Embracing new technologies

EdwardFriedrichs

See EDWARD FRIEDRICHS, page 10

“New and emerging technologies are among the reasons why I’m so excited about being a designer/developer today.”

© Copyright 2018. Zweig Group.

All rights reserved. THE ZWEIG LETTER November 26, 2018, ISSUE 1273

10

This is very effective for healing in hospitals and for higher productivity and health in office spaces. Take a look at recent writings on biophilia to understand why that is important.

By the way, I should also mention that LEDs operate best on 12-volt DC current. It just so happens that 12-volt DC is what flows through your computer cables to recharge your computer and your cell phone. And, guess what, no conduit or electrical inspections are required. I’m working with one company that offers complete lighting and control solutions based on 12-volt DC power, which we’re thinking about incorporating into our project here in Reno. This same company has done street lighting between two

towns in South America that are 21 kilometers apart. The system is off-grid. All the power comes from solar panels mounted every so often along the route. Power is stored in a battery system by day to be used to illuminate the route at night. And Wi-Fi is flowing through these lines as well.

New technologies are available to deliver 12-volt DC power from a clear glass window. We’re building several structures that have due east, south, and west exposures in a bright sunlight city. We and the companies we’re talking to are also exploring electro-chromic and photo-chromic coating, which is used in eyeglasses that automatically turn into sunglasses when sunlight hits them. If we can put all the pieces together, we’ll have a glazing system that will generate 12-volt DC power to LED lights, requiring neither an inverter or a transformer at the lamp end. We’ll have window glass that will turn into sun shading either electrically or automatically. Tenants will be able to look at the views outside their windows without drawing curtains, blinds, or shades.

New and emerging technologies are among the reasons I’m so excited about being a designer/developer today.

EDWARD FRIEDRICHS, FAIA, FIIDA, is the former CEO and president of Gensler. Contact him at efriedrichs@zweiggroup.com.

EDWARD FRIEDRICHS, from page 9

“The new technologies that are zooming forward are truly changing the world of the built environment – and very much for the better ... Some of the technologies we’re exploring today, I hadn’t even imagined five to 10 years ago.”

ON THE MOVECR ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN ADDS KEY LEADERSHIP CR architecture + design announced that Bruce Quisno has joined the leadership team as vice president of retail market, and Bill Dandy has assumed the role of chief operating officer.An experienced industry leader, Quisno comes with extensive client-side experience having worked at Macy’s for 20 years. He most recently was vice president of construction, where he managed Macy’s corporate portfolio of architecture and construction projects. A registered architect and nationally recognized leader in the retail/architectural world, Quisno is an active member of both ICSC, where he chaired their national conference and the AIA, where he sat on their board for eight years.Dandy will assume the role of chief operating officer. Dandy recently joined CR as the firm’s chief growth officer for all eight areas of market expertise in May of this year and now assumes the additional responsibility of running the company’s operations.“Both of these changes are key strategic moves,” said David Arends, president and CEO of CR. “Bruce comes with extensive client-side experience and knowledge, which will play an integral role in driving and enhancing our client relationships. Bill will continue to lead his teams and take on the additional role of driving our operating disciplines, which will be essential to our multi-market growth strategies and client satisfaction.”Dandy’s background includes more than 25 years in senior management and C-level

marketing and operations roles for iconic retail brands. He most recently served as chief client officer for a privately-held technology and marketing consulting firm with both a national and international presence, serving similar market segments to CR. With Quisno joining the executive ranks, this is the second key leadership move within the last four months that Arends has made to seed client-based senior leadership and talent into the firm.Quisno, a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, will be based with CR’s corporate team in Cincinnati. He will report to Dandy and will be leading all retail client relationship teams for the company nationally.CR architecture + design manages eight areas of market expertise nationally and is recognized as a design expert in the market segments we serve. CR’s commercial, higher education, K-12, government, hospitality, housing, senior living, and retail groups focus on design creativity, technology, energy, and delivering value through exceptional client service. CR is committed to taking care of its clients, exceeding expectations, and showing passion and expertise in everything CR does.AYRES HIRES BELL AS COLORADO VICE PRESIDENT Rex Bell has joined Ayres Associates as vice president of its Colorado operations. Bell has more than 35 years of experience providing project management, financial expertise, and operations leadership for engineering consulting work around the world.Throughout his career, Bell, of Fort Collins, has

demonstrated success with taking on complex issues. With his communication and team-building skills, Bell will pursue growth and diversification for Ayres Associates’ Colorado and Wyoming-based operations, which have been serving the western United States since 1967.Bell, formerly a senior vice president with a large international engineering firm, has extensive national and international experience in a variety of markets, including natural resources; energy; water; infrastructure; and services for local, state, and federal agencies. Among his demonstrated areas of expertise are project management, client service, enterprise risk management, mergers and acquisitions, contracts, and leadership of diverse teams.“Rex is the right person to take Ayres Associates’ nationally renowned water resources and river engineering services to the next level and advance our municipal, geospatial, and transportation engineering offerings into new areas – both geographically and in terms of niche expertise,” said Jan Zander, executive vice president.Ayres Associates is a multi-discipline consulting firm with offices in Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Florida. The firm provides services in water resources, transportation, municipal, structural, and utility engineering. It also provides consulting services in architecture, landscape architecture, environmental sciences, grant writing and administration, planning, aerial mapping, and survey

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THE ZWEIG LETTER November 26, 2018, ISSUE 1273

Through mid-2018, the U.S. experienced six weather and climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each, including four severe storms and two winter

storms, according to the U.S. National Centers for Environmental Information. The 1980-2017 annual average is six events; however, in each of the past five years (2013-2017) the annual average has nearly doubled to 11.6 events.

As communities look for ways to protect themselves from large-scale weather-related events, design firms are equipped to help them meet the challenge.

O P I N I O N

Although it might appear that in the first six months of 2018, the U.S. is experiencing a less active year for large-scale loss events than 2017 or 2016, NCEI is still assessing losses from two other 2018 events, the Colorado hail storms and South Texas flooding.

Unfortunately, given the effects of Hurricane Florence and the impact of severe weather events this summer the numbers for 2018 have grown significantly worse. As horrendous as Florence was and continued to be in its immediate aftermath, a single event does not necessarily affect the design community. Yet, sustained increases in severe storms, as noted, do effectuate change, which brings both opportunities and risk.

Aside from the personal impacts, let’s look at the design community and how it may be able to have a positive impact on clients and the overall health,

safety, and welfare of our communities. Severe weather, and the increase in frequency of severe weather events, is a problem. And designers are what? Problem solvers.

If you Google a combination of the words engineering/design/catastrophic/weather, a long list of engineering firm websites will pop up. The first few focus on post-event forensic and similar services, including:

❚ Hail and/or wind damage assessments

Hail, wind, and floods

Rob Hughes

GUEST SPEAKER

See ROB HUGHES, page 12

“Severe weather, and the increase in frequency of severe weather events, is a problem. And designers are what? Problem solvers.”

© Copyright 2018. Zweig Group.

All rights reserved. THE ZWEIG LETTER November 26, 2018, ISSUE 1273

12

❚ Flood damage assessments

❚ Structural integrity assessments

❚ Moisture intrusion analysis

For those firms entering the forensic arena, be well aware of the answer to a simple question: Who is your client? And understand your answer’s ethical implications. If you’re retained by an insurance carrier to evaluate the extent of property damage, the client’s interests may diverge from those of the property/policy holder. And chances are you’ve had direct interaction with the policyholder who may think you are his expert. This potential “conflict” is heightened if you are also recommending the scope and cost of repairs.

Scrolling further through the Google search results are links to firms focusing on up-front, preventative architectural and engineering design services. An example of a recipient of such services is the New Jersey shore town, Stone Harbor. In December 2016, the town received a $2.7 million grant to fund storm water control and flood mitigation in the 96th Street business district, an area flooded during superstorm Sandy that also experienced severe flooding during subsequent “Nor’easters.”

This area is one of only three ingress/egress points for car traffic into and out of the island, a critical safety concern. Neighboring towns to the south received a total of nearly $22 million in funding for similar efforts. A measurable portion of the scope of the studies and related funds go to environmental and engineering firms; a valuable revenue source spurred by public need. A job well done should be a source of pride for the engineering community.

EVOLVING WEATHER RISK AFFECTS STANDARD OF CARE. Stone Har-bor’s 96th Street is near the bay and has always had some stormwater control issues; nonetheless, the street and

town have thrived. However, the recent, recurrent flood-ing has prompted both concern and action. The change in approach also necessitated a change in the design criteria; what was once acceptable is no longer so (i.e., storm-water has traditionally been piped directly into the bay or the ocean). From a legal and risk perspective, that means the standard of care has changed and is continuing to do so.

As a design professional, you must meet the standard of care. If you were to design a home in Stone Harbor today based on acceptable foundation elevations from 1980, that would be unacceptable and a breach of the standard of care. Why? First and foremost, today’s building code requires a higher elevation; a failure to meet code requirements is typically viewed as a breach of the standard of care.

However, codes oftentimes lag “best” or “reasonable” practices. Thus, you and your peers help establish the standard and often, with the aid of government officials, act to revise the code and building standards to catch-up with and reflect the concerns of the design community. For example, following Hurricane Harvey and repeated flooding, Harris County, Texas amended its regulations covering flood plain management to increase public safety and minimize losses due to flooding. A $2.5 billion bond initiative is now underway.

Designers must carefully examine contractual language relating to the standard of care and changes in the code. The standard of care must be tied to the time during which you render services; the absence of a time reference leaves an open-ended issue that’s not in your favor. And be especially wary of language that ties the time to a later period, such as the end of the project or end of the statute of limitation or repose. The latter could impose a standard 10 or more years after you actually worked on your design. A related concern: language that obligates you to identify changes in the code post-project. You can be sure plaintiff’s lawyers (and their experts) will point to any changes in the code/regulations that may have prevented or limited a weather-related loss.

As communities across the U.S. look for ways to protect themselves from the impact of large-scale weather-related events, design firms are well-equipped to help them meet this challenge. By managing their risks and carefully reviewing contractual language, they will enhance their ability to be rewarded for their efforts.

ROB HUGHES is a senior vice president and partner at Ames & Gough. He can be reached by email at rhughes@amesgough.com.

ROB HUGHES, from page 11

“As horrendous as Florence was and continued to be in its immediate aftermath, a single event does not necessarily affect the design community. Yet, sustained increases in severe storms, as noted, do effectuate change, which brings both opportunities and risk.”

ON THE MOVECALLIE BENTON, P.E. EARNS DESIGNATION OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER IN TEXAS Callie Benton, a registered professional engineer in Louisiana and a member of the Fenstermaker’s Lafayette engineering team since June 2013, successfully completed all requirements to become a registered professional engineer in the state of Texas. Benton received her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 2013 from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Her responsibilities at Fenstermaker include

hydraulic and hydrologic modeling, flood remediation, drainage design, roadway design, and civil site design. Her experience includes project management in addition to public outreach coordination and development of various transportation, environmental, and construction documents.Benton has developed technical reports, construction estimates, provided flood-proofing recommendations, and obtained permits from various agencies.

Lafayette Engineering Director, Jeanne Arceneaux Hornsby, stated, “Callie is a valuable team member to the engineering division. She is hardworking and has a very bright future ahead of her.” Established in 1950, C. H. Fenstermaker & Associates, L.L.C. is a highly diversified, multi-disciplinary consulting firm. With a commitment to help its clients succeed, the firm specializes in surveying and mapping, engineering, and environmental consulting.