BRUSA May 2015

WWW.BUSINESSREVIEWUSA.COM

MAY 2015

TOP 10

COMPANIES

TO WORK FOR

DO MBAs REALLY MATTER?

THE SMARTEST

Photo courtesy of Google

SMARTPHONES FOR 2015

PAML – Pathology Associates Medical Laboratories

DIRECTOR’S LETTER

LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR If you can’t tell from the cover, the top spot on our list of the 10 best companies to work for in the U.S. went to a business that believes in the importance of satisfied employees. This company goes above and beyond to maintain a positive and fun corporate culture with perks such as a slide in lieu of a staircase, a rock climbing wall and a bike lane through the main office. But the fun environment and quirky perks aren’t the only reason Google was selected above the other nine. Check out the article on page 24 to find out more.

We also take an in-depth look at the once-coveted MBA, exploring the significance of higher education as related to career advancement in today’s business world. Are these three letters still as valuable as before?

Finally, our technology feature highlights the smartest smartphones for 2015. There are a lot to choose from; we narrow the list down to five.

E NJOY TH E I S S U E !

Jennifer White

Director of Content jennifer.white@wdmgroup.com

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CO CN OTNETN ETNST S FEATURES

6 Leadership

To MBA or Not to MBA

14 Technology

The smartphone of Tomorrow

COMPANY PROFILES HEALTHCARE 34 PAML

70 Turner ConstructionAnaheim Convention Center Project

CONSTRUCTION

80 Carolina’s AGC

46 Suncor

EXPLORATION

55 MnDOT-Saint Croix Crossing Project 62 Virginia Office of Private-Partnerships - VAP3

86 Petro Star

MANUFACTURING 94 Mize & Co.

SUPPLY CHAIN 102 PAPCO

4 May 2015

24 Top 10

Companies to work for in the country

24 Top 10 Compnaies to work for in the country

34 PAML

70

Turner

86

Petro Star

102 PAPCO

5

LEADERSHIP

TO NO

Wha

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May 2015

O MBA OR OT TO MBA

at’s the value of today’s MBA? W R I T T E N B Y: T O M A S H . LU C E R O

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LEADERSHIP THE MASTER OF Business Administration, better known as the MBA, is one of the most--if not the most--coveted degrees in the world.

In a competitive and uncertain job market, where sometimes it seems like a bachelor’s degree is only a way-station, a degree which could guarantee a job after school sounds like a no-brainer investment. For some people, it’s a ticket into a lucrative business career and a, relatively, luxurious life.

The MBA, however, also comes with baggage. It can be expensive. The current, general ballpark estimate is $100,000.

Second, the MBA’s own popularity is sometimes its bane. Just like a dream car, once you get it you notice everyone else with one just like it and it loses its luster—a little bit. There is a glut of people out in Job Market Galaxy toting around a shiny, new MBA degree. So it can be difficult to stand out and get the job you want.

Third, obtaining an MBA degree— like any post-graduate credential—is not like obtaining your motorcycle or aviation license. The master’s degree is an important life commitment. On the short-short end, you’ll spend 8

May 2015

Harvard Business School

a year on it—there are accelerated programs—and on the long it may take 3 years or more. You can’t dabble in an MBA program or you may never finish.

Those that already have their MBAs can attest to the blood, sweat and tears it takes to attain one.

Finally, and this goes for any degree, really—is this degree right for you?

These, and many others, are the type of questions that people at the crossroads of an MBA decision entertain as they consider their next life move. To some, an MBA is a solution; a solution to some of life’s most pressing problems. And

surely, an MBA has vanished many a person’s most pressing financial problems once it has done its magic and attained the desired job. So is the MBA worthwhile? The short answer is yes, because it can’t hurt.

The long answer is, still yes, but it’s a bit more complicated.

Read on.

In her article “When Having an MBA is Important,” Beth Braccio Hering, writing for CareerBuilder.com, does not attempt to persuade her reader one way or another. Rather, for someone leaning towards pursuing an MBA, she puts forth a few instances in which the degree is essential. Her

first point speaks to the uncertainty of the future, where we can’t know what kind of shape the economy will be in: an MBA can get you hired in a tough economy. In a recession, the job market shifts in favor of employers.

The ratio of eligible workers to available jobs increases. We all know the feeling of arriving for a job interview and walking into a room-full of applicants with exactly the same aspiration as you. In this situation, from a pool of qualified applicants, odds are that those with advanced degrees will move into the next round.

Second, an MBA goes well with an ambitious personality. Do you want to reach the top before you’re completely 9

LEADERSHIP

You can’t help but stand out with an MBA

gray? Hering supports the idea that the MBA can get you where you want to go faster. Quoted in Hering’s article, author Elizabeth Freedman says, “Having an MBA—as opposed to just a bachelor’s degree in business—is sort of like traveling someplace by plane instead of taking the train. With either business degree, you may eventually wind up at your final ‘destination’— but the MBA will get you there faster.”

Speed. A perfectly fine reason for going after that MBA. According to Hering, the opportunities that an MBA will fast-track you towards include: 1. Managing larger teams

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May 2015

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Running meetings Greater interaction with clients More decision-making power Representing the company at events “Choicer” projects Responsibility for your own set of clients/projects There are few things as frustrating as being well-qualified for a position and being passed up for a seemingly arbitrary reason. Women experience this when they’re passed up solely on the basis of their sex. A talented worker with a bachelor’s in business may experience this when the only reason why they’re not promoted is because

W H AT ’ S T H E V A L U E O F T O D AY ’ S M B A ?

they don’t have that MBA. The fact of the matter is that sometimes the MBA is expected.

Herring writes: “In this situation, the degree basically becomes a minimum qualification—not your ace in the hole.

To land the position, you are then expected to bring what Grindle calls ‘an A+ game’ to the table, meaning that you have everything the employer is looking for and then some.”

Common fields that are exclusive to MBAs are: 1. Consumer Brand Marketing 2. Corporation Finance 3. Venture Capital 4. Investment Banking 5. Commercial Banking 6. Production/Operations Management 7. New Product Development 8. Management Consulting 9. Private Equity 10. Strategic Planning/Business Development Up to now, the idea of obtaining an MBA sounds like a really good idea.

Correct? Perhaps, but let’s make sure of that.

One of the questions that anyone needs to face down when making a

life decision is whether such a choice is appropriate for the self. On the surface, obtaining an advanced degree in America’s most popular, most lucrative past time—business—is a great idea. Who does not want to make lots of money? On closer observation, though, what does it take to finish an MBA program and flourish in a corporate career?

A graduate of a top-tier business school writing for VICE under the pseudonym “Justin Dett” is satirical and politically incorrect in his article, “The VICE Guide to Business School.”

However, his irreverent tone allows him to also be perfectly candid on the subject. He’s also a unique authority on the subject since he completed his degree at an elite school. One of Dett’s opinions is that the prime motivation of the prospective MBA candidate is, quite simply, money. If deep down you want to save an animal species, work for world peace, or pursue another noble endeavor, Dett would suggest that the MBA is not for you. Dett writes: “The people who make up your typical business school class come in all shapes and sizes and colors, but the one thing they have in common is their

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LEADERSHIP

As an MBA you will earn significantly more than your peers

attraction to money. They [really] love it, and they love making it...I’m not here to judge anyone’s chosen career path, and if making artisanal mayonnaise in Brooklyn is how you’d like to eke out the rest of your existence, more power to you…But if you want to actually afford that fancy mayo, along with a host of other fun luxury goods that will—I don’t care what anyone says— make you happy, you need to get your [self] to business school and get a Master’s in Business Administration…

Forty of the 100 best-paid American 12

May 2015

CEOs have MBAs, and believe me, those guys are some rich [people]. (my edits) Is this you?

Speaking of money, what is the earning potential of today’s MBA? Payscale.com offers a wealth of information on this subject, as well as for other fields. However, since this article is directed at readers entertaining the notion of pursuing an MBA, the most immediately helpful

W H AT ’ S T H E V A L U E O F T O D AY ’ S M B A ?

data concerns the salaries per years of experience. According to Payscale, as of March 2015, the median salary for an MBA graduate with less than one year of experience is $50,439, with 1 to 4 years it’s $58,032, and with 5 to 9 years it’s $75,409. Based on this data, only those with more than 20 years of experience break the six figure ceiling, at $117,200.

Payscale arrives at these figures based on the reports of 31,886 people.

Keep in mind that the previously documented salaries are general, based on years of experience.

Payscale.com offers a wider array of criteria for how much an MBA may make. The fact of the matter is that there is no salary figure set in stone.

Your salary, as an MBA, can vary depending on factors such as where you live, who you work for, and what sex you are. For example, median salaries for MBAs in California—where the cost of living is one of the highest in the country—are about $14,000 more than in Ohio. The type of job that you get as an MBA will also affect your salary. On the high end, according to Payscale, the CFO’s median salary is just under $130,000. On the low

end, a financial analyst can make just over $60,000. Women can also make considerably less than male MBAs due to gender discrimination. According to Payscale’s figures, 39 percent of MBAs are women, compared to 61 percent of men. A woman’s salary range is $43,071 to $97,207 compared to a man’s between $51,518 and $122,558.

Despite these differences in earnings, the MBA is still a ticket to bigger salaries than your peers.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income between 2009 and 2013 was $53, 046.

If you marry another MBA—this is not marriage advice—and you both earn median salaries for employees with less than one year of experience, your household income would be just over $100,000.

The MBA is a gamble, but it’s a good gamble. In fact, it’s one of the best gambles out there. As President Calvin Coolidge once said, “The business of America is business.” America does not make widgets—per se—it makes money. So who wouldn’t want to be a master in America’s most important enterprise? Well, surely lots of people but perhaps not you.

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TECHNOLOGY

THE SMARTPHONE

OF TOMORROW How micro-sensor, machine learning and virtual reality technology will make our relationships to our smartphones even more intimate.

W R I T T E N B Y: T O M A S H . LU C E R O

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May 2015

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TECHNOLOGY I THINK MY best friend today is my smartphone. Of course, I’m being facetious. Not even my smartphone is as good to hear as my best friend’s voice. I don’t tell my smartphone my most important secrets (yet—wait— is there already an app for that?) My smartphone won’t pick me up when I’m down. However, I also don’t spend 24 hours with my friend, engage with him two dozen times a day or start to panic when I can’t find him the way I do with my smartphone. So there’s some truth to the idea that my current best friend is my smartphone.

My best friend also cannot give me directions to a destination, bring up the definition to a word or entertain me without fail on demand. If you’re anything like me, if you have been a participant of life on Earth for the past decade, you are dependent on your smartphone. Dependent on it not just to make phone calls and text messages, but also to keep track of your calories consumed, wake you up in the morning, help you find a discount on a meal and so forth. More and more, the distinction between self and device blurs and blurs.

We are forming relationships with our technologies, and because the 16

May 2015

Tomorrow’s smartphone will be more l personal assistant who knows us well smartphone is such a cool one, it’s the accessory modern humanity is most related to right now. We are peoplesmartphones. This is important because with technology marching on into more and more spellbinding phases, the smartphone is going to be transformed by that as well.

Since we are people-smartphones, it stands to reason that along with the

like a

smartphone’s transformation at the hands of futuristic technology we— homo sapiens—will be transformed as well. Therefore, a look at tomorrow’s smartphone is a look at our own tomorrow as well.

Tomorrow’s smartphone will depend on the parallel development of many other technologies. In their article, “The Future of smartphones:

A Combination of Sensors, Machine Learning and Virtual Reality,” the online magazine Venture Beat asserts that the three technologies listed in the title will create a phone capable of turning into an extension of ourselves. smartphones are already smarter than we know. Unlike laptops, smartphones are equipped with dozens of microsensors that collect data about us 17

TECHNOLOGY and our surroundings. You’d think that having image, touch, proximity and GPS sensors would be enough, but developers—from all sorts of disciplines—are busy creating more.

“Chemists at MIT recently developed a smartphone sensor that detects when food has gone bad,” reports Venture Beat. Sensors, however, are limited as a technology by the fact that they can only collect raw data. That data is not of much use unless it can be organized and interpreted. Sensors need the concurrent technology of machine learning for that to be possible. When this happens—and

chances are it already has—we will have smart applications. Using sensor and machine learning technology, intelligent applications will be able to provide contextual information. Early versions of these types of apps are those that can track how fast and far you are walking. Apple’s iBeacon technology is used by retailers to deliver finely honed content to your smartphone depending on where you are. Tomorrow’s intelligent applications, though, will be able to manipulate data in much more sophisticated ways. They will have the capability of sensing patterns and

The future of medicine will rely on the smartphone 18

May 2015

THE SMARTPHONE OF TOMORROW

routines with the end goal of learning a user’s preferences. According to Venture Beat, “Instead of asking for input, [the smartphone] will anticipate your needs. Your phone might send calls to voice mail if you are driving or switch into Airplane Mode when it senses a plane moving on the tarmac.” smartphone technology will make a quantum leap when sensors and machine learning are combined with virtual reality. If this happens, it will be possible for your mobile device to provide the user with an immersive experience by bringing inanimate objects to life. This will allow you to do things like explore a museum or gaze at a famous painting. Virtual reality has already been introduced by the Oculus VR headset. In the future, though, the virtual experience will be deliverable without the headset by your smartphone. Our smartphones will become more like personal assistants that know us very well. Virtual reality will take this phenomenon to the next level by allowing us to experience things and places without moving.

The smartphone of the future will transform medicine by putting processes like testing, monitoring, and diagnosing in our own hands.

The smartphone will transform the role of the physician from paternalistic expert to advisor. These are the assertions made by Dr. Eric J. Topol, a cardiologist and the director of the Scripps Translational Science Institute, in his article “The Future of Medicine is in Your smartphone,” published in the Wall Street Journal. The key technologies for this shift will be “innovative digital technologies,” cloud computing and machine learning.

With the medical smartphone, Topol envisions a hospital with no beds: “By having the equivalent of intensive care unit monitoring on your wrist, hospital rooms—those $4,500-a-night risk zones for serious infections and other complications—can be replaced by our bedrooms. As a result, except for ICUs, operating rooms and emergency rooms, hospitals of the future are likely to be roomless data surveillance centers for remote patient monitoring.”

Topol can visualize this because of the plethora of medicine-related functions that smartphones can now perform.

Here’s a brief list, to blow your mind: 1. Diagnose a rash 2. Take blood-pressure readings 3. Do an electrocardiogram 4. Mediate a virtual visit with your doctor 19

TECHNOLOGY

Tomorrow, we will buy the smartphones in modules. We’ll print the parts with our 3D printers.

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Month 2014

THE SMARTPHONE OF TOMORROW

5. Tell you the costs of your care 6. Measure blood-oxygen and glucose levels, blood pressure and heart rhythm This is only the beginning. There are smartphone sensors in development that will monitor your exposure to radiation, air pollution or pesticide in foods. The medical smartphone will also make inroads in the field of mental health. Currently, there are not enough mental health providers to care for the number of mental health patients. It’s possible that smartphone technology and the documented preference of people to disclose their inner thoughts to a computer avatar will alleviate this problem. Topol writes that, “New apps aim to quantify your state of mind by a composite of real-time data: tone and inflection of voice, facial expression, breathing pattern, heart rate, galvanic skin response, blood pressure, even the frequency and content of your emails and texts.” So it’s likely that in the near future, your smartphone will inform you when you are headed towards a severe depressive episode, provide tips to redirect yourself, and carry the app that will be the computer avatar to whom you will explain what is going on. Topol asserts, though, that

before digital medicine gains traction, these tools will need to “be validated through clinical trials and shown to not only preserve health but to do so while lowering costs. Without such validation, the whole promise of digital medicine will be for naught.

During the scope of this article, I have suggested that parallel technologies will transform the smartphone. Developments in other technologies will deal with the problems and limitations of today’s smartphones. Bloggers Anneke Steenkamp and Kim Davis showcase a dozen technologies that will impact phone design, in their respective articles “6 smartphone Features of the Future” and “smartphones of the Future: 6 Cool Technologies.”

One solution for mobile devices in the works is the advent of “modular” smartphones. The “modular” smartphone is the idea of producing and selling the device in parts or modules. Environmentalism and convenience are the main motivations behind this innovation. Currently, smartphones are creating too much waste and polluting our environment because we get rid of whole phones when we buy a new one and because 21

TECHNOLOGY mobile device recycling sites can be hard to come by. Furthermore, if our phone becomes outdated we buy a whole new one. Or often we have a phone that has features that we don’t necessarily want. The modular phone will tackle the environmental problem by creating less waste. When a part of our phone breaks, or its life expires, instead of buying a whole new phone, we’ll only order the needed part. Also, since we’ll be buying in modules, if we don’t want a camera on the phone— we simply don’t acquire it. The idea of the modular phone’s innovation will be compounded by 3D printing because, with it, we’ll be able to print our modules after downloading them online. We will be going to stores a lot less and not waiting days for packages carrying our devices to arrive. We’ve all learned, the hard way, that batteries don’t last forever. Three other technologies will increase the life smartphone batteries, perhaps making them immortal. According to Davis, Duracell and Q1 are developing wireless charging. Steenkamp tells us about Wysips, “a product that turns your phone into a solar panel. Simply apply the thin layer of crystal on your watch, tablet, or smartphone to allow 22

May 2015

your device to convert sunlight into energy.”

As I posited at the start of the article, the modern smartphone is the accessory that humans are currently most in relationship with.

This relationship blurs the line between person and device and, as a result, we are people-smartphones. If, just for argument’s sake, we are peoplesmartphones, then a preview of the smartphone of tomorrow can give us a glimpse into homo sapiens of tomorrow. The smartphone of the future will make our lives more convenient—as with longer-lasting batteries and modularity—but this is just one side of the story. The smartphone of tomorrow will also change our lives drastically through digital medicine, and devices that become our personal assistants and that can deliver virtual reality. How will these advances change us? What do these say about us? If I had to pinpoint how my smartphone has most fundamentally changed me, I would say that instant messaging has made more communicative. I want to be in touch with family, friends or strangers, more.

In the future, the smartphone will provide virtua reality experiences 23

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TOP 10

Work is one of the pillars of American identity. We change at a profound level when we land our first “real” job and move out of our parents’ home. We devote major amounts of time to work.

Full-time wage earners spend a minimum of 40 hours per week in the workplace. Salaried workers often work considerably more than 40 hours.

There’s also the commute. In America, the average commute to work lasts 25.4 minutes one way, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Needless to say, where we work is just as important as what we do. The particular organization we work for determines how much we’ll earn, what perks and benefits we’ll earn and, to an extent, what kind of person we’ll be. The workplace has the power to deeply affect our identity because each site is a culture of its own.

Online career community Glassdoor is known for its transparent and thorough review of corporations through corporate culture and values review, salary reports, CEO rankings, benefits 26

May 2015

reviews, perks, and more. These rankings are based on anonymous employee feedback acquired through Glassdoor-created surveys that ask participants to rate items such as management practices, compensation, benefits packages, workplace satisfaction and growth, corporate culture, interview and on-boarding process, and much more.

The company released its annual list of the best places to work according to 2015 employees—here are the top 10.

10

The Mayo Clinic

The Mayo Clinic is “the first and largest integrated, not-forprofit medical group practice in the Mayo Clinic entrance and sign in Rochester, Minnesota. Credit: Ken Wolter/Shutterstock.com

T H E T O P 1 0 C O M PA N I E S T O W O R K F O R I N T H E C O U N T RY

world,” according to its website.

It’s headquartered in Rochester, Minn. and employs more than 5,000 people. 70 percent of Mayo employees would recommend the company to a friend, and 90 percent approve of the CEO. Workplace satisfaction is a large driver of this ranking: Employees at the Mayo Clinic feel a strong sense of value and purpose, as their job is to take care of people. The Mayo Clinic also offers great workout facilities and healthy food to encourage wellness among staff as well.

One notable fact: Physicians at The Mayo Clinic can make up to $272,378, which is 58 percent above the national average.

develops, excites and retains exceptional people.”

The firm has been recognized for its positive work environment and support for female executives and the LGBT community.

Employees are attracted to McKinsey & Company for the opportunity to work on exceptionally challenging problems with rewarding results—one employee specifically expressed job satisfaction resulting from having helped a high school increase its graduation rate.

Management consultant associates, a common role within the firm, make approximately $87.98 per hour, which is 12 percent above the national average.

09

Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn: McKinsey & (CC) Sylvain Kalache, Company www.flickr.com

McKinsey & Company is a consulting firm with a “twofold mission.” Firstly, the organization aims to help clients improve their performance and secondly, it focuses on “making McKinsey a great organization that attracts,

McKinsey associates problem solving. Credit: Flickr

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TOP 10

08

In-N-Out

This restaurant’s philosophy about food preparation extends to their treatment of workers. In-N-Out emphasizes making good hamburgers over franchising. 92 percent of employees would recommend the company to a friend and 91 percent approve of their CEO. Wage and benefits at this chain are industry-leading: An associate at In-N-Out makes an average of $11.60 per hour while assistant managers can make $54,117, which is 25 percent above the

A young man at work. In-N-Out gives raises based on steps. Credit: Flickr

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May 2015

national average. They have a wage raise program based on steps. In addition to excellent training and frequent potential for upward mobility, this fast food joint also offers maternity and paternity leave, a 401(k) plan, free lunch or snacks, paid time off and health insurance.

07

H-E-B

Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, this retail chain operates 340 stores in a number of formats including superstores, supermarkets and gourmet markets and 96 percent of employees approve of the CEO. In addition to full benefits, H-E-B offers ample opportunity for advancement and in generous with salaries: cashiers make about $9.97 per hour, which is 3 percent above national average, while department managers can make $57,811, a whopping 24 percent above the national average.

Employees are guaranteed raises every year—sometimes even

T H E T O P 1 0 C O M PA N I E S T O W O R K F O R I N T H E C O U N T RY

two—while department managers receive cash bonuses and profit sharing on top of it all.

Places to Work (according to employees) in 2010, 2012 and 2013 as well as the Human Rights Campaign’s 2012 list of Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality.

Interns can make $6,000 per month and a reservoir engineer can make $123,578. According to one employee, “Chevron offers a competitive performance-based promotion system that encourages high performance and rewards hard work.”

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An H-E-B team showing town spirit.

Credit: United Way for Greater Austin, TX/Flickr

Chevron

The oil giant’s benefits include a retirement, 401(k) and pension plan. As with all of the companies on this list, more than 90 percent of employees approve of the CEO. Chevron was included on Glassdoor’s list of the 50 Best

Chevron Tower. Credit: Jeff Whyte/ Shutterstock.com

Boston Consulting Group

This employee-owned firm offers a wide array of services catering mainly to large corporations.

According to a company statement, “BCG’s practice areas include branding and marketing, corporate finance, globalization, business strategy, leadership development, and information technology.”

In 2014, the company landed at number three on Fortune’s list of the 100 Best Companies to Work 29

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Outside Boston Consulting Group offices at 430 Park Ave. In New York City. Credit: Boston Consulting Group

For (worldwide) and has been recognized by LGBT organizations for support and promoting equality. Employees at BCG are attracted to the quality of fellow staff members, as relayed by one employee on Glassdoor.com: “The best and the brightest from all fields and backgrounds (think Rhodes scholars) create a really rich intellectual atmosphere.”

04

F5 Networks

F5 Networks focuses on providing solutions to the application-using world.

“At F5, we like people who rethink 30

their world. They tinker. They solve problems. They take things apart and make them better,” explained one corporate video. Benefits include comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance, free snacks, and an on-site fitness facility with trainers available. The company’s 401(k) plan includes matching, and the Software Engineer I position pays $107,038 while a principal software engineer can earn $173,748.

Most importantly, the concept of work-life balance seems to be taken seriously.

“Managers show by example that time off is not only acceptable but a good thing,” wrote one software engineer,” wrote one reviewer.

May 2015

An F5 Networks building soaked in rainwater. Credit: Nolge Pontifex/Flickr

T H E T O P 1 0 C O M PA N I E S T O W O R K F O R I N T H E C O U N T RY

Nestlé Purina PetCare hosted its second “Better with Pets” Summit in New York. Credit: Nestlé

03

Nestlé Purina Pet Care

“The corporate culture is second to none,” one employee wrote about Nestlé Purina Pet Care. “Strong Midwestern roots, stability and friendly environment; coupled with the vast opportunities that come with an international giant parent company. There is a tremendous amount of mutual trust and respect for others within NPPC.” Other perks include an onsite nurse, gym (with instructor!), onsite child care, flexible time, and the ability to work remotely. Pets are even allowed to frolic in the office,

which may be why 100 percent of this company’s employees approve of the CEO.

02

Bain & Company

This global strategy consulting firm was number one on Glassdoor’s employee-based list in 2014 and it’s clear that workplace culture is a major—if not the main—reason for the ranking. According to staff, the colleagues have a high regard and respect for one another.

“Our clients tell us consistently that what makes us different is our people,” one manager wrote. The 31

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firm was also the recipient of Best Consulting Internship and Best Overall Internships awards from Vault, reaffirming the brand’s commitment to supporting the advancement of future generations.

Financial support is also a key asset: An associate consultant makes an average of $76,481, and a consultant can receive nearly double that ($139,559).

01

Google

Our obvious first choice, this search engine guru is also at the top of Fortune’s 2015 list of the best places to work. A regular on this list (Google also topped 2012 and 2014’s rankings), the tech giant is in a league of its own.

“Google is not a conventional company and we don’t intend to become one,” the company proudly states on its website.

“We provide individually-tailored compensation packages that can be comprised of competitive salary, bonus, and equity components, along with the 32

May 2015

opportunity to earn further financial bonuses and rewards.”

At Google, workers are treated as individuals and not commodities— and they are (slightly?!) spoiled, not to mention extremely lucky.

“Yes, free breakfast, lunch and dinner every weekday. Amazing holiday parties (at Waldorf Astoria, New York Public Library, MoMA, etc.); overnight ski trips to Vermont; overnight nature trips to the Poconos in the summer; summer picnics at Chelsea piers; and on and on and on,” wrote one employee.

To be frank: Google’s perks make others green with envy.

There are a few things that these 10 companies share in common: • The percentage of employees who would recommend the employer to a friend and approve of the CEO is over 90 percent • CEOs and upper management respect the staff and develop affirming relationships/trust • Each company compensates employees well—through salaries, benefits, perks and overall appreciation

T H E T O P 1 0 C O M PA N I E S T O W O R K F O R I N T H E C O U N T RY

Google is no stranger to the title of Best Place to Work. Credit: Ken Wolter/Shutterstock.com

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PAML

- Pathology Associates Medical Laboratories

With a focus in diagnostics with national corporate headquarters in Washington, PAML is a recognized leader delivering healthcare solutions.

Written by: Stephanie C. Ocano Produced by: Tom Venturo

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PAML Lab

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H E A LT H C A R E

PAML General Administration

Our goal is to do anything and everything to help you as a provider to succeed in delivering the highest quality of care.

This is the ideology behind PAML (Pathology Associates Medical Laboratories) – a medical reference laboratory serving physicians, hospitals and allied health professionals. Ranked among the top clinical reference laboratories in the nation and considered an industry leader in joint venture partnerships, PAML is dedicated to personalized service, rapid turnaround time and innovative information management systems.

We recently spoke with Dr. Francisco R. Velázquez, President and Chief Executive Officer at PAML, to further understand the history of the company and his methodology to become a driving force in the healthcare solutions industry.

From West to East – A History of Going Nationwide Founded in 1957 in the town of Spokane, Washington, PAML was initially focused on serving the Pacific Northwest region. From Montana to Idaho, the company soon discovered that its reach could extend much farther. Over the years, w w w. p a m l . c o m

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You Suspected H. pylori.

BreathTek UBT Confirmed.

To be sure of your diagnosis AND confirm treatment success, choose BreathTek UBT • Antibiotic resistance is approaching 25%, increasing the need for eradication confirmation1-3 • ACG* calls the UBT method “the most reliable nonendoscopic test…“ to confirm H. pylori eradication4 • BreathTek UBT offers excellent sensitivity (96%) and specificity (96%) to confirm eradication in adult patients5 • False negative test results may be caused by: − Ingestion of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) within 2 weeks prior to performing the BreathTek UBT. If a negative result is obtained from a patient ingesting a PPI within 2 weeks prior to the BreathTek UBT, it may be a false-negative result and the test should be repeated 2 weeks after discontinuing the PPI treatment. A positive result for a patient on a PPI could be considered positive and be acted upon − Ingestion of antimicrobials or bismuth preparations within 2 weeks prior to performing the BreathTek UBT − Premature POST-DOSE breath collection time for a patient with a marginally positive BreathTek UBT result − Post-treatment assessment with the BreathTek UBT less than 4 weeks after completion of treatment for the eradication of H. pylori • False positive test results may be caused by urease associated with other gastric spiral organisms observed in humans, such as Helicobacter heilmannii or achlorhydria.

H. pylori can’t hide from BreathTek UBT… Approved as an aid in the initial diagnosis and post-treatment monitoring of H. pylori infection in adults and children ages 3 to 17 years Please see BRIEF SUMMARY on adjacent page.

Click here to learn more or visit BreathTek.com. *ACG, American College of Gastroenterology.

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Brief Summary about BreathTek UBT Intended Use The BreathTek® UBT for H. pylori Kit (BreathTek UBT Kit) is intended for use in the qualitative detection of urease associated with H. pylori in the human stomach and is indicated as an aid in the initial diagnosis and post-treatment monitoring of H. pylori infection in adult patients and pediatric patients 3 to 17 years old. The test may be used for monitoring treatment if used at least 4 weeks following completion of therapy. For these purposes, the system utilizes an Infrared Spectrophotometer for the measurement of the ratio of 13CO2 to 12CO2 in breath samples, in clinical laboratories or point-of-care settings. The Pediatric Urea Hydrolysis Rate Calculation Application (pUHR-CA), provided as a web-based calculation program, is required to obtain pediatric test results.

The BreathTek UBT Kit is for administration by a health care professional, as ordered by a licensed health care practitioner.

Warnings and Precautions • For in vitro diagnostic use only. The Pranactin®-Citric solution is taken orally as part of the diagnostic procedure and contains Phenylalanine (one of the protein components of Aspartame), 84 mg per dosage unit, and should be used with caution in diabetic patients. (For reference, 12 ounces of typical diet cola soft drinks contain approximately 80 mg of Phenylalanine.)

• A negative result does not rule out the possibility of H. pylori infection. False negative results do occur with this procedure.

If clinical signs are suggestive of H. pylori infection, retest with a new sample or an alternate method.

• False negative test results may be caused by: — Ingestion of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) within 2 weeks prior to performing the BreathTek UBT. If a negative result is obtained from a patient ingesting a PPI within 2 weeks prior to the BreathTek UBT, it may be a false-negative result and the test should be repeated 2 weeks after discontinuing the PPI treatment. A positive result for a patient on a PPI could be considered positive and be acted upon.

— Ingestion of antimicrobials, or bismuth preparations within 2 weeks prior to performing the BreathTek UBT — Premature POST-DOSE breath collection time for a patient with a marginally positive BreathTek UBT result — Post-treatment assessment with the BreathTek UBT less than 4 weeks after completion of treatment for the eradication of H. pylori.

• False positive test results may be caused by urease associated with other gastric spiral organisms observed in humans such as Helicobacter heilmannii or achlorhydria.

• If particulate matter is visible in the reconstituted Pranactin-Citric solution after thorough mixing, the solution should not be used.

• Patients who are hypersensitive to mannitol, citric acid or Aspartame should avoid taking the drug solution as this drug solution contains these ingredients. Use with caution in patients with difficulty swallowing or who may be at high risk of aspiration due to medical or physical conditions.

• No information is available on use of the Pranactin-Citric solution during pregnancy.

• For pediatric test results, the Urea Hydrolysis Rate (UHR) results must be calculated. The Delta over Baseline (DOB) results are only used to calculate the UHR metrics to determine H. pylori infection in pediatric patients. DOB results cannot be used to determine the infection status of pediatric patients. Use the web-based pUHR-CA (https://BreathTekKids.com) to calculate the UHR. • Safety and effectiveness has not been established in children below the age of 3 years.

Adverse Events During post-approval use of the BreathTek UBT in adults, the following adverse events have been identified: anaphylactic reaction, hypersensitivity, rash, burning sensation in the stomach, tingling in the skin, vomiting and diarrhea. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.

In two clinical studies conducted in 176 (analyzed) pediatric patients ages 3 to 17 years to determine the initial diagnosis and post treatment monitoring of H. pylori, the following adverse events experienced by ≥1% of these patients were: vomiting (5.1%), oropharyngeal pain (4.5% to include throat irritation, sore throat, throat burning), nausea (2.3%), restlessness (2.3%), stomach ache/belly pain (1.1%), and diarrhea (1.1%). Most of the adverse events were experienced by patients within minutes to hours of ingestion of the Pranactin-Citric solution.

In another clinical study comparing the UBiT®-IR300 and POCone® in pediatric patients ages 3 to 17 years, the following adverse events were observed among the 99 subjects enrolled: 2 incidences of headache, and 1 incidence each of cough, dry mouth and acute upper respiratory infection.

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References: 1. Vakil N, Megraud F. Eradication therapy for Helicobacter pylori. Gastroenterology. 2007;133(3):985-1001. 2. Vakil N, Fendrick AM. How to test for Helicobacter pylori in 2005. Cleve Clin J Med. 2005;72(suppl 2):S8-S13. 3. Chu Y-T, Wang Y-H, Wu J-J, Lei H-Y. Invasion and multiplication of Helicobacter pylori in gastric epithelial cells and implications for antibiotic resistance. Infect Immun. 2010;78(10):4157-4165. 4. Chey WD, Wong BCY; Practice Parameters Committee of the American College of Gastroenterology. American College of Gastroenterology guideline on the management of Helicobacter pylori infection. Am J Gastroenterol. 2007;102(8):1808-1825. 5. Package Insert for BreathTek UBT. Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc; 2014.

©2015 Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.

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PA M L PAML grew to encompass a wider geographical presence, additionally realigning its focus to diagnostics.

“About three years ago, we launched a professional services corporation,” said Dr. Velázquez.

“We developed a portfolio of complementary skills that are useful not only to us as a company but more importantly bring valuable services to those that we work with.”

Referring to PAML as a healthcare solutions company, Dr. Velázquez went on to explain that his primary goal was to do the best work possible, leaving his clients and partners with the solutions and a roadmap to providing better care.

“Our goal is to go in and help you and leave as quickly as we can,” said Dr. Velázquez.

Successful Direction How does a company remain competitive, especially within the

H E A LT H C A R E

healthcare industry? According to Dr. Velázquez, the answer is simple: pay attention.

“We pay attention to new developments,” clarified Dr. Velázquez. “And not just in the healthcare industry, but in others as well.”

“It’s important for us to understand what the world around us is doing because ultimately most of the trends that we see in other industries will come to healthcare,” he continued.

PAML also connects with higher level academic institutions to understand where innovation is headed. By spending time with entrepreneurs and those investing venture capital dollars in new technologies, PAML successfully keeps its “finger on the pulse.”

Innovative Solutions PAML is striving to close the gap in

“It’s important for us to understand what the world around us is doing because ultimately most of the trends that we see in other industries will come to healthcare” – Dr. Francisco R. Velázquez, President and Chief Executive Officer w w w. p a m l . c o m

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Sarstedt - solutions for the clinical lab Sarstedt offers modular technology for efficient sample preparation. With options for bulk loading, identification, decapping, sorting, aliquoting, and recapping - we provide the automation you need now plus the ability to add more later. And because we are also a global manufacturer of premium consumables, we can provide the total solution for all of your requirements.

Sarstedt is a proud business partner of Pathology Associates Medical Laboratories.

800-257-5101 . customerservice@sarstedt.us . www.sarstedt.com

QUANTA Lite®

Calprotectin Differentiate between IBS and IBD with a non-invasive marker of intestinal inflammation.

1

Now available, an FDA cleared assay that delivers the results physicians need for patients with symptoms of IBD • A new fecal ELISA test kit offering expanded dynamic range of 15.6-500mg/kg1 • High sensitivity helps guide decision-making when selecting patients for endoscopy2

For more information visit www.inovadx.com Scan this QR code or go to www.inovadx.com/calprotectin to learn more about this important marker

INOVA Diagnostics, Inc., San Diego, CA 92131 858-586-9900 www.inovadx.com References: 1. QUANTA Lite Calprotectin directional insert.

2. Bunn, S. et al. Fecal calprotectin: validation as a noninvasive measure of bowel inflammation in childhood inflammatory bowel disease. J Pediatric Gastroenterology Nutrition 2001;33:14-22.

QUANTA Lite is a trademark of Inova Diagnostics, Inc. © 2015 Inova Diagnostics, Inc. All rights reserved.

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PA M L the continuum of care between the time that individuals are consumers and the time that they are patients.

“Right now, both worlds don’t connect and we’re looking to connect those better,” said Dr. Velázquez.

With more consumers looking for ways to proactively manage their health, many have turned to the internet for help in accessing medical resources to help them make smart decisions. In response to this, late last year PAML unveiled its website for Cinch™, the company’s new consumerbased product line that empowers individuals to reveal their health through easy access to laboratory testing and information.

“Our Cinch product line is a step above what is currently being offered in the market for directto-consumer laboratory testing,” said Shawn Whitcomb, PAML’s Chief Information Officer in a press release. “We are delivering the same superiority in laboratory testing that patients receive from their physician, but with much more convenience and flexibility, and often at a lower cost than a traditional physician visit.”

H E A LT H C A R E

Additionally, PAML recently launched another brand titled AION (meaning “life” or “longevity” in Greek) which aims to assist physicians practicing personalized medicine by delivering evidencebased testing utilizing robust diagnostic technology to detect risk factors and biomarkers associated with aging.

Through clinical relevance and uniformity of testing, AION aids physicians in their efforts to monitor patients and manage treatment programs over time. AION also provides nationwide concierge phlebotomy services to healthcare providers that do not have in-house drawing personnel, as well as an online portal delivering enhanced reports.

“We’ve segmented the areas of wellness we serve into traditional and clinical wellness, wellness for consumers, wellness for the ageing population and we’re now entering into corporate wellness for employees,” said Dr. Velázquez.

Why Choose PAML? “In short, we’re a true partner,” said Dr. Velázquez. “Our goal is for you to w w w. p a m l . c o m

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PA M L

succeed. We’re focused on quality and service in terms of providing for those that work with us.�

As a value-driven organization, PAML looks to enhance the skills and abilities of its clients all while remaining community-centric.

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Mindful of its presence in the community, PAML is constantly looking to locally brand joint ventures for the benefit of its partners and the community as a whole. “Our goal is to do upwards of 90 percent of the volume generated in a

H E A LT H C A R E

Company Information INDUSTRY

PAML HEADQUARTERS

Healthcare FOUNDED

1957 EMPLOYEES

1000 REVENUE

$250 M PRODUCTS/ SERVICES

www.paml.com

particular region locally,” explained Dr. Velázquez.

“That way we can increase the efficiency of our local partners, provide them with a revenue stream they didn’t previously have, and maintain the continuity of information for the region of delivered care.”

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Suncor, Inc.

Suncor and the Power of Partnerships President and Founder Doug Kuiper discusses the market and Suncor’s strategy for growth.

Written by: Sasha Orman Produced by: Tom Venturo

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SUNCOR, INC.

Brickell Metro Station 3

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n 1992, Doug and Patricia Kuiper founded Suncor Inc. to bring high quality fabricated structural steel products to Hialeah, Florida. Today, Suncor stands as a trusted name in the structural steel fabrication industry, building a reputation and a strong client base on customer service and proven results.

Clients as Partners Every business has its own style and strategy for growth. Some aim for growth at any cost, submitting bids on every possible project that could come their way. Suncor’s own strategy is more reserved, but 48

May 2015

comes with its own set of rewards that has helped it stay successful throughout the years.

“What we do is we seek out repeat type customers, and we focus on building relationships with good companies,” says Kuiper. “My focus is more on working with people who want to work with us—more like a partnering. That both decreases my overhead, because I don’t have to have a whole staff of estimators, and also gives us the kind of trusting relationship that you get with customers when you do work repeatedly.”

As Kuiper explains, trust is a

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Specialty aluminum sunshades during production

commodity that can be hard to come by in an industry where projects can take months—if not years—from start to finish. When it comes to dealing with large construction companies, where points of contact may be promoted or long gone by the time the next bidding cycle comes around, reputation and past experiences together are crucial.

“If you do repeat work with companies, like we do, you trust each other,” he says. “We trust them that we’re going to get paid, and they trust us that they know they’re going to get quality products delivered on

time. So we pride ourselves in the quality that we do.”

High Standards What keeps clients returning to Suncor? A strong part of it is the high standards that Suncor strives to maintain. Those standards aren’t just a point of pride: they’re also vital to ensuring that clients are able to get jobs done accurately and on time with minimal stress.

“We have standards for that to make sure that what we’re giving them fits,” says Kuiper, noting that Suncor works with stateof-the-art rendering technology w w w . s u n c o r. n e t

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SUNCOR, INC. like TEKLA to reduce errors and keep measurements as precise as possible—a critical necessity for any fabricator. “We pre-manufacture all these steel components so that, when you put them on a truck and ship them to a job site, everything just bolts together,” Kuiper explains.

“You have to be very precise on what you do, to within 1/16 of an inch.”

Claims of accuracy and high quality product standards are easy to say, but they mean much more when they’re backed up by third-party audits and certification.

Because of this, Suncor takes care to maintain certification with the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC).

“Not every fabricator has AISC

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certification—most of the larger fabricators are certified, some of the medium ones are certified, and very few of the small ones are certified,” says Kuiper. “It can be very difficult to achieve this, because you have to have a lot of systems and organization and quality built in to get that.” But according to Kuiper, putting in the time and effort to obtain AISC certification is more than worth it for the credibility it brings and the clients it helps attract through the promise of high standards that are guaranteed.

In addition to its own AISC certification, Suncor also holds its third party partners to similar high standards in order to ensure that clients are getting the best service

Brickell Metro Station w w w . s u n c o r. n e t

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SUNCOR, INC.

wherever possible. “We don’t install materials, but we hire people to do that—and the erectors we hire are typically also AISC-certified,” says Kuiper. “So we have quality of product, and we have quality installers. That gives the customers a certain satisfaction that we’re going to do what we say we’re going to do.”

Looking Ahead As the economy continues to improve and construction projects keep growing and expanding, the future is looking good for Suncor.

The company is involved in several 52

May 2015

high profile projects, including the multi-building Brickell City Center project underway in Miami, as a subcontractor to AMJV (joint venture). Consisting of three, 30plus stories high towers, the project presents some unique challenges and calls for the kind of high quality steel that Suncor prides itself on delivering. Meanwhile, a project with Skanska USA for the Miami Science Museum presents its own complex challenges in the form of architecturally exposed structural steel that must be as smooth and beautiful as it is strong.

In other words, they’re the kinds

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of projects that keep Suncor growing and thriving.

“Our outlook is positive toward this year,” says Kuiper. “I think 2015 looks very strong for us, and I think we’re going to have a very good year.”

Company Information INDUSTRY

The Suncor Difference Suncor isn’t the largest steel fabricator in the world, or even in the United States, but as far as Kuiper is concerned that’s a positive—staying smaller allows Suncor to be more agile and in tune with its customers. “You want to be big enough to have good profit, but you want to be small enough that you can have your hand on the pulse,” he says.

“When you get too big, sometimes you lose that.”

But what truly sets Suncor apart from the competition is those long term repeat relationships—that level of trust that all stems from a good attitude and exemplary service. “ “There are companies who do what we do just as well as we do, but in terms of customer service, I think we’re among the best,” says Kuiper. “That’s probably the biggest thing— the customer relations and just really truly caring about what we do. Everybody’s in business, and Business 101 is that the goal of any organization is maximizing profit for the stockholders. We’re all about making profit. But I’ve learned that, if you can build your customer base strong, the profit takes care of itself. So instead of having the goal of money, my goal is customer relations—everything else works itself out after that.”

Construction HEADQUARTERS

3408 W. 84th Street No. 116, Hialeah FL USA FOUNDED

1992 EMPLOYEES

30 REVENUE

Not Disclosed PRODUCTS/ SERVICES

Structural Steel Fabrication

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MnDOT: St. Croix Crossing Bridge Project

St. Croix Crossing Bridge: Connecting Minnesota and Wisconsin The new St. Croix Crossing Bridge will be the second extradosed bridge constructed in the United States. evernam faccus eatur Written by: Stephanie C. Ocano

Produced by: Tom Venturo

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Grey Cloud

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ooking towards Minnesota, U.S.A., the Stillwater Lift Bridge has stood for 80 years—until now. A joint project between the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WiscDOT) has led to the development of a new extradosed bridge that will replace the Stillwater Lift Bridge with a new four-lane bridge to connect expressways on both sides of the St. Croix River.

Extradosed bridges have been successfully designed and constructed for several years in 56

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both Europe and Japan due to their balance of cost, aesthetics, constructability and sensitivity to the environment.

The St. Croix Crossing Bridge has been decades in the making partly because of the many historic, cultural and environmental features along the river.

Expected to have a positive impact on the community, the new bridge will be a signature one in both the state and to the area.

Both reducing traffic and offering a number of recreational activities via the addition of loop trails, the St. Croix Crossing Bridge is a project

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Crossbeam - Pier

that has been greatly anticipated.

A Project of Magnitude in Size The St. Croix Crossing Bridge project is running at a total cost of $580 million, with MnDOT’s cost share adding up to $340 million. This cost estimate includes construction, right of way, environmental protection and remediation, contingency, bonds and insurance, engineering and management.

While the project is shared between MnDOT and WisDOT, MnDOT’s focus includes 13 key aspects.

• Reconstruct and realign Hwy 36 and Hwy 95 • Directly connect Hwy 36 and Hwy 95 with r amps and traffic signals • Add turn lanes at Osgood and Greeley/Oakgreen intersections • Realign the Hwy 36 intersection at Greeley/Oakgreen • Realign the North Frontage Road access point north of Osgood intersection • Create a shared center turn lane on the north and south frontage roads • Add a trail along the South

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• • • •

•

Frontage Road to connect to the new Loop Trail Add ponds to improve storm water runoff and water quality Extend the South Frontage Road to Stagecoach Trail Reconstruct the Beach Road bridge Add traffic signals, lighting, signing and pavement markings Implementing new Intelligent Transportation System that includes cameras and traffic

detection • Relocate utilities With construction commencing back in 2013, the entirety of the project is set to be completed by 2017. The bridge itself, however, will be open to traffic the fall of 2016.

“Once the new bridge is complete and open to traffic, we will also have a 5-mile bike and pedestrian route that will connect the new bridge with the old 1930s Lift Bridge,” said Project Director Michael Beer. “The Lift Bridge is being converted to

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become part of a 4.7-mile bike and pedestrian trail.�

Constructing the St. Croix Crossing Bridge in 7 Steps Step 1: Precast Cofferdam Deck System The pre-fabricated cofferdam deck system is a platform for workers and acts a guide for placing the casings.

Eventually, it gets sunk to the river bottom as part of the footing.

Step 2: Spud Piling and Brace Framing To ensure the cofferdam deck is able to support itself, the workers and the equipment, it is reinforced with additional braces known as spud piles.

Step 3: Install Casings through the Cofferdam Deck System Multiple 9 ft. diameter hollow casings are placed into the mud and bedrock beneath the river bottom.

Casings can range from 90 to 120 ft. long and go through up to 25 ft. of water, 87 ft. of muck, 2 ft. of sand and gravel and 2 ft. of soft stone.

Crews then drill about 25 ft. further into the bedrock.

Mud, muck and rock are then

drilled out with several different tools. After the muck and mud are removed, crews fill the casing with a rebar cage for support and begin to pour the concrete.

Step 4: Lower Cofferdam Since the sunken platform where concrete will be poured needs to be dry, a cofferdam is installed to pump water out until the area is dry.

Step 5: Seal Deck System and Build Seal At this point, crews build a concrete seal to ensure that the structure is stabilized. The concrete seal is between 3 ½ to 4 ft. thick.

Step 6: Construct Footing On top of the concrete seal from step 5, crews construct a reinforced concrete footing for added strength and stability. A tower is then added to the foundation.

Step 7: Remove Cofferdam The cofferdam is removed, allowing water to surround the new foundation.

The Bridge to Success

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Speaking with Beer, who oversees MnDOT’s construction, surveys and materials program amongst other responsibilities, three key factors were highlighted that have led to the project staying on track and running smoothly.

According to Beer, a Critical Path Method (CPM) schedule, a strong management team and a dedicated workforce have all contributed to the project’s success.

“With a project of this magnitude, having a CPM schedule that keeps everything on track and identifies challenges or opportunities to accelerate the sequence of work is vital,” said Beer.

Primarily hiring locals, the MnDOT 60

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staff is also supplemented with consultants simply due to the vast amount of work. While typically consultants would also be from the area, the St. Croix Crossing Bridge project has consultants from Florida that have more expertise in the project’s type of bridge construction. “[Our team] is invaluable,” emphasized Beer. “With an aggressive schedule, there are problems that come up during the day and night, and needing to keep the project on schedule, it’s critical that we have people out there who can make informed decisions.

It’s critical to the success of the project.”

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Keeping the Community in Mind “We’d like to continue to deliver a quality project and do it safely while on time and under budget,” said Beer. “We want to continue to engage the public with our outreach, send out weekly emails with great photos and just keep in constant contact.”

According to Beer, the community has greatly appreciated the level of interaction between the project team and the public. Aside from the communication, boat tours are also being conducted.

“St. Croix is a scenic river and now with this project going on there’s a lot of interest by people to be able to see up-close the construction taking place,” added Beer. “We’ve teamed with the St. Croix Boat and Packet Co. to have project staff on several of their boat tours each month to answer questions and give a narration of what’s going on with the construction of the bridge.”

The St. Croix Crossing Bridge project is a long and arduous one, but once complete it will provide a number of benefits to the community.

When all work is finished, motorists will have smoother highway pavement surfaces, improved flow at intersections, an improved frontage road system—including safer access—and a new river crossing between Minnesota and Wisconsin. All of this will occur while maintaining or restoring the area’s cultural, historic and environmental resources.

Company Information INDUSTRY

Construction HEADQUARTERS

1862 Greeley St. S Stillwater, Minnesota United States, 55082 FOUNDED

2013 EMPLOYEES

250 REVENUE

$460M

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Virginia Office of Public-Private Partnerships (VAP3) Virginia P3: Bringing Government and Business Together for Better Roads to Success Virginia P3 Director Douglas Koelemay discusses new projects and the benefits for state residents of taking the public-private partnership route Written by: Sasha Orman

Produced by: Tom Venturo

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VAP3 Team outside the HQ at Suite 2120 600 E Main St Richmond VA

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irginia is a growing state, and there’s a lot of work to be done. That’s especially true in the area of transportation— as the state’s population grows, infrastructure needs to be expanded and improved to keep Virginia residents and freight moving quickly and efficiently.

“It’s an exciting time here at the moment,” says Douglas Koelemay, Director of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Office of Public-Private Partnerships (VAP3). Since being appointed to the relatively new office in January 2014, Koelemay has been overseeing and driving 64

May 2015

the formation of new public-private partnerships to strengthen and improve transportation infrastructure throughout Virginia. With several projects successfully completed – the I-495 and I-95 Express Lanes projects – and several more coming down the pipeline, it’s certainly a time of action and change for the better.

New Projects on the Horizon There are several new projects coming to Virginia transportation.

The Elizabeth River Tunnel P3 Project in Hampton Roads that includes a new Midtown Tunnel, rehabilitation of the existing

P S ( VA P 3 )

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Doug Koelemay -Amy Inman - Susan Shaw - Rene Hamilton and Young Ho Chang fielding questions at theI-66 Public Information Meetings held at the NOVA District Office

Midtown and Downtown tunnels, and construction of the Martin Luther King (MLK) Extension is more than halfway complete and on-time, on-budget. Several more high-profile bridge and tunnel projectsin Hampton Roads are good candidates forP3 delivery, as are extensions of express lanes in Northern Virginia. VAP3 currently is screening solar, cell tower and fiber opportunities for P3 project development potential for VDOT. Perhaps the most hotly anticipated project on the horizon is a package of improvement projects destined for Virginia’s Interstate 66 Corridor

west of the I-495 Beltway, a project still in the works and slated to go to construction in 2017. The project will work on multiple levels to add additional HOV and managed lanes, extended rapid transit solutions, and expanded park-and-ride facilities along the corridor to decrease traffic congestion, encourage the use of carpooling and provide a reliable mass transit trip. The I-66 project is also being designed with the future in mind to support the potential expansion of a metro rail system in the decades to come.

“We think that’s actually going to bring a lot of relief from traffic w w w. p 3 v i r g i n i a . o r g

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V I R G I N I A O F F I C E O F P U B L I C - P R I VAT E PA R T N E R S H I P congestion in that corridor, as well as improve safety and make travel times more reliable—in other words the benefits really that the traveling public wants,” says Koelemay. The feedback VAP3, VDOT and DRPT have received from the public helped put those benefits at the center of the planning process. “There’s been overwhelming public support both from general public but also from various government entities in that corridor,” he says. “It’s one reason we’ve been able to proceed smoothly through our planning and project development stages.”

Dusty Holcomb VAP3 Deputy Director

An innovative client experience We amplify owners’ capabilities and move their projects forward, maximizing value and minimizing risk.

I-495 HOT Lanes Program Management

ch2mhill.com

Photo courtesy of: Trevor Wrayton, VDOT

P S ( VA P 3 )

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The Benefits of Public Private Partnerships The concept of the public-private partnership is fairly new to the United States, and the Commonwealth of Virginia was an early adopter with the enactment of the Public-Private Transportation Act (PPTA) in 1995.

“It was our answer to what was then a push for privatization of public assets,” says Koelemay, explaining that the state looked at privatization and decided to take a different route. “We wanted to actually harness the investment power that the private sector could bring to a project.”

According to Koelemay, the state has realized several benefits from the implementation of the P3 system. One of the key benefits has been a quicker turnaround on project delivery compared to traditional methods, due to the ability to line up design build contractors, subcontractors, and other key functions at the start of a project and have them work together through completion and even into maintenance and operations through long term contracts. Another benefit has been the ability to optimize risk allocation with the private sector, which can equate to cost savings for the state and taxpayers.

“If the public sector keeps traditional procurement, it’s responsible for cost overruns and schedule overruns,” Koelemay explains.

“Under a P3, we usually assign that type of risk to the private sector, to the construction company team, and say: it’s in your interest to finish on time, and it’s in your interest to finish on budget,

Douglas Koelemay VAP3 Director

“If the public sector keeps traditional procurement, it’s responsible for cost overruns and schedule overruns.”

Douglas Koelemay” – Douglas Koelemay, Director

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V I R G I N I A O F F I C E O F P U B L I C - P R I VAT E PA R T N E R S H I P

because otherwise you have to make up the difference.It lines up the incentives with the party that’s in the best position to actually follow through and make sure these things happen.”

By working with private sector engineers and builders, the result can be a high quality product that Virginia residents can value. “Users of a public private partnership facility—they’re customers of that business now,” Koelemay adds.

“That business that’s now been formed really wants to make sure 68

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those customers are getting the service that they want and that they value. It’s like a retailer who’s very aware of the customer base, listens to what they want, and makes sure he delivers the services and products people want, and that’s why they’ll keep coming back.”

A Better Way of Providing Service Times are changing in the world of transportation. As the country continues to repair itself postrecession, travel is up—and so

P S ( VA P 3 )

CONSTRUCTION

is the need for more transportation choices and infrastructure. Public perception is coming around to more positive views on concepts like managed and toll roads, and P3 projects are improving turnaround times and upkeep on vital projects. With the initiation of each public-private partnership, VAP3 is looking forward to delivering concrete results that residents can see and appreciate as soon as possible. With the opening of the dedicated Virginia P3 office in 2010,this goal has become all the more attainable.

“We have 10 people [in our office] now, and that gives us a group that wakes up each day thinking about: ‘what else can I do in this area?’ instead of just being a minor appendage to a another very large agency. It puts us in a great position to make things happen—we understand how to establish the scope of projects, the financial feasibility of projects and so forth to actually get them together,” says Koelemay, citing the I-66 team’s ability to cut projections on the I-66 from $3 billion down to $2 billion in order to be more attractive to private sector partners while maintaining the integrity of the project.

“One of our objectives on the I-66 project is to do something that can be delivered now, not 10 years from now,” says Koelemay. “With both the scope and the affordability leaning closer together, we think we’re going to have a project that works well and that we can deliver in the next few years as opposed to a decade from now.”

Company Information INDUSTRY

Construction HEADQUARTERS

600 East Main St. Ste 2120 Richmond, VA FOUNDED

2010 EMPLOYEES

10 REVENUE

Not Disclosed PRODUCTS/ SERVICES

Government/ Infrastructure

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Turner Construction

One Common Goal: The Anaheim Convention Center Expansion Turner Construction Project Executive, Ryan Nordin, discusses the company’s approach to building the Orange County epicenter as well as key partnerships to achieve one common goal.

Written by: Robert Spence Produced by: Tom Venturo 71

TURNER CONSTRUCTION

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ocated in sunny southern California next to Disneyland, the historic Anaheim Convention Center is set to undergo a major expansion project in 2015 to enhance its size and curb appeal.

Undertaking the massive $190 million Design-Build project is Turner Construction, a North Americabased, international construction services firm with an esteemed reputation in the industry for quality workmanship.

Expected to be completed in mid 2017, the Anaheim Convention Center project will include a wide range of alluring benefits and 72

May 2015

amenities for the Orange County epicenter. Turner will be adding 200,000-square-foot of space on two levels, building a climatecontrolled pedestrian bridge connecting to the second floor from the existing facility, dedicated loading docks, and replacing 1,364 parking spots. While the convention center is already the largest exhibition facility on the west coast, the new expansion will increase potential exhibit space beyond the one million square foot mark.

One common goal In March 2014, Turner Construction

CONSTRUCTION

Photo credit Populous

was selected to provide the design-build service for the $190 million expansion of the Anaheim Convention Center. For the monumental project, Turner enlisted the assistance of top engineering firms, contractors and material providers to ensure the project is not only completed on time and within budget, but to guarantee the project is as impressive as envisioned.

The company teamed up with architecture firm Populous to spearhead the project, as well as brought in MKA as a structural engineer for their experience in designing unique and iconic projects.

“This isn’t just a Turner Construction project,” said Ryan Nordin, project executive for Turner Construction and the Anaheim Convention Center expansion. “It’s a partnership and synergy with

“This isn’t just a Turner Construction project” – Ryan Nordin, project executive for Turner Construction and the Anaheim Convention Center expansion

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TURNER CONSTRUCTION Populous, MKA and our designbuild trade partners to create a welldefined product that exceeds the expectations of our client, the City of Anaheim. We all have one common goal here and it’s to complete this project to the best of our abilities.

“Our companies have worked together in the past and we know the strengths of each partner. It’s a good fit for this project because every partner brings something significant to the table,” added Nordin.

The company will construct the project in two phases. The first being the construction of the parking garage, including the connector bridge, and the loading dock, and the second phase being the multi-purpose spaces, interstitial parking levels and perimeter site improvements.

According to Nordin, the project has already involved many innovative ideas.

“There have been a lot of structural innovations informed by

CONSTRUCTION

Populous’ experience and MKA’s advice to us. We use the term ‘let the dirt do the work’ and that’s why we used a lot of subterranean area from the existing parking structure to help mold the form of the building, making it as structurally efficient as possible. This approach helped us align to the budget expectations of the City of Anaheim.”

The company is expected to complete phase one within one year of commencing construction and phase two within two years.

Ensuring the best outcome Along with having key partnerships in place, Turner Construction employs some of the most effective technology and processes in the business.

“We implement BIM modeling to find our conflicts early versus during construction,” said Nordin.

The software, which is an industry standard, is a 3D model-based process to plan, design, construct and manage buildings and infrastructure.

“We also use a LEAN process called Last Planner. It’s a process which is a planning measurement

where we take the milestones and work backwards.”

The idea is to work backwards with trade partners to build a schedule and to obtain more input.

By using this process, we learn what our trade partners need, what are the true predecessors and successors for activities, but most importantly, you learn the specific ways in which our trade partners rely on each other,” said Nordin.

The company has a weekly percent completion plan in place to monitor and measure everyone’s completion rate.

“We take the weekly percent complete plan and results to measure the success of our commitments,” said Nordin. “It looks at several weeks in advance of all of our commitments to each other, and we measure our commitment completion success.”

“It’s really effective. We capture every party’s needs and designate a responsible party for providing the information or closing the activity.

We track results weekly with all the partners.”

Another component Turner Construction employs is ‘nothing

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Photo credit Populous

TURNER CONSTRUCTION hits the ground.’ The process involves having everything on wheels, as well as real-time delivery, to limit inefficiencies of moving materials.

The real advantage for Turner is its employees. The company is employing roughly 300-400 staff members, including workforce, management and partners.

“The biggest asset we have is our people,” said Nordin. “We’re largely responsible for the education of our team members, including internal and external training such as 360 degree training for management and leadership, as well as a web-based learning and resource database.”

Safety is the primary facet

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that’s very close to Turner’s heart.

According to Nordin, the company is always working hard to maintain a company culture of safety and security.

“The most important thing for us is that everyone goes home safe to their families. We’ve always been on the cutting edge of safety but now we’re implementing a new culture called Building L.I.F.E, which stands for ‘Living Injury Free Everyday. It’s a top-down, bottom-up approach; it’s about caring for individuals at every level and about responding to their feedback. It’s a very transparent approach and it helps our tradesman to know we not only care, but empower them and respond to

“It’s a partnership and synergy with Populous, MKA and our design-build trade partners to create a well defined product that exceeds the expectation of our client, the City of Anaheim. We all have one common goal in completing this project to the best of our abilities.”

– Ryan Nordin, project executive for Turner Construction and the Anaheim Convention Center expansion. w w w. t u r n e rc o n s t r u c t i o n . c o m

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their concerns.

Civic benefits According to the Anaheim Convention Center’s website, the expansion project will include an array of benefits to the county.

“With this expansion, the ACC will be able to: • Retain existing business and capture larger meetings and conventions that the ACC currently cannot accommodate due to a lack of meeting space.

• Maximize occupancy by holding concurrent conventions. With an expanded convention center, the ACC will have room to hold multiple large events simultaneously, or have one event being set up while another event is breaking down.

• Capitalize on economic and fiscal benefits.

The total measurable tax revenue to the city is estimated to be $9.5 million annually or $112 million over a 10-year operating period.”

For Turner Construction, one of the more important aspects to the project is hiring locally.

The project is estimated to create 1,860 jobs during construction with another 2,043 jobs annually.

“One team goal we have for this project is to hire local people,” said Nordin. “Our goal is to have30 percent of the workforce from the project this area.”

He added, “From day one this has been the common goal for Turner Construction and the City of Anaheim. We’re determined to make it happen.”

Company Information INDUSTRY

Construction HEADQUARTERS

375 Hudson Street New York, New York, United States, 10014 FOUNDED

Construction EMPLOYEES

10,000 REVENUE

Not Disclosed

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Carolinas AGC CAGC Author: Lori McGovern

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CAROLINAS AGC CAGC

Pinnacle Awards

T

he rebounding construction industry in North and South Carolina has already seen some major investments in infrastructure, such as the recently completed Raleigh-Durham International Airport terminal modernization, a $68 million project. A recently completed 20year South Carolina Department of Transportation Commission study found a $29.54 billion gap in funding for transit needs over the next 20 years, making future funding for infrastructure projects an even greater emphasis for the industry.

The Carolinas Associated General Contractors (CAGC) lobbies for funding of building, highway and 82

May 2015

utility construction projects, and supports its members through tools and resources to help the industry thrive. Since 1920, CAGC has worked to help members influence, plan, grow and connect to other contractors in the Carolinas and beyond. CAGC is a trade association for general contractors, specialty contractors, suppliers and service providers who work in the commercial construction industry throughout North Carolina and South Carolina.

Lobbying On Our Members’ Behalf CAGC has four full-time staff lobbyists who, along with members’

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assistance, lobby on behalf of the commercial construction industry.

In North Carolina, CAGC led efforts to enact legislation that resulted in a legislative study of the multibillion-dollar need for public building and utility construction work and permanent funding sources through the year 2025, as well as a new law that takes North Carolina from one of the weakest states to perhaps the strongest state concerning underground safety and damage prevention involving construction. In the upcoming North Carolina legislative session beginning in February 2015, CAGC will work with the transportation coalition it co-founded, NC Go!, to secure long-needed additional transportation funding revenue to support a sustainable North Carolina Department of Transportation program of delivering needed transportation projects and associated maintenance activities.

In South Carolina, CAGC was instrumental in the passage of a $600 million road funding package, which includes $50 million in recurring funds allocated to the State Infrastructure Bank to be

bonded for $500 million, $50 million in one-time funds to be used for bridge repair, and moves half of the sales tax on automobiles to the Highway Fund on a recurring basis, generating approximately $41 million annually-- the first increase in highway funds in 20 years!

Carolinas Construction Projects Other exciting construction projects that have been completed or are nearing completion include the I-485 turbine interchange in Charlotte, the I-77 toll road from Charlotte to Lake Norman, and major investments from Duke Energy in North Carolina and Boeing in South Carolina.

Projects like these are making a big impact on the industry. But more funding and projects need to be planned to ensure prevention of ailing infrastructure in the future.

Carolinas AGC will continue its crusade to bring positive impact to the Carolinas for its members and the entire construction industry.

Recognition of Members’ Good Work In recognition of the great work by members, CAGC honors stellar w w w. c a g c . o r g

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CAROLINAS AGC CAGC

construction projects with the CAGC Pinnacle Awards, the most prestigious recognition in the Carolinas construction industry.

The awards honor the work of general contractors and their partners, and projects are awarded in the building, highway, and utility construction categories. A panel of CAGC member representatives evaluates the work of their peers

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and winning projects are celebrated at CAGC’s Annual Convention each year. Along with the Best Building Project Award, the Best Utility Project Award, and the Best Highway Project Award, CAGC also recognizes the contributions of a non-contractor individual for his or her role in advancing the construction industry and the overall Carolinas economic welfare. This

CONSTRUCTION

distinguished Build With The Best Award honors individuals from outside the industry altogether or from a Carolinas AGC supplier/service company member. In 2013, this honor was bestowed on North Carolina Representative Mike Hager, who led efforts to rewrite the state’s underground safety/damage prevention laws.

Together with members, Carolinas AGC provides a strong voice in the legislature, advances construction companies, unifies the industry and fuels its future. With 30 volunteerled committees and five Divisions (representing building, utility, highway, and specialty contractors and supplier/service providers), CAGC provides many opportunities to directly impact the direction of the construction industry in the Carolinas. The CAGC Foundation, Inc. supports the future of the industry through workforce development programs as well as safety, leadership and craftworker education and training. Preparing a qualified workforce continues to be a focus of the Foundation, as a recent Associated General Contractors of America study found that 83 percent of construction firms report having trouble finding qualified workers to meet the growing demand for construction services.

Hear about the latest CAGC initiatives or learn more about membership at www.cagc.org.

Company Information INDUSTRY

Construction HEADQUARTERS

Charlotte, NC

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Petro Star

An Alaskan Refiner for Alaskans Since 1984, Petro Star has been faithfully serving its very niche market in Alaska.

Written by: Ian Hanner Produced by: James Hayes

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North Pole Refinery Truck Loading Facility

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f you don’t live in Alaska, you may not know the name Petro Star; but if you do live there, there’s a significant chance that you have them to thank for heating your home in the winter.

Petro Star was founded in 1984 in a state more than twice the size of Texas. Servicing an extremely diverse area – in terms of geography andenvironment , the company has been geared toward filling a very specific role in the Alaskan market from the very beginning.

“While other [Alaskan] refineries were processing a wide variety of petroleum products, Petro Star’s 88

May 2015

founders recognized the need for a refinery that would process middle distillates such as heating oil, diesel and aviation fuels for homes and businesses in Alaska,” the company’s website states.

While their business has evolved greatly since then, that mission still remains the core of their operations, according to Mark John, Vice President of Business Development and Marketing. He said Petro Star got its start when two enterprising employees who worked at a refinery in North Pole, Alaska , saw a need for a home-grown refining company that specialized in the

E X P L O R AT I O N W O R L D

Bulk storage at the Petro Star Refinery in North Pole Alaska.

needs of Alaskans and lacked the bureaucracy that came with some large, Lower 48 corporations.

“So these two gentlemen went off and raised some money to put up a plant, basically, right next door to the refinery where they used to work,” John said. “It was really to fill a need in that market, which at the time, was predominantly heating oil for the Interior of Alaska and diesel fuel destined for the North Slope.

Soon thereafter, jet fuel sales to the military took on a far greater significance.” Ultimately, one of Petro Star’s original investors, Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (an

Alaska Native Corporation), became the sole owner, giving Petro Star the financial strength and leadership necessary to expand its operations.

To understand the growth Petro Star has experienced over the years, you have to understand the needs of Alaska— the United States’ most remote state. While other refineries tend to process a wide range of products from their supply of crude oil, Petro Star sticks to middle of the barrel—that’s products in the diesel and jet fuel range.

Today a large part of the company’s business comes from sales of aviation fuels to both the w w w. p e t r o s t a r. c o m

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P E T R O S TA R private sector and the military in the region.

Petro Star is the largest supplier of fuel to the U.S. military in the State of Alaska, producing JP8— an aviation fuel— to Eielson Air Force Base in North Pole and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage. They also produce JP-4—a low freeze point helicopter fuel of which Petro Star is the only refiner in the U. S. that produces this product—and JP-5, a low volatility jet fuel which the Coast Guard and Navy use predominantly onboard ships.

While primarily a refining company, Petro Star also operates a number of retail and marketing operations that serve markets across the State of Alaska.

So while it’s clear that Petro Star serves a very niche market in the region, it might seem at face value that they have little room to expand in Alaska without a dramatic increase in demand. That is far from the case, according to John.

“Room to grow for us means expanding our current production of similar products and actually looking at some new products,” he

E X P L O R AT I O N W O R L D

said. “Those products would be made from utilizing different parts of the barrel besides the diesel part, whether that’s the heavier part of the barrel or possibly the lighter end of the barrel. Alaska is driven by the price of crude so the economy here is dependent on that price, but we are definitely more in a growth mode now than we have been for a while.”

What’s driving some of that growth is the recent changes in market due to a shuttered refinery.

When Flint Hills Resources ceased refining operations in 2014 and converted the site into a terminal, they took offline one of the larger refineries in the state. That 37-yearold facility was much larger than the Petro Star refineries, meaning that Flint Hills left behind an underserved market.

“We’re trying to make sure that we can serve our existing customers and expand to meet any potential new demand in Alaska” John said. “So that’s been our focus for the last year.”

That’s a tall order, but John said that Petro Star’s two refineries— two of three remaining in the state— are up to the challenge. w w w. p e t r o s t a r. c o m

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P E T R O S TA R

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E X P L O R AT I O N W O R L D

For some fundamentals, Petro Star operates two refineries in Alaska: the North Pole and Valdez refineries, which respectively, can process 22,000 and 60,000 barrels per day of Alaska North Slope crude oil, drawn directly off the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS). Of that oil, about 2530 percent is used for the company’s range of products and refinery fuel, with the remaining volume being sent back into TAPS. While the company has been successful in Alaska, there are no current plans to expand outside the state’s borders and John said the company will remain focused on the state’s market for the foreseeable future.

“Alaska is such a big place that just doing business here is like someone in the Lower 48 covering a large part of the U.S.,” he said. “We have an operation out in Dutch Harbor and Dutch Harbor is 1260 miles from Petro Star’s Valdez refinery. Our parent company is based in Barrow and if you look at a map, that’s at the very, very top of Alaska, and they actually barge fuel clear up there. So right now the current plan is to stay Alaskan-based.”

Company Information INDUSTRY

Oil Refining, Marketing HEADQUARTERS

3900 C Street Suite 802 Anchorage, Alaska, United States FOUNDED

1984 EMPLOYEES

Not Disclosed REVENUE

Not Disclosed

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Mize & Company Inc.

Making a Difference

New Mize & Co. CEO Ross Jordan discusses the challenges of change and the importance of being a business with purpose.

Written by: Sasha Orman Produced by: Brian Mooney

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M I Z E & C O M PA N Y I N C .

Gauge Booster Cables preparing for shipment to an oil field customer. Mize is well known for their hand-made 100% copper Booster sets.

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n 1936, Robert Mize started his own business from a small Kansas chicken coop. Today, this same business has grown into a multimillion dollar force in wire and cable production serving an 80/20 mix of the automotive and light industrial industries. But the same principles that could grow a business don’t always translate 80 years later— sometimes an infusion of fresh ideas is needed to take that business to the next level.

A year ago, Ross Jordan was brought on to Mize & Company as its new president, tasked with helping 96

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achieve new growth and success in a modern era—and through business insight and a unique approach, it’s on its way.

Growth Through Partnership When Ross entered Mize & Company, he recognized both its potential and its need for new growth in order to thrive. “It’s grown, and it’s organic in the way it’s grown,” he says. But his most critical task has been identifying how to grow it further—and in many respects, it’s not so much about sales as it is about building

M A N U FA C T U R I N G

meaningful partnerships.

One point of focus for building these partnerships has been share sourcing, or looking for other companies that could also benefit from creating components for products and reap the sales benefits together. This focus has Mize & Company making a concentrated effort in building partnerships and sales across the US, Mexico, and throughout Latin America.

“Where is the biggest growth from the automotive industry occurring?

It’s in Latin America,” says Jordan.

“So if I want an opportunity to grow, it’s going to be in Latin America. So when we’ve been going to Mexico, the plan has been to execute on multiple levels. The first part has been to introduce them to our products and services and increase our sales, but the second part is a partnership approach: yes, I want you to buy from us, but I could actually sell more if you could help me make this or make that.”

Beyond building new partnerships, Mize & Company is also increasing sales and growth by using the tenet of teamwork and partnerships

to rebuild former domestic client relationships that had been lost over time. “Just last week, one of the companies we lost called us to say, ‘we can’t get [the products we need], they’re not meeting our quality standards or lead times, but we can’t afford your price.’ They needed 1,000 of an item, and my team stuck around on a Friday night to do it and drove it down to them on a Monday morning. They called us back and said, ‘is there any way you can get your price to this?’ So that’s what we did. We’re fighting the little battles, the ones we can.”

Making a Difference The defining characteristic of the Mize & Company philosophy can be summed up in single belief.

“It is simple; Have Fun, Make Money, Make a Difference,” says Jordan. “First, you’ve got to enjoy what you do or you won’t want to do it. Secondly, we all have bills, so we’ve got to make money, the company is no different. But the one thing we can’t forget to do—that we can never forget to do, and what will make this place different from

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Efficiency

Value

Focus

Compliance

Longevity

F. H. Kaysing Company has played a prime role in industry-related programs by filing entries since 2009 in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) and participating in compliance initiatives such as C-TPAT from the onset. Our focus remains on ensuring optimum service for importers. We don’t follow others “value-added” rules; we adhere to our own valueexpected principles.

FH K aysi ng Compa ny has been proudly serving importers since 1929.

1950 S. Florence St

I Wichita

KS 67209

www.fhkaysing.com

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T- 316-721-8980

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F-316-721-8984

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F-316-721-8986

road trip

MultiStrip 9480 – Unmatched Versatility The Benchmark in Coaxial and Shielded Cable Processing n Multiple machine versions to meet your production needs n High speed indexing cutter head and transport speeds increase production output n SmartBlade™ technology and Magnetic Guide Tube System allow for fast and easy changeover n Programmable rotary incision capability for precise processing of coaxial cable n High resolution color touchscreen “I wanted a higher standard of quality throughout the entire assembly process. The high quality and precision of Schleuniger products is the reason we chose to go with them.”

Zane Kadro, JumperZ Audio & MetalZ Schleuniger, Inc. | Manchester, NH | (603) 668-8117 | www.schleuniger-na.com/mgm

To Be Precise.

M I Z E & C O M PA N Y I N C .

M A N U FA C T U R I N G

anywhere else you ever worked— is that we never forget to make a difference.”

What exactly does making a difference mean? It means caring for your staff like family, for starters— and coming into a family-owned company approaching a century in business, Jordan has a strong appreciation for the tight-knit and supportive company culture that thrives at Mize & Company. “Being in a small town, and being one of the largest employers in the county, this really is a family,” says Jordan.

“When I got here, it’s almost like I was adopted.”

Making a difference also means taking a different approach to doing business—instead of just showing up and making sales, Mize & Company is looking at ways to give back to its clients. For instance, Jordan relates the evolution of a deal to do business with a group of colleges in Mexico. Realizing that making this deal could secure a 300 percent sales increase for Mize & Company, the business took the opportunity to go beyond a standard financial transaction—pinpointing that one of the school system’s biggest challenges was attracting students from poor regions, Mize

Horizontal braider used for large custom applications. w w w . m i z e a n d c o m p a n y. c o m

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M I Z E & C O M PA N Y I N C .

Copper terminals being prepped for manufacture in a custom battery cable

& Company will be using part of that sales increase to create a scholarship fund for higher risk kids, giving them a chance to have an education as well.

“So we’re going to sponsor what we hope to be, five students to go to school, who wouldn’t have had a chance otherwise,” says Jordan— but don’t call the company heroic for making such a gesture. “This is business!” he says. “I want to do 100

May 2015

business with you, I want you to keep doing business with me. Maybe I think differently—but that last piece, ‘let’s make a difference,’. It’s really easy to say, but challenging to make happen. We have to remain focused on all three part of the equation.”

Looking Forward Mize & Company has a lot of growing to do in the coming years, and that growth has the potential to

M A N U FA C T U R I N G

be bolstered by recent manufacturing trends like a general reshoring of manufactured goods. “I see a lot of companies that have gone offshore for price, and have come back for quality,” says Jordan.

“We’re benefitting from the reshoring of American goods and services and labor. All over the world, people are not as price sensitive, allowing ‘the price’ to be only one of the indicators.”

On the strength of these trends and the company’s ambitions, Jordan expects to see Mize & Company significantly grow in the near future, from an increase in exporting opportunities to diversification beyond just the automotive and light industrial sectors. “It’s fun to see us grow,” says Jordan. “I see us interjecting ourselves into arenas we haven’t been before. I see us diversifying, I see us growing, and I see us stabilizing a platform which we can grow on for many years to come.”

Whichever path of growth proves to be the most successful, in the end a key force in its success will be the attitude and the quality that clients can come to expect from Mize & Company. “That’s the persona of our business: our customers know that they can expect the best, and our partners know that I will do everything I can to make sure it’s a successful partnership,” says Jordan, acknowledging that the path to success will be just as exciting as getting there.

“We’ve got a long road to go—we’re nowhere near the end,” he says. “But man, it feels good. I get goosebumps talking about it, it’s so awesome.”

Company Information INDUSTRY

Manufacturing HEADQUARTERS

2020 North Koch Industrial Lane, Kingman, KS USA, 67068 FOUNDED

1936 EMPLOYEES

100 REVENUE

Not Disclosed PRODUCTS/ SERVICES

Wire and cable manufacturing

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PAPCO

Solutions for Success Leading the way in petroleum marketing and distribution, PAPCO offers the products and expertise needed to navigate today’s ever-changing energy markets.

Written by: Stephanie C. Ocano

Produced by: Jason Wright

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Strong strategic partnerships with companies such The Vane Brothers Company extends PAPCO capabilities into waterborne and other non-pipeline served markets

F

ounded in 1976 as a family oil business, PAPCO has evolved with the times, continuously setting the standard of excellence in the energy supply market.

Providing fuel supply, storage, dispensing and inventory management solutions for businesses and government agencies, PAPCO’s largest differentiating factor from its competition is providing innovative solutions through personalized customer care.

“One of the things that we offer 104

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our customers is a very customized approach to becoming their fuel supplier,” said Frank Daniels, Director of Marketing at PAPCO, during a recent interview.

PAPCO makes the conscious effort to understand its customers’ needs prior to shipping any products. Beyond a tactical fuel supply perspective, PAPCO works alongside its customers in an effort to help them meet their financial goals in running their business.

“We strive to be an aligned strategic partner with each and

SECTOR

every one of our customers where we can provide them with efficiency, cost-benefits and help them grow as we grow right alongside them,” said Eric Rosenfeldt, VP Sales, Supply and Trading.

“We help such an under-served market in that regard because fuel procurement is mainly driven by price. It is a commodity. Taking that extra step and time to listen to the customer, to understand what their needs are and then come back with real solutions that help their fuel purchasing or their strategy around

how they obtain the fuel that operates their business is something that we try to focus on,” Rosenfeldt added.

A Multi-Step Process From the very start, PAPCO creates a personal bond between provider and customer. During the initial appointment, PAPCO creates an open relationship to understand their customers’ business challenges.

“We listen to them and try to understand what keeps them awake at night,” said Rosenfeldt. “Is it the fact that they don’t have enough fuel w w w. p a p c o . c o m

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PAPCO provides over-the-water fueling training as part of a program with the United States Coast Guard Training Center in Yorktown, VA

PA P C O supply for their business because the logistical infrastructure around their facilities is very constrained?

Or is it the price because they’re in a highly hypercompetitive market?”

According to Rosenfeldt, upon identifying the risks and concerns customers have, a plan is created to alleviate said risks and/or constraints and then benchmark said plan.

“We then sit down and say ‘How has this worked over time?’” said Rosenfeldt. “We’re not just consultants where we throw something out there and say, ‘You should do this.’ We always circle back to the customer and ask what worked, what didn’t work and how have things changed.”

Providing Value for the Customer Thanks to this customized solutions approach, every customer can be sure that they are obtaining product at a market-related price. But that’s not where the true value factors in.

The value comes from the why.

“It’s not just, ‘Here’s your product, where’s your price?’ and that’s the

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end of that,” explained Rosenfeldt.

“It’s more about bringing information to the customers and that has a lot to do with the content that we provide our customer base to help them understand where they stand amongst the market and the logistical constraints that have popped up.”

By sharing the “why” and “how” with their customers, PAPCO is able to receive valuable feedback that allows them to create new strategies in their operations.

In short, PAPCO both watches and analyzes the market, allowing them to manage their own costs and supplies on behalf of their customers.

“Answering the ‘What should we do now?’ is a pivotal moment in our relationship with our customers,” said Daniels. “It really defines us in making a strong recommendation based on the customer’s needs.”

“We don’t tell the customers we know where the prices are going to be two weeks or two months from now, because no one knows that,” added Rosenfeldt. “What we do is share our knowledge base with them, and offer them substantive w w w. p a p c o . c o m

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PA P C O fuel market information and analysis that helps them make more of an informed decision. That’s what sets us apart.”

A Supply Chain Leader PAPCO has access to over 1 million barrels of owned or leased storage.

A shipper on the Colonial Pipeline (which links the company’s supply chain all the way to the Gulf Coast) with inventory locations throughout the eastern United States, PAPCO maintains fuel supply agreements with major oil refining companies such as Exxon-Mobil, Citgo, Shell and BP. PAPCO has prided itself on never missing a delivery on account of a lack of supply, and according to Rosenfeldt, this is made possible because of the contingency plans set in place.

“It comes through contingency plans and asset diversification,” he said. “What I mean by that is, on a very macro level, the ways in which we transport product are via pipeline, rail, barge or truck, and you need to be able to understand and execute contingencies around all of that.”

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place, PAPCO can ensure that if something were to happen on the pipeline, the product can still be delivered via barge—if it’s not a waterborne market, then by rail.

Asset diversification is having the access to product from a variety of producers so if one has issues, another producer is in place.

“When you look at our business of oil distribution and all the other value additions that we bring to the table, one of the things our customers look to us for is experience to get them through tough times,” said Daniels. “Whether its hurricanes or other stressed weather situations where the entire oil infrastructure is severely constrained, that’s when we’re needed most.”

Triumph through Tragedy Hurricane Sandy was the deadliest and most destructive hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, as well as the second-costliest hurricane in United States history.

When PAPCO was called upon to continue delivering fuel during this calamity, rather than declaring force majeure, the company stepped forward and continued operations

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without missing a beat.

“We took a lot of pride in stepping up to the table and performing during that timeframe and not looking at the situation as, ‘How can we have an out because of certain challenges that we may or not be facing because of the market?’” said Daniels. “We looked at it as, ‘This

is our opportunity to prove to our customers the value that we bring to the table.’ And that was the time we needed to perform.”

Ben McClenahan, Director of Commercial Sales, added, “That’s part of our value proposition. The supply chain is fragile, but you know, 11 months out of the year there are

PAPCO owns select fleet and storage assets in eastern VA, partnering with third parties to provide the same level of service all along the East Coast

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PA P C O

PAPCO works to become a fuel partner, understanding customers’ needs prior to shipping any product

no problems, but we always tell our customers ahead of time, ‘This will happen at some point.’ Hurricane Sandy is a good example because we have customers today that are very loyal to us, still remembering the tough times they had during those two, three, four months where their supply was very tight and we provided them supply when no one else would.”

Creating Relationships with 110

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Suppliers Meeting with their suppliers quarterly, PAPCO continuously reviews its relationships to determine what is being looked at, what new markets look interesting and what assets might be available.

“We have quarterly business reviews to make sure our goals are aligned,” reiterated McClenahan.

“We don’t want to bring on a new supplier if we can’t help them grow their business along with our

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business, so it’s just a constant communication with them.”

PAPCO itself has been recognized as a quality supplier from the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA).

A primary resourcing arm for the U.S. military and other agencies, the DLA recently announced its top performing supply contractors for fiscal years 2013 and 2014 and PAPCO was designated as DLA Superior Supplier.

Looking Towards the Future “We have taken our model and executed it,” said McClenahan, “from the consulting base to the selling to the logistical infrastructure—everything that it takes to do our business. Now, we’re going to take that into new markets.”

PAPCO’s growth can be attributed to acquisition and organic growth. Acquisition aside, the company feels that there are a number of markets they have not entered that hold substantial potential. But how do you continue to expand in such a competitive market? Focus on your people and your brand.

“It is our people at the end of the day that are keeping all our promises and delivering our value to the customers,” said Rosenfeldt. “We’re also seeing the benefits of a really strong brand reputation. It’s rewarding to know that when we approach customers that they’ve heard of us and that our reputation is strong in the marketplace.”

Company Information INDUSTRY

Exploration HEADQUARTERS

4920 Southern Blvd.

Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States, 23462 FOUNDED

1976 EMPLOYEES

150 PRODUCTS/ SERVICES

Oil & Energy

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