“Aggressive Growth” Is Guiding Vision For Wechsler Consulting And Engineering

“Aggressive Growth” is Guiding Vision FOR WECHSLER CONSULTING AND ENGINEERING

SINCE STARTING HIS BUSINESS IN 2003, TOM WECHSLER HAS GONE FROM a solo proprietor to president—and now CEO—of one of Atlanta’s leading consulting and engineering services firms. Never one to remain “standing in place,” Wechsler has his eye trained on aggressive company growth.

The difference between then and now, he says, is that he has a finely honed personal vision for his company’s growth and development—growing Wechsler Engineering and Consulting to a 200-person company (with multiple locations) within the next fi ve years. “IN THE PAST YEAR, I’VE TAKEN ON A VERY TALENTED PARTNER,

Kimble Garrett, who’s assumed the role of president, leading our organizational efforts and driving growth in our key process areas,” he says. “In my new role as chief executive officer, I will focus on building our core expertise, fostering new customer relationships and exploring new services GUIDANCE AND INSIGHT TO MOVE TO THE and product development.” NEXT LEVEL

Wechsler Engineering and Consulting specializes In 2010, he found the help he needed when he in combustion and energy-related areas, mostly joined TAB. Between the guidance offered by his recovering energy from waste materials. While TAB Facilitator and the insights provided by his TAB the firm’s capabilities apply to a wide range of Member peers, Wechsler has successfully moved environments and clients, the focus is on four beyond his personal comfort zone and laid the industries—panelboard, wood products, pulp and groundwork to take his company to the next level. paper and biomass power and fuels. “My TAB Board has helped me think through all the “We work out how to burn materials, get energy ramifications of expanding my business, including from the process and use that energy in other the complicated process of becoming a CEO and forms,” he explains. “The wood-making process, for hiring a president for the company,” he says. “They’ve example, requires heat to process boards. We take been consistently supportive of my decisions but, at the unusable parts of a tree (like bark) and burn it to the same time, cautioning me not to go backwards deliver heat to the production side of wood-making.” and never ‘cut your way into growth.’”

Some of the toughest decisions he’s had to make ENGINEER FIRST, BUSINESS OWNER SECOND revolve around personnel.

Wechsler holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical “There were individuals in the company I knew weren’t Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. the right fit for their positions, but I was reluctant Prior to starting his own company, he served as a to take action. My [Facilitator and] TAB Board made project engineer and project manager for a supplier me understand that in such circumstances, you of specialized advanced combustion systems and have to recognize the problem, fix it and move on. a supplier of incineration, waste-to-energy and air Without that realization, it would have taken me a pollution control systems. It’s safe to say he knows lot more time to come to the right conclusion.” the fields of combustion and waste-renewal inside and out. YOU CAN’T KNOW EVERYTHING But he’s the first to admit he’s not a seasoned businessperson by nature. “I’m a technical person, Looking ahead to a bright future, Wechsler is not someone with extensive business training,” he confident he can achieve the goal of increasing says. That explains why he felt the pressures of new business by 20-30%, especially with the help he challenges as a business owner, especially in the gets from being a TAB Member. areas of staffing. “All business owners can benefit from being held “I was completely new to responsibilities like accountable for their decisions,” he says. “TAB marketing, hiring and firing, even mundane stuff like holds me accountable, while also reminding me motivating employees and paying the right kinds of that no matter how much you think you know, you bonuses,” he recalls. “I wanted to promote people can’t know everything. It’s extremely helpful to into positions they really couldn’t handle—which get insights and feedback from others who have ended up creating even more difficult challenges for nothing to do with your business, but who have me and my business.” considerable experience and wisdom of their own.”

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Source: The Alternative Board