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66

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 71

Once a month HWC employees at the Indianapolis office volunteer at Wheeler Mission. On a

typical day, the mission serves about 150 men for lunch.