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Conference call: Chad Riley CEO of The Thrasher Group (Hot Firm #77 for 2016), a 350-person architecture, engineering, and survey consulting firm based in Bridgeport, West Virginia.
By LIISA ANDREASSEN Correspondent
“B y definition, a good project manager is some- one who delivers. Period,” says Riley. “They become the go-to, get-it-done person and often don’t know how to say no. We are trying to do a better job of surrounding our project managers with the right support – technical staff, business development support, project accounts, etc. – so they can focus on the things at which they truly ex- cel.” A CONVERSATION WITH CHAD RILEY. The Zweig Letter: The talent war in the A/E in- dustry is here. What steps do you take to create the leadership pipeline needed to retain your top people and not lose them to other firms?
Chad Riley: It’s important to bring in quality peo- ple to backfill as leaders advance their careers and to continually fill our talent pipeline. While there’s a need to bring in mid-level professionals, we are turning our attention to growing young talent. We’ve made steps to increase our interaction with colleges and universities, so we can attract their top talent and accelerate their development. Growing people into those roles is the hallmark of what has made us successful. TZL: As you look for talent, what position do you most need to fill in the coming year and why? CR: Being a growth company in a growth mode, we have a need to hire in nearly every part of our
Chad Riley, CEO, The Thrasher Group
THE ZWEIG LETTER Febru
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