YA Group's Strategic Leap: From Forensics to Full-Spectrum Project Mastery

NASHVILLE, TN – December 02, 2025 – Technical consulting firm YA Group today announced a significant strategic pivot with the launch of its new Planning & Construction Advisory Services (PCAS) division. The move signals a deliberate evolution from the company's long-standing reputation as a leader in forensic engineering and post-incident assessment to a comprehensive, full-lifecycle partner for complex capital projects. This new division will offer pre-construction planning, owner's representation, and capital project advisory, positioning the firm to engage clients at the earliest, most critical stages of development.

For over 25 years, YA Group has been the go-to expert for insurers, legal teams, and corporations navigating the aftermath of construction failures, accidents, and property damage. With the launch of PCAS, the company is proactively shifting its center of gravity from reactive analysis to proactive strategy, aiming to prevent the very issues it has historically been called upon to investigate.

A Strategic Evolution Beyond Forensics

This expansion is more than just an addition of services; it represents a fundamental reshaping of YA Group's value proposition. The company is moving upstream in the project lifecycle to provide guidance that can mitigate risk, ensure cost certainty, and optimize outcomes long before the first shovel hits the ground. This initiative directly addresses a growing need in the market for integrated expertise in an era of unprecedented project complexity.

"Expanding into pre-construction and construction advisory services is a natural evolution for YA," said Wade Bushman, CEO of YA Group. "Our clients are navigating increasingly complex project environments, and this new division allows us to support them earlier in the process with the precision and expertise they expect from our team." By embedding its deep technical knowledge in the planning phase, the firm aims to build more resilient, efficient, and successful projects from their inception.

The creation of the PCAS division solidifies YA Group’s stated commitment to building an "industry-leading full-service professional services platform." It transforms the company from a specialized consultant into a holistic advisor capable of guiding clients from initial concept through to completion and, if necessary, through post-project challenges. This end-to-end capability offers a powerful alternative to the fragmented consulting landscape where clients often have to manage multiple, siloed advisory firms.

Building a Powerhouse Through Strategic Acquisitions

The foundation for this ambitious expansion was laid over the past year through two key strategic acquisitions. The integrations of Trophy Point, a renowned firm specializing in owner’s representation and construction estimating, and Encore Group, a leader in construction scheduling and delay analysis, have been instrumental. These moves brought more than 70 seasoned professionals into the YA fold, along with deep-seated relationships with major institutions, public agencies, and large-scale corporate project owners.

To ensure a seamless fusion of talent and expertise, YA Group has appointed Rich Chudzik, the former President of Trophy Point, to lead the new Planning & Construction Advisory Services division. Chudzik brings a wealth of experience in guiding owners through intricate capital planning and project execution. "I am honored to lead this new division and help strengthen YA's growing impact across the project lifecycle," said Chudzik. "By integrating talent from Trophy Point, Encore, and YA Group, we are creating a unified team with unmatched capability in planning, scheduling, and advisory services."

Further strengthening the new division's leadership, Charlie Luthanen will head the scheduling service line, bringing the specialized expertise honed at Encore Group. Meanwhile, Josh Telenko will lead the estimating services line, leveraging the deep cost-consulting capabilities developed at Trophy Point. This structure ensures that the core strengths of the acquired firms are not just preserved but amplified within YA Group's broader platform.

Capitalizing on a Dynamic Construction Market

YA Group's strategic pivot is exceptionally well-timed. The global Construction Advisory Solutions market is on a steep growth trajectory, projected to reach approximately $15 billion by 2033 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.5%. This growth is fueled by soaring project complexity, the increasing importance of risk management, and a sector-wide push for digitalization to close persistent productivity gaps.

Many construction and development firms still grapple with legacy software and manual processes, creating inefficiencies that expert advisory can help solve. YA Group's integrated approach—combining planning, scheduling, and cost estimation under one roof—directly targets this market need for unified, strategic, and technically advanced partners. Accelerated M&A activity across the construction services sector further underscores the industry's drive toward consolidation and the creation of comprehensive service platforms, validating YA's acquisition-led growth strategy.

By offering a seamless solution that spans the entire project timeline, the company is poised to capture significant market share from competitors who may only specialize in one phase of a project. The ability to de-risk a project from the pre-construction phase provides a compelling advantage for owners seeking predictability and control.

Delivering a Decisive Advantage to Project Owners

For clients, the primary benefit of the new PCAS division is the promise of a more cohesive and strategic partnership. Having a single source of expertise from planning and design through construction and potential forensic analysis eliminates communication gaps and aligns all advisory functions toward a common goal. This integrated model empowers owners with greater control over project outcomes, particularly in cost and schedule management.

Owner's representation, a key offering of the new division, is critical for ensuring the owner's interests are protected at every stage. By providing expert oversight on budgeting, scheduling, and contractor management, YA Group can help clients avoid costly disputes and delays. The firm’s ability to provide a "decisive advantage" is now rooted not just in analyzing what went wrong, but in ensuring everything goes right from the start.

"This integrated team positions YA Group at the forefront of planning, design, and construction advisory excellence," Bushman added. "Our clients will benefit from a more unified, strategic, and technically capable partner." The launch of the PCAS division marks a pivotal moment for YA Group, redefining its identity and firmly establishing it as an indispensable partner in the successful delivery of the built environment.