TZL 1409

TZL 1409

T R E N D L I N E S Outside marketing consultants S e p t emb e r 2 0 , 2 0 2 1 , I s s u e 1 4 0 9 W W W . T H E Z W E I G L E T T E R . C O M

Our industry can’t afford to meet the complex challenges we face today with a one-perspective approach. Elevating STEAM

F I R M I N D E X Dewberry................................................4 Flintco.....................................................8 Fluor Corporation..................................12 Lea & Braze Engineering, Inc.. ................4 MKN.....................................................10 Nelsen Partners. .....................................8 Page.......................................................8 RJN. .......................................................2 Ware Malcomb......................................10 MO R E A R T I C L E S xz JIM TOBY: You get what you pay for! Page 3 xz Get to know them: Andrea Pender Page 6 xz MIKE NUNLEY: Lessons learned and moving forward Page 9 xz MARK ZWEIG: Keeping good people Page 11 In Zweig Group’s 2021 Marketing Report of AEC Firms , firm participants were asked if they had hired outside marketing consultants for activities like strategic marketing planning, public/ media relations, and video preparation among many other things. Just over half (57 percent) of firms said they had used outside consultants. When broken down by firm staff size as seen in the chart above, we see that larger firms were more likely to hire marketing consultants, specifically once firms surpass 100 full-time employees. Participate in a survey and save 50 percent on the final or pre- publication price of any Zweig Group research publication.

A EC work is complex and rewarding. It encompasses nearly all aspects of the STEAM fields – technical, aesthetics, design, public safety, end user considerations, environmental sustainability, and corporate social responsibility. We design and build power infrastructure, wind farms, pipelines, solar farms, skyscrapers, bridges, and roads. Recruitment and retention of the best talent is critical to the industry, as well as to optimize firm growth and performance. Yet we limit ourselves in some ways. STEAM fields have been dominated almost entirely by a uniform demographic, and by default, only one perspective. On nearly any company’s website, you can usually see this uniformity in the leadership’s demographic, and exceptions are rare. Can we afford to meet the complex problems we face today with a one- perspective approach? This uniformity is largely unintentional; we resonate with those who are like ourselves. Susan Colantuono spoke in a TED Talk about a CEO mentoring a man and a woman. The CEO said, “Looking back, I coached the female to be more confident, and the man to run the business. I didn’t realize that I treated them differently.” A tragedy, but there is something to admire about this CEO – powerful, yet humble, curious, and gracious enough to search out his blind spots. Zweig Group’s ElevateHER movement, with partner organizations like Women’s Energy Network – which is nearly 6,000 members strong today – is designed to support, educate, and create awareness around the employment disparities that minority demographics face, and is specifically focused on STEAM fields. The disparity begins at graduation. Of engineering grads, only 20 percent are women, and only half become practicing engineers. AEC principal polls show that nearly 100 percent of women principals considered leaving the AEC industry, as opposed to very few men. Women and minorities see a uniform demographic in leadership, perhaps on social media or the website, and receive an implicit message – that reaching the highest positions may be unachievable. Despite proof that diversity impacts growth, many AEC firms hesitate regarding diversity. Of surveyed principals, 91 percent are white, 82 percent are male, and only 62 percent saw a diversity problem in our industry, meaning in this population, 38 percent didn’t see a diversity problem. Growth results from diversity of thought – proof is in “Board Diversity Impacts Growth.” I believe this is a rational proxy that diversity overall spurs growth. We need a broader base of talent to develop the best solutions to our most challenging problems. It begins at the grassroots level,

Stephanie Warino

See STEPHANIE WARINO, page 2

T H E V O I C E O F R E A S O N F O R T H E A E C I N D U S T R Y

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ON THE MOVE RJN ANNOUNCES NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO, PAUL COSTA RJN is pleased to announce the board of directors has selected Paul Costa to serve as RJN’s next president and CEO. Costa, a 30-year industry veteran, assumed the leadership role at the beginning of August 2021. “Paul’s leadership, client relationships, and proven performance at RJN made him the natural choice to lead RJN as president and CEO,” said Todd Leistner, chairman of the board of directors. Costa has devoted more than 20 years of his career serving the engineering needs of RJN’s clients and has most recently served as executive vice president and chief market officer. Under his leadership, RJN has seen sales increase year over year, enabling the firm to soar to record annual revenues. “I am honored to be chosen by the board as RJN’s president and CEO,” Costa said. “The backbone of RJN’s value to clients is the passion our employees have for their work, and it is a privilege to lead this exceptional and passionate team.” Costa added that it is a critical time in the engineering industry, with attention on infrastructure being at an all-time high.

“We will remain vigilant in our pursuit of delivering cutting-edge solutions to our clients,” he said. “RJN has achieved much, however, we must always aspire to achieve even greater heights through the adoption of emerging technologies and the development of innovative approaches to improving infrastructure.” Costa began his engineering career after graduating from Massachusetts Maritime Academy with a degree in engineering. He then acquired a master’s degree in environmental engineering and an MBA from Northeastern University. Since that time, he has held numerous executive leadership positions within the industry. He currently serves as Collections Committee Chair for the Water Environment Federation. Established in 1975, RJN Group Inc. is a 100 percent employee-owned, professional engineering and specialty field services firm with a focus on water, wastewater, and stormwater systems. RJN’s mission is to lead with innovation, ingenuity and an unwavering commitment to the water environment, to help utility owners meet their level of service goals.

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STEPHANIE WARINO, from page 1

in movements like ElevateHER – but success and acceptance as a norm and a necessity comes from the C-suite. Token gestures are more damaging than helpful; changing the board’s entire governing framework in order to drag a few folding chairs up to the board table is an example of such a gesture, as is a title without the authority that goes along with it. And pay disparity has yet to catch up – Zweig Group’s recent studies have left me wondering why companies have yet to do this of their own volition. This is a small step, but a crucial one that sends a strong message of support. Actionable, adaptable solutions are being presented in Zweig Group’s ongoing 2021 Virtual ElevateAEC Conference & ElevateHer Symposium, which is a free-to- all virtual experience that began last week and runs through October 2. >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12

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