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4 about yourself. Real leaders should not care about who gets the credit for success. They should just care that the job gets done well. It also helps to: z Be courageous. z Be proactive. z Be collaborative. z Have the ability to endure. z Be resilient. You’ve got to be able to bounce back from set- backs. TZL: How would you describe your leadership style? GB: I’ve always believed you need to have several styles in your leadership toolbox. And then you need to know which one best suits the situation at hand. I typically default to collaboration, but sometimes the situation warrants a more decisive style. TZL: What has been your greatest challenge to date and how did you deal with it? GB: Transitioning from an engineer to a leader. Granted, the process took place over time, but it was difficult for me to make the decision to leave engineering behind and com- pletely focus on leadership. I also had to convince the team that this was the best course of action. “We like steady growth that allows individuals to grow into long careers.” TZL: To what do you most attribute your recent sales growth? GB: We have 67 principals and all of them, in addition to a few others, are empowered to work on business devel- opment. A large part of the staff is selling work and that strength in numbers drives growth. We’re not just driven by a few. TZL: What is your vision for the future of SGH? GB: To continue to focus on growth. We recently opened two new offices in Chicago and Houston and are looking to open a fewmore, likely in the southeast. We are also making a move to grow more on a global scale. For instance, I just got off the phone with someone about a potential project in South Africa. We like steady growth that allows individu- als to grow into long careers. It’s not unusual for people to come work for us and stay – for a long time. TZL: How have you helped your firm to outperform some competitors? What do you feel sets you apart? GB: We have a tremendous breadth of capabilities. We have our own lab for structural and materials testing and a high level of technical skills on our staff. For example, we recent- ly worked on a project designed by architect Siamak Hariri of Hariri Pontarini Architects . It’s called the Chile Baha’i House of Worship and sits on a hillside set against the An- des Mountains. The temple is nearly 100 feet high and fea- tures nine entrances to welcome worshipers. We provided materials and structural design services and used unusual Q&A, from page 3

materials such as silicate glass which has a high seismic zone. We tested the materials in our lab and were able to help this architect who had a great vision to achieve something that’s never been done before. Additionally, I’ve worked to create an environment where people who come to work want to stay. It’s collegial, collaborative, and enlightened. Teamwork is awarded and recognized. TZL: Are you married? Do you have children? Pets? GB: I’ve been married for 43 years. In fact, two of my life’s most important things happened to me in college – meeting my wife, Judy, and working for SGH. We have three grown children – two daughters and a son. Two of them are engi- neers and one works with Alzheimer’s patients. We are very proud of all of them. The pets left with the kids. We like to travel a lot and my wife will often accompany me on a busi- ness trip where we try to extend it by a few days for some personal time, so pets don’t really fit in right now. TZL: What’s one thing most people at the firm don’t know about you? GB: When I was younger I used to have a singing hobby. In fact, my vocals teacher encouraged me to pursue a career in singing, but I had different plans. TZL: What’s the last book you read? GB: It’s funny. I use to read lots of books about engineer- ing because I was fascinated by the physical world. Now, I’m getting more and more intrigued with psychology and want to learn what makes people tick. I just finished reading The Marshmallow Test: Mastering Self Control . I travel a lot so I often read on my tablet, but I like to read hard copies at home. TZL: What’s the last movie you saw? GB: I never go to the movies. I just don’t have time. If I had to guess, I would say American Graffiti – (circa 1973?). TZL: What’s the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever gotten? GB: It came from one of SGH’s original founders – Mr. Gumpertz. He said, “You have to do work you love with pas- sion. The money will follow.” TZL: Who is a leader you admire? Why? GB: George C. Marshall. He was named chief of staff when World War II began and was responsible for exponentially increasing the size of the U.S. Army. His economic recovery program for Europe became known as the Marshall Plan, and he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953. He had the uncanny ability to inspire out-of-control egos such as General MacArthur and Dwight Eisenhower. He focused on the common goal and led in a humble way. TZL: When you’re not working, what types of activities do you enjoy? GB: Sailing (I’m a competitive sailboat racer), road cycling, and listening to classical music with my wife. I guess it’s an outlet for that singing career I missed. I also enjoy spending time with my family at our vacation house in Cape Cod.

THE ZWEIG LETTER May 16, 2016, ISSUE 1152

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