A/E/C THRIVE FACULTY

COVID-19 didn’t push H+O Structural Engineering to adopt new management practices for a remote world – it’s been bucking traditional A/E business norms with remote teams from the beginning. But that’s just one sliver of what makes the firm’s approach to management and organization so cutting edge. H+O Principal Rens F. Hayes, IV P.E. kicks off A/E/C THRIVE by challenging many of your most closely-held beliefs about how to run a successful firm, and he’s got the data to back up his bold claims. You learn:

• How to find and fix problems in 8 core functions…avoid the mistakes that so many firm leaders make
• Why your most talented (and profit-boosting) designers and engineers are at risk of burnout…and how to fix it now
• How firmwide financial literacy and other key strategies can nurture a results-based mindset up and down the org chart

After thirty years of so-called technological innovation in the building industry, AEC players seem to assume that revolutionary improvements in process and results are around the corner. From CAD to BIM to the current emergent age of machine learning, there’s always something “just ready” to turn the industry on its head. Buzzwords like “innovation” and “integration” are thought to be the keys to this nirvana, but somehow, despite decades of new digital tools (“innovation”) and provocative experiments in new delivery models (“integration”) real changes have yet to materialize. Somewhere in the intersection of these two conceits are questions about how the business models of building have failed to transform, and thereby deliver on the promises of innovation and integration. This talk will examine the structural challenges and potential opportunities of using technology to refactor the value propositions at the heart of project delivery, and suggest strategies big and small that current practices should explore toward more productive and profitable ends.

Renée Cheng, FAIA, DPACSA, is a nationally renowned Professor in the Department of Architecture at the University of Washington where she is also Dean of the College of Built Environments. Educated at Harvard College and Harvard Graduate School of Design, Cheng has been recognized for education excellence including twice honored as one of the top 25 most admired design educators in the United States by DesignIntelligence.

Cheng has pioneered research surrounding the intersection of design and emerging technologies including work on industry adoption of Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Lean. Her case study reports are actively used by industry and policy leaders adopting new practices. She was a core leader for teams of experts writing industry guides for such varied topics as IPD and best practices for equity, diversity and inclusion in the building industry. She is the lead and one of the co-authors for the AIA Guides for Equitable Practice, issuing nine guides starting in 2018 until today. The Guides address such topics as Intercultural Competence and Community Engagement with a focus on equity in the built environment and in the practice of architecture.

Cheng is a licensed architect who is active with American Institute of Architects (AIA) nationally was elevated to the AIA College of Fellows in 2016 and was AIA Minnesota President in 2009. She served as the inaugural Chair of the Lean Construction Institute Research Committee and regularly advises the U.S. General Services Administration on issues of high performing buildings and collaborative teams.

As we emerge from the COVID crisis into a new A/E/C project-execution reality, with some markets shrinking and others expanding, your firm’s success will be more grounded than ever on your employees’ skill, motivation, and adaptability. In his revealing keynote presentation, Kimley-Horn Executive Vice President Barry Barber shares retention and engagement lessons Kimley-Horn has learned over its 50 years of growing into the 4500 employee powerhouse it is today, and what the firm did to be recognized 13 times as one of FORTUNE’s “100 Best Companies to Work For.” Kimley-Horn eschews job titles, multiple profit centers, org charts and job descriptions, yet keeps turnover well below industry averages while maintaining high profits. Hear how to drive growth and corporate success through a culture and work environment that attracts, develops, motivates and retains top talent, regardless of current and future economic challenges.
• How Kimley-Horn’s deceptively simple core purpose statement informs multiple decisions and fosters an environment where talent flourishes
• Career growth opportunities that keep the firm’s most valuable employees from looking elsewhere
• How to instill a culture throughout your firm that inspires ownership of successful project outcomes
• How to quickly integrate new employees into your culture
• How to lean on your culture and core beliefs to get your firm through tough times

Prior to joining PSMJ, Dave worked for 26 years at Parsons Corporation, one of the world’s largest and most respected engineering-construction firms. During his tenure at Parsons, Dave held a variety of responsible positions including President of Parsons’ 1,600-person environmental subsidiary and President of Parsons 120-person planning subsidiary.

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