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The West Branch of the Berkeley Public Library in Berkeley, CA. HED designed the building to be Net Zero Energy. / Courtesy, Mark Luthringer
A bowl of clam chowder CEO J. Peter Devereaux strives to move from good to great as HED continues to forge its reputation as a national firm.
By LIISA ANDREASSEN Correspondent W hen J. Peter Devereaux joined the Detroit- based firm in 1985, there were nine employ- ees. Today, Harley Ellis Devereaux (Hot Firm #23 for 2016) has 324 employees and has undergone a series of evolutions. After working in various roles that included corporate marketing leader and prin- cipal of the Los Angeles office, Devereaux succeed- ed Gary Skog as CEO in 2015. Founded in 1908, it was not until 2006 that a merger led to the creation of HED. Devereaux says that the company has just started to see growth through mergers in the last 20 years. When he joined the firm in 1985, it was HarleyEllis, then it became Fields Devereaux. There was already a stra- tegic alliance in place with Harley Ellington Pierce Yee (the name of the firm before it merged with El- lis Naeyaert Genheimer). “The biggest evolution over that time was seeing the various office locations coalesce into one firm,”
Devereaux says. “We had to build a robust corpo- rate infrastructure of key systems: IT, HR, legal and marketing that served to support rather than control. This has allowed each office to remain nim- ble and responsive to local conditions. We’re proud that as a firm, we all share the same values, but that the culture in each location is, and should be, a lit- tle bit different.” A CONVERSATION WITH DEVEREAUX. The Zweig Letter: What are your key strengths? J. Peter Devereaux: People tell me that I have a pretty even keel. I’m not demoralized when things go badly and not too euphoric when they’re going well. TZL: What are the key strengths for an effective leader? JPD: Communication skills; the ability to listen to people; and to express a clear vision of the future See Q&A, page 4
J. Peter Devereaux, CEO, HED
THE ZWEIG LETTER September 12, 2016, ISSUE 1167
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