Keith Kuzio (left) and Ken Larson, founder of Larson Design Group, pose around the time of LDG’s transition of ownership in 2001.

I recently had the opportunity to present a case study on Larson Design Group’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) experience to a group of interested people at the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Employee Ownership Forum. Our ESOP was formed in 2001 to assist in the transition of ownership from our first to second generation. This ownership model provided an excellent means of connecting all LDG employees to the mission, vision, values, and growth strategy that LDG has maintained during its entire history of local ownership, from 1993 to this day. The ESOP also gives all LDG employees the opportunity to benefit from the increased value of our company stock as the firm continues to grow and achieve top quartile industry performance results.

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I’m authoring today on a return trip from San Francisco. I’m feeling refreshed after taking my daughter on several prospective college visits and from a business retreat with my closest engineering colleagues from the ACEC Senior Executive Institute (SEI) Class IV. It’s been rewarding to spend focused time with Olivia as she sorts through the college selection process. I also greatly appreciate the annual SEI senior leader gathering, with its opportunity for critical assessment of our firms, round table discussions, lively socializing, and the inherent opportunity to share our journeys toward fulfillment of personal and professional purpose.

During the trip, I spent time at Stanford University, at the U Cal San Francisco (UCSF) Parnassus Medical Campus, and in downtown San Francisco. It’s clear that the high tech industry, venture capital start-ups, and healthcare organizations are fueling economic recovery in the region. Growth is being catalyzed by the region’s cultural diversity, excellent institutions of higher learning, and through progressive community stewards that recognize the importance of embracing wide ranging perspectives, intellectually stimulating dialog, and a risk taking, entrepreneurial spirit. All these factors are contributing to the creativity, innovation, and growth that are occurring in San Francisco and the Silicon Valley.

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Employees of our office on Penn Street in Williamsport take a break for a photo.
Circa 1987.

Recently, LDG marked a significant milestone that has given me a reason to pause and share the following reflections.

At a May 12th Chamber of Commerce PM Exchange hosted in our Williamsport office, we had the opportunity to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of LDG’s founding. In 1986, through the acquisition of Robert Ferrell Engineering and Surveying, LDG originated as a six-person, branch office of Hunt Engineers and Architects, PC, a consulting firm based in Corning, NY.

At the Chamber event, we were very pleased to have on hand Bob Hunt, (he served as President of Hunt Engineers and Architects at the time), whom we credit with the vision and foresight to see that a full service design office could be very successful in Northcentral PA. Also joining us were Bob’s hand-picked talent – Ken Larson (he eventually became President of Larson Design Group and is whom our firm is named after), and Fred LaVancher (serving in Business Development and Marketing Hunt and LDG, and as Chairman of the Board), – who together quickly grew the Williamsport branch office of Hunt, prior to orchestrating the 1993 employee buyout that set LDG on its present course as a local, employee-owned company. And as some may say, the rest is history.

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A memorable poster hung in my 11th grade English class room. It was a cartoon illustrating a group of panic stricken hippos piled high in a rowboat. Water was lapping at the top of the boat’s gunwales as additional hippos prepared to jump in from a nearby dock. The poster caption boldly declared, “More is not always better!” Our teacher, Mr. MacDonald, constantly stressed that in writing, fewer words were often more powerful and effective than abundant verbiage.

The same might be said regarding pursuit of abundant opportunities. More is not always better. Over the past several years, it seems like a day hasn’t passed without LDG staffers reporting on new and exciting opportunities for innovative engineering, architecture or surveying services, particularly relating to the Marcellus Shale resource that exists within our geographic market region. You might wonder, “What’s wrong with pursuing abundant opportunities associated with the Marcellus boom?”

The many opportunities themselves aren’t the issue, and LDG is pursuing its share of them. But, an indiscriminate “feeding frenzy” on over-abundant opportunity is a threat. History has given us many examples of how boom and bust cycles have negatively affected the long term sustainability and welfare of companies that develop “mono-vision” on opportunities that suddenly no longer exist. Take the recent housing boom and bust as a great global example.

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