In the 2025 Sustainable Engineering annual issue of Informed Infrastructure, we examined how ongoing litigation and policy developments were creating uncertainty around the future of Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Minority/Women-Owned…
Executive Corner: A Tale of Two ESOP Companies
Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) continue to be a popular ownership strategy for firms in the architecture, engineering and environmental consulting…
Executive Corner: Strategizing for Potential Changes to DBE/MBE Programs
Recent legal challenges have placed Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE) programs under intense scrutiny.…
Executive Corner: What’s My Legacy? An A/E Generation Transitions Out
Growing up, my father was fond of sharing various quips and quotes. Some were motivational, others just corny, and I’m confident most of them went in one ear and out the other. But one that always stuck with me was the famous Maya Angelou line: “People…
Executive Corner: Inside the Latest A/E Business Valuation and M&A Transaction Study
With economic growth slowing and interest rates rising, it’s not surprising that A/E firm valuation multiples have ebbed from their post-pandemic peaks. The latest valuation statistics from the recently released “A/E Business Valuation and M&A…
Executive Corner: Where Are A/E Values Heading?
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. Interestingly, while the stock and debt markets are going through turmoil, many firms in the A/E industry—both…
Executive Corner: An Inside Look at the Landmark ESOP Valuation Case
For over a decade, the Department of Labor (DOL) has carried out a controversial and aggressive enforcement effort targeting valuation issues in employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). The DOL did not lose a major ESOP case on a valuation issue until…
Executive Corner: A Peek Inside the Latest Data-Valuation Trends
The latest valuation statistics from the recently released “A/E Business Valuation and M&A Transactions Study” reveals some interesting trends, including significantly higher valuation multiples for larger firms and higher equity values across the…
Executive Corner: 2021 Mid-Year Executive Outlook
As the disruption and severity of the global pandemic continues to fade, A/E leaders across the country are ready to take on the challenges and opportunities left in its wake. I recently connected with several CEOs from coast to coast for our annual Mid-Year…
Executive Corner: The Pandemic’s Impact on A/E Firm Ownership
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…
