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4 important. Not too long ago, three young leaders ap- proached me about starting an in-house think tank of sorts called an “Open Conversation Series.” We launched it and it has become an incredibly important part of our culture. This series makes people recognize that their voice can be heard. TZL: What makes your company a great place to work? TC: As a whole, we understand the fact that the world is changing at a rapid pace and we need to evolve along with it. To do that we need to invite and empower a diversity of input from across the firm. We have worked hard to build knowledge and idea networks that are open to a broad au- dience and that give staff opportunities to engage and con- tribute at a deeper level. The more diverse the collaboration, the more meaningful the impact on our communities. One example is our Community Action design workshop where we invite non-profits to pose a design problem to us and we help them solve it through a day-long charrette. TZL: What’s been your greatest challenge since being CEO? TC: It’s been a large learning curve and I continue to learn every day. I’ve gone from leading a team of 35 to one of 700. I’ve been traveling to the different offices and working to gain a deeper understanding of how each office operates. They are all a bit different from each other and have unique attributes. I’ve been spending my time fully immersed in this process and it’s coming together. “We understand the fact that the world is changing at a rapid pace and we need to evolve along with it. To do that we need to invite and empower a diversity of input from across the firm.” TZL: What is your vision for the future of HGA? TC: In 2014, I led the strategic plan process. We had a two- day charrette with a diverse group of people from across the firm. Our vision is to adhere to our deep-rooted legacy and to build on it. That legacy merges great service and deep knowledge with great design through a rigorous, interdisci- plinary, and highly collaborative process. TZL: What do you feel sets your firm apart from others? TC: First, I’d like to quote this year’s Pritzker prize win- ner, Alejandro Aravena. He talks about architects Q&A, from page 3

“answering the wrong questions well.” How does this relate to your question? We are focused on discovering and an- swering the right questions. TZL: Are you married? Do you have children or pets? TC: I’ve been married to Jean since 1998. She is a landscape architect. We have two boys, 11 and 13, and a cat who my sons adore. I love seeing them hang out together. “Observe collaboration and understand how to engage people. If you can engage people who are smarter than you, together, you can work to find the best solution.” TZL: What’s one thing people at the firm don’t know about you? TC: As a kid my nickname was Scooter because I scooted before I walked. I asked my family to start calling me Tim around sixth grade. My grandmother struggled with that adjustment and years later I told her she could call me Scooter – she was elated. TZL: What’s the last book that you read? TC: The Green Brain . It’s about how diet affects the brain. It’s helping me to eat better. TZL: What’s the last movie you saw in the theater? TC: Star Wars with my boys. It was great. TZL: What’s the best piece of work-related advice you’ve been given? TC: Again, it points to collaboration. Observe collaboration and understand how to engage people. If you can engage people who are smarter than you, together, you can work to find the best solution. TZL: Who is a leader who you most admire? TC: Kevin Smith, the president and CEO of the Minnesota Orchestra. When he was CEO of the Minnesota Opera, he helped guide the design of our new Concert Hall for the Or- dway Center in Saint Paul. Now at the Minnesota Orches- tra, he is doing amazing things bringing people together af- ter a 15-month lockout. TZL: What activities do you enjoy? TC: I love traveling with my family, canoeing, hiking, and cross-country skiing. Last year we did a family trip to Ar- gentina and it was amazing.

REGISTER NOW! Come network, gain knowledge, and celebrate with the top firms in the industry. Zweig Group’s Hot Firm and A/E Industry Awards conference is the industry’s largest and most comprehensive business confer- ence for leaders and aspiring leaders of AEC firms in the U.S. The conference agenda includes topics on technology,

leadership challenges, business plan- ning, marketing methods, recruiting and retention, and growth strategies. The success stories of Zweig Group award winners will be shared at the event, along with a variety of speakers from a range of industries. The confer- ence will be held at the Arizona Bilt- more in Phoenix on September 22-23.

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THE ZWEIG LETTER April 11, 2016, ISSUE 1147

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