Next move
CHRIS MITCHELL • Fehr & Peers
WORK • Wednesday Routine
CHRIS MITCHELL • CEO • Fehr & Peers
Neighborhood you live in: Lower Pacific Heights
It’s Wednesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
As the CEO of a transportation planning and engineering consulting firm, my role is less about any specific project, and more about helping each of our 400+ professionals do their best work.
What’s on the agenda for today?
I’ve spent a large chunk of today working with several of our teams experimenting with AI. We’ve spent years getting better at collecting and understanding how to use the vast amounts of data now available to us. What’s exciting is the potential to use AI to uncover insights much faster (and at a scale) we couldn’t have imagined a few years ago. It will fundamentally improve everything we do, from forecasting travel patterns to making roads safer.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
I’ve been meaning to try Sungho in the Tenderloin for a while, and I’m finally getting to go this weekend.
How about a little leisure or culture?
I went to the SF Symphony’s performance of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony last month.
Any weekend getaways?
I recently purchased a vacation home up on the Russian River, and in the summer, I try and get up there as much as possible. There’s something magical about being in the redwoods and just listening to the wildlife. I highly recommend the Islands in the Sky hike in Duncans Mills, followed by a burger and a beer (get the tater tots!) with live music on Sunday afternoons at the Blue Heron.
What was your last great vacation?
Jazz Fest in New Orleans in early May. Live music in every direction (favorite act this year was Neal Francis at Tipitina’s), great food (Cochon, Clancy’s, Patois, Herbsaint, and Peche), and such a unique, vibrant culture. I always come back with a full heart and stomach, if not very well-rested!
What store or service do you always recommend?
Cliff’s Variety in the Castro. It’s one of those rare stores where you can find just about anything you need, plus a few things you don’t!