Image by djwudi via FlickrThe team at McKinstry surely didn’t have that in mind when they launched in 1960. But they knew that two things would keep them relevant to the future of the building industry: holistic thinking and relationships.
“The greatest efficiencies in a building come not from how its built, but how it’s operated,” states David Allen, Executive VP of McKinstry. They found that by focusing just on the construction phase, they were leaving the clients without the resources and support to ensure ongoing efficiencies and maximization of resources. But to live up to their positioning of “for the life of your building” means moving to a relationship-based client engagement in a traditionally transaction-based industry.
“Focusing on relationships means that you grow slower,” says Ash Awad, VP of Energy and Facility Solutions. Of course, you wouldn’t notice that from the exceptional rate of growth McKinstry has seen, even with the economic downturn. With revenues in excess of $400 million in 2008, expect to see this company’s revenues hit $1 billion in the next few years.
And how are they doing this? McKinstry’s Strategy String focuses on their people. “We have exceptional people here,” says Awad. “We focus on their needs, and the needs of our clients.” The leadership at McKinstry knows that if you want to attract and retain the best in talent and clients, you always have to give the best of yourself.
In McKinstry’s Strategy String, the vision and mission combine with people-centric values and positioning based on a holistic approach to building construction and management to create the foundation (see their vision, mission, and values at http://www.mckinstry.com/about
McKinstry’s people-centric Strategy String allows its team members to step forward with ideas and develop innovative new programs and services for its clients. As a result, McKinstry serves as an industry thought leader, influencing policy and direction for a number of local, state, and federal entities around the country. Their values help people see beyond the day-to-day services and think about the impact that their programs will have on people around the world in the future. That’s why they have such a strong thought leadership team on the issues of environmental impact, energy policy, and clean energy job creation.
McKinstry’s commitment to its core belief in collaboration and people weaves a seamless fabric of communication between strategists, integrators, and implementers. Though the traditional enterprise areas of accountability exist, all leaders and upper managers are accessible to everyone else in the organization. This accessibility results in a deep sense of trust between leaders, managers, and workers. And when problems need solving, they pull together the best people -- regardless of title -- to work together as colleagues to find a solution. Titles more represent a person’s expertise and passion than their “level” within the organization.
McKinstry gets it. That’s why they have been repeatedly awarded as one of Washington’s and Idaho’s Best Places to Work. With the Strategy String tying together all areas of its organization, from the reception desk to the engineering lab to the fabrication shop floor, McKinstry leads the construction and facilities management industry in innovation and performance.
Read more about McKinstry’s Core Beliefs http://www.mckinstry.com/core-
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