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BizVoice/Indiana Chamber – May/June 2016
The office is silent as Ed Jolliffe shows
me around HWC Engineering’s
Indianapolis headquarters.
He needn’t talk over the bouncing of
ping pong balls, the buzzing of a kegerator or
any of the “hip” amenities you might find at
some companies on the Best Places to Work
in Indiana list. But that silence exudes quiet
confidence in an environment immersed in
productivity and quality.
When I ask the president and majority
owner about fun perks, Jolliffe chuckles and
quips, “We have free coffee!”
So what is it about this full-service design
firm that attracts engineers away from other
companies and retains many of them for the
long haul?
Quite simply, it’s an atmosphere of
respect. HWC’s culture transcends surface-
level luxuries and encompasses qualities that
are much deeper: trust, support and balance.
“It feels more like a family than a business,”
remarks Jon Day, construction inspection services
manager. “We’re a good-sized company to
maintain our growth, but it’s not so big that we’re
just names on a piece of paper. (The managers)
truly, genuinely care that you’re happy here.”
Engineering growth
Like George and Louise in the iconic
sitcom
The Jeffersons
, HWC is literally and
figuratively “movin’ on up.”
The business has grown rapidly since
Jolliffe took over in 2009 – expanding from
50 employees to more than 80 currently –
and is bursting at the seams in its current
space. Two people occupy a cubicle intended
for one, and design plans and other materials
fill desk and counter space. For now, Jolliffe
qualifies this as a “good problem.”
In June, HWC will pack up its eighth-
floor suite on Delaware Street and settle into
the top floor of the BMO Plaza where space
will be ample. The staff even held a festive
“Purge Party” – complete with pizza and cake
– to clean the office.
HWC was born in the 1990s when
David Hannum, Ralph Wagle and Michael
Cline collaborated to offer civil engineering
services to clients in Terre Haute. Since then,
it has expanded its scope of work and opened
offices in Indianapolis, Scottsburg, Lafayette
and Muncie, with a new location slated to
launch in New Albany.
Today, HWC’s areas of expertise
include water resources, transportation, site
engineering, planning, landscape architecture
and program management. Pictures of completed
projects line the office, communicating a
sense of pride in the accomplishments in
communities around the state.
In 2015, HWC received two State Finalist
Awards for engineering excellence from the
American Council of Engineering Companies
(ACEC) of Indiana. The awards were made in
recognition of Seashore Waterpark in Lebanon
and the Village Promenade in Muncie.
Jolliffe credits a strong business development
team with finding more work for the
company, especially in Central Indiana.
“I believe you have to grow to survive,”
Jolliffe states bluntly. “I like to grow about 10%
per year. It doesn’t always work out that way
– sometimes it’s 20%. Sometimes it’s 5%. It
gives more people the chance to advance and
(creates opportunities for) bigger projects.
“(The staff) is a great cohesive group. I
enjoy what I do, and I enjoy helping young
people grow. That’s my job now; it’s about
developing a team.”
Quiet but mighty
Jon Query is a product of HWC’s
dedication to developing and mentoring its staff.
He began his tenure with the organization
as a college intern and subsequently was hired
as a full-time project engineer in the Terre
Haute office. Now, he’s a project manager in
Indianapolis, overseeing assignments from the
planning stage through design and into
construction.
“Everyone wants to have the chance to
grow and move up the ladder with their job,”
Query acknowledges. “(HWC) is a great
place to work, and I am comfortable staying
here and continuing my career here.”
Day, who was promoted into a
managerial role in January, adds: “There’s no
fear of teaching the younger people how to be
good managers because (HWC leadership)
wants to mentor them.”
Despite HWC being a private company,
Jolliffe says he’s open with its financials, holding
an annual meeting where employees convene
for a “state of the company” so they understand
the vision. Employees receive additional
financial rewards after successful years.
“I feel like we need to share information
with employees when we do well,” Jolliffe
recognizes. “All we have is intellectual
property. These people make it happen, so
we try to keep them informed.”
The company also openly shares its time
and resources in community service events
organized by the HWC Giving group.
For about two years, HWC employees
have served lunch for the homeless and those
in need supported by the Wheeler Mission.
Some employees are involved with Engineers
Without Borders, a humanitarian group that
partners with developing communities
HWC Engineering
Attitude of Respect Fuels Firm Growth
By Katie Coffin
2016 NEWCOMER
Continued on page 71Once a month HWC employees at the Indianapolis office volunteer at Wheeler Mission. On a
typical day, the mission serves about 150 men for lunch.