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Huseman & Associates mechanical department head Jamey Logrande, left, serves up white rice while mechanical engineer Pedro Gomez and owner Jeffrey Huseman dish out red beans. Renea Joseph,<br />
standing with loaves of bread, prepared the meal for her co-workers.<br />
Photo by Frank Aymami<br />
Huseman & Associates<br />
Staff members at Huseman and Associates<br />
— consulting mechanical, electrical and<br />
plumbing engineers — do a lot more together<br />
than pore over designs at their Metairie headquarters.<br />
“We have contests in the office to see who<br />
makes the best red beans and rice,” said Jamey<br />
Logrande, mechanical group director at the 13-<br />
person firm. “In the summer, it’s shrimp and<br />
crawfish boils at each other’s homes, and we’ve<br />
got a bowling tournament coming up soon. Our<br />
year ends with a blowout in the French<br />
Quarter,” including holiday gifts, food, drink<br />
and games such as scavenger hunts.<br />
And there are other activities throughout<br />
the year.<br />
“Our fishing trips are the best of times and<br />
the stories last forever,” said Charlie Boyle, senior<br />
mechanical engineer.<br />
Logrande said staff members are encouraged<br />
to do their utmost, but the group contains<br />
no big egos or prima donnas.<br />
“We all back each other up and there’s no tension<br />
in the office between employees,” he said.<br />
Renea Joseph, office manager, said owner<br />
Jeffrey Huseman stands behind each employee.<br />
“Everyone is expected to really think critically<br />
and go the extra distance, but there’s a safety<br />
net if we run into difficulty,” she said. “The<br />
mechanical and electrical departments crosstrain<br />
with each other. And we are all given a<br />
voice in important matters.”<br />
Joseph recalls hearing a colleague across the<br />
hall answering a call from a recruiter. The colleague<br />
told the recruiter he had “absolutely no<br />
interest in leaving the company and to call<br />
someone else.”<br />
The only two employees to leave since the<br />
firm started in 2005 did so for Katrina-related<br />
reasons, she said.<br />
In 2005, owner Huseman recruited employees<br />
from Lace Engineering, which has since moved<br />
to Indianapolis, and added to the original group.<br />
Employees say there’s a compatible mix of<br />
office personnel.<br />
“Jeffrey Huseman considers education and<br />
skills when hiring, but a prospective employee<br />
must also be a good personality fit for the<br />
team,” Joseph said.<br />
Boyle said employees from Honduras, Puerto<br />
Rico and India enhance the firm. And out of<br />
respect for the staff’s religious and ethnic diversity,<br />
employees receive a floating day off to celebrate<br />
a holiday of their choice each year.<br />
Nature of business: electrical, mechanical and plumbing consulting<br />
engineers<br />
Where based: Metairie<br />
Employees: 13<br />
Average starting salary: $59,000<br />
Median salary: $75,000<br />
Average employment time: four years (company founded in<br />
2005)<br />
Benefits: health care with 100 percent coverage, dental, vision<br />
and prescription plans, 401(k) with 3 percent match, continuing<br />
education program, relocation assistance<br />
Wait time for benefits: 90 days<br />
Paid days off: 25<br />
Web site: www.husemanllc.com<br />
When the office is under the crunch of deadlines,<br />
“Jeffrey has me order in some really good<br />
food for everyone’s lunch, or for dinner if we<br />
need to stay a bit late,” Joseph said.<br />
Among the firm’s many benefits, Huseman<br />
encourages the staff to attend training seminars,<br />
obtain needed licensing and join professional<br />
groups at the company’s expense.<br />
Huseman’s cohesive staff is good for the bottom<br />
line, employees say. Clients include Tulane<br />
University, high-rise buildings downtown and<br />
Northrop Grumman. The firm also is working<br />
on <strong>Orleans</strong> Parish Prison projects.<br />
“Clients know our staffers are available for<br />
problem resolution around the clock,” Joseph<br />
said. “That’s helped us build a spotless reputation<br />
in just over four years, and most of our new<br />
business is by word of mouth.”•<br />
— Susan Buchanan<br />
62 2009 Best Places to Work