As our clients look to us for sustainable solutions, 2007 marked a year in which we took a hard look at the sustainability of our own organization. Last year, we embarked on several important initiatives to ensure that O’Brien & Gere continues to thrive in an increasingly competitive marketplace. A tightening workforce, global climate change, and shortage of energy and water supply, along with economic uncertainty face the next generation of O’Brien & Gere.Sustainability starts with succession planning to identify our future leaders. It includes the development of our workforce. It recognizes that diversity and inclusion are ever more important. Our technology, our intellectual property, and our value-based solutions — the centerpiece of our 2010 Strategic Plan — are key enablers to our own sustainability, to ownership transition, and to creating shareholder wealth.
Highlighted below is our framework for creating a sustainable organization of tomorrow that took shape in 2007.
Succession Planning
From middle management to the Board of Directors, succession planning is a high priority at all levels within our organization. Succession planning is the key to the continued success and sustainability of O’Brien & Gere as an employee-owned company. As our employees rise through the ranks, we must ensure that these transitions are seamless and that our future leaders acquire the skills that they will need to be successful. In 2007, we focused on identifying our organizational needs for future leaders and the creation of leadership development programs.
Organizational Development
Our employees are the strength of O’Brien & Gere. Technical leadership, innovation and creativity, and client service keeps us at the forefront of our industry. To meet future needs of our clients, we must continue to invest in organizational development. In 2007, we created our leadership boot camp for our offi cers — components will be incorporated in all future boot camp training programs. We also enhanced our project management boot camp and developed resource management training, which will be instituted as our third boot camp program in 2008.
Diversity and Inclusion
Although we continue to make advances in diversity, we recognize that much more needs to be done. We also recognize that diversity is an important key to our sustainability and creating a culture that drives the betterment of ideas leading to value-based solutions for our clients and a vibrant environment for all employees. For these reasons, our Board Diversity Task Force recommended that diversity receive a higher level of priority within our company. As such, the Executive Team will now provide the leadership to ensure that our goals for a diverse and inclusive organization of tomorrow are achieved.
Technology, Intellectual Property, and Value-based Solutions
The ingenuity of O’Brien & Gere has led to the creation of value-based solutions, which fosters client relationships and creates shareholder wealth. In 2007, DI-Duct Injection Technologies™ for air pollution control, ARROW™ membrane technology, and Vaprotect® soil vapor intrusion mitigation technology are examples of value-based solutions that returned value to our shareholders and will continue to provide fi nancial returns in the future. In 2008, we need to build on these successes and continue to invest in the development of new technology and the creation of intellectual property.
I commend all of you in working together to make O’Brien & Gere the leader it is today. It is your hard work and sacrifice that has elevated O’Brien & Gere. It is your creativity and innovation that is strengthening our reputation. It is your hard work that will make this company sustainable for future generations.
Sincerely,
Terry L. Brown, PE
Chairman and CEO
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