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Executive Corner: Could A/E Firms Avoid a Recession?

August 3, 2023 - in Articles, Column

The previous “Executive Corner” column noted that despite the looming economic conditions, the A/E sector may avoid a recession with continued growth supported by strengthening backlogs. This column includes some more empirical evidence that supports this…

Executive Corner: Where Are A/E Values Heading?

November 28, 2022 - in Articles, Column

With so much turmoil in the economy and stock market, many A/E business owners are probably wondering what this may mean for their own firm’s value.…

Executive Corner: Considering M&A? Don’t Leave Out Firms that Have an ESOP

March 30, 2022 - in Articles, Column

2021 was one of the hottest years for M&A activities we have ever seen. The trend is expected to continue through 2022 as more A/E firms explore…

Executive Corner: The Pandemic’s Impact on A/E Firm Ownership

July 27, 2021 - in Articles, Column

A psychological shift seems to be taking place as we begin to migrate back to “normal.” More Americans are shifting their views on retirement, with many considering retiring earlier than initially planned. In a recent phone call, an A/E firm owner…

Executive Corner: What Is Your Ownership Strategy?

December 16, 2019 - in Articles, Column

Does your firm have an ownership strategy that clearly defines how you will be able to exit your firm? Are you relying on selling your firm to a third party or the next generation of leaders? According to the Census Bureau (and assuming age 67 for retirement),…

Executive Corner: Is Your Business Focus Hurting Profitability?

July 12, 2019 - in Articles, Column

Companies often say they’re client-, design- or employee-focused. The purpose of identifying your focus helps to communicate how you execute business strategies with your employees, clients, competitors and shareholders. Firms employ these focused strategies…

Executive Corner: Mitigating Taxes While Achieving Strategic Ownership Goals

October 16, 2017 - in Articles, Column

In my experience, the top three reasons why A/E firms implement employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) are taxes, taxes and taxes. However, although mitigating taxes is an important element, a good ownership plan should be driven by a firm’s strategic plan…

Executive Corner: Wall Street Sentiments Suggest Strong A/E Industry Outlook

March 27, 2017 - in Column

Sometimes the movement of money in capital markets can tell us a lot about investors’ expectations for a particular stock or a particular industry. In the case of the A/E industry, there are a number of factors that are likely impacting investors’ sentiments.…

Executive Corner: Does the Valuation of Your Company’s Stock Reflect ALL its Risk?

October 13, 2016 - in Column

Whether a business valuation is done for purposes of transferring ownership internally from one employee to another, or for meeting the regulatory requirements of sponsoring an employee stock-ownership plan, the risk associated with such an investment is a…