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PROFILE
Looking to the future: Akshai Ramakrishnan JQ, now IMEG, a team of professionals providing structural and civil engineering, geospatial and facility performance services within a diverse group of markets.
By LIISA ANDREASSEN Correspondent
J Q, now IMEG (Dallas, TX) – an award-winning Texas-based structural and civil engineering services firm – is a founding sponsor of Zweig Group’s ElevateHER® program because leadership is passionate about creating a culture where everyone feels represented and aims to support groups that focus on those efforts. “It’s important to maintain engagement of upcoming generations and the ElevateHER® program helps us learn how to improve our recruitment and retention efforts,” Akshai Ramakrishnan, principal of the firm’s buildings structural group, says. “We’re honored and privileged to be a part of this journey with a group of individuals who are passionate about the AEC industry and who recognize the need to recruit, retain, and elevate women within our industry.” LEARNING FROM THE PAST; LOOKING TO THE FUTURE. Ramakrishnan spent four years in the forensic and evaluation field prior to developing his skill set in design and construction services for various public and private projects. He says he’s “progressed through the ‘farm system’” so to speak.
At JQ, now IMEG, he most values the one-on-one client and employee experience. The company focuses on complete building design rather than singularly limiting its view to the structure or site only. “I believe this is where we filter down to a handful of consultants who excel in that mindset,” he says. Since being in a leadership position, he says the greatest lesson he’s had to learn the hard way is figuring out how to perform as a manager while transitioning his thought process on how to engage with others. He says that many early struggles which took place when transitioning from a project engineer, to a project manager and then to a resource manager and office lead resulted in some personnel turnover. He attributes this to his limitations in adapting or setting expectations differently from how he traditionally performed prior duties. “This caused me to evaluate how I engage with my team
See LOOKING TO THE FUTURE , page 10
THE ZWEIG LETTER APRIL 15, 2024, ISSUE 1533
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