Business Review USA - November 2017

w w w.businessreviewusa.com

November 2017

TOP10

Most valuable US sports franchises

NATURAL DEFENSE How the US military is embracing solar power

BOI - Thailand seeking investment from the US

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world.

PepsiCo generated approximately $63 billion in net revenue in 2016, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana.

PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose – our fundamental belief that the success of our company is inextricably linked to the sustainability of the world around us. We believe that continuously improving the products we sell, operating responsibly to protect our planet and empowering people around the world is what enables PepsiCo to run a successful global company that creates long-term value for society and our shareholders. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com

FOREWORD HELLO AND WELCOME to the November edition of Business Review USA. First up is a look at how the US military is going solar, chiefly with the installation of what is Florida’s largest solar plant on its lands. Coronal Energy is behind the project, and Chief Commercial Officer Danny Van Clief talks about how the work unfolded.

Following this is a visit to Thailand and its government’s Board of Investment. Business Review USA travelled to the country to see how it is attempting to lure America’s biggest and best businesses to

drive economic growth in its up and coming Eastern Economic Corridor.

A number of other exclusive insights and interviews span industries from energy and construction to supply chain and healthcare.

Terracon, Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Manatee County Utilities, Education Corporation of America, New Century Health and Christus Health all discuss their latest plans and ambitions.

Finally, a nod to our top 10, which this month looks at the business of sport. Find out which franchises are the most valuable around.

ENJOY THE ISSUE!

www.businessreviewusa.com

www.bizclikmedia.com 3

vt

CONTENTS

F E AT U R E S

34

INSIGHT

06 Largest Solar Portfolio in Florida - Coronal Energy military project TECHNOLOGY

14 BOI - Thailand seeking investment from the US. (From Thailand trip) TOP 10

22 Top 10 biggest sports franchises

48

Crawford, Murphy & Tilly

C O M PA N Y PROFILES ENERGY 34 Terracon

CONSTRUCTION 48 Crawford, Murphy & Tilly 58 Manatee County Utilities

SUPPLY CHAIN 68 Education Corporation of America 82 Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC)

HEALTHCARE 90 New Century Health 102 Christus Health

68 58

Manatee County Utilities

90

New Century Health

Education Corporation of America

102

Christus Health

INSIGHT

Natural defense How the US military is

embracing solar power Wr i t t e n by LE I L A H AW K I N S

INSIGHT

Coronal Energy’s Chief Commercial Officer Danny Van Clief discusses the Gulf Coast Solar Center Portfolio, a massive construction, built on military land, of almost 1.5mn solar photovoltaic panels that will deliver enough energy to power 18,000 homes throughout northwest Florida

THE BIGGEST SOLAR panel installation in Florida went live this summer, an initiative that will drastically cut CO2 emissions by powering tens of thousands of homes with natural energy.

Coronal Energy, part of the Panasonic Group, is a North American provider of renewable energy 8

November 2017

solutions. Traditionally, its customers have been utility companies like Southern California Edison and Duke Energy, but in recent years, in keeping with the growth of the renewable energy industry, it has seen an increasing amount of sales to electricity power plants like its own.

N AT U R A L D E F E N C E

“We also used airfields and runways that weren’t in use anymore and were just sitting idle”

In August this year, the organization completed its largest project to date, the “jewel in the crown” as Chief Commercial Officer Danny Van Clief calls it. This is the Gulf Coast Solar Center Portfolio, a massive construction of almost 1.5mn solar photovoltaic panels that will deliver

Danny Van Clief Chief Commercial Officer, Coronal Energy

9

INSIGHT

25 years - length of Coronal’s contract with the US Department of Defense 10

November 2017

enough energy to power 18,000 homes in northwest Florida.

The solar panels are located in three separate sites: the Eglin Air Force Base, three miles away from the city of Valparaiso, the Naval Air Station’s auxiliary fields in the town of Holley, and at Saufley’s military airport.

Combined, the three sites have a capacity of 120 MWac covering 942 acres of land, making this the biggest solar installation in the state of Florida, as well as the largest on any Department of Defense (DoD) property so far.

Developing the portfolio The project took three years to finish, from the date Coronal first approached Florida-based electricity provider Gulf Power with the idea in 2014, until its completion this summer.

Constructing a project of this scale is determined by how much real estate there is available. “We looked at the available acreage on all three bases,” Van Clief explains, “and identified the areas that met our specifications, including flat open terrain and close proximity to the electrical infrastructure. We also used airfields and runways that weren’t in use

N AT U R A L D E F E N C E

98%

- proportion of workers on the Gulf Coast Solar Center Portfolio who are employed locally

anymore and were just sitting idle.”

Coronal worked with all three branches of the Department of Defense: The Navy, Air Force and Army, who Van Clief explains were very receptive to the concept because of their 2025 target to increase usage of renewable sources in their supply chain by 25%. “So, when we engaged with them, they were actually shopping for renewable energy; that’s the easiest way to put it,” he says.

Before going ahead, approval was

sought from the Florida Public Service Commission, one of the requirements for a development of this kind. Coronal then provided a forecast of economic benefits to the communities where the developments would be taking place.

Here, a key factor was generating jobs across the three counties, and 450 workers were employed, 98% of whom were hired locally.

Plans to create employment opportunities are often requested before permits are granted, however, 11

INSIGHT the process varies from county to county. “In this case that was a very important component of the approval that we were seeking,” Van Clief says.

There is a potential to lease the facilities too, in particular the Eglin lands, which will bring in additional revenue for the DoD to invest in new energy initiatives. Also, Coronal is providing ‘in kind consideration’, meaning it will pay for upgrades to the electric grid across all three sites.

Competing in renewables The renewable energy sector is very

competitive and expanding fast. Van Clief estimates that there are around 9,000 businesses involved in solar power in the US at the moment.

“It is growing at five times the rate of traditional fuels. 2016 was the first year in the history of the US where more solar capacity was brought online than natural gas. The demand is clearly there,” he says.

“One half is people are looking for affordable electricity, and the other half is environmental. We’re able to meet both of those demands. The forecast for solar in North America

“The power that we’re producing won’t get sourced from fossil fuels, [and] will result in the reduction of CO2 emissions equivalent to 3.5mn tonnes” – Danny Van Clief, Chief Commercial Officer, Coronal Energy

12

November 2017

N AT U R A L D E F E N C E

is that if you took every solar panel ever installed from the beginning of the industry going back to the 1970s, and added them all up to today, [it] will double in a five-year period.”

Out of all Coronal’s work, the Gulf Coast Solar Center Portfolio is by far its proudest achievement. “It would be hard for us to top that,” Van Clief says, “but I would say we’re really proud of the collective track record of our projects, working with the major utilities. That’s who we are, that’s what we are known for.”

The length of the Solar Center

Portfolio contract is 25 years, and Van Clief states it will have lasting impacts. “Firstly, these are going to be viewed as major steps forward by the Air Force and the Navy for their long range 2025 targets. But secondarily, from an environmental perspective, the power that we’re producing won’t get sourced from fossil fuels, [and] will result in the reduction of CO2 emissions equivalent to 3.5mn tons.”

That is the equivalent of taking nearly 680,000 cars off the road every single year, thanks to harnessing the natural power of the sun.

Gulf Coast Solar Center I 13

INVESTMENT

mission BIGGEST

Thailand’s

to attract the

AND BEST

US BUSINESSES The Thai government’s Board of Investment is doing its bit in helping grow the country’s economy to become one of the most prosperous and innovative in ASEAN – and it’s targeting the United States’ biggest businesses to achieve it…

Written by BEN MOUNCER

INVESTMENT

STRIVING TO BE one of Asia’s brightest economies is no easy task when you’re up against behemoths such as China and Japan – which is why Thailand is going the extra mile to attract United States businesses.

Despite being resource-rich and with the optimal geographical location in the region, a significant skills shortage has held the country back in comparison to ASEAN rivals, with its GDP trailing considerably behind the likes of Singapore and Malaysia.

The Thai government is hoping 16

November 2017

to win back some of this ground by reconstructing its economy, putting innovation and technology at its front and center to achieve ‘Thailand 4.0’, the most ambitious step in its economic ladder.

All of the work to persuade global companies to move part of their operations to the country is being done by the Board of Investment (BOI), the government department tasked with the specific remit to sell its vision for the future.

Notable current US investors include

T H A I L A N D ’ S M I S S I O N T O AT T R A C T U S B U S I N E S S E S

“There will be a new high-speed train that will have the dual track rail system as well as the extension of the main EEC motorway, so transportation will be very good” – Bonggot Anuroj, Senior Executive Advisor at the BOI

the likes of Microsoft, Ford and GE, though through making significant upgrades to its education system and infrastructure, Thailand is hoping its incentives will lead to an additional influx, fueling its journey to 4.0.

“Foreign investors play a very important role, a wider role in terms of our industrial development, especially when we’re talking about new

technologies,” says Bonggot Anuroj, a Senior Executive Advisor at the BOI. “If you want to introduce some innovation into our country, of course we have to co-operate with foreign companies. From that, I think we can learn from them and then start to build our own capability.

“At the moment, we are at the level of Thailand 3.0, but certain areas are 17

INVESTMENT still at the level of 2.5. If you want to compete with countries with higher levels of economy like South Korea or Taiwan, we have to focus more on the value-added technology industries.�

Industries and incentives The BOI is looking to encourage the investment into ten target industries in line with its technology and innovation focus, with five of those industries being current areas ready for upgrade: automotive, electronics, petrochemical,

agriculture and food and tourism.

Its five other target industries are new areas of priority and include automation and robotics, aerospace, digital, biotechnology and medical and healthcare.

To drive investment into these industries, the BOI has set up specific incentives for foreign companies which bring business to its Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), a priority zone made up of the Chachoengsao, Chonburi and Rayong provinces and formerly

‘In 2015, total two-way trade was estimated over $37 billion, of which approximately $13.8bn is in US exports. American investment in Thailand, concentrated in the petroleum and chemicals, finance, consumer products, and automobile production sectors, is estimated at $11.3bn in 2015. Leading Thai imports from the United States include machinery, aircraft, gold, optic and medical goods, and agricultural products.

Thai exports to the United States include machinery, rubber, prepared meat, shrimp and tuna, jewelry, and other agricultural products. The United States is also one of the largest investors in Thailand, with over $11bn in foreign direct investment in 2015, concentrated in the petroleum and chemicals, finance, consumer products and automobile production sectors.’ 18

November 2017

known as its Eastern Seaboard.

These incentives include the exemption of import duties on raw or essential goods used in production for export or research and development, as well as corporate income tax holidays. Technologybased companies could be exempt from corporate income tax for up to 13 years, while businesses in other target industries can earn tax holidays of up to eight years.

In addition, Anuroj adds: “I think non-tax incentives are also very important for foreign investors.

We allow foreigners to have land ownership and that’s very important because according to the Land Court of Thailand, foreigners cannot own land. As long as they continue the project promoted by the BOI, they can own land.”

An infrastructure revolution In order to make the scale of investment viable, a public and private financial commitment to infrastructure has been made, with spending in the EEC set to hit a sizeable $43bn over the next five years.

19

INVESTMENT

‘Notable current US investors include the likes of Microsoft, Ford and GE, though through making significant upgrades to its education system and infrastructure, Thailand is hoping its incentives will lead to an additional influx’ 20

November 2017

T H A I L A N D ’ S M I S S I O N T O AT T R A C T U S B U S I N E S S E S

Major projects include a $5.7bn expansion at U-Tapao Airport and $2.5bn worth of improvements to the Laem Chabang seaport, the 23rd biggest of its kind in the world.

The BOI hopes the end result will see Thailand become the logistics ‘nexus’ of Southeast Asia, creating efficient transport in ASEAN through both its east-west and north-south economic corridors.

“The government has several projects coming up. We’re going to expand the seaport in the area, we’re going to expand the international airport,” explains Anuroj.

“There will be a new high-speed train that we will have the dual track rail system as well as the extension of the main EEC motorway, so transportation will be very good. There will be new cities and we hope that there will be more schools and institutes too.”

Solving the skills shortage Thailand’s biggest obstacle in the way of its ambitions remains its workforce, with over 80% of the employed population working in unskilled jobs.

The government has made efforts to make a difference in its education sector, however, with spending

having increased by 6.49% since 2010, while privately-funded institutes such as VISTEC – a technology learning center in Rayong – harboring ambitions to one day match the likes of Stanford and Harvard.

“In the long run, we will need the education reform in order to absorb the new technology and the new innovation that we need to strengthen our industry and our business,” admits Anuroj.

“In the short term, the government has come up with several schemes.

As well as the BOI, we have set up a unit called the Strategic Talent Centre (STC) and if any companies want to bring in experts in the area of science and technology, we will support them with a visa and work permit.

“In the EEC, we will allow foreign companies to set up a university or college in the area of science and technology. Normally for education, we will have Thai majority ownership, but now, just for the EEC, a foreign company can do it.”

Further challenges remain, but Thailand’s government hopes its bold approach – and investment from the other side of the planet – will reap rewards for years to come.

21

TOP 10

Top 10

most valuable

US sports franchises Sports franchises have proven to be popular and lucrative investments. But what are the top 10 most valuable sporting organizations in the United States?

Edited by OLIVIA MINNOCK

TOP 10

10 LOS ANGELES DODGERS, L.A. Valued at $2.75bn, the Dodgers are second only to the NY Yankees in terms of Major League Baseball wealth. The team plays at Dodger Stadium in a metropolitan area populated by over 13mn people. Owned by Guggenheim Baseball Management, the club was purchased for $2bn in 2012 and has won six championships during its history. Annual revenue stands at $462mn and player expenses run at $275mn. Mark Walter enjoys controlling ownership.

“Valued at $2.75bn, the Dodgers are second only to the NY Yankees in terms of Major League Baseball wealth�

24

TOP 10 MOST VALUABLE US SPORTS FRANCHISES

09 LOS ANGELES RAMS, L.A. The Rams relocated to California to open the 2017 season after a long stint in St. Louis. The franchise was originally founded in Cleveland in the 1930s and moved to L.A. in 1946, Anaheim in 1980 then St. Louis in 1995. Valued at $2.9bn, the franchise was purchased by Stanley Kroenke in 2010 for $750mn.

Valued as the No. 6-ranked National Football League organization, it garners an annual revenue of $317mn and assumes player payroll expenses of $161mn.

The Rams are building a joint facility with the former San Diego Chargers team in Inglewood, California. The relocation and stadium component improved the Ram’s value from $1.45bn in 2015. The team will play at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum until construction is complete.

25

TOP 10

08 WASHINGTON REDSKINS, LANDOVER, MARYLAND Owned and operated by Daniel Snyder, the National Football League franchise is valued at $2.9bn. The organisation brings in $447mn per year and pays out player expenses of $193mn. Snyder purchased the team and Jack Kent Cooke Stadium in 1999 for $800mn. Slumping revenue prompted Snyder to sell off team debt in 2003, leaving him with 65% controlling ownership. The storied, 85-year franchise has won five league championships and three Super Bowls.

The playing facility was renamed FedExField and enjoys a capacity of 82,000, including 243 executive suites. Landover is located just outside Washington, D.C., and has a population of about 23,000.

26

November 2017

TOP 10 MOST VALUABLE US SPORTS FRANCHISES

07 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS, SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA Owned and operated by Denise DeBartolo York and John York, the 49ers franchise is valued at $3bn and brings in a yearly revenue of $446mn with player payroll estimated at $157mn. The once-storied franchise won five Super Bowl Championships and the most famous player in team history is four-time champion quarterback Joe Montana. The team plays in the $1.3bn Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, California, owned by the Santa Clara Stadium Authority. The 49ers pay $24mn in annual rent.

27

TOP 10

06 LOS ANGELES LAKERS, LA, CALIFORNIA Considered the second most valuable team in the National Basketball Association, the Lakers are a top 10 sports franchise worldwide. Valued at $3bn, the Lakers generate approximately $333mn in annual revenue with player expenses at $84mn. Purchased in 1998 for $268mn, the team is owned by Jerry Buss Family Trusts and Philip Anschutz. The Lakers play at the Staples Centre in downtown L.A., a facility that also hosts concerts, boxing and arena football.

28

November 2017

TOP 10 MOST VALUABLE US SPORTS FRANCHISES

05 NEW YORK GIANTS, EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ The New York Giants are considered one of the storied National Football League teams. The franchise has won eight championships and brings in an estimated $444mn in annual revenue with players expenses of $182mn. It enjoys a total value of $3.1bn and is owned by John Mara and Steven Tisch. The Giants are the ninth most valuable sports franchise in the world. Although considered a New York team, games are played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, also known as the Meadowlands. The facility holds 82,500 people and the Giants share home field with the New York Jets. The stadium was the most expensive ever built at $1.6bn in 2010. The proposed Las Vegas stadium for the NFL Raiders franchise is expected to exceed that number.

29

TOP 10

04 NEW YORK KNICKS, MANHATTAN, NYC The New York Knicks are the most valuable National Basketball Association franchise at $3.3bn in value. The franchise has won two championships and generates an estimated annual revenue of $376mn with player expenses of $86mn. The organization also sits in the top 10 wealthiest sports franchises in the world and plays at Madison Square Garden in the Manhattan borough of New York City. Manhattan has a population of 1.65mn and ranks as the most expensive place to live in the United States.

30

November 2017

TOP 10 MOST VALUABLE US SPORTS FRANCHISES

03 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS, FOXBORO, MA The New England Patriots are considered a recent National Football dynasty, having won five Super Bowl Championships under the current coaching staff and quarterback, Tom Brady. The franchise is valued at $3.4bn and generates revenue upwards of $523mn with annual player expenses of $182mn. The club competes at Gillette Stadium, which is owned and operated by Kraft Sports Group. The company is a subsidiary of owner Robert Kraft’s The Kraft Sports Group corporation. The 65,878-capacity open air facility is expandable by 20,000 and houses 5,876 club seats and 89 luxury suites.

31

TOP 10

02 NEW YORK YANKEES, NEW YORK The New York Yankees are the most valuable Major League Baseball team and the second wealthiest sports franchise in the world at $3.7bn. The more than 100-year-old franchise is well-known for pin stripe uniforms and has won more championships than any other MLB team at 27. The team plays in the $2.3bn Yankee Stadium in the Bronx area of New York City. The publicly subsidized stadium has a capacity of 47,422. The organization generates $526mn in annual revenue with player expenses totaling $241mn. The Yankees have been owned and operated by the Steinbrenner Family since 1973.

The YANKEE STADIUM

is worth $2.3bn

32

November 2017

TOP 10 MOST VALUABLE US SPORTS FRANCHISES

01 DALLAS COWBOYS, ARLINGTON, TEXAS The Dallas Cowboys were dubbed “America’s Team” in 1979 and the organization tops the National Football League, and the world, as the most valuable franchise. With a total franchise value of $4.2bn, owner Jerry Jones purchased the team for $150mn in 1989. The Cowboys play at the $1.3bn domed AT&T Stadium in the suburb of Arlington, outside Dallas. The 80,000-seat capacity facility is the largest domed stadium in the world and more than 4,000 people work there. Arlington has a population of nearly 400,000, enjoys a lower than US average unemployment rate and Texas does not impose a personal income tax on residents. The Cowboys generate an annual revenue of $700mn and total player expenses are $190mn.

33

BRINGING FOUNDATION

to an emerging energy market Written by Dale Benton Produced by Tom Venturo

TERRACON

Through its approach to innovation and collaboration, Terracon continues to provide key engineering solutions to clients in a booming market

T

erracon has been delivering consulting engineering services to clients for more than 50 years. The company, based in Olathe, Kansas, provides geotechnical, environmental, and materials testing services across a number of strategic business sectors, including power generation, oil and gas, transportation and facilities.

Over the last two years, the company has experienced significant growth in one particular sector, power generation and transmission, recording a growth rate of 20% year-on-year.

Heading up the company’s Power

36

November 2017

Generation and Transmission team is Blair Loftis, an experienced project manager having worked in the fields of both construction management, financial optimisation and operational risk management within an electrical utility.

Having that experience in risk management, particularly in the engineering construction industry, proves key to Loftis’s strategic decision making.

“Anybody who wants to get into energy, I recommend that they get to the field first,” he says. “Spend some time in construction, understand firsthand how projects are executed and then you begin to see the relationship between the design process and implementation of that process in the field. If the design isn’t prepared with consideration for how it is going to be built you are headed for problems.”

Loftis feels the power generation market, renewables in particular, is undergoing something of a gold rush, as more and more companies are investing heavily in ways to find more efficient and ultimately costeffective ways to generate power.

ENERGY

This brings about its own form of pressures, as the demand for finding the solution increases and the timeframes for those solutions grows shorter and shorter.

Terracon’s team encompasses more than 4,000 employees in more than 140 offices, so project management proves key in ensuring that each and every one of those employees are being effectively utilised.

“It’s about ensuring that we can pull the right resources from across our enterprise and use them effectively,” says Loftis.

“Having the right perspective as to understanding where your resources are and how to best utilize them, that’s key. It’s a challenge that affects not only us but the wider engineering space.”

As the company has operated for more than 50 years, delivering consistent success and quality of service, Loftis knows where the company’s strengths lie.

“We’ve really focused on what we are good at. We don’t try and be something we are not, we focus on our

It’s about ensuring that we can pull the right resources from across our enterprise and use them effectively

Blair Loftis Vice President National Director, Power Generation & Transmission at Terracon

TERRACON

strengths and that is in geo-design, and more importantly, finding where we as a business can offer the most efficacy and value for our clients.”

The wind energy generation market is an increasingly growing one. Loftis notes that 50% of the capex within the construction cycle of a wind farm goes into the turbines themselves, with the remaining 50% going into “balance of plant” (BOP) – roadways, conductor systems and other infrastructure elements.

The key for Terracon is finding where it can add value into that construction cycle, and Loftis has located it in the foundations.

At a time where the focus on wind energy generation is growing, the result of this increased demand has been to increase the size of the turbines, the height of the tower, and the length of the blades. In turn, the foundation system grows larger and more expensive.

The market is moving towards larger turbines for land based applications; from a typical size in the 2 MW family to turbines rated

38

November 2017

at 3 to 3.5 MWs. Traditionally, the turbines have been constructed with a Gravity Spread foundation design, but with the additional mass at the top of the tower from these larger machines the industry was ripe for a paradigm shift. “We needed to introduce a means of reducing the huge quantities of concrete and steel required for the foundation systems associated with the preference for bigger turbines”, says Loftis.

- “50% of the CAPEX is BOP, and 25% of that is in the foundations, so the challenge then became working out what we can do to optimise the foundation design in order to reduce the overall cost of the construction,” he says.

More than

4,000

employees in over 140 offices

ENERGY

P&H TPFoundation Looking Down

The solution? The Patrick & Henderson (P&H) Tensionless Pier Foundation, a design that requires a third of the amount of concrete and steel and requires 25% the excavation and backfill when constructing these larger wind turbines. According to Loftis a small experienced crew can easily complete five foundations per week under favourable site conditions. Terracon works closely with qualified P&H foundation construction contractors such as Blount Construction and JBS Energy Solutions to make sure that the

design aligns with the construction execution process. Other large EPC firms such as Blattner Energy, Inc. also has extensive historical experience with the P&H foundation and just recently completed a project with the P&H foundation solution in Northern California. “The P&H foundation has a lot of attributes that reduce the risk profile when you compare it to the traditional Gravity Spread foundation.

There have been fatigue failures in the spread foundations. Some of these leading to catastrophic failure

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

39

TERRACON

From the basement of P&H TP

40

November 2017

ENERGY

of the foundation system. The P&H foundation is constantly under compression so there is no fatigue generated by alternating tension and compression that occurs in the gravity spread” says Loftis.

“So not only the cost savings, but the reduction of risk has made this design more favourable to wind farm owners and those investing in them.”

In addition to this “tensionless pier foundation” Terracon offers two other P&H foundation options, the P&H Rock Anchor foundation and the P&H Soil Anchor foundation. This provides for alternative cost saving foundation options even in rare circumstances when the tensionless pier foundation might not be compatible with site conditions.

Terracon formed an exclusivity agreement with four other companies working as a tight team- Williams Form Engineering Corp., Contech Engineered Solutions, Patrick & Henderson and Structural Observations Services - to be the only provider of the P&H solution in the wind generation market.

It is through this collaborative effort that Terracon establishes itself as a key player in the market, one that stands tall amongst any of its closest competitors.

“It’s an example of the level of innovations that we bring to all our markets, not just wind, and that helps us build client relationships,” says Loftis. “We bring efficiency and economy and locate the value proposition like no other, and through this approach

To make things functionally redundant and ask the question, how can it be done better? How can we improve our efficiency? Let’s change the game completely. That’s what Terracon is all about – Blair Loftis, Vice President - National Director, Power Generation & Transmission at Terracon

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

41

Solar Pile Driving Specialists

>

> 2220 E. 8th Street, Odessa, TX 79761

432-813-2248

Estimating@housersolar.com

WWW.HOUSERSOLAR.COM

Williams Form Engineering Corporation has been providing threaded steel bars and accessories for the construction industry for over 95 years.

FOR ALL INQUIRIES, CONTACT US: Phone: (616) 866-0815 | Fax: (616) 866-1890 Email: williams@williamsform.com

8165 Graphic Drive, Belmont, MI 49306 www.williamsform.com

ENERGY

we partner with clients to help them achieve their strategic goals.”

While Terracon can point to the fact that no other company can offer the P&H foundation solution in the wind market, it does have other competitors in the solar space and electrical transmission. But the company has one advantage that no other can compete with, and it comes with experience.

“We have over 50 years of geotechnical data from our work with clients throughout our history,” says Loftis. “That works out at approximately $1bn worth of geotechnical data that we have - no one else has that volume or coverage of data.”

Terracon has been investing $2mn each year in digitizing that data which will consequently provide greater access to it, both internally and externally on the client side. This allows for Terracon, when working with a client, to mine its data at no capital costs. Without sending a single piece

of equipment into the field, Terracon can already inform the decision and design process for its clients. But what if the company has to enter the field?

“If we go out into the field, our repository of proprietary data helps us to economize,” says Loftis.“For example, in characterizing the route for a new electrical transmission line, depending upon the level of our historic data coverage, we won’t need to advance a boring every mile of the way, we can do it every other mile or more. It quite literally cuts the time and cost in half for many projects, allowing the client to better understand the risks and opportunities from the very beginning at a much more effective cost. No one else in the market can offer that value.” This he says is an example of “methods consulting,” rather than just relying upon a wrote

Founded in

1965 w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

43

TERRACON

set of broad based industry practices.

In the solar market Terracon also excels by determining the minimum required embedment depth for the steel tracker foundations. This is extremely important says Loftis, “Take for example a 100 MW utility-scale solar farm. If we can minimize the required foundation embedment depth by 12 inches that conserves over 15 linear miles of steel. A significant reduction in construction CAPEX.”

Terracon’s competitors strive to do the same, but the advantage is the expanse of Terracon’s enterprise.

With more than 140 offices local knowledge of soil and geotechnical conditions make Terracon stand apart from the rest. “We have participated in the design of solar projects in 44 states in the U.S., in Canada, Mexico, and LATAM, it is our local expertise that has enabled us to gain this level of market share”, he says.

Blount Contracting is a full service civil construction company specializing in mass excavation, shoring, renewable energy – civil grading and P & H foundation installation.

blountco.com 1353 S Vista Rd Apache Junction AZ 85119 • 480-985-2112 • info@blountco.com

ENERGY

Terracon Imagine

P&H TP-Setting the Bolt Cage

True to the theme of innovation, Terracon has designed a proprietary system to test and evaluate the load forces of the solar foundations.

Terracon’s mobile load testing tripod meets the ASTM standards for testing of deep pile foundations.

This, according to Loftis, provides for a higher level of data accuracy and reproducibility, thus allowing for a higher acuity of design optimization. Equally important is Terracon’s partnerships with

qualified and experienced foundation installers like Houser Solar Services (HSS). “Using construction grade equipment and experienced partners to install the test piles is essential to producing quality data”, says Loftis.

It would be easy for Loftis to rest on his laurels. After all, Terracon is a market leader and utilizes innovation that others can only follow behind.

Instead, Loftis actively seeks out disruption in order to continuously push the boundaries as to what

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

45

TERRACON

Terracon can offer to its clients.

“As the market heads towards bigger foundation designs and larger turbines, the older, more commonly used foundations become functionally redundant,” he says. “And that’s what we want to do. To make things functionally redundant and ask the question, how can it be done better?

How can we improve our efficiency?

Let’s change the game completely.

That’s what Terracon is all about.”

As part of a five-firm collaborative, Loftis owes a lot of his success in power generation and transmission to the collective efforts of that team. Loftis notes of the sense of brotherhood across the partnership, ensuring that each partner’s interests are accounted for,

considered and accommodated.

“We share in the risk and we share in the reward,” says Loftis.

And it’s an approach that extends outward to the client relationships.

“We focus on our client’s biggest challenges, those hurdles keeping them from getting to the next step.

Our goal is to assist in maximizing the prudent allocation of project development capital while minimizing capital at risk.” However, Loftis is not completely averse to risk. “Our clients must be willing to take a risk to reach the next level. We will partner with them in managing the risk, but if their risk tolerance is too low, then the prospects for reward are bound to be lacklustre. To practice industry disruption you must

We focus on our clients’ biggest challenges, those hurdles keeping them from getting to the next step – Blair Loftis, Vice President - National Director, Power Generation & Transmission at Terracon

46

November 2017

ENERGY

P&H TPConcrete Cap

be willing to face risk, look forward with optimism, and burn the boats behind you. These are the pillars of progress through innovation.”

Blair is an ultra-athlete. He has run to the top of the highest mountain in the conterminous United States and run solo from the south rim of the Grand Canyon to the north rim and back again…in a single day. With four busy children, youngest with Down Syndrome and a wife who is a nationally acclaimed trial attorney he doesn’t get much sleep. When young scientist and engineers ask to join Blair’s team he asks one twopart question…Are you an athlete or an insomniac? Beating the punch to their response he offers that if you are both then you will be a rock star in the power market.

P&H TPAssembly of Bolt Cage w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

47

CRAWFORD, MURPHY & TILLY:

First class

water treatment Written by Dale Benton Produced by Tom Venturo

C R A W F O R D , M U R P H Y & T I L LY

Crawford, Murphy & Tilly has brought decades of industry expertise in planning, design, and construction observation phase services on projects that range from simple to complex

A

t the very core of Crawford, Murphy & Tilly (CMT), lies a promise to provide superior professional engineering services that are responsive to client’s needs and expectations, all the while providing a working environment that fosters the growth and development of its employees.

As an engineering, planning and design company, driven to build and manage infrastructure to enrich a community, having that responsive and flexible approach to clients is key, particularly when that infrastructure project is the expansion of a major water treatment facility that’s been in operation since 1970.

“We’ve always been a firm that puts the client first. We listen, we evaluate the need and the skill that’s required, and then we provide a

50

November 2017

design around that, one that will provide long-term value,” says Christina Crites, Senior Engineer and Project Manager, CMT. Crites currently heads up a water resources team at the company’s current project, expanding the Sugar Creek Wastewater Plant, Springfield, Illinois. The project? To design, plan and construct a major expansion at the plant that will see the plant’s current rating of 10mn gallons per day (MGD)and a peak flow of 25MGD increase to 15MGD with a peak flow of 37.5MGD. This is no small feat, given the fact that the plant has received no major upgrades in over 30 years and the main client is the Springfield state itself.

Crites has a strong background in mechanical engineering and environmental studies and actually

CONSTRUCTION

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

51

C R A W F O R D , M U R P H Y & T I L LY

cut her teeth with CMT, working at a CMT-designed plant prior to coming into the businesses and being the lead engineer herself.

This gives Crites a unique understanding - she has been on the other side of the fence as an operator, and she knows what makes the ideal partner and contractor.

“The Sugar Creek project contains very open SCADA infrastructure for the treatment process, which makes it very operator friendly,” she says.

“The operators can adjust it, do what they need to do with relative ease.

This is essential in creating a strong relationship with the operations staff because they can see it, assess it and modify the infrastructure to fit their needs at any time.”

This helps foster relationships centred around collaboration and allows CMT to operate as an extension of the client. Crites looks to create a value conscious team, one that spends money as though it

PolymerSolutions X Dry or wet polymer preperation, activation and mixing systems X Pre-engineered, custom or fully integrated systems X Call about our portable trial program 412-787-2484

| Metering Pumps | Process Instrumentation | Engineered Pump Systems | Polymer Systems | www.prominent.us

CONSTRUCTION

were clients’ money throughout the entire design, planning, construction and operation.

“It’s about making sure that we deliver the end results that we promise, but more importantly, the end results that the clients need. We work to meet those expectations and we work harder to exceed them,” she says.

Sugar Creek will be the second wastewater treatment plant that CMT has worked on in Springfield, having previously completed an earlier, much larger wastewater treatment project at Spring Creek.

This allows Crites and CMT to bring valuable experience that will create a much more efficient and effective process at Sugar Creek and it starts with having the right people in place.

“It’s funny actually,” notes Crites. “Sugar Creek has been a lot easier because, being a biological nutrient removal plant, there was a lot of continuity, particularly in staff.”

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

53

C R A W F O R D , M U R P H Y & T I L LY

This continuity in staff was enabled through an initiative at the previous project that saw CMT partner younger, ambitious up and coming engineers with more senior staff, fostering a workplace that enabled these staff to achieve and to understand the processes involved in plant construction and operation.

“When Sugar Creek came around, our staff were in the ideal position to lead the way. It was all around providing the right environment

54

November 2017

and providing opportunities, giving them the guidance they need to get to the point where they become their own leaders,” says Crites.

“The whole process has been a tremendous opportunity for a whole future generation of CMT staff, seeing through the whole process of planning, design and construction of a major project – one that was actually twice the size of Sugar Creek.”

CMT works closely with the State

CONSTRUCTION

Crawford, Murphy & Tilly water treatment facility

of Illinois on the delivery of the Sugar Creek plant expansion as well as maintaining a strong relationship with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). The relationship with the IEPA has proved crucial, as CMT worked to obtain a re-rating of the plant’s permitted capacity.

But for Crites, that relationship extends beyond simple certifications and approvals.

“Sure, we work very closely in order to ensure that things are

permitted and signed off correctly, but it has been much more than that,” she says. “From a regulatory perspective, there are going to be a number of environmental changes on the horizon, so having that relationship there will help give us flexibility in our future projects.”

With construction now complete and CMT targeting a late 2017 operation date, the company will not simply put down its tools and wash its hands of the project. CMT

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

55

C R A W F O R D , M U R P H Y & T I L LY

“We’ve always been a firm that puts the client first.

We listen, we evaluate the need and the skill that’s required, and then we provide a design around that, one that will provide long-term value” – Christina Crites, Senior Engineer and Project Manager, CMT

provides added value, assisting with the start-up, ensuring that the plant will operate to the specifications and expectations as promised from day one of design.

There’s just one complication; with any water treatment facility one must account for extreme weather events, but the only issue is that a designer can never fully prepare for one.

“You can’t test storm mode until an actual storm happens,” says Crites. “There’s always going to be changes and tweaks that will happen, but even then, you’re just waiting for the next storm or extreme event to occur. You cannot simply walk away from a plant like this.”

With Sugar Creek operational, Crites turns her attention ever so slightly to the future and what lessons can be taken

56

November 2017

away from this project.

“Sugar Creek is a stepping stone really,” says Crites. “We really cut our teeth on this project in the nutrient removal process, something that’s going to become more and more prominent in future plants of this nature, so this type of work will only continue.

“The more we know and learn from Sugar Creek, the more we can understand what our clients want. Everything we’ve learned from Spring Water and Sugar Creek will guide us into the future.”

CONSTRUCTION

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

57

Developing

water solutions

for the future

The upgrade of Manatee County’s water systems reinforces the County’s status as a leader in the field. Water Division Manager Mark Simpson discusses the ongoing development Written by Catherine Sturman Produced by Tom Venturo

M A N AT E E C O U N T Y U T I L I T I E S

T

he need for clean water worldwide remains vital, and this is never truer than in the US. With an increasingly growing population, it has become an area of prominence and all the more integral to President Trump’s development of America’s infrastructures.

“Utilities are focusing on replacing existing and aging infrastructure, whether that be out in the system, or actually at treatment facilities themselves,” explains Mark Simpson, Water Division Manager at Manatee County Utilities. “People see the need to reinvest where there are limited resources, and management programs make sure that we receive the most efficient and effective use of infrastructure investment.”

At present, residents of Manatee County, Sarasota County, the cities of Palmetto and Bradenton, and the municipalities on the barrier islands obtain all or a portion of their water supply via the Lake Manatee Water Treatment Plant. Catering to over 350,000 civilians and processing over 40mn gallons of water each day, the facility and subsequent filtration

60

November 2017

technology is something of which the company places increased emphasis with regards to maintenance. With the dam now reaching its 50th year, “maintaining the structure means investing in that infrastructure to make sure it can last another 50 to 100 years,” Simpson adds.

The upgrade of the facility will therefore support Manatee County’s ambitions to deliver clean water for the foreseeable future and ensure the county remains compliant with ever more strict US Environmental Protection Agency requirements.

The Plant has two treatment segments – one for its surface water (54 MGD capacity) and the other for groundwater (30 MGD capacity).

The upgrade will include a new Ultrafiltration Membrane System (UF), which will be implemented through the company’s partnership with GE Water & Process Technologies, for the surface water treatment segments.

The agreement will see the installation of 12 membrane trains, retrofitted into existing sand filter basins. Being able to operate the UF in a partial siphon mode will ultimately create savings

“I experienced Hurricane Irma, where the project required around-the-clock access and action by our teams in order to make sure that we keep that reservoir together” – Mark Simpson, Water Division Manager at Manatee County Utilities with escalating pumping costs. The plant is designed to operate at over 96% recovery upon completion.

“The ZeeWeed 1000 membrane consistently outperforms conventional filtration technology while meeting or exceeding regulatory requirements, regardless of source water quality,” comments Kevin Cassidy, Global leader of engineered systems for GE Water & Process Technologies.

“It produces superior water quality and is virtually unaffected by variable raw water quality, which makes it the ideal technology to use for the upgrade of the Lake Manatee Water Treatment Plant.”

Mark Simpson Water Division Manager at Manatee County Utilities

Mark Simpson is the Water Division Manager of the Utilities Department for the Manatee County Government, Manatee County, Florida. He has been with Manatee County for over 35years, as a Laboratory Technician, Chemist and Laboratory Supervisor prior to becoming the Division Manager. He worked in the Manatee County Utilities Department Quality Control Laboratory for the majority of his career, with major focus on researching the prevention and removal of algal byproducts from potable source surface water. He is the author or co-author of over 25 technical papers, research reports, and presentations to professional conferences covering subjects including water quality, treatment, and laboratory techniques.

M A N AT E E C O U N T Y U T I L I T I E S

“People are focusing on replacing existing and aging infrastructure, whether that be out in the system, or actually at treatment facilities themselves” – Mark Simpson, Water Division Manager at Manatee County Utilities

Further developments Another improvement has led to the construction of a new Biological Treatment Unit (BTU), which will house a new concrete facility, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and electrical system, concrete filter tanks, biological treatment filters and an on-site sanitary sewer collection system.

“The BTU is primarily designed for the removal of off-taste causing compounds created by algal growth in Lake Manatee,” Simpson notes.

“These compounds have not been found to be harmful, but they do create an earthy, musty taste that customers find objectionable, and it causes them to question the water quality. It also leads to additional expenses such as purchasing additional bottled water.

62

November 2017

“So, the BTU allows us to remove these compounds at a much greater efficiency than our current method of adding powdered activated carbon (PAC),” he adds.

“The cost for PAC use at our facility is at a million dollars a year.”

Additionally, both construction projects will be integrated with the transformation and replacement of the SCADA control system, which allows Manatee County to control the plant from the central hub. “This upgrade will occur in the next year and a half,” adds Simpson, “as well as a maintenance management system (CMMS), which will enable the organization to optimize its reinvestment resources in both the water system and the waste water system.”

ENERGY

BTU construction

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

63

M A N AT E E C O U N T Y U T I L I T I E S

Lake Manatee WTP Aerial

64

November 2017

ENERGY

Ongoing support Manatee County has built strong relationships with external partners throughout the ongoing development works. Carollo Engineers, in conjunction with GE, are completing the design for the UF project and are now working on Manatee County’s SCADA management system. Vogel Brothers is the general contractor building the BTU.

The Lake Manatee Water Treatment plant caters for up to 350,000 civilians, processing over 40 million gallons of water each day “This is an opportunity for local workers to work on a project that will have a positive effect on the community, and enhance the quality of life for civilians,” Simpson says.

However, the upgrade of Manatee County’s water treatment facility is by no means low risk, nor an easy task. With the potential to impact thousands of civilians, Simpson

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

65

M A N AT E E C O U N T Y U T I L I T I E S

Manatee County Back to the Future

BTU construction

the right fit makes all of the difference SUEZ uses innovative technologies to extend the life of existing infrastructure.

Our experts will collaborate with your organization to develop creative ways to improve water quality and increase capacity.

Congratulations to Manatee County on their drinking water plant upgrade using Zeeweed* Ultrafiltration membranes. *Trademark of SUEZ; may be registered in one or more countries.

To learn more about our products and services, visit www.suezwatertechnologies.com @suezWATERTECH SUEZ - Water Technologies & Solutions

ENERGY

explains that such pressure can be daunting. The operation runs 24-7, even in adverse weather conditions, such as with Hurricane Irma, which heavily impacted ongoing operations.

“Maintaining operations is a consistent challenge,” he states.

“During Hurricane Irma everybody was on emergency operation protocols, which required aroundthe-clock access and action by our teams in order to make sure that we kept the dam together and our facility operational.”

Long-term prospects Working within the water industry for over 30 years, Simpson has seen how the industry has transformed over the years, but stresses how it remains an important subject not only in the US, but on a global scale. Nonetheless, he

concludes that going forward, the way in which water projects are financed and agreed upon is also set to change.

“Over the next five years, the water industry will continue to move towards looking for additional associates through public-private partnerships for reinvestment in infrastructure.

“What will happen then is the focus on how we can adjust, react or change our systems to make them less susceptible to climate change and sea level rise. Especially here in Florida, there’s going to be a big impact on that, where a large portion of the population of the United States lives within several miles of the coast line.

“I think that that’s something that’s really going to take off in the next five years. You’ll also see a lot of work done as to what utilities can do and plans to implement some of those changes.”

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

67

Student-centered

procurement Charles Leslie, Vice President of Procurement at Education Corporation of America discusses how it continues to innovate in order to drive significant cost savings

Written by Catherine Sturman Produced by Denitra Price

E D U C AT I O N C O R P O R AT I O N O F A M E R I C A

T

he procurement industry is undergoing a revolution. No longer viewed as something solely operating behind the scenes, the sector has gained increased prominence within business organizations. Ensuring businesses remain competitive, but also drive value across all operations, Vice President of Procurement Charles Leslie saw the growing potential of such a transformative industry and the opportunity to make a long-term impact within Education Corporation of America’s (ECA’s) procurement operations.

Upon ECA’s acquisition of Kaplan Higher Education Schools’ 38 campus locations across the US two years ago, Leslie had the ambition to transform the organization’s procurement services to become best-in-class and deliver long-term advantages to both the business and its students, with the support of ECA’s Chief Executive Officer Stuart Reed.

“At that point in time, I said that if we’re going to make this work and set up a sustainable model so that we are able to acquire new companies, then we needed to have a best-inclass procurement organization,” Leslie explains.

With a background in accounting, he notes that working with vendors and finding ways to gain additional savings remains an exciting challenge which continues to bring abundant rewards.

70

November 2017

S U P P LY C H A I N

ECA acquired Kaplan Higher Education Schools’ 37 campus locations across the US two years ago

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

71

A TEXTBOOK EXAMPLE OF SMART BUSINESS SPEND Coupa’s cloud platform ensures you maximize the value of every dollar your business spends.

Learn more about our cloud platform for spend management at coupa.com/smart

© 2017 Coupa Software Inc. All Rights Reserved

S U P P LY C H A I N

Data analytics Completing a deep dive, Leslie successfully ascertained the nuances of ECAs department budgets and potential bottlenecks in its operations, alongside ongoing business drivers.

“This has enabled us to therefore provide a less expensive, higher-quality service,” he adds.

The analysis has also enabled Leslie to grow from a ‘one-man procurement band’ to a strong procurement team. His launch of e-procurement solution, Coupa, also now works to support the future of ECA’s procurement transformation.

Through Coupa, past volumes of suppliers and categories have been reduced and streamlined, as it is now responsible for ECA’s data analytics and subsequent monitoring of ongoing spend from all campuses under its umbrella. The tool – Charles Leslie, Vice President is also vital in centralizing data surrounding the of Procurement purchasing of supplies, placed into one main portal.

“We can report off all this data and therefore start using our volume to negotiate better prices with suppliers, and we can use it to our advantage,” Leslie says.

“If we’re able to drive savings down to the bottom line in each function, this frees up additional funds to spend on better innovations and tools which allow for a better student experience at a campus level.

“Vendors are also engaged, especially where they have realized the value and savings which we could bring.”

“We can report off all this data and therefore start using our volume to negotiate better prices with suppliers and we can use it to our advantage”

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

73

E D U C AT I O N C O R P O R AT I O N O F A M E R I C A

“Where we were purchasing office supplies from four or five suppliers; now we’re able to use one supplier and push that down to campus level” – Charles Leslie, Vice President of Procurement

74

November 2017

“Simply put, procurement has an effect on our bottom line,” supports Reed. “This allows us to provide more dollars to invest in the student experience - through lower tuition, through better technology, and through refreshed curriculum.

Supplier relations With ambitions to strengthen its relationships with suppliers, ECA has utilized market intelligence and undertook a spend diagnostic and cost cube analysis. This has enabled its procurement team to identify not

S U P P LY C H A I N

only long-term market spend, but administration and faculties related spend, as well as product order spend throughout its operations.

“We used these assessments, developed a strategic sourcing framework, then issued the RFP and determined who our best partners were,” explains Leslie.

“This has weeded out a lot of vendors, and allowed us to consolidate where possible. Where we were purchasing office supplies from four or five suppliers; now we’re able to use one supplier and push

that down to the campus level.”

“Cost efficiency gives us the assurance that we can continue to invest in the latest technologies,” adds Reed. “The use of bestin-class procurement practices gives us the confidence that we will be able to invest in a sustained manner, rather than stop and go. In a sustained manner, we invest in the best that technology has to offer.”

Streamlining inventory Noting that every campus had previously utilized different suppliers,

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

75

Elsevier a global information analytics business that helps institutions and professionals progress science, advance healthcare and improve performance for the beneet of humanity. We help researchers make new discoveries, collaborate with their colleagues, and give them the knowledge they need to nd funding. We help governments and universities evaluate and improve their research strategies. We help doctors save lives, providing insight for physicians to nd the right clinical answers, and we support nurses and other healthcare professionals throughout their careers.

Elsevier is part par of RELX Group, a global provider of information and analytics for professionals and business customers across industries. www.elsevier.com

S U P P LY C H A I N

“If we’re able to drive savings down to the bottom line in each function, this frees up additional funds to spend on tools which allow for a better student experience” – Charles Leslie, Vice President of Procurement

the use of Coupa has enabled ECA to not only centralize its supply purchases and look at the remaining spend and use of resources, and led the team to analyze the top 200 items purchased at campus level.

“I think we found that our campuses were ordering 10 different types of staplers, for example,” chuckles Leslie. “We decided to find the one stapler that’s going to give us what we need, and negotiate better pricing for that one particular item.” Going forward, ECA’s e-procurement solution will only enable contracted items to be purchased to steer all campuses in the same direction.

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

77

KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.

TM

ARE YOU GETTING THE TRUTH,

THE WHOLE TRUTH

&

NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH?

Applications and resumes might not tell you everything you need to know. Find out what’s missing with KnowMyHire.com.

We deliver accurate and up-to-date background information to help you protect yourself, your employees, and your clients.

Call 877.893.5669 today.

Employment Screening • Criminal Background Checks • Tenant Screening Driving Records • Drug Testing • Credit Checks • Plus More

“We are passionate about what we do, just ask our customers.”

Techsource Tools designs and produces tool kits for schools and training organizations. We are focused on providing the highest level of service possible. We want your experience with us to be simple from start to finish.

• Over 30 years of experience designing and producing custom kits • The most competitive prices in the industry • Top of the line tools • Kit designer on staff • Shipping is always free!

CALL TODAY TO GET STARTED:

800-877-3308

VISIT US ONLINE:

www.TechsourceTools.com

SCHOOLS & LOCATIONS

Coupa has enabled data surrounding the purchasing of supplies to be centralized into one main portal However, despite such focus on sourcing potential savings, Leslie notes that the team “tends to look beyond these price savings to adopt a more holistic approach into managing costs and come up with savings to the bottom line which will be reinvested in the student experience”.

“With these dollars, we can then take education to the next level. That

is our aspiration,” supports Reed.

With an aim to reduce administrative work for its faculty and staff, content strategy and logistics company Ed Map, Inc. has also been brought on board to oversee all of ECA’s textbook orders based on its current projections as part of this student-centric drive. However, the procurement team remains responsible for the

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

79

E D U C AT I O N C O R P O R AT I O N O F A M E R I C A

Golf Academy of America

S U P P LY C H A I N

delivery of each campus’ student uniforms, which is also done without traditional orders being placed.

“We run all of the projections and modelling out of our student record-keeping system, and we’re able to place a centralized order to our uniform supplier who deliver all uniforms to campus level,” Leslie says.

“We’re still delivering all of the supplies and the content, but we’re not having to get much involvement from the campus level as far as placing orders, we’re able to do that centrally.”

This is also being developed further through the implementation of kits, which will be built for each student, rather than the procurement of single items. These bulk orders will then guarantee long-term savings for ECA and provide longterm advantages for its students.

Moving forward With a focus on providing exceptional procurement, Leslie constantly looks at ways to innovate and provide long-term benefits across ECAs operations. He concludes that this also extends towards its workforce.

“It is vital for each team member to know the business inside and out, and each function inside and out.

“They are then able to move up the procurement cycle. I want to ensure that the procurement team is able to speak the language of the other business functions and are able to be transformative across the entire organization. We rotate functional assignments to deliver the most experience possible within the team.

This will further develop the team into future procurement leaders.

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

81

CONNECTIONS

WA R E H O U S I N G E D U C AT I O N A N D R E S E A R C H C O U N C I L ( W E R C )

W

hen you think of networking, do you think of cubed cheese and awkward small talk? Not so for logistics professionals.

The logistics and distribution industry is fundamentally rooted in networking, creating nationwide linkages that keep commerce moving. It’s no surprise then that logistics professionals are expert networkers themselves: forging new business relationships, exchanging knowledge and spreading innovation.

The Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC) is the only national association uniting the vast logistics industry that intersects every border and every sector. It offers members unparalleled networking opportunities that serve individuals and the industry very well.

“I know every industry will say networking is important,” said Tony Ward, managing director of retail for Accenture Strategy. “It’s way beyond jobs and hiring, suppliers and buyers.

Networking is about growth for both individuals and companies. It’s keeping pace with trends. It’s about

84

October 2017

collaborating on the complexities between source and doorstep.”

Today, Ward is president of WERC’s board of directors, but has been involved for 20 years. He first joined the association for the education and professional growth resources, but as his career progressed, it became important for him to be an advocate for the industry.

“WERC has a critical role in that it puts forth fundamental tools and processes about what actually happens in a warehouse,” said Ward. “Then it levels up with strategies, analyses and best practices to help companies and individuals see beyond their four walls and recognize their place in the bigger supply chain picture.”

WERC is both a product of and supplier of networking. Forty years ago, a small group of individuals came together to build a network of education and research opportunities geared toward warehousing professionals. Today, its state-of-the art resources, guides and reports are made possible because of WERC’s network of experts. And, it supplies

its members with multiple entry points into the industry’s network, both on a national and regional scale.

“I picked WERC specifically for its focus on learning and collaboration,” said Ernie Elbert, an industrial engineer with Dillard’s department stores.

Almost immediately after becoming a member of WERC, Elbert began volunteering on the conference planning committee. Held annually, the conference brings together about 1,000 logistics professionals for peer-to-peer education sessions, facility tours and ample networking events. Registration opens in November for the 2018 edition, which will be held at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina from May 6-9.

“The heart of engineering is looking for better ways to do something and that’s what networking is to me, too,” said Elbert. “WERC creates spaces for its members to learn from one another and get fresh perspective. The calibre of people they bring together is always impressive and I really value how much relationship-building happens.”

A strong networking program

Michael Mikitka CEO

Michael Mikitka is chief executive officer and is responsible for helping WERC live up to the commitment it has made to their members and the industry. Mr. Mikitka and his team work to ensure WERC provides its members with education, research and services to develop them professionally and to improve the performance of logistics within their organizations. WERC is headquartered in Oak Brook, IL. Mr. Mikitka joined WERC in 2000 and served as the senior director of the organization’s flagship annual conference and managed WERC’s network of chapters. In 2009, WERC’s board of directors appointed Mr. Mikitka as CEO. Mr. Mikitka began his association career at the Property Loss Research Bureau (PLRB), a trade association of property and casualty insurance companies.

effectively creates a cycle of learning and development for people and industry. No one sees this more clearly than Jennifer Pazour, assistant professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a WERC board of directors member.

“In my short time with WERC, I’ve met tremendously impressive people,” said Pazour. “WERC’s emphasis on peer-led education lets the workforce dictate what they want to be learning, determined by the challenges and opportunities in front of them each day.”

As Pazour learns about new solutions and innovations from her networks, she incorporates the knowledge into her teachings and research, informing the next generation of logistics professionals.

“It’s an exciting and disruptive time in warehousing,” said Pazour.

“We’re collaborating in completely new ways to meet the evolving expectations of consumers, driven largely by new levels of e-commerce.

At the same time, we have better data and analytics available than ever before, which transforms the way

Tony Ward President, Board of Directors Managing Director – Retail, Accenture Strategy

Tony Ward is a lead managing director within the retail strategy practice for Kurt Salmon, part of Accenture Strategy. Mr. Ward has more than 25 years of experience in supply chain management, global product flow, transportation, sourcing and enabling technologies. Prior to joining Kurt Salmon/Accenture, Mr. Ward was a partner at Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, Verticalnet, and Whitman Hart. During his career, he has served as a trusted advisor to some of the biggest brands in the world, assisting with their global supply chain needs and helping them achieve significant business gains.

Mr. Ward has spoken at CSCMP, WERC, RILA and many other supply chain forums. He has been featured in more than 40 articles, and is a contributing author to several books. Mr. Ward is also a member of the WERC Executive Board, Executives Club of Chicago, and the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP).

WA R E H O U S I N G E D U C AT I O N A N D R E S E A R C H C O U N C I L ( W E R C )

SOLUTIONS CENTER

PA Z O U R JENNIFER

88

October 2017

we solve problems and innovate.”

Ward and his colleagues all agree that technology has been the most significant source and reason for transformation in the warehousing industry. To outsiders, this is most evident in the proliferation of online retail availability, but as Ward explains, it goes much deeper.

“Decades ago, we were focused on getting boxes in and boxes out,” said Ward. “Today, technology gives us the ability for real-time

THE SCIENCE & THE ART OF WAREHOUSING

tracking and inventory, new levels of metrics to analyze, and opens up processes to consumers.”

As technology drives change in the industry, it’s also supporting new forms of communication and information sharing. WERC members enjoy regular webinars, convenient self-study or online courses, a web-based member directory and a comprehensive library of reports and best practice guides at their fingertips. When they can get out of the workplace, they network with other professionals at regional WERCouncil events.

The most significant networking event on WERC’s calendar is the

Annual Conference and Solutions Center, coming up May 6-9, 2018 in Charlotte North Carolina. It’s the largest forum for learning and knowledge exchange among logistics professionals, as well as showcase of products and services.

Conference registration opens in November at WERCconference.org

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

89

TRANSFORMING

SPECIALTY HEALTHCARE

with cutting-edge

technology

With technological prowess and industry expertise, New Century Health has established itself as a disruptive player in the specialty healthcare industry. By giving stakeholders innovative technology tools and big data, the company is equipping the healthcare industry for the digital age and, in doing so, it is ensuring high quality healthcare for cancer and cardiac patients Written by Laura Mullan Produced by Glen White

N E W C E N T U R Y H E A LT H

I

t’s an exciting time in the US healthcare industry. Technology solutions are driving innovation and more and more health plans and providers are departing from the traditional ‘fee-for-service’ healthcare model. By paying healthcare providers for keeping people healthy rather than for the cost of their treatment, the new ‘value-based’ models puts an emphasis on long-term outcomes and high-quality, cost-effective care.

It seems that no company is at the forefront of this growing transition like New Century Health, a healthcare service provider based in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Under the direction of Shashi Tripathi, Senior Vice President of Technology and Operational Innovation, the company provides pioneering digital tools which help healthcare professionals in a rapidly evolving digital and clinical landscape.

“We are a specialist business which focuses specifically on cardiology and oncology,” explains Tripathi, “and our aim is to really connect the three important players in healthcare - specialist providers, healthcare payers and, of course, the patient.

92

November 2017

Our goal is that by connecting these three stakeholders we can deliver the highest specialty care to the patients in a really cost-effective way.”

Benefiting all stakeholders New Century Health offers innovative technology, clinical, and analytical solutions which enable high-quality, value-based healthcare. These include solutions such as a pointof-care clinical decision support platform that’s integrated into the physician’s practice; and offers evidence-based treatment pathways, physician referral management, and access to clinical quality data.

Now celebrating its 15th year of success, the company’s business model is an innovative one which delivers for all stakeholders; it reduces the unnecessary variation in care that patients receive, lowers the cost of healthcare, and eases the administrative burden placed on doctors and hospitals. “Physicians and payers are really happy with the model we provide and that’s the main reason we have been so successful and continue to grow, says Tripathi.

H E A LT H C A R E

“Some of the intellectual property we have put into this system is just huge”

Shashi Tripathi Senior Vice President of Technology and Operational Innovation Shashi is responsible for advancing the company’s scalability and technology-enabled solutions capabilities. An accomplished healthcare technology leader, Shashi brings almost 20 years of innovative experience in clinical decision support platform development, business applications, product management and service delivery excellence.

Immediately prior to joining NCH, Shashi was chief information officer at Springfield Clinic, a leading multi-specialty clinic. His background includes multiple technology executive positions including Vice President/CIO at Facey Medical Foundation and EVP at AGNITY Healthcare. Earlier in his career, he held IT application development, product management and systems management roles at St Jude Medical, IDEXX Laboratories, Medtronic, Inc., and i2 Technologies. He holds a MS in industrial engineering and operations research from the Indian Institute of Technology. He received a BS in mechanical engineering from MMM Engineering College in Gorakhpur, India.consequia sita que dolut ilibusam quatiss itatintis etus dis recesti w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

93

N E W C E N T U R Y H E A LT H

NCH has a growing provider network of over 8,000 specialty physicians.

Given the growing patient population, particularly in oncology and cardiology, practices are under tremendous pressure to deliver high-quality healthcare in the face of increasing clinical complexity, growing administrative tasks and draining resources. Through their nationally deployed digital clinical decision support tools, New Century Health aims to alleviate the burden placed on the healthcare industry so that stakeholders can focus on what matters – providing high-quality healthcare care.

“Healthcare payers like our services because we offer predictable cost trends whilst maintaining the highest quality care in the market,” Tripathi adds. “Healthcare providers like our services because we offer treatment pathways, clinical guidelines and quality benchmarking tools that

96

November 2017

New Century Health is licensed or permitted for utilization management in all 50 states.

are easy to use. As a result, the patient benefits because we are ensuring the delivery of evidencebased care and, in turn, improving the overall quality of care.”

Expertise and innovation Whilst innovative data and technology are at the heart of New Century Health, the company is keen to champion the deep expertise and skills of its staff,

H E A LT H C A R E

up this innovation in technology and, emphasizing that it doesn’t just offer on top of that, ensure that the solutions technology, it offers a comprehensive are scalable, easy and intuitive to solution focused on improving patient our end users, and of course have a outcomes. “One of the key aspects high-level of security and privacy.” of New Century Health is that our With over 20 years of experience in health solution has two components,” the industry, Tripathi has established explains, Tripathi. “There’s the himself as an accomplished technology solution - which is the healthcare technology leader. Under software, the code and the tech his guidance, New - and then there’s Century Health expertise and the hopes to offer an human element. We innovative set of offer a collaborative tools that enable solution that is was founded in care delivery underpinned and stakeholders to supported by effectively deliver technology, but it high-quality really requires the healthcare in a digital expertise which landscape. With his we also offer to the deep level of expertise and industry healthcare payers or providers.” knowledge, he is confident that New There is no lack of innovation at Century Health is up to the challenge New Century Health and maintaining of creating innovative technologies its momentum is perhaps the most that meet the needs of healthcare pressing challenge the company providers, payers, and patients alike. faces today. “We are innovating and Continuing to grow as a national developing solutions very quickly,” notes Tripathi. “My team’s challenge is company, New Century Health provides services to more than how we can keep

New Century Health

2002

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

97

“We’re focused on the total cost of care but our underlying belief is that improving quality drives better outcomes and appropriate costs” – Shashi Tripathi, Senior Vice President of Technology and Operational Innovation

98

November 2017

H E A LT H C A R E

eight million members across the United States. However, perhaps the company’s greatest asset is that it provides solutions which meet the needs of the marketplace, fitting into the clinical workflow of cardiology and oncology practices all across the country. For instance, by using experience gained from the perspective of physicians, New Century Health has worked hard to minimize the number of mouseclicks needed to use its digital services and, in doing so, has created intuitive user-facing platforms.

Big data Tripathi is keen to stress how data can make a difference in care delivery. By operating in 43 states, with about 8,000 providers and eight million members in its specialty care management program, New Century Health can effectively compare and benchmark healthcare providers and pinpoint areas where their treatments align with or deviate from evidencebased care guidelines. For example, solutions may pinpoint that, based on a patient’s specific medical

condition and genetic markers, some treatment options are more likely to have better outcomes than others.

By using that data, the company can alert physicians of precisionmedicine treatment options which ensure that patients receive the highest level of care at a low cost.

“Some of the intellectual property we have invested put into the system is just huge,” notes Tripathi. “We deliver systems to the physicians which enable them to document care, select the appropriate care, and get clinical metrics about how they’re delivering care in comparison to their peers, because often there are variations in care that haven’t been as visible before. Additionally, we are delivering a solution that fits into practices all over the board with their own medical health record systems.

We are really striking the balance between a customizable solution that meets the needs of the practices and a scalable solution which meets the needs of the marketplace.”

Striking the balance between forward-thinking technology and deep-rooted expertise, New Century

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

99

N E W C E N T U R Y H E A LT H

“Want to remain focused on the specialty side because we feel that’s the area where we can help the most and make a difference to provide high-quality care in a cost-effective way” – Shashi Tripathi, Senior Vice President of Technology and Operational Innovation

100

November 2017

H E A LT H C A R E

Health has become a leader in specialty healthcare solutions, putting the needs of patients, healthcare providers and payers at the core of its vision and ethos.

“We’re focused on the total cost of care but our underlying belief is that improving quality drives better outcomes and appropriate

costs,” reflects Tripathi. “We want to continue to positively impact the true care of healthcare and we want to remain focused on the specialty side because we feel that’s the area where we can help the most and make a difference to provide high-quality care in a cost-effective way.”

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

101

Redefining healthcare IT and technology

Through an aggressive digital transformation, CHRISTUS Health has redefined healthcare technology and IT Written by Dale Benton Produced by Andy Turner

C H R I S T U S H E A LT H

W

ith a network of over 45,000 Associates, more than 15,000 physicians on medical staffs providing compassionate, high quality care, CHRISTUS Health is one of the largest Catholic health systems in the United States.

The company has been committed to extending the healing ministry of Jesus Christ for more than 150 years. As the founding father and sister initially began their mission by forming CHRISTUS in Houston, Texas, there was always a wider vision of expansion, extending its footprint across the United States.

Six years ago, a decision was made to relocate the company’s base of operations, its home of over 150 years, from Houston to Dallas. As with any major relocation, particularly after decades of operation, CHRISTUS faced a sizeable challenge.

“Having such a rich legacy, we had a lot of very loyal and dedicated associates and leaders who had given their entire lives to CHRISTUSt,” says Bennetta Raby, System Director, Strategy, Performance

104

November

Improvement, ITSM, TBMO, Learning and Development, Christus Health.

“When the decision was made to uproot and move, from a technology perspective we lost a significant portion of our workforce over 60%.

Everyone from leadership roles to external facing roles, we lost people from across the board.”

Such a loss of resource meant CHRISTUS had to embrace a new strategic direction that gave it the best chance to first survive, and then thrive despite such a seismic level of change This is where Bennetta Raby, having successfully worked in transformation, project management and healthcare IT for more than 10 years, was brought in alongside Christa Barclay, Strategy, Performance Management & Innovation Program Manager, Office and ACIO, to bring vision, strategy and stability to the organisation.

“When myself, Christa and our SPI team were brought into the organisation, it was a time of turmoil and uncertainty,” she says. “But we thrived on that, and it allowed us to be able to identify from a transformational standpoint, key

“Having such a rich legacy, we had a lot of very loyal and dedicated associates and leaders who had given their entire lives to CHRISTUS”

H E A LT H C A R E

– Bennetta Raby, System Director, Strategy, Performance Improvement, ITSM, TBMO, Learning and Development, Christus Health

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

105

TRANSFORM THE WAY YOU WORK

Find out how ServiceNow replaces unstructured work patterns with intelligent, automated workflows of the future so that IT, HR, security, customer service, and everyone in the enterprise can work at lightspeed.

servicenow.com

areas where we lost intellectual capital, or we weren’t as mature.”

CHRISTUS had a long-standing tenure with people who had been a part of the business for decades, who understood the systems and, as Raby explains, “did not rely on a transformational practice or discipline, but rather their own individual longstanding knowledge.”

This of course, only serves to emphasise the significance of losing 60% of staff and the challenge that

“As with most IT organisations, the lack of clarity and static annual budget cuts can kill the revolutionary capabilities that technology innovation can provide”

was facing Raby and Barclay.

But what the two of them brought to the organisation, was a fresh and innovative approach.

“Any time an organisation is faced with losing that level of capital, to me, is an opportunity to gain new talent, new philosophies, insight, methodologies and systems that could position us better for the future,” says Raby.

First up for Raby, as noted, was identifying where the organisation’s growth opportunities were, where she could really implement strategic

- Christa Barclay, Strategy, Performance Management & Innovation Program w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m Manager, Office and ACIO

107

C H R I S T U S H E A LT H

“We operate as a technology division that is innovative, customer focused and one that can go out in front and communicate” - Christa Barclay, Strategy, Performance Management & Innovation Program Manager, Office and ACIO change management. Through visiting and communicating with every last one of the organisations internal customers and community leaders, Raby was faced with a challenging situation.

“There were some very skilled people that were not positioned in the right places to align with their

108

November

strengths and skillsets in order to drive growth in the organisation” she says. “So, I attracted a team of innovative thinkers to focus on the back-end work while I focused on change management and customer relationship.” This team, aka “The SPI Team”, consists of strategic individuals that actually function

H E A LT H C A R E

as strategic partners across all financials were over budget with a real disciplines (Strategic Automation, lack of clarity as to why. As with most Performance Improvement, IT organisations, the lack of clarity Workforce Transformation to and static annual budget cuts can Financial Management). kill the revolutionary capabilities that These two teams joined forces technology innovation can provide.” and aligned to develop a stronger She was tasked with installing a technology solution team. This is financial maintenance infrastructure where Barclay was and building data brought in to look bases to monitor the at implementing spend and accruals strategy and in order to “clean improve financial up the financials.” performance.

Leveraging The year As was the case Barclay’s financial CHRISTUS with Raby, her strategy background Health was leadership team was with Raby’s SPI founded faced with a lack Team, attention of digital maturity, turned towards and was quick to a much more identify the key growth opportunities widespread digital transformation, through the implementation of strategically partnering with digital technology platforms and key vendors to become a bleedingenablers that stunt the opportunity edge department, one that was for these platforms to grow. no longer coming at this strategic “There was a big gap when I came change management from behind. in,” Barclay acknowledges. “The “We have made the flip from simply processes were not documented; the a transformation division to becoming financials were based purely on tribal more of a partner,” says Barclay. “We knowledge and the organisation’s operate as a technology division

1999

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

109

C H R I S T U S H E A LT H

CHRISTUs and Microsoft

that is innovative, customer focused and one that can go out in front and communicate with customers and help them realise what growth opportunities can be made through technological implementation.”

No digital transformation can be achieved alone and CHRISTUS has strategically partnered with Microsoft and Service Now, two partners that have truly enabled Raby and Barclay’s drive for innovation across upwards of 12,000 applications in CHRISTUS’ healthcare system.

110

November

“When we look at a transformational partner, we look for the ones that see the mission of CHRISTUS and support it and want to work alongside it, we use John Kotter’s mantra everyday which is Changing Hearts and Minds,” says Raby.

“Everything that we’ve been striving to achieve, Microsoft and Service Now have been with us and supported us every step of the way.”

This is a feeling shared by Barclay, particularly coming at it from the transformational requirements

H E A LT H C A R E

10,001

Number of Employees at CHRISTUS Health that were needed in order to bring maturity and stability to the organisation’s capital expenditure and budget management.

“They have redrawn the lines for what it means as a technology vendor to truly partner,” says Barclay. “It’s been amazing to come alongside in their field, to use their technology solutions and their resources to facilitate what myself, Bennetta and team have been trying to achieve. Our team: Omar Martinez, Velisha Mosby, Aaron Almaraz, Alan Carrington

and Kevin Frye take every available opportunity our vendors have to offer to continuous build solutions that close the execution gaps.”

With any digital transformation, there is an immediate change and impact that one can point to. An efficient and faster way of working, working smarter, but what legacy will this transformation leave, not only for the future of CHRISTUS, but other healthcare organisations?

Raby can already point to industry

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

111

C H R I S T U S H E A LT H

YourCHRISTUS - is an easy, secure way to manage your health at

112

November

LA School

H E A LT H C A R E

recognition, with CHRISTUS becoming the first healthcare organisation to receive an award for strategy and innovation. At its core level, the award recognises Raby and the SPI Team and all of CHRISTUS for its technology business management.

For Raby, it goes yet further.

“We have been recognised for our resilience against a very difficult backdrop of organisational change, losing revenue, lack of resources. We were an organisation drinking from a fire hydrant for six straight years”

she says. “They saw us as pioneers in change management and IT. “It’s not me bragging, the road has been and continues to be very difficult and challenging, but with the help of strong partnership and our togetherness and understanding of what we want the road ahead to look like, it’s been a winning combination to steady the course.”

That road ahead, whatever it may be, will be one of digital maturity, and a steely resolve to continue to deliver on a promise made all of 151 years ago.

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w u s a . c o m

113

ProcureCon FAC ILI T I E S

FAC

Network and strategize with procurement professionals in Construction, Facilities, Real Estate and Utilities.

January 22-23, 2018 MIAMI, FL

Who Said Conferences Can’t Be Fun? For more information go to

www.procureconfacilities.com