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RM: I have a vision of what the company should be, build a good team and trust them to do a good job. A good lead- er needs to know when to lead, but also know when to get out of the way. Overall, I find that people know what they need to do, but they just require some reassurance and the knowledge that they have backing to move forward with their decision. “I find that people know what they need to do, but they just require some reassurance and the knowledge that they have backing to move forward with their decision.” TZL: How would you describe your leadership style? RM: I would like to think that I operate with a hands-on ap- proach and am available to my team to bounce ideas around as needed. However, I let them operate independently, and check-in. Since I am ultimately responsible for what goes out the door, I do oversight reviews of plans to make sure we are consistent in quality and accuracy. TZL: To date, what has been a top challenge and how did you deal with it? What was the outcome? RM: My greatest challenge was leading MDG through the recession. We had grown so quickly when we opened and it looked like there was no end to work coming in the door. However, overnight the economy crashed, but we hung on. We reinvented ourselves, our services, our team, and our mindset. Since 2010 we have grown steadily, diversified, built a great team, and not allowed ourselves to get in the same financial or singularly-focused position that we had then. We grow more cautiously now and have strategically put MDG in a much better position to weather future eco- nomic downturns. TZL: What is your vision for the future of Matthews De- sign Group? RM: We have just started a strategic planning process with Zweig Group and will be sharpening that vision so that ev- eryone on our team understands and shares the same vi- sion. TZL: Tell me about a recent project you are especially proud of and why. RM: The Therapeutic Learning Center. The TLC is a division of the ARC of St. Johns which provides schooling for chil- dren ages 3 to 6 with intellectual and developmental dis- abilities. I was asked by a friend to provide the services pro bono to design the site for TLC’s new school. I had recent- ly had a child that was born eight-and-a-half weeks early and could imagine when seeing these kids that it could have been my son that needed these services. The more I learned about the organization, the more I wanted to help. Now, I

am an active board member for the ARC of St. Johns. This was not a large dollar project, but it was one that had a huge impact on me and our community. TZL: Any news you care to share about firm projects or anything else? RM: Through our strategic teaming relationships, we just completed the off-site roadway design for an Amazon Dis- tribution facility in North Florida. We had worked on many roadway projects, but how this one came together and the scope and timing of this project made it truly unique. It showed a much larger firm how we can integrate into their team when needed to take care of critical aspects of proj- ects. TZL: Are you married? Children? Pets? RM: I have been married to my college sweetheart, Keri, for 19 years. I met her while she was taking my scuba class. I also have two wonderful children, Robie, 10, and Abby, 8, and a two-year old King Charles spaniel named Stripe. TZL: What’s one thing most people at the firm don’t know about you? RM: I spent my summers working with my dad on a longline commercial fishing boat (just like in the movie the Perfect Storm ) fishing for swordfish and tuna. We would go out for two weeks at a time. I really enjoyed my time on the water with my dad and it was a great experience, but it was also a great motivator for college. It taught me the value of hard work and the need to work as a team. It takes five guys to make the boat work efficiently. TZL: Best vacation spot? Dream destination? RM: I love to scuba dive. So far, Hawaii has been my favor- ite. I would like to visit Australia and New Zealand. TZL: What’s the last book you read? RM: The Finest Hours by Michael Tougias and Casey Sher- man. financial or singularly-focused position that we had then. We grow more cautiously now and have strategically put MDG in a much better position to weather future economic downturns.” “Since 2010 we have grown steadily, diversified, built a great team, and not allowed ourselves to get in the same

See Q&A, page 8

uary 20, 2017, ISSUE 1188

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