Laurence (Larry) Courtney
Professional Profile
An experienced, goal and results oriented senior management professional with progressive and varied experience in a professional services firm environment.
Successful in senior business management, profit and loss responsibility, client and project relations, marketing and sales strategy, strategic planning and direction, and succession planning. Experienced in management of turn around operations.
Experienced in developing and perpetuating a working team environment directed toward meeting the technical and emotional needs of the client through leadership and accountability. Successful at using team approach management to grow and expand existing markets as well as assess and expand into new and contiguous markets.
An innovative problem solver with strong analytical, planning and computer skills. Possesses excellent communication skills, both verbal and written and is an excellent presenter and speaker.
Areas of Expertise
Corporate Management
Operations Management
Client Management
Financial Management
oProfit and Loss responsibility
oInvoicing Oversight
oAccounts Receivable Oversight
oContract Negotiations and Management
oClient Delivery Oversight
Program and Project Management
Oversight of Cost Accounting for Projects
Marketing and Business Development
Strategic Planning
Succession Planning and Employee Retention
Firm Acquisition and Inculcation
Employee Training and Development
Oversight of Quality Assurance and Management Programs
Professional History
Owner- Private Consulting
Assignments:
*$120,000,000 privately held company. Responsible for assessing, reorganizing, expanding and managing an operation focused on acquisition, entitlement and construction management of infrastructure which was expanding at a rate of $14,000,000 per year with a total cumulative budget of over $50,000,000. These operations included government liaison at the federal, state and local levels; highway design and construction of potable water process and distribution systems, sewage treatment and collection systems, and general civil site work. Participated in management committee meetings.
Implemented a staff development and recruitment program.
*$60,000,000 privately held company. Responsible for developing and implementing a federal sector program which was a coordinated marketing and operational effort for a broad range of federal services including program/project management, design and construction services. Responsible to development and implement a plan for acquisitions and mergers which would augment anticipated organic growth through acquisition of small to medium sized firms whose expertise and/or client base would augment the acquiring firm. Responsible to assess and implement a turn around plan for a moderately dysfunctional multi-disciplined engineering operation in Washington, DC area.
Worked very closely with the human resources department on retention and recruitment practices for the operation as well as the corporation overall. Served on the CEOs advisory board.
*$40,000,000 privately held company. Responsible to reorganize a transportation and infrastructure design engineering operation in Tampa Florida. Served on the management committee.
Assessed, evaluated, and implemented plan which allowed the needed change without sacrificing key staff.
Prepared individual staff development programs and followed through.
Won the hearts and minds of key staff through communication and interaction.
Established accountability.
Designed staff development/training and retention/recruiting programs.
Headed marketing/business development activities and coordination.
President/COO and Director Greenhorne & OMara, Inc.
Responsible for the long range and day to day operation of the corporation as well as overall profit and loss. Managed all staff, with the exception of the Chairman of the Board. Direct reports in operations were four senior vice presidents who were responsible for one of each of the four market areas in which the firm practiced. Additionally, the senior vice president of marketing; the chief financial officer; the vice presidents of human resources and organizational development; and the division managers of information systems and contracts/corporate counsel reported directly. As a client oriented president, was involved in marketing, presentations to clients, general client contact and follow up. Felt strongly that the greatest asset of the firm was its staff and therefore involved with employees at all levels in the corporation from entry level to senior management. Played a significant role in the formal orientation of new employees and managers, general meetings with staff in all parts of the corporation and the attraction and selling of the firms desirability to students and perspective employees.
Engineered and implemented a financial turn around for the corporation
Instituted a program of management and staff accountability
Realigned services and operations to effect greater efficiency/profitability
Dramatically reduced corporate overhead while maintaining key functionality
Expanded corporation into key market areas and locations
Vice President of the Southeast Region, Construction Services, and Director - Greenhorne & OMara, Inc.
Had responsibility to maintain certain mature operations in the firm while creating new operations in the Southeast, especially Florida. Overall management of the construction services division with contracts for Construction Engineering and Inspection (CEI) in Virginia, Maryland, Florida, North Carolina, Delaware and Pennsylvania as well as numerous municipalities and private sector clients. Contracts involved services for highways, bridges, structures, water distribution and sewer collection lines, water and sewer treatment facilities and site work. Responsibilities included the marketing of services, sales, client relations, planning and budgeting of construction services operations. Additionally, had responsibility for the operations of the Atlanta, Georgia and Raleigh, North Carolina offices. These offices provided services to both public and private sector clients in transportation and bridge design, surveying, planning and general civil design. Further, responsible for establishing, staffing and overseeing offices in Florida. Three offices were established during this period; Tampa, West Palm Beach and Orlando, Florida. Also established many project offices to fulfill contract obligations. Required a great deal of time in client identification, development and sales as well as significant time in identifying, attracting and training staff for the various operations. Transferring the culture of the corporation to new geographic locations and to a great number of new staff was a formidable challenge. During the recession in the late 1980s and the early 1990s, these operations were the most profitable and had the highest client satisfaction rating in the corporation. Served on the Board of Directors and Management Committee.
Provided strategic planning for expansion
Prepared and maintained budgets for startup operations
Developed markets and operations in the southeast
Opened and established new offices in new markets
Attracted needed marketing and technical talent to new operations
Designed Job Management System for operations
Division Manager FEMA Operations and Construction Services - Greenhorne & OMara, Inc.
Responsible for the day to day management of Greenhorne & OMara, Inc.s large Technical Evaluation Contract for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This contract directly employed over one hundred staff. The services provided involved engineering review, planning and map layout, drafting, cartography and extensive administrative services associated with legal time frames, legal notices, meetings and notifications. There were formal full day client meetings each week as well as a significant amount of informal telephone client contact. Additionally, there was interface on behalf of the client with Congress and providing aid and support to the client in dealing with Congress, the press and the public in general. Simultaneously responsible for the management and the growth of the construction services division. The construction services division was in a growth mode focused on multiple states and large multiple year contracts. During this period, the largest contract ever awarded to a consultant for inspection services by the Maryland Department of Transportation was won by Greenhorne & OMara, Inc. The winning of this contract was the culmination of over sixteen months of a strategy involving planning and marketing specifically for obtaining this contract.
Managed a large program management contract
Maintained client liaison for a 100 person plus operation
Designed and implemented strategic expansion of the transportation construction services
Office Manager of Rockville Office - Greenhorne & OMara, Inc.
Appointed division manager of the newly opened Rockville Office of Greenhorne & OMara, Inc. This assignment included responsibilities associated with the location of the space, planning and effecting the move of twenty-two staff and managers to the facility and establishing an office culture and processes. Directly involved in client relations on a daily basis as well as the quality review of projects and some design. Additionally, there was significant contact with agencies and public officials in order to serve the clients best interests. The Rockville Office grew from twenty-two people to fifty-two during this period.
Expanded a market for the company
Increased market share by over 130%
Division Manager of FEMA Technical Evaluation Contract and Construction Services - Greenhorne & OMara, Inc.
This assignment required planning for and establishing procedures used for a large program management contract. Initially, a great deal of time was expended attracting and training new staff. Over a period of two years the staff on this project grew to over one hundred. Simultaneously responsible for the construction services department which was in transition from water and wastewater facilities inspection to growth in the transportation arena.
Department Head for Water Resources and Construction Services - Greenhorne & OMara, Inc.
Responsible for managing a small water resources section providing services primarily to public sector clients. Projects included small lakes, watershed studies, storm water management and water carrying facilities. Involved hands on on some projects as project manager and designer. Additionally, had responsibility for small construction services department. Responsibilities required primary client contact, contract negotiations, public meetings and public presentations.
Inspector, Surveyor and Designer - Greenhorne & OMara, Inc.
This period was one of hands on design experience. Worked on myriad projects involving subdivision design, water resources designs, watershed studies, design and redesign of roads, construction inspection and field layout.
Education
Diploma, Engineering, U. S. Army Engineering School
1975 Business Administration, Prince George's College
Senior Executives Institute, Three Year Executive Training Program
Certificate Total Quality Management, University of Maryland
Course work - Engineering, University of Maryland
Course work - Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
Course work - Old Dominion College
Publications
Courtney, L. S., Gary C. Beach, and George D. Barnes, Cleaning Up Atlantas Three Rivers Using a First Flush Concept,
Barnes, George D. and L.S. Courtney, Collection, Conveyance, and Treatment of Combined Sewer Overflow in Atlanta,
Courtney, L. S., Gary C. Beach, and George D. Barnes, Containing Atlantas Overflow, Operations Forum, May 1986.
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