A sterling year

Aug 20, 2018

One-two punch of growth, big incentives for 2018 Hot Firms and Best Firms to Work For.

By Richard Massey Editor

Each year, Zweig Group names the 100 fastest growing Hot Firms in the country, as well as the top Best Firms, across multiple AEC categories, where people want to work and build their careers.

These lists always yield a trove of eye-popping statistics, and this year, the 19th for Hot Firm, is no different. Meteoric growth, both in percentage value and in dollar value, huge bonuses, opportunities for professional development, and generous benefits for employees are once again the hallmarks of Zweig Group’s Hot and Best firms.

This year, attendees of the annual conference will convene in Dallas at the Fairmont Hotel on Sep. 20-21. Prior conferences have been held in Boston, Phoenix, and Seattle.

The Hot Firm list was modeled after the Inc. 500 list, and was founded to bring an element of fun and celebration to the otherwise straight-laced reality of succeeding in the competitive AEC industry. If you work hard, you also need to play hard, and the annual Hot Firm conference, filled with smiling faces and plenty of good will, is a great way to generate positive exposure for the industry.

The Best Firm list is all about what a firm can do for its most important asset – it’s people. Based on employee surveys that annually generate as many as 1.6 million data points, Best Firm captures the evolution that is taking place in many AEC companies as they strive to acculturate and mold three generations of workers – baby boomer, Gen X, and millennial – into a cohesive and productive whole.

In total, 242 firms are being honored this year, and that’s not counting the firms recognized for marketing excellence. Conference organizers agree that the most meaningful aspects of the conference are the friendships that are made, the business partnerships that are formed, and the education to be had through speakers, sponsors, and intense break-out sessions.

For Chad Clinehens, president and CEO of Zweig Group, the professional calendar revolves around the annual conference and the firms it celebrates.

“Hot Firm recognizes the firms that are achieving a real metric of business success and growth, which fuels job creation and builds the communities they serve,” he said. “Best Firm awards companies with a powerful endorsement of great culture and workplace conditions. In this historically competitive labor market, this award arms companies with an incredibly powerful differentiator that empowers their recruiting efforts.”

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About Zweig Group

Zweig Group, three times on the Inc. 500/5000 list, is the industry leader and premiere authority in AEC firm management and marketing, the go-to source for data and research, and the leading provider of customized learning and training. Zweig Group exists to help AEC firms succeed in a complicated and challenging marketplace through services that include: Mergers & Acquisitions, Strategic Planning, Valuation, Executive Search, Board of Director Services, Ownership Transition, Marketing & Branding, and Business Development Training. The firm has offices in Dallas and Fayetteville, Arkansas.