Engineering as a Profession Q&A
Interview with Dick Bell, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, HDR, Inc.
Why did you choose engineering as a career?
As a junior in high school, I decided I was either going to be a dentist or an engineer. The more I evaluated, the more I wanted to be outside, and I felt that civil engineering was the proper career because leadership opportunities really flow to civil engineers.
Can you give me an example of how engineers make life better for the community?
Engineering projects are usually underground infrastructure projects or roadway projects and they facilitate quality of life; you have water, potable water, sewage, those kinds of things taken care of. I think the transportation systems today make it even easier; for example, here in Omaha the West Dodge Expressway opened new opportunities out west, which is something very special to be a part of.
What do you find satisfying about your work and why?
I'm very fortunate to be at HDR. I was at the right place at the right time and we had the opportunity to buy ourselves back (in 1996). Providing the opportunity for employee-ownership for the entire company is very gratifying. Also, one of the hallmarks of HDR is that the leadership provides the opportunity and resources for people to succeed and I enjoy seeing young people grow and develop and take on new responsibilities.
Do you have one piece of advice for young people seeking a career in engineering?
It's very important to communicate and develop your verbal communication skills. So many times people answer questions before they really listen. My suggestion is to enhance your verbal communication skills but also listen intently before you answer questions.
Why did you decide that HDR would be the place for you to build your career?
That was really kind of a personal choice. When I grew up I didn't know my grandparents, and I wanted my children to be close enough that they would know their grandparents. I happened to send out resumes to three firms in Omaha and four in Kansas City. HDR was the first firm I interviewed and it was 400 miles from home and I thought it would work. Simple as that.
Interview with George Little, President, HDR Engineering, Inc., and Vice Chairman, HDR, Inc.
Why did you choose engineering as a career?
It goes back to when I was in high school. I was intrigued by electricity and someone explained to me what engineers did, and so when I realized I could design systems to do what I was really interested in, which was the whole electricity aspect of it, that really got me interested in it.
Can you give me an example of how engineers make life better for the community?
I think all of us, no matter what branch we're in, build things that the public uses every day and they have to be safe. So it's a very important job; I'm not sure the public really realizes what we do sometimes. A perfect example right now is Haiti. You think about the lack of systems and proper way of doing things, just because of the lack of resources they had and if it's not done right, it's absolute devastation. We're very fortunate in our country to have the tools to do it right and that's what engineering is all about to me, is doing it right.
Why did you decide that HDR would be the place for you to build your career?
I moved from Birmingham, Alabama to Minnesota, which was a huge move, but it was two individuals I met when I had my interview with HDR that really brought me to HDR. And I hope today it's the same way that when people meet people at HDR they respect them and they think they would be good to work with. The other side of that is the business itself, consulting. I think it's an exciting business, because there are so many variables to it, constantly working with different clients and on different projects. Just the business of consulting and the people side of it, it was a perfect fit.
What do you find satisfying about your work and why?
I think probably the people at this point are the most satisfying thing that I see, and working with clients and knowing that we are delivering a service with them to get things done, as I talked about meeting public demand and need. At this point in my career I'm not doing engineering on a day-to-day basis but at the same time our company is and it's the people side that I enjoy the most.
What would you say to anyone interested in a job in engineering?
Any young engineer should really thirst to learn as much as they can as fast as they can. And not be afraid to make mistakes but really approach it more from the standpoint if they don't know something to seek the advice from people who do know. Meet as many people as you can, broaden your horizons, and don't pigeonhole yourself because that becomes limiting at some point. Really broaden your horizon and seek advice from people who have been there before you.
Merle Bachman E-Week Interview
Could you discuss the type of work that engineers in architecture do, such as the types of project they would work on?
HDR is a fully integrated, multidiscipline organization. So that means we have all sorts of engineering capabilities for buildings—mechanical, electrical, structural, and civil.
Could you address the importance of the engineers' work?
Both the engineering and kinds of buildings we do are important, and sometimes the engineering is more important than the architecture. For example, some of the facilities we work on for healthcare have extreme requirements for conditioning of space, cleanliness, filtration, controls and humidity, and particularly for research and lab space the engineering is critical to the building's function.
Can you give me an example of how engineers/architects make things better for the community?
I mentioned the types of buildings we work on, which are the kind of buildings where tremendous things are either done or problems are solved for society in general. The buildings we create have life expectancies of more than 100 years. Hospitals, obviously research, anything involved with medicine, trying to solve the problems of cancer and other diseases.
Why did you decide HDR would be the place for you to begin your career?
That's kind of funny because I'm not sure there was a single point in time when I can say I decided that. I came to HDR from a small organization. I thought I'd see what a big company was about and spend four or five years and then be ready to do what I thought I wanted to do. But time went quickly, 10 years before I even blinked. Plus I found when I got here, Chuck Durham created an atmosphere of letting young people handle as much responsibility as they possibly could, so I was constantly challenged and felt the work was significant. I also found the people I worked with in Omaha and around the country, to be the kind of people I liked associating with, and time went very fast.