October 25, 2006
Rushing says her new firm fills gap in Seattle engineering market
Journal Staff Reporter
The fledgling company, formed less than a year ago by Rae Anne Rushing and her husband, Scott Rushing, provides detailing estimates, cost services, code analysis and early procurement of equipment.
The focus is on providing peer review and cost planning services that make it easier for an owner to negotiate with a mechanical contractor during pre-construction, instead of bidding the work. But for some projects, Rushing Co. will be the engineer-of record.
Rae Anne Rushing said what makes her company unique is the long experience she has in construction. Both she and Scott used to work for Holaday-Parks and McKinstry Construction, on a variety of projects for the Pine Street Group and Touchstone Development, as well as Group Health and the Seattle Art Museum.
“I know where the mistakes are made and I know how not to make them in my business,” she said.
Starting her own company is a long-held dream for Rushing, who has always had an affinity for science. From a young age, Rushing wanted to be a math teacher, but she said after seeing teachers' salaries she chose mechanical engineering instead. After winning a college scholarship, she told the judges what she most wanted to do with her future was start a consulting firm.
Twenty years later, Rushing decided to fulfill that dream. “When you have the entrepreneurial spirit you're always looking for a place to capitalize on a gap,” she said.
Rushing Co. has 45 active or closed projects. The company just finished working with Bellevue Community College on its new science and technology building. The project was about $2 million over-budget when Rushing Co. was brought in for a review. The company found 65 items it said could be cut without altering the function of the building. The college agreed with 80 percent of their findings, and saved more than $1 million.
Rushing said it has become the normal process for schools to engineer projects, go over-budget and then re-engineer, which she calls a waste of money.
“I am interested in seeing that clients get a heck of a lot more value than they are now... and spend our money better,” she said.
This works best when engineers join design teams at an early stage, as Rushing did with a project for Tarragon Development at 2000 Third Ave. Rushing is contracted to do preliminary designs and pricing for the building, which could be the tallest residential tower in the city.
Murphy McCullough, Tarragon senior development manager, said peer engineering firms are generally hired for large projects, but Rushing Co. fills a niche because of the firm's construction experience. Because of Rushing's involvement, Tarragon can delay hiring a subcontractor until later in the design process, as opposed to committing to one now, which will help control costs.
“When you work for a contractor you know what works and what doesn't in the field and Seattle has been such a design-build town it's been hard for owners to find a representative who will look after their interest first and the rest of the project later,” McCullogh said.
“I'm not saying I don't trust the subcontracting community, but it's really nice to have someone really early on involved in your project before your go out to the subcontracting market,” he added.
Rushing is also pleased that the industry is moving towards more negotiated projects and said if she could choose, every project would be negotiated as opposed to bid because it allows for more creativity, efficiency and speed.
“I believe it's the right way to go as long as you can get the owner comfortable so you don't make them feel like they're getting taken advantage of.”
Rushing said the current system creates contentious situations because contractors are constantly searching for the engineer's mistake.
Rushing considers her majority ownership to be the company's “secret sauce,” although she acknowledges that being a woman works both for and against her in the field.
She said because the industry is male-dominated, some men are more comfortable doing business with other men. “You trust what you know and if you're a man, you know men, and women, you don't necessarily know how they think.”
But she said some men trust women more, and being a woman in a male-dominated field can also get you noticed.
“After 20 years, I feel like most of my clients don't really see gender, they see Rae Anne,” she said. “It's when you run into new clients and new markets that it becomes a new issue again.”
Matt Griffin, principal with Pine Street Group, worked with the Rushings before they formed the new company on the Washington Mutual Center/Seattle Art Museum building. He said the idea of bringing cost into the design process is crucial to any big project, but in recent years he hasn't had a problem with it because the Rushings have worked on his teams.
Griffin said some companies may have that expertise in-house, but if not, “You better find someone who can do it.”
Rushing Co. has six engineers today and is looking to grow. Rushing said she fluctuates between wanting to remain a small company and wanting to build an empire. When the company reaches 10 engineers, they will decide whether to bring on another 10.
She also hopes to add electrical engineering services in the future.
Katie Zemtseff can be
reached by email or by phone
at (206) 622-8272.