Mike Ingersoll

Category: Executive of the Month
Published: November 2006

Michael Ingersoll, our November issue's Executive of the Month, is a partner at the LA Group, a successful, award-winning firm that offers integrated services in such diverse areas as: Landscape Architecture, Civil Engineering, Community and Regional Planning, Environmental Analysis Services and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Success Magazine: The LA Group has seen a lot of growth recently. What are your plans for the future, where do you see the firm going?

Michael Ingersoll: We're setting up studios, or niches, so that some of our middle level staff and younger staff will grow within these niches. If the work takes off, there are enough people within the group to control their own growth. That allows the studio to determine its own destiny and it also allows staff to become specialists in the studio's field of work. Our management has also talked about other marketing initiatives. The conversion of tracks and turf fields is an emerging trend. Some colleges are creating college towns within their campuses to attract students. Skidmore College is fortunate to be located in a vibrant town like Saratoga Springs. What we try to do is develop a sense of place for these sites and developments to create a "postcard" destination. That is the goal of our Public Spaces Studio, which plans parks, recreational facilities, open space, streetscapes, regulatory guidance, and waterfront revitalization programs.

SM: Regarding Skidmore College, you recently did some work for them. Could you tell us a bit about that?

MI: Right now we just finished the new student housing. We're rebuilding the ball field. We've done a lot of little pieces for Skidmore over the years..

SM: You were talking about creating a postcard destination. How do you get it right? How do you mold a town into what people want?

MI: We actually had a meeting in Malta a few years ago to determine the use of their open space. We handed people a blank postcard, sat them down for 15 minutes and said: 'You're going to write your mom a postcard like you were on vacation and describe your mental image of Malta and what's best about it." It was amazing to put them all up on the wall and watch the supervisors and town people. To me, it was a snapshot of what people thought about their town and what they'd like to promote. And actually, I wish people would do that more. People would normally come in and say: "Well I want my horse trails, I want soccer fields," but when you actually have to think about why you live there and what you want to preserve about it, you get a different perspective. So we try to work that in when we can. College campus jobs are great for it.

SM: It sounds like you're into the conceptual side of your business.

MI: It's not quite the Disney Imagineering thing; we are primarily landscape architects and I think our niche is being able to take a standard project, and we make that project stand out. Sometimes clients will stand in our way because of the additional cost, but if we are doing our job properly that uniqueness will shine through.

SM: These days, many towns are focused on creating a downtown, however, it's not clear how to go about doing it. They cannot simply import old buildings, so it doesn't get done. How would you help create the downtown feel?

MI: The first step is to create a community vision through public participation. From there, you develop regulations. Once these are in place, submitted plans must match that vision and meet the review board's requirements to be approved. Public safety through streetscape improvements and lighting will help draw people to the downtown.

SM: I could imagine some people not wanting their downtown to get as developed as some are getting. MI: What's interesting now is that Saratoga Springs is really a green belt and is being preserved. As a result, the only place to grow is downtown and the only way to do it is vertically. So you have to be careful of what you wish for. When you start to build buildings at a full height the village starts to become a city. And in fact there was a New York Times article last week about how this is happening all around, and all of a sudden people are saying: "This is getting more like a city."

SM: Your job must be incredibly demanding. How do you make time for yourself and for your family? What strategies would you suggest that someone employ to manage a life like yours filled with so much work and so much stress?

MI: We've had this discussion before. I think since 9/11, the senior staff has changed a lot. I think you need to make a break at the end of the day too; unfortunately, a lot of people just can't get away. We used to burn a lot of midnight oil here, we had to, but also we've watched some people over the years that we probably haven't paid enough attention to. You have to have good friends, you have to work hard and play hard. And don't be afraid of having fun. Sometimes you have to step back and watch, but that hasn't been so easy recently. Our marketing director is good at helping us give back to the community. We help out hospitals and the town and things like that. So we try to give back, to a degree at least. That's important for a balanced, enjoyable life as well.

SM: That's great. What advice can you give to the new entrepreneur, the new engineer, or the new planner? What thoughts would you give to them about how to be successful?

MI: I think every graduating class has prima donnas who may have talent, but I would rather have someone who will listen. I'd rather work with a kingmaker than a king. I want people who want to work hard and get there, not someone who thinks they deserve to be there already. One of the things I've heard a lot of about, one of the things I've read about in the journals, is there are trophy kids now. When we were growing up as children, when you finished the game and you won a tournament, you didn't get a trophy, you worked hard and maybe you just got a black eye.

SM: Do you have any more thoughts to share about success? How has your firm enjoyed such success, for instance? MI: It seems to me everyone has a different definition of success. For my firm and myself, it has to do with having happy clients at the end of the day. Wealth motivates some people, and sure, certainly making money is good, but I think the product makes us happy if it meets their needs. Our firm definitely tries very hard to make that a mission. Most of our business is repeat business, and I think after a long time they come back because they know we want to please them.