CIANJ Commerce Magazine September 2020 Live | Page 38

■ Annual Best Practices Guide Continued From Page 34 ENVIRONMENTAL BUSINESS AND ENGINEERING LAN Associates By Kenneth H. Karle, AIA, PE, PP, LEED ® , AP, President The COVID‐19 pandemic has highlighted LAN’s biggest strength: a work culture defined by dedication and innovation. Our technological proficiency has allowed us to quickly adapt to remote work, while seamlessly providing our clients and projects with the diligence they have come to expect. Consistent communication with clients has been key to this success. As architects and engineers responsible for designing the built environment, we have had to reinvent the way we think about the spaces we design and, in some cases, tackle COVID‐19 head on. For firms in our line of work, I would say the best practice is to embrace the new reality and search for ways your company can help clients meet the challenges presented by the pandemic. LAN has been studying the guidelines and has begun providing data-driven solutions for a safer reentry to schools, offices and buildings forced to shut down for prolonged periods. T&M Associates By Gary Dahms, PE, PP, President and CEO In this tumultuous time, in addition to stringent requirements for health and safety, at T&M Associates we have found clients are in dire need of clear, regular communication on COVID‐19 policy and regulatory updates and corresponding expert analysis. We have implemented a variety of programs to help clients navigate the ever-changing coronavirus landscape, including a series of informational and educational pieces regarding safety and hygiene policies, relevant regulatory updates from the State of New Jersey, and customized “return to work” plans and services managed and directed by our in-house Certified Industrial Hygienists and safety professionals. Universal safety protocols are useful, but many clients struggle to adapt them to their unique challenges, so personalized COVID news analysis and reopening strategies can make the difference between a client merely surviving and succeeding during the coronavirus crisis. The TBLS Group, LLC By Frances Schlosstein, President As a boutique environmental advisory, The TBLS Group relies on a cohort model, where we employ world class experts, but on a contract basis. This best practice enables us to synch our work-flow and cashflow while cost-effectively providing thought leadership and customized project management for clients. During the COVID crisis, we remain financially stable, while expanding our business cohort and adding two interns to help launch a new website. TBLS reinvented itself by focusing on an emerging environmental crisis—PFAS—which will continue long after the pandemic. PFAS compounds, or forever chemicals, impact drinking water quality in New Jersey and around the country. TBLS serves as an expert witness on a major PFAS case. Building on this expertise, we began supporting an investor in solving infrastructure and remediation issues that emerge as part of our core business—valuing and monetizing environmental liabilities. ENVIRONMENTAL BUSINESS AND ENGINEERING Whitestone Associates, Inc. By Thomas K. Uzzo, LSRP, President Rather than reinvent our business, Whitestone has embarked on an in-depth staff re-training, cross-training and continuing education program during the COVID‐19 crisis to better utilize nonbillable employee time in a manner that will leave the firm poised for continued success as market conditions improve. By combining remote, online educational opportunities with interdepartmental on-the-job cross-training, Whitestone has created a better-educated and more diversely proficient team of professionals capable of working remotely (yet collaboratively) to better serve our site remediation and development clients. 36 COMMERCE www. commercemagnj.com Continued On Page 38 Getty Images/iStockphoto