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BUSINESS NEWS RLG CONSULTING ENGINEERS CELEBRATES 65 YEARSINBUSINESS RLGConsultingEngineers , a Dallas-based civil, structural, surveying, and forensic engineering firm, is celebrating 65 years of engineering excellence in 2018. In honor of the company’s historic milestone, RLG hosted more than 300 guests for an open house and 65th anniversary celebration at the company’s new headquarters in Dallas, Texas. Guests were treated to cocktails and conversation, while touring the new office and perusing the company’s archives. Included in the memorabilia were original linen drawings from the early 1920s, company literature from the last several decades, and vintage engineering and surveying equipment. “When my father started the company in 1953, one of his core values was to provide a commitment of excellence to his clients. I am proud to say that for 65 years, we have maintained that commitment, while also creating new partnerships that we hope will last for the next 65 years,” says David Goodson, CEO of RLG. “We owe our many years of business success to our talented team and the support of our loyal clients and partners. We would not be where we are today without them.”

The firm has a long-standing history with the city of Dallas, dating back to the early 1900s when a series of floods from the Trinity River destroyed small bridges connecting Oak Cliff to Downtown Dallas. The destruction and aftermath led to demands from the public to provide a high-water bridge. Ernest Lindley Meyers and Edward N. Noyes, two young engineers from the University of Kansas, came to Dallas and immediately swung into action to build the Dallas-Oak Cliff Viaduct which is now known as the Houston Street Viaduct. The two engineers joined forces to create Myers & Noyes Engineers to provide civil engineering design and surveying services throughout North Texas. The company experienced rapid growth and opened an office in Corpus Christi. In 1953, Myers retired and transferred the Dallas office to Raymond L. Goodson, JR. Prior to joining Myers & Noyes Engineers, Goodson received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Southern Methodist University in 1941. After serving in the Navy during WWII, Goodson returned to Dallas and taught civil engineering at Southern Methodist University. After earning his

master’s degree in civil engineering from New York University, Goodson came back to Dallas in 1949 to work with Myers & Noyes Engineers. In 1961, Goodson incorporated the Dallas office as Raymond L. Goodson, Jr. Inc. Consulting Engineers, which is known today as RLG Consulting Engineers. Upon retiring in 1983, Goodson transitioned ownership to Norman Harper, John Stull, David Goodson, and Robert Wood. His son David M. Goodson joined the firm in 1981 and created the structural engineering division. Harper, Stull, and Wood were responsible for overseeing the civil engineering and surveying departments. Harper retired in 1995, Wood in 2003 and Stull in 2014. Today, David Goodson serves as president and CEO of RLG Consulting Engineers. Since RLG’s inception in 1953, the company has grown to more than 80 employees across three offices located in Dallas, Fort Worth and Peoria, IL. Clients include some of the nation’s finest institutions including Southern Methodist University, Texas Health Resources, UT Southwestern, Baylor Scott & White, Erickson Living Retirement Communities, and many more.

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direct language: “At TOMS, we believe we can improve peo- ple’s lives through business.” And then there’s Texas-based BIG RED DOG Engineering|Consulting, whose mission state- ment ties together the company’s business and its culture: “We help our clients be more successful as we make the engi- neering business cool.” ❚ ❚ They reflect the firm’s founding team and are capable of attracting individuals with similar values. A core set of values can help create a cohesive team but can also draw oth- ers with congruent principles to your firm without much “sell- ing” to get them there. This can apply to clients and potential recruits. ❚ ❚ They are inclusive. Probably the most common area where firms go wrong with mission statements is that they narrowly describe what the firm is and what they sell: “Engineers of- fering a variety of cost-effective, innovative solutions.” Your firm needs more than engineers to thrive – you need market- ers, finance folks, and strategic thought leaders who may or may not be engineers. Additionally, if your firm expands to include, say, survey, or landscape architecture, how do these folks fit in under a tight mission statement? Included in JDa- vis Architects’ list of values is this: “We are dedicated niche experts and exceptional listeners.” Everyone in the firm and every stakeholder outside the firm can connect to this simple, yet meaningful phrase. A carefully crafted mission statement can serve as a decision-making guidepost; a statement against which to measure strategic options and courses of action. With a simple, strong statement, a firm can hone their focus and unite the team. JAMIE CLAIRE KISER is Zweig Group’s director of consulting. Contact her at jkiser@zweiggroup.com.

learned a thing or two. Good mission statements tend to have the following characteristics: ❚ ❚ They are simple and effective. Too many words, and no one can remember it, let alone abide by it. Say as much as you can in as few words as possible. An example is one by furniture maker IKEA: “To create a better everyday life, for the many people.” “Effective mission statements give staff at all levels something to rally around in support of a larger purpose. This not only creates a happier workplace culture, with staff aligned on a common set of core values and goals, but also drives brand value.” ❚ ❚ They are both lofty and grounded. It needs to have an el- evated sense of purpose, but something that is true to what your firm cares about most. A/E Architects, a Montana-based firm with an extensive resume in historic preservation, adopt- ed a mission statement that includes the phrase (and graphic representation), “Rooted in tradition.” An additional require- ment is that they are free of buzzwords. ❚ ❚ They’re about more than the money. Although there’s nothing wrong with a business-focused mission, keep in mind that this only differentiates you from non-profit organiza- tions. Some companies, like TOMS shoes, have effectively linked the business to the mission, and have done so with

THE ZWEIG LETTER July 16, 2018, ISSUE 1256

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