In my experience, the top three reasons why A/E firms implement employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) are taxes, taxes and taxes. However, although mitigating taxes is an important element, a good ownership plan should be driven by a firm’s strategic plan…
Executive Corner: Is the Future of Your Firm in the Hands of Millennials?
One of the largest ownership transition issues A/E firm owners currently face is the same one they faced years ago: finding a way to influence younger…
Executive Corner: Wall Street Sentiments Suggest Strong A/E Industry Outlook
Sometimes the movement of money in capital markets can tell us a lot about investors’ expectations for a particular stock or a particular industry.…
Executive Corner: Five Takeaways from 2016 A/E M&A Activity
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?
Whether a business valuation is done for purposes of transferring ownership internally from one employee to another, or for meeting the regulatory requirements of sponsoring an employee stock-ownership plan, the risk associated with such an investment is a…
Executive Corner: Is the End Near for Traditional Management/Ownership Structures?
There’s no doubt about it; attitudes regarding ownership, particularly among younger generations, are changing. Why own a car when, with the touch of your iPhone, you can summon an Uber or Lyft driver to take you where you want to go? Why own a house or…
Executive Corner: Can the A/E Industry Re-accelerate Its Growth?
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
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
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?
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…
