Engineering Inc. - May/June 2008 - 44

oNE oN oNE Hanson CEO Confronts Market Challenges, Slowing Economy, Importance of Advocacy Sergio “Satch” Pecori is president and CEO of Hanson Professional Services, Inc., in Springfield, Ill. Q. looking back on more than half a century of growth for hanson professional services, what have been the primary market challenges you have faced and overcome? When our firm was founded in 1954, we operated with just a few employees based in Springfield, Ill., providing geotechnical and structural engineering for a wide variety of clients in the United States and abroad. As the needs of these clients changed, we evaluated how we could change to continue to meet their needs. Essentially, Hanabout hanson Professional services: headquarters: Springfield, Ill. total offices/employees: 23 offices, 450 employees key markets: Telecommunications, government, energy, aviation, highways, railroads A. son was determined to “fill the voids” our clients faced and expand our role and services to maintain these working relationships. Throughout the years, we have expanded to include skill sets such as environmental, mechanical, electrical, civil, water resources and architectural services, all to benefit our clients. We also have expanded our geographic locations, spanning from West Palm Beach, Fla., to Anchorage, Alaska, to provide our clients with easy access to Hanson professionals across the United States. Q. A. roads, bridges, railroads, airports and city infrastructures. Any new stimulus package should address these needs directly. Q. way infrastructure due to the increase in fuel prices. what does a slowing economy mean for your firm? Q. transportation funding is a concern facing the industry at the state and national levels. what’s the solution in your view? The slowing economy affects our firm and clients in several ways. Some of our industrial clients are looking at slower expansion plans. The mortgage crisis has caused some of our development projects to stop and foreclosure actions to begin. The devalued U.S. dollar has caused foreign investors to acquire some of our competitors, thus changing that landscape. As someone who has been active with ACEC/ pAC over the years, can you describe how that involvement has been beneficial to your firm? A. I view my participation in ACEC/PAC as playing an active role in supporting good government. Through PACs, we support members of Congress that have similar beliefs when it comes to transportation and other governmentalrelated issues that affect our industry. The bottom line is that we need elected officials A. package that will “we aneed a federal stimulus nation, that will have greater impact on the improve our infrastructure, that will put people to work and have a beneficial long-term impact. The current federal stimulus package aims to put money in the hands of a wide variety of people to encourage individuals to buy goods and services, which is a short-term solution, in my opinion. We need a federal stimulus package that will have a greater impact on the nation, that will improve our infrastructure, that will put people to work and have a beneficial longterm impact. Our state and federal governments need the resources to address critical needs in transportation, including maintaining, updating and expanding ” Increased fuel costs have shifted some commodity traffic from highways to railways and waterways, thereby changing our business opportunities. The slowing economy has resulted in less personal spending, which means less tax revenue for states and cities, resulting in less money for capital improvements. In general, the slowing economy will affect us negatively for the most part, but will create some added opportunities in the areas of railway and water- who support initiatives and funding programs that are crucial to the betterment of our country and the livelihood of our industry. Participating in ACEC/ PAC becomes more beneficial over time. For example, in order to create an adequate-toexceptional transportation and infrastructure system, we need individuals who are willing to bring to members of Congress our continual awareness of the vital needs of our cities, states and the industry. n 44 ENGINEERING INC. MAY / JUNE 2008

Engineering Inc. - May/June 2008

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