Engineering Inc. - November/December 2007 - (Page 34) Hawaiian dancers entertain ACEC members during Local Color Night. Growth Opportunities Through M&A Since 2003, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have become a hot trend within the A/E industry. Colvin Matheson, financial consultant, said M&A is now a popular method of growth and expansion for domestic and interACEC President Dave Raymond talks with She national firms. Matheson cautioned Jianming, chairman of the China National Association of Engineering Consultants. that not all mergers and acquisitions are financially successful. “Mega-deals are much riskier than deals involving 30- to 100person firms,” he said. Are A/E Firms Falling Behind in Efficiency? Renowned Princeton engineering professor David Billington autographs his latest book for ACEC members. The ACEC/PAC Sweepstakes $10,000 Grand Prize was won by Gregs Thomopulos of Stanley Consultants in Muscatine, Iowa. Taking the $5,000 Second Prize was Loy Young of ACEC/Washington. The $2,000 Third Prize went to Lance Meang of USKH, Inc., of Juneau, Alaska, while Edward Haggerty of C&S Engineers in Syracuse, N.Y., claimed the $1,000 Fourth Prize. Paul Bryant, a consultant with Pivotal Management Consulting, LLC, said the U.S. is falling behind in industry Gary Wendt, former CEO efficiency compared with countries such as the United Kingdom, which of G.E. Capital Services, discusses how he turned a has made improved efficiency an fledgling company unit into a industrywide priority. $48 billion financial giant. Bryant cited the 2004 report of the National Institute of Standards and Technology that identified $15.8 billion in construction efficiency losses resulting from “inadequate interoperability between design and engineering sectors.” Other Conference Highlights n CASE celebrated its 20th anniversary with a special Conference program and banquet. n Eleven Fellows were inducted into the ACEC College of ACEC/PAC Fundraising on Record Pace ACEC/PAC fundraising events generated more than $100,000 to support the Council’s political program. Fundraising efforts have pushed the 2007 total to more than $400,000 for the year, putting the PAC on pace to break last year’s $440,000 record. 34 ENGINEERING INC. NovEmbER / DECEmbER 2007 Enjoying the ACEC/PAC cruise on the Pacific are from the left: Former ACEC Chairman Eric Flicker of Pennoni Associates and wife Gerri along with Philios Angelides of the Alpha Corporation and his wife Teresa Hearn.
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