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Executive Corner: Five Takeaways from 2016 A/E M&A Activity

February 6, 2017 - in Articles, Column

Good or bad, you certainly can’t say 2016 was dull. In a year that produced memorable comebacks, upsets and surprises across a spectrum of institutions, whether geopolitical (Trump, Brexit), financial (Dow 19,000), sports (Cubs’ and Cavaliers’ wins,…

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…

Executive Corner: Is the End Near for Traditional Management/Ownership Structures?

August 1, 2016 - in Column

There’s no doubt about it; attitudes regarding ownership, particularly among younger generations, are changing. Why own a car when, with the touch of…

Executive Corner: Can the A/E Industry Re-accelerate Its Growth?

May 31, 2016 - in Column

Ten years ago, 2006, was arguably the A/E and environmental-consulting industry’s peak of financial performance and achievement. Architects and engineers everywhere took advantage of unprecedented gains in commercial and residential building, while surging…

Executive Corner: Five Takeaways on 2015 A/E M&A Activity

January 31, 2016 - in Column

Fueled by cheap debt, a restless and activist investor climate, and a desire to accelerate growth through economies of scale and efficiencies, global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) across all industries hit an all-time high in 2015. In fact, this year…

Executive Corner: The Dilemmas of A/E Family Ownership

September 30, 2015 - in Column

During the last several years, there has been increased consulting demand for ownership transition as well as mergers and acquisitions for family owned A/E and environmental-consulting firms. These inquiries have cut across the gamut of family ties: husband/wife-,…

Executive Corner: The Engineering Industry Equity Drain: Crisis or Opportunity?

August 2, 2015 - in Column

While Wall Street wrings its hands over how the markets will be impacted by the Baby Boomers cashing in their 401(k)s and pensions as they leave the workforce, a generation of engineers is similarly worried about what will happen to their companies as aging…

Executive Corner: Beware Unintended Consequences of Poor Financial Reporting

June 5, 2015 - in Column

A client called me to inquire about updating her firm’s valuation and began our conversation by saying, “Not only are you going to be happy with our recent financial performance, you’re going to enjoy this engagement more than you have in the past.”…

Executive Corner: Managing by the Numbers

February 14, 2015 - in Column

Although the pages of this magazine are largely devoted to the technical aspects of design and construction, this column will focus on the challenges executives face to ensure their firm’s prosperity and longevity. Through two decades of work, I’ve found…