Business is good, even robust, for many of the AEC firms on BD&C's Giants 300 list. But rapid growth brings with it recruitment and retention headaches for top executives. "The No. 1 issue for us is people—finding good, strong people with the right education and training, and being able to retain them," says Thomas Leppert, chair and CEO of Dallas-based Turner Corp. (C 1, CM 17). The shortfall in talent has global impact, says Carl Roehling, president and CEO of Detroit-based SmithGroup (A/E 8). "The number of licensed architects in the country has dropped dramatically in the last 3-4 years, and the number of people taking the exam has dropped about one-third," says Roehling. "For us to thrive, we need a talent pool to drive the firm." Roehling says competition for staff is particularly acute on both coasts, especially on the West Coast, due to the boom in hospital construction in California.
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