18 April, 2006

Open Letter to Johnson County Planning and Design Group (PDG) Potential Team Members:

Why should an architect, interior designer, engineer or other design or construction professional consider joining our team here at Johnson County? Most people enter these career fields because they want and intend to practice these professions. Few people enter these fields with the intent of working for an owner's organization. Well, I can say from experience that there is no better way to become a better architect, or engineer, or interior designer than to practice your profession from the perspective of your clients. Every professional in any career field should have the opportunity to experience things from the "other side of the table", at least for a portion of their career.

So, you might now think, "well that is great and all but I like to be a part of a team of people that get things done, that make things happen, that create outstanding buildings, systems and interior environments - not just function as an administrator." Well, that is exactly what we do here and on a pretty major scale. And not only do we do these things - we lead them, we make them happen, we are at the center, in a very hands on way, of all processes involved in the creation of award winning architecture.

"Okay," you say "so that sounds pretty good but there are just some not-so-good things that I have heard about what it is like working for a public entity." Well I don't know what public entity these things might pertain to - but it is certainly not us. Here are some questions that I have heard myself about people's perception of careers in the public sector and the reality of being a part of our team.

Q. I'm a professional, why would I want to work in the public sector?
A. The answer simply is that our entire team is made up of professionals. The PDG is made up of professional registered architects, interior designers and other experienced individuals that, in most cases, have spent the majority of their careers working for consulting firms. We work in a very professional environment, in a highly professional manner and expect nothing but the highest quality professional services from all outside consultants with whom we choose to work.

Q. Working for a public entity is not challenging or exciting, is it?
A. Let's see: We have $130 million of capital projects in design or construction right now. We just completed the second building to be LEED Gold Certified in the metro area and in the state of Kansas . We have several recent projects that have won awards and/or have been published at a national level. We have $500 million in future capital projects to be approved and begun in the next several years. These include laboratories, Sheriff's facilities, health care and public service centers and, potentially, a major new County Courthouse . We have won awards not only for our projects themselves but for the processes that we have developed to implement these projects. And there is much more - give me an hour and I'll tell you.

Q. Do the best and most talented people work for entities like the County?
A. Absolutely. Our team is made up of some of the brightest, most dedicated, highly respected professionals in the city. We are leaders in our various disciplines and within our various industries. We are members of AIA, IFMA, DBIA, USGBC and IIDA and we currently and frequently hold leadership positions within theses organizations. Additionally, the individuals that are our clients within the 40 other departments that make up County Government are also highly respected professional leaders in their fields.

Q. Will working for an owner's organization advance my career?
A. We are a growing organization that provides service to a growing, vibrant community. The PDG has grown from two to twelve positions in the last five years because we have more work to do but also because we do good work and continue to increase our level of service to the organization. There are plenty of professional growth opportunities within our group. Additionally, while we never like to lose good people (and we have had only one person leave our group in the last seven years), the experience gained in an owner's organization like ours will make you uniquely knowledgeable and valuable in your field.

Q. Will I be involved in the design process and not just be a paper pusher?
A. While our jobs do involve a certain amount of process management, it is by no means the primary thing that we do. We are deeply and integrally involved in all aspects of our projects from inception to occupancy and beyond. We design the processes by which our projects are executed. We lead the programming, planning and design processes from very early strategic planning to specific, focused implementation initiatives. We are deeply involved in and play a central leadership role in the design and construction phases of all of our projects.

Q. Is it true that government just does things the same old way over and over?
A. Not this government. Innovation is at the heart of all that we strive to do. From creating new procurement processes like the area's first highly compensated, design, quality and excellence driven design-build process, to pushing the boundaries of holistic environmental stewardship in all our projects and initiatives. We pride ourselves in the development of new and often cutting-edge approaches to doing things better. In fact we've been invited and have presented our projects and process at national conferences of both the Design-Build Institute of America and the United States Green Building Council.

Q. I've always thought that public sector employees don't work all that hard. Is this the case?
A. We do what it takes to accomplish excellence, period. Our team is dedicated and committed to doing a great job on all our projects and in all our processes. We work very hard but we also respect the fact that life outside of work and especially our families come first. We are flexible with work hours and accommodating in our professional environment. The fact that we establish the schedule requirements for our projects gives us the opportunity to make sure we have enough time to achieve the excellence that we take so much pride in.

So, I hope this enhances your perception of what it might be like to be a member of our team. If you are a talented, dedicated, creative and innovative individual, you may be just the person that we are looking for. If leading the process of creating significant and outstanding civic architecture and interior environments is appealing to you, WE may be what YOU are looking for. To learn more about our culture, click here. If you would like to learn more, call me for an open and honest conversation of what we're all about. 913-715-1146.

Best Regards,

Neal J. Angrisano, AIA
Deputy Director of Facilities