Ericsson Move Result of Program Management’s Strategic Planning Process

DALLAS, TEXAS – July 9, 1999 - Where and how will we work best in the future? A question answered by Ericsson, Inc. in their recent announcement to move a portion of their corporate headquarters to Legacy Business Park in Plano, Texas. Led by John Brownrigg, Ericsson’s director of real estate operations, this decision was the product of another strategic business and real estate planning project achieved by Program Management.

Having assisted Ericsson with unique real estate planning assignments since 1990, Program Management again helped identify viable real estate options and clarify the best response to key financial, operational and human resource issues. Program Management interviewed Ericsson managers, studied organizational changes and new business operations, then developed a program of future space needs. Existing Ericsson sites and their use of space were studied in the context of overall regional space requirements and expansion opportunities.

Once a final real estate strategy was adopted by Ericsson's Planning Committee, Program Management confidentially assisted Ericsson with key real estate actions to advance the project. Program Management provided both financial and physical planning support services, ranging from an analysis of alternate financing concepts and development cost studies to site selection, preliminary project planning and the assembly of other Project Team members.

The final Design & Development Team is now led by Thompson Viavoda Associates, the architects responsible for NIKE's award winning headquarters campus in Portland, Oregon. Other key members include Giedon Toal, local Ft. Worth architects, The Lauck Group from Dallas, and Austin Construction. Initial Schematic Design work on the first development phase of this project has now been completed, and construction will begin in late 1999.

This Ericsson project is another example of Program Management’s advance planning services for major companies in transition. Sudden growth, staff reductions, organizational realignments, new technologies and new management concepts are typical catalysts for Program Management’s work. Program Management's planners continue to address not only "Where and how will we work best?" but also "How do we get there?"

Since its inception in 1976, Program Management’s goal has been to clarify real estate and facility actions most appropriate for each client’s strategic plan - and their employees - through a comprehensive review and integration of business and facility issues. PM is committed to the idea that a client’s interests are best served by the independent review of many facility options. Each represents different degrees of opportunity for all real estate service providers, including brokers, architects, planners and property managers. In response to customer preferences for stand-alone business driven advisory services, Program Management continues to have no vested interest in any related work that may result from recommendations.