SullivanKreiss Executive Search Blog

Cubellis recently announced the addition of a new senior level business unit leader to assist in the growth of the firms multi-family architecture sector.

Below is Cubellis’s official press release.

Cubellis, an international architecture, interior design and engineering firm, is pleased to announce that Mark Drake, AIA, has joined the firm as Principal, Multi-Family Business Unit Leader. In this newly created position, he will add senior leadership to the Residential Practice Group and the Tysons Corner studio, with a focus on project management, business development, and design.

Mark brings 30 years of design and project management experience to the Cubellis team. He joins Cubellis from The Preston Partnership, where he was Principal. Mark’s skill and knowledge range from managing the design and construction documents process of garden apartment complexes to large, complex mixed-use projects and high-rise structures.

During the course of his career, he has developed a comprehensive approach to providing quality documents with an eye to the builder’s bottom line. His clients include well-established national and Mid-Atlantic regional real estate developers, operators, and builders including Trammell Crow Residential, The JBG Companies, Camden Living, Archstone, and Avalon Bay.

As Multi-family Business Unit Leader for the Residential Practice, Mark will provide his national knowledge and ideas for efficiency and high-style designs throughout the firm.
“Now, more than ever, clients need services that are creative in all aspects of the profession from aesthetics, to zoning entitlement, construction technology, client and consultant management and cost control,” noted Mark. “I plan on using my extensive industry experience to combine these services with an intense focus on finding solutions to the problems faced by our clients in today’s markets.”

“Mark Drake is a seasoned and dedicated professional that adds immediate value to our team,” stated Rohit Anand, AIA, NCARB, Principal, Architecture at Cubellis. “I am confident that he will not only enhance the leadership and the vision of the team at Cubellis, but bring a new level of service and design philosophy to our clients.”
Mark holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, and is a registered member of the American Institute of Architects.

About Cubellis Cubellis is an integrated, multidisciplinary design firm offering architectural, interior design, and engineering services to a diverse base of national and international clients. The firm’s practice area expertise includes academic, retail, mixed-use, hospitality, workplace solutions, residential, and government/municipal. Cubellis is a team of over 475 professionals, with offices in Ft. Lauderdale and Naples, Florida; Boston and Weymouth, Massachusetts; Rocky Hill, Connecticut; Englewood Cliffs and Freehold, New Jersey; Philadelphia and Wayne, Pennsylvania; Tysons Corner, Virginia; Chicago, Illinois; Orange County, CA; Baltimore, MD; Dallas, TX; Atlanta, GA; New York, NY; and Dubai, U.A.E. For more information, please visit: www.cubellis.com.

By: Tim R. Johnson

Northborough, MA, August 21, 2008 - For the third year in a row, SullivanKreiss hosted a highly successful company outing, an annual event that has quickly become favored tradition for the Boston area based executive search firm. The yearly company barbeque allows SullivanKreiss employees and their family and friends to interact, catch up, and, perhaps most importantly, have fun and blow off some steam.
 
Chief Operating Officer Justin G. Roy, Principal-in-Charge of the firm’s Chicago office made the trip from the Midwest to attend the outing. “We created this company outing three years ago to reward our employees for their hard work and dedication to our clients,” says Roy-who admits that he has not eaten a hamburger in over twenty years, but enjoys the annual barbeques nevertheless. Roy cited the belief of management that maintaining the annual tradition of rewarding hard work is essential to uphold the core beliefs of the company. “Especially in times of economic struggle, when we find employees putting in the extra hours and working on overdrive, it is even more important to preserve appreciation for our staff,” Roy continues. The cost of such an outing, it seems, is relatively low, and the return is high.
 
That return? One word: retention. Roy stressed his belief that company sponsored events-be it an annual outing or simply a group lunch-go a long way toward building and sustaining a strong team atmosphere in any organization. As an example, Roy noted that SullivanKreiss boasts one of the strongest retention rates of any leading recruiting firm, keeping their company staffed with lasting experts on the industry to assure long-term dedication to clients. “Turnover is costly,” Roy explains. “With high retention rates, everybody wins. Especially the engineering and architecture firms that hire us to fill key positions for them. They all work with expert recruiters who have been doing what they do well for a long time now.”
 
“I think [the annual outing] is great,” says Project Operations Manager Jeff Simeone, who is entering his fourth year with SullivanKreiss. “I can’t wait for next year’s.”
 
About SullivanKreiss:
SullivanKreiss is a strategic ally to its clients by way of its dedication solely to the building and design industry. Its expertise is in identifying and recruiting top-notch technical and business development personnel to fill critical positions for its clients.

If you’d like to hear more about this topic, or to schedule an interview, please contact Tim R. Johnson, Project Operations Manager, at 508-393-4933 ext. 16, or at tjohnson@sullivankreiss.com.

To sign up to receive the SullivanKreiss monthly e-newsletter that offers insight into recruiting, employee retention, and other human resource issues, visit www.sullivankreiss.com.

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An article published by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) announces the results of a new survey that indicates an increase in salaries for civil engineering professionals. You can find the full article here.

Personally I’ve seen the civil engineering market continue to become more and more competitive, despite a downward turn in the economy, and a slowdown in the civil engineering industry. Why is this? The top-talent water/waste-water engineers are gainfully employed and taken care of by their employers; the best-of-the best transportation engineers and project managers are valued with competitive salaries to ensure retention in a tight market; and those most-sought-after land development engineers are receiving high offers and rewarding bonuses for getting jobs done right despite economic difficulties.

It’s good to see that the most successful employers are showing their top-talent civil engineers that they are in fact highly valued.

Are you paying your civil engineers enough? Take a look at this article examining the survey results, and determine the answer to that crucial question yourself.

Kitchen and Bath Designrecently published this article looking at the correlation between the weakening economy and homeowners ability to  downsize.  The residential architecture industry is undoubtedly seeing a trend in smaller design and construction.

WASHINGTON, DC— As the housing market continues to weaken, and rising costs continue to impact consumers, the size of the typical U.S. home is declining, a new study by the American Institute of Architects reveals.

The study, whose results were released by the AIA last month, suggests that residential architects are also encountering an increased emphasis on the part of clients, particularly aging homeowners, on greater accessibility throughout the home, as well as on a growing number of outdoor living options.

The study suggests, in addition, that key characteristics of the American home continue to evolve, in part because of the weak economy and housing market, and in part because of demographic changes in the population and the growing awareness of sustainable design principles (see Graph 1).

The findings, which form the basis of the AIA’s latest in a quarterly series of “Home Design Trends Surveys,” reflect overall home layout and use in the first quarter of 2008, according to the Washington, DC-based AIA, which derives its results from a panel of 500 architecture firms that focus on the residential sector.

Home Sizes Declining

One obvious sign of the changing characteristics of homes, the AIA notes, is their size.

According to government figures, the average size of a new home had increased nearly 50% over the past three decades, and as recently as 2006, almost twice as many residential architects polled by the AIA reported home sizes to be increasing as reported them to be decreasing. By 2007, however, that trend had reversed, as more residential architects reported home sizes to be decreasing than increasing. With the 2008 survey, more than twice as many respondents reported home size declines as reported increases (33.5% vs. 15.5%), according to the trade association.

“The weakness in the housing market forces households to be more sensitive to housing affordability concerns. Coupled with rising home energy costs, this encourages many to rethink their overall space needs,” observes AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker.

“While smaller homes may be a short-term response to economic conditions, there are signs that we may be at the beginning of a longer cycle where house sizes stabilize or even decline.”

Trends are similar, although less pronounced, for the volume of homes (e.g.: higher ceiling heights, two-story foyers), the AIA reports.

In the association’s 2005 survey, for example, 51% of the residential architects polled reported that the volume of homes was increasing, while only 4% reported them to be declining, the AIA notes. By 2008, with growing concerns over housing affordability as well as dramatically higher home energy prices that increase the cost of heating these larger spaces, this gap had narrowed significantly, with 28% of respondents reporting the volume of homes to be increasing and 12% reporting them to be declining.

Accessibility & Informality

Even with declining home sizes, residential architects report continued strong interest in accessibility into, out of, and throughout the home, according to the AIA.

More than two-thirds of residential architects polled report that home layouts to improve accessibility around the house (e.g.: wider hallways, fewer steps) are growing in popularity. Almost as many (59%) indicated that home layouts and features that promote accessibility into the home (e.g.: ramps, on-grade entrances) were also growing in popularity.

Coupled with the emphasis on accessibility to accommodate an aging population is the continued emphasis on increased informal space in the home and in an open space layout with flexible floor plans. With lifestyles adapting and household compositions changing, households are looking for greater flexibility in the use of space in their homes. As an example, a substantial portion of residential architects (29%) note the increased popularity of partial wall divisions (as opposed to floor-to-ceiling walls) to promote greater flexibility in the use of interior space.

The “green movement” is also apparently influencing the kitchen products architects are specifying, with an increased use of renewable materials for both flooring and countertops, a recent AIA survey reveals (see Graph 2).

According to the AIA, interest in outdoor living space has also been steadily increasing. In 2005, for example, slightly under half of surveyed residential architects saw this as a trend growing in popularity. By 2008, over two-thirds of respondents saw this as increasing in popularity.

Related to outdoor living is the growing interest in blended indoor/outdoor space, as well as outdoor features and amenities (for example: cooking centers, courtyards, outdoor fireplaces, exterior lighting and gazebos).

“As households place greater emphasis on using their properties, they are looking for home designs that blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoor features,” Baker says

As an executive search consultant in the architectural industry, I have experienced many different market trends.  I found this article in Multi-Housing News and could not help to think that luxury senior living may be an exciting new market for hospitality design firms.  As Baby Boomers age and life expectancy among the already elderly increases, the demand for senior housing grows.  What are your thoughts on the emerging senior living market?  Are more firms like Cheryl Rowley Design going to make the move into this sector?

I know proper professional etiquette applies to pretty much applies to the entire professional world, as it certainly does in the engineering and architecture industries.

That being said, as a recruiter for the engineering industry, I can tell you that there are some engineers who might very know the most sustainable design approaches for complex mechanical building systems, yet don’t know all the ins and outs of professional etiquette.

Knowing the rules of etiquette are important for winning new work, sustaining clients, retaining employees, and recruiting new talent. Everyone might have a different definition or top-ten (or top-twenty or top-fifty) rules when it comes to professional etiquette. Here’s a list of 10 etiquette tips I came across recently that I feel makes some good points. Take a look.

Transaction Expands Presence in Alaskan Infrastructure Markets

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 25, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — URS Corporation (URS:URS Corporation
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4:01pm 08/25/2008

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URS 45.41, -0.42, -0.9%) today announced that it has acquired most of the assets of Tryck Nyman Hayes, Inc. (”TNH”), an engineering firm headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska. TNH has a staff of approximately 60 engineers, landscape architects and surveyors and serves federal, state and local government agencies as well as private sector clients. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
TNH’s experience in the design of highways, bridges, ports and rail systems will compliment URS’ existing Alaska capabilities in environmental planning and design. As a combined company, URS and TNH will be better positioned to pursue larger and more complex infrastructure programs as well as MILCON and BRAC contracts for the Department of Defense and Alaska pipeline projects.

Commenting on today’s announcement, Gary V. Jandegian, President of the URS Division, said: “The acquisition of TNH provides URS with the in-state engineering expertise necessary to participate in the growth of the state’s infrastructure, oil and gas and federal facilities markets. With decades of experience in the region, TNH has a reputation for providing comprehensive design solutions to handle the challenging Alaskan conditions.”

Dr. Jandegian continued: “TNH’s commitment to high standards and professionalism is an excellent fit with URS and together we will be able to provide better and more comprehensive services to our clients throughout the state.”
Since its origination in 1953, TNH has provided civil, heavy freight rail, structural, transportation and waterfront engineering services, as well as landscape architecture, construction management and surveying services to more than 50 public and private sector clients in Alaska.

URS Corporation (URS:URS Corporation
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4:01pm 08/25/2008

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URS 45.41, -0.42, -0.9%) is a leading provider of engineering, construction and technical services for public agencies and private sector companies around the world. The Company offers a full range of program management; planning, design and engineering; systems engineering and technical assistance; construction and construction management; operations and maintenance; and decommissioning and closure services. URS provides services for power, infrastructure, industrial and commercial, and federal projects and programs. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates through three divisions: the URS Division, the EG&G Division and the Washington Division. URS Corporation has more than 50,000 employees in a network of offices in more than 30 countries ( www.urscorp.com).

Statements contained herein that are not historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements, including statements relating to the Company’s business outlook as well as future economic and industry conditions. The Company believes that its expectations are reasonable and are based on reasonable assumptions. However, such forward-looking statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties. We caution that a variety of factors could cause the Company’s business and financial results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the Company’s forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to: an economic downturn; changes in the Company’s book of business; the Company’s compliance with government contract procurement regulations; the Company’s leveraged position and ability to service its debt; restrictive covenants in the Company’s credit facility; the Company’s integration of the Washington Group International, Inc.; the Company’s ability to procure government contracts; the Company’s reliance on government appropriations; the ability of the government to unilaterally terminate the Company’s contracts; the Company’s ability to make accurate estimates and control costs; the Company’s and its partners’ ability to bid on, win, perform and renew contracts and projects; the Company’s dependence on subcontractors and suppliers; customer payment defaults; availability of bonding and insurance; environmental liabilities; liabilities for pending and future litigation; the impact of changes in regulations and laws; a decline in defense spending; industry competition; the Company’s ability to attract and retain key individuals; employee, agent and partner misconduct; risks associated with international operations; business activities in high security risk countries; third party software risks; terrorist and natural disaster risks; the Company’s relationships with its labor unions; the Company’s ability to protect its intellectual property rights; anti-takeover risks and other factors discussed more fully in the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 27, 2008, as well as in other reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements represent only the Company’s current intentions, beliefs or expectations, and any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it was made. The Company assumes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements.

A post by Tim Sanders last week got me to thinking about why professional service firms exist and what do we do for our clients.

Hopefully you can all answer this question with minimal thinking.  However, now really look at your answer: if you said something about your service you would be correct.  However, have you stepped back to look at your service through your clients eyes and mind? 

As an architect and civil engineering recruiter, I know the reason why a firm comes to us is to solve a particular staffing problem they have and cannot solve on their own.  We exist to solve their recruiting and staffing needs.  Same with your business. 

I know, we (and you) are not the only firm who specializes in a particular niche.  So think about what you really do for your clients.  Does it include some “extras” or is your client service top notch?  Possibly you have spent time getting to know your clients and have formed a relationship deeper than proposal-performing the work-invoice time line?

If you answered either yes or no to the above, I encourage you to take 1 hour a week to think about your clients and consider what you can do in that hour to make their lives easier.  This can range from a hand written card saying thank you, a clipping from the newspaper about their firm or in regards to something affecting their industry (with your support on their side, of course).  In an hour you can probably reach 5 clients - 20 clients a month.  Start small and work your way up.  You would be amazed at how a small card in the mail can make a huge difference (and remind them that you still exist). 

Does anybody have a client who comes to them for a proposal and does not “shop” out the job because of a long standing relationship?  I would love to hear your story! 

BOCA RATON, FL — Saint Andrew’s School is going green.

The Boca Raton school held a dedication ceremony Monday to introduce a new addition to its Lower School campus.

The new Moabery Early Years Learning Center is LEED Certified (Leading in Energy and Environmental Design).

School officials say Saint Andrew’s is the first independent or public K-12 school registered as a LEED for Schools project in South Florida.  

The $11.5 million project is an extension of the Lower School building and this year, will benefit 422 students in kindergarten through 5th grade.

The building’s design focuses on environmentally-friendly areas of lighting, air quality, efficiency, security, architecture, and maintenance.

This article was posted in wptv.com.

NORTH CHARLESTON — Part of the former Charleston Navy base is moving toward its new mission: a high-tech research center for Clemson University.

The university has selected Burt Hill Inc., a planning, architecture and engineering firm headquartered in Washington, to develop a master plan for the Clemson University Restoration Institute.

Burt Hill is highly regarded for its experience and qualifications, ranging from architecture and master planning to ecological restoration and economic development. Thirteen teams submitted qualification statements for this project.

Selecting a master planner is a significant step in a process that will transform a brownfield site into an 86-acre state-of-the-art park, said Alan Godfrey, the Restoration Institute’s director of real estate and financial affairs.

Burt Hill’s team will work closely with university faculty and staff to develop an inter-disciplinary research park that encompasses the Restoration Institute’s six focus areas: advanced materials, methods and processes; community revitalization; historic preservation and materials conservation; renewable energy; resilient infrastructure; and restoration ecology.

“Burt Hill will help lay the foundations of what will be an innovative campus in North Charleston,” Godfrey said. “This planning process is just the beginning.”

Planning and initial design work is expected to take about a year to complete.

Burt Hill previously worked with the Noisette Co. at the Navy base. The Clemson site will involve partnerships with local and national firms to help develop the master plan.

Davis & Floyd of North Charleston will address issues related to civil engineering, land surveying, site utilities and cost estimating. DesignWorks of Charleston will assist with site planning and landscape architecture.

More specialized firms, such as Tidewater Environmental of John’s Island and Washington-based ERA Associates, will deal with business market analysis and ecological restoration, respectively.

Harry Gordon, Burt Hill’s chairman and chief operating officer, said he is proud the company was selected to develop the North Charleston campus.

“Clemson’s leadership in research that enhances the restoration economy fits perfectly with Burt Hill’s business direction and we are excited to be a part of the institute’s endeavors in defining its campus,” Gordon said.

In addition to Burt Hill, in July, Mount Pleasant-based architectural firm McKellar & Associates was chosen to renovate the first two buildings that will become key elements of the Institute.

McKellar will provide design services to transform a former Navy barracks, known as Building 658, and the historic Building 590A — the former U.S. Coast Guard station — into modern facilities. The two buildings were built in 1964 and 1934, respectively.

The Restoration Institute is the first formal academic organization focused on the restoration economy, bringing together experts and researchers and to drive economic growth through restoration industries and technology.

When developed, the site will offer laboratories and facilities for public-private partnerships, research and development outlets involved in restoration processes and Clemson research and graduate education.

For more information on the Restoration Institute and the North Charleston Research Park, go to www.clemson.edu/restoration.