CECO REPORT
July, 1999
IN THIS ISSUE
* Dark Becomes CECO President
* ACEC Senior Executives Institute
* George Is Dead!
* FEDERAL DoD RFPs ON WEB
* "PATHWAY TO PRINCIPAL"
* OSLS Requests Minimum Standards Revisions
* In Memory
* 23 Great Ideas From Your Colleagues
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DARK BECOMES 1999-2000 CECO PRESIDENT
Over 130 members of the Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri councils attended the Joint Annual Convention at the Chateau on the Lake in Branson, MO.
Tony Dark, President of FHC, Inc., Tulsa,
was installed as the 1999-2000 CECO President at the conclusion
of the convention. Others elected to serve on the CECO Board for
the 1999-2000 year are:
President-Elect Jerry Shepherd
V.P./ Membership Mike Arand
Treasurer Chuck Darr
V.P. / Business Practices Mike Homan
V.P. / Education/Public Relations Don Vick
ACEC National Director Ron White will continue in that position for another year, and Bob Williams will continue on the Board as Immediate Past President.
Also, the 1999-2000 CECO Budget was approved which includes a dues increase of $20.00, bringing total dues to $340/index number.
It was an outstanding convention, at one of the most beautiful hotels one could imagine. Despite a little rain and delayed airplanes for our speakers, the convention program was a hit with all who attended, with educational and social events abounding.
If fact, the hotel, location and fellowship was so outstanding that all three organizations agreed that the three states should join together in 2000 at the same place.
To that end, we have confirmed the dates of June 15-17, 2000 at the Chateau for next year's Convention. Preliminary planning has begun, and we urge you to mark your calendars now for June 15-17!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ACEC SENIOR EXECUTIVES INSTITUTE
The fourth class of ACEC's Senior Executives Institute (SEI) is scheduled to begin October 16-21, 1999 in Washington, DC.
This will be the first of the five sessions with the class meeting for a total of 21 days over a two-year period.
This industry-tailored leadership course focusing on advanced management, public policy and leadership has been a tremendous success, with a 30% firm repeat rate (i.e., firms sending more than one executive to the Institute).
Class I had 15 executives. Class II had 17 executives. Class III had the maximum 25 executives and a waiting list of seven, plus several very disappointed members who were eager to join SEI.
The first three classes represent nearly 30 states, firm sizes of 7 to 500 employee firms, and ages from mid 30's to mid 60's.
At present, only seven of Class IV's 25 seats are available. All ten DPIC scholarships have been reserved. Four CNA/Schinnerer fellowships are available. RA&MCO and Terra Insurance are providing premium credits.
The tuition is $8,750 per year (ACEC members) and $9,500 per year (non-members).
If you have questions, would like to speak with an SEI Alumnus, or would like registration information, contact Maria Galvan, Director of Marketing, ACEC Business Affairs, at 202-682-4328, or E-mail at mgalvan@acec.org as soon as possible.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GEORGE IS DEAD! by Paul F. Sprehe, PE, FACEC
My Fellow Oklahoma Engineers
For some time I have felt a growing frustration and disappointment with the Consulting Engineers of Oklahoma for their lack of interest and involvement in both CECO and ACEC. It looks to me that a good many of you have adopted a "let George do it" attitude and spend all your time just making money. For instance:
1. At the annual Spring and Fall meetings of ACEC we rarely have more than 4 or 5 of our members in attendance. And those are usually ACEC committee members or members who have other official duties. You'll never know what a good opportunity you are missing to interact with other Consulting Engineers until you attend one of these meetings.
2. Only 8 of our Member Firms have ever gone to the "trouble" of being Peer Reviewed.....the LOWEST IN THE NATION!! Are we all so competent (or so arrogant) that we can't learn anything new from our peers throughout the country? Don't you want to know how your Firm stacks up? You might even improve your own "bottom line".
3. Only 5 Oklahoma Consulting Engineers are serving on ACEC national committees (besides Jim Sullins). In fact, only 4 even applied for committee membership. Don't you want to include your voice in the decision-making process of your Council?
4. The number of Oklahoma Consulting Engineers who attend Consulting Congress Day, and who call on the Oklahoma delegation in Washington, gets smaller every year. Some of us are getting tired of trying to represent the rest of you, year in and year out. It's your turn.
5. Oklahoma has not had an entrant in the annual Engineering Excellence program for over 10 years. In fact, we don't even have a local State program or competition. Maybe all of our work is just so humdrum and ordinary that it doesn't deserve the attention of others, but let me assure you as a member of the EEA Committee, EVERY ENTRANT (not just winners) tells us they have profited from the recognition they received from their entry alone. Recently, China invited 3 firms to visit their country...at the country's expense... to present their ideas about water, sewer and highway programs. They learned about their work from the E.E.A. entry.....only one of which was an award winner.
6. I visited with our new President, Tony Dark, about how he was coming along in staffing CECO committees. He's frankly worried that he will run into the same "I'm too busy" excuse that we hear so often. One of the reasons that you are so "busy" is because of the billion dollar road program, the turnpike program, capital improvement programs, etc.,etc which were actively supported by a few of us.
7. At the recent joint annual meeting of Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri, ONLY 10 OKLAHOMA ENGINEERS SHOWED UP! CECO was by far the smallest turnout. That's downright puny, and I am sure our President and Exec were sorely embarrased. I had to miss the meeting myself because I was attending an important ACEC Committee meeting. What was your excuse?
As I said at the beginning, and as a member of CECO and a Past-President of both CECO and ACEC, I am embarrassed by the lethargy of Oklahoma engineers. I have always felt that each one of us "owe something back to the profession that nurtures us", which means participation in the affairs of the organization. And the sad thing is, those who stay home, or who stand silently at the back of the church, are missing out on great opportunities to improve their own business by learning from others.
So come on folks. GEORGE IS DEAD! Become a REAL MEMBER of the great Councils that represent and support you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FEDERAL DoD RFPs ON WEB
Here's a business opportunity tip if you are interested in doing federal work for the Department of Defense. Check out this website for information on contracting opportunities with the Air Force, Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), and the US Army Corps of Engineers.
The website address is: http://www.hq.usace.army.mil/cepr/parc.htm.
Click on "business opportunities" on the left side to see a current list of solicitations.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"PATHWAY TO PRINCIPAL"
PROGRAM SET FOR OCTOBER IN BOSTON
Explosive growth in design and environmental consulting firms over the last five years has resulted in a veritable "baby boom" of new managers in our industry. The best and brightest young professionals have quickly risen from technical work to project, group, and branch management. The only thing holding many young managers from taking on still more responsibility is a shortage of specialized management training for A/E/P and environmental consulting professionals.
To meet the demand, Zweig White & Associates announced a new 2.5 day comprehensive training program designed especially to prepare young architects, engineers, planners, and environmental consultants to take on leadership and management roles in their firms.
"Pathway to Principal" is the comprehensive management program for future leaders of architecture, engineering, planning, and environmental consulting firms. Over 2.5 days, a faculty of eight management experts will give participants a crash course in everything aspiring principals need to know about running a business.
The program is divided into nine segments, each addressing a key area of firm management:
* Strategic Business Planning
* Organization Structure
* Marketing
* Contracts and Liability
* Human Resources & Recruiting
* Finance & Accounting
* Ownership Transition
* Mergers & Acquisitions
* Project Management
The program faculty is led by Mark Zweig, founder of Zweig White & Associates, and includes other popular management trainers such as Rich Friedman, Ray Kogan, AIA, Colvin Matheson, Mick Morrissey, Jerry Novacek, P.E., Ian Rusk, and Kathryn Sprankle.
Over 70 attendees from firms large and small throughout the U.S. are expected, including project managers, senior associates, associates, department or division managers, and branch managers.
For more information on "Pathway to Principal," call 1-800-466-6275.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OSLS REQUESTS MINIMUM STANDARDS REVISIONS -- NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING
The membership of the Oklahoma Society of Land Surveyors (OSLS) voted at their annual meeting on April 1, 1999, to approve certain revisions to the Oklahoma Minimum Standards for the Practice of Land Surveying.
OSLS has introduced those revisions to the Oklahoma State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors and has requested that the Board adopts those revisions pursuant to Board Rule OAC 245:15-13-2(a).
The Board will receive comment from interested land surveyors and the public at its regularly scheduled meeting on July 8, 1999, at 3:00pm in the Oklahoma Engineering Center, 201 N.E. 27th, Oklahoma City.
If you would like a copy of the proposed revisions, call the State Board of Registration at (405) 521-2874.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IN MEMORY
We are saddened to report the passing of two individuals who were very close to the CECO family.
Al Solnok passed away in April, following a series of illnesses. A structural engineer, Al practiced in Tulsa for many years, with his last firm being Solnok-Geurin, Inc. Al as President of CECO in 1973-74, and was an active member until his retirement a few years ago.
Maggie Smith, wife of CECO Past President Herman Smith, passed away on June 9th. Maggie was Herman's constant companion, and was dearly loved by all of us who were privileged to know her.
Our deepest sympathies go to the Solnok and Smith families. Both made great contributions to the CECO legacy, and they will be missed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
23 GREAT IDEAS FROM YOUR COLLEAGUES
Our outstanding Joint Convention didn't pass without a few "minor" hitches. Our scheduled speaker fought through flight delays to get to Branson and to present two outstanding seminars. With the flight delays, however, came a restructuring of the Convention Agenda which had two seminars back-to-back on Saturday
This restructuring gave attendees on Friday the chance to share ideas which they had implemented in their firms which had a positive impact on their firms, business, and/or employees. Below are 23 of the ideas which came from these roundtable discussions which we want to share with all members.
* Move from many people being generalistic to making assignments in specialty areas to develop more "expert" status and market penetration in these areas.
* More concentration on cross-checking work to improve quality, which helps morale.
* Individual marketing plans in written form. Hand delivery of more important proposals, guiding making contacts with clients.
* Bookkeeping improvements in using an electronic accounting package to record time, develop bills, and track projects. Records previously done by hand.
* Peer Review. Firm size has been up and down. Looking at the Peer Review process to develop steps to stabilize fluctuation.
* Accounting changeover for multi-office firm. Previous books were kept on separate systems and combined by hand. New system combines offices, delivers up-to-date information on Project Manager's desk. Partners can look at firmwide information.
* Developed more of an emphasis on marketing and production of proposals. Competition is demanding the upgrade of proposal packaging.
* Efforts to empower separate offices (6 office firm) by using an accounting system to review progress of the individual "profit centers." Has resulted in some turnover of management personnel but changes have been with positive results.
* Get a hard copy of all invoices and accounts. Writes a date of when the firm believes the invoice reasonably be paid. Invoice is then put into one of 52 envelopes, one for each week of the year. Once a week an envelope is pulled out and reviewed to see if they have been paid. If not, follow up begins immediately.
* Organized structured strategic plan. Reorganized firm into service group structure rather than geographic areas.
* Employee empowerment -- management transition shift.
* Employee retention program. High standards (M.S. degree) for all employees. Bonus twice per year. Emphasis on quality of work.
* Financial strength -- analyze business to maximize bottom line. Reorganize to be more profitable.
* Focus on total dollar. Establishment of Total Service Organization (TSO)
* Management group developed. Leadership program training.
* War Room Concept.
* Diversification of work demanded by clients.
* Transfer client management to Project Managers. Involved P.M.s in business responsibility with clients -- marketing. Found that some public clients don't accept females.
* Implement planning meetings each Monday. No rules -- only rule is that you need to take one problem address and solve it by the following week. Solve as a team.
* Implement Project Management System.
* Transition to new market. Market driven to Total Service Organization of new market.
* Have planning meetings and one "fun" meeting once a year. Meetings rotate from regional office to another. Strategic planning, marketing, organizational issues. Bring along key people. Meetings are held over weekends. Knowledge gained more than compensation for productivity lost.
* Project management is critical. Everything
revolves around project. No Profit Centers. Internal transfer
for work load for which assistance in needed.