In 2022 Western Canada’s leader in project and construction management, and multi-disciplinary engineering services, RAM Consulting (RAM), celebrates 15 years of providing solutions in heavy civil and infrastructure.
Started in 2007 by fellow UBC Civil Engineering graduates Joe Di Placito (Principal) and Ziad Boustany (Principal), RAM quickly distinguished itself as a market leader for its unique marriage of technical design expertise with project delivery execution.
The team, which specializes in project and construction management, and multi-disciplinary engineering services, providing services to both owners and contractors throughout North America, is recognized as leaders in transportation, infrastructure, utilities, energy and marine industries who depend on the RAM team for solutions in Canada’s largest infrastructure projects, from major highways to pipelines.
Over the past 15 years, RAM has distinguished itself through a wide range of in-house capabilities. “We provide project leadership from the early concept and definition phase right through to project completion,” says Marketing & Proposals Specialist, Sharon Choi. “
RAM works for both Contractors and Owners, allowing its project management team an insightful 360° scope, accurately evaluating contracts and assessing risks. “Our team acts as an extension of our client’s team, from representing Client organization at meetings to acting as the main point of contact for your project,” says Choi. “We have added value to our current and past clients by evaluating their internal tools and templates upon on-boarding to the organization to see where potential improvements and/or efficiencies can be made.
Teamwork
Choi is quick to point out that the team is the Alpha and Omega of RAM’s success. When asked to what she credits RAM’s consulting success, Choi says “Our people. We continue to hire staff that embody our values in sustainability, safety, integrity, fun and innovation. Most importantly, they also align with our commitment to diversity and inclusion. We really hone in on the importance of helping our staff develop skills through mentorship programs and continued education training programs.”
“As a local firm, many of us grew up and/or lived here long term so we really care about our community,” says Choi. RAM has always focused on Indigenous Engagement and consultation on projects and has local relationships with municipalities and stakeholders (e.g., BCHydro, FortisBC, Telus, etc.). “RAM has made partnering with and working alongside Indigenous groups a foundational aspect of our business,” says Choi. Our core values of integrity, innovation, and sustainability guide our employees on how to develop and maintain effective working relationships with Indigenous communities in territories we work in and are attested by several meaningful Indigenous partnerships.
Navigating COVID-19
RAM took steps in mid-March 2020 to keep its team and clients safe. Hygiene standards for office and site locations have always been of top priority, however as the situation progresses, RAM took extra measure to ensure the entire organization helped to stop the spread of this virus by developing a COVID-19 Toolkit, which includes a risk mitigation plan and a business continuity plan for execution of the Services. These plans detail how RAM minimizes known and foreseeable impacts of COVID- 19. RAM has also adapted a hybrid work model, implementing virtual meetings utilizing services such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and call-in meeting rooms to provide a full array of virtual meeting services.
Additionally, RAM successfully ran two United Way of British Columbia philanthropy campaigns in 2020 and 2021 during the pandemic. “Our team incorporated virtual events including an online auction and gift-card survivor.” Says Choi.
Expansion
In August, 2021, RAM announced the acquisition of two companies to complement RAM’s existing expertise and expand the company’s market share; Encepta Corp (Encepta) and Horizon Engineering Inc (Horizon).
Encepta is well-known as a technologically advanced and enabled professional services firm delivering outside plant field services, design, inspection, and construction management, as well as big-data analytics and AI-powered models for the telecommunication sector.
The second acquisition, Horizon Engineering Inc, is an engineering consultancy providing a full range of geotechnical engineering services including geotechnical assessments comprising subsurface investigation, laboratory testing and engineering analyses followed by design, report and specification preparation, and field reviews during construction.
“Horizon will allow us to enter early in an infrastructure project lifecycle by offering geotechnical design including shoring, piles, retaining walls and slope analysis as well as hydrological design including groundwater seepage, and erosion and sediment control,” says Ziad Boustany, RAM’s Principal.
Horizon has provided a full range of geotechnical consulting services to almost 5,000 projects for a diverse set of clients, and is a member of the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies of British Columbia (ACEC-BC).
Excellence at Work
At the end of the day, the joy the RAM team finds in excellence is distilled into its projects. “Fun is one of the most important values for us,” says Choi. “RAM prioritizes team building, continuous learning, and challenging ourselves both professionally and personally. Whether it’s playing foosball in the lunchroom, training for the Sun Run, planning summer family picnics, or writing letters to Seniors in our community, we strive to create a work environment our people are proud to be a part of. We love what we do which is reflected in the success of our projects.”
www.ramconsulting.com
