THE APPROPRIATE PROCUREMENT METHODOLOGY – PIT BULLS OR A PRECISION DOGSLED TEAM? By Mike Novak It is inevitable that a CEO is required from time to time to pull the trigger to commit funds and begin a Capital Improvement Project (CIP). No doubt a painful responsibility as “CIP” translates to big dollars and an additional [...]

IN A DIGITAL WORLD, WHY HOSPITALITY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE STILL REIGN SUPREME By Maria Orozova Everywhere I turn lately, it seems there’s a growing nostalgia for the glory years of American business. Audiences are cheering shows like Mad Men for celebrating the golden age of the ad industry on Madison Avenue. They see something exciting [...]

SEVEN WAYS CONTRACTORS CAN SET UP THEIR BUSINESS FOR SURETY SUCCESS By Robert Nitsche Every industry experiences highs and lows. During the lows, businesses tend to fall into three categories: those that fail, those that simply survive, and those that come out stronger than before. The most successful businesses, those that will come out ahead, [...]

NEW ANTI-INDEMNITY LAW IS A GAME CHANGER — WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW By Heather E. Asselin & Sam K. Arora On January 1, 2012, a new law will significantly alter the way owners and general contractors are allowed to shift their risks and responsibilities to subcontractors under indemnity agreements. Texas is now among a [...]

WHY CEOs NEED TO BE THINKING GREEN ENERGY NOW, NOT LATER By Mark  Kapner, PE and Virginia Palmer, Ph.D Mark Twain once said, “It’s not what you don’t know that gets you in trouble. It’s what you DO KNOW for sure that just ain’t so.” This gem seems to apply to the conventional thinking about [...]

THREE TALENT MANAGEMENT METRICS CEOs CAN USE TO IMPROVE THE BOTTOM LINE By Deborah L. Kerr and Paula A. Soileau What would happen if the CEOs scorecard looked something like this? 19 percent success rate – about 1 in 5 of process outputs is an unequivocal success 31 – 50 percent of data used are [...]

RECENTLY RELOCATED COMPANY CEOs SHARE WHY AUSTIN TOPPED THEIR LIST AND WHAT TEXAS CAN DO BETTER It’s no secret that Texas continues to do well in job creation, even during our slow emergence from the recession. And the standout city in Texas for luring jobs from elsewhere is, arguably, Austin. With its mix of an [...]

ELITE EXECUTIVES OF DALLAS’ CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY DISCUSS THE CHALLENGES OF BUILDING IN 2012 AND BEYOND The commercial construction market dropped 8.5 percent in Texas between 2009 and 2010, according to Engineering News Record. Permits for single-family homes are down 14 percent in 2011 compared to last year. The construction industry is facing challenges not seen [...]

THE ECONOMY AND POLITICAL CLIMATE ARE LIKELY TO CAST A HARSH LIGHT ON EXECUTIVE PAY DECISIONS By David Bixby Overall, 2011 proved a fairly positive proxy season for public companies holding their first Say on Pay shareholder advisory votes as part of new proxy requirements under The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act [...]