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Larson Design Group (LDG) is proud to announce the nominees and winners of its second annual President Awards, a celebration of the hard work, dedication, and accomplishments of its employee-owners.
Established in 2020, the awards are given in two categories, Employee-Owner of the Year and Project of the Year, and nominations are entirely employee-driven – offering LDG team members the chance to recognize their colleagues’ efforts throughout the year. The 2021 awards saw 23 nominations for Employee-Owner of the Year and six nominations for Project of the Year, all of which represented a diverse mix of project types, LDG geographies, and staff across both Operations and Corporate Service teams.
The Employee-Owner of the Year award recognizes those who exemplify the attributes of employee-ownership, as well as LDG’s culture and vision and values. After a thorough review of the nearly two dozen nominations by LDG’s President & CEO, David Martin, and the Employee-Ownership Committee, two Employee-Owners of the Year were chosen: Chelsea Rawson, Associate Project Manager for LDG’s Retail Design team, and Jason Hursh, Project Manager on LDG’s Highway team.
“I’m so honored to be nominated and to have won this award,” Chelsea, who joined LDG in 2019. “I want to thank my team, without whom I wouldn’t be standing here, because we all learned a lot about hard work and seizing unexpected opportunities in 2021. I consider my team to also be my client and I strive to give them the same level of client service excellence as our external ones. In the world of deadlines and deliverables, it’s important to remember that investing in those around you is really valued, and I believe this award is a testament to that.”
“Thank you so much for this recognition and especially to my team,” said Jason, an LDG team member since 2015. “LDG desires to engage all levels of staff and if you’re someone who is willing to put some sweat equity into your own career, it benefits everyone. Last year I tried to take advantage of some of those opportunities for myself, and while some worked out and some didn’t, I think earning this award is proof that the work is worth it. Don’t be shy about taking those chances.”
“Congratulations to Chelsea and Jason! Their passion for their projects and clients, leadership within their teams and how they live our core values, represents the best of what it means to be an employee-owner of LDG,” said CEO David Martin.
The Project of the Year award highlights the technical expertise and positive impact of an LDG project. Each of the submissions – which represented the broad scope of LDG’s work, from water/wastewater facilities to retail design – showcased those aspects, featured robust project teams, and demonstrated LDG’s commitment to client service excellence. The 2021 winner was the Western Federal Lands (WFL) Feasibility Study at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site in Vancouver, WA, a project of the GIS & Planning team.
In this project, LDG conducted the study for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Highway Division to analyze long-term facility options for their Main Office Building, Materials Lab, and Mule Barn. The objective was to investigate the feasibility of renovating the existing facilities to meet space requirements and to compare the cost of these renovations to a leased space alternative.
“Thank you to everyone who supported this project, from our LDG colleagues to our subconsultants and of course, the client,” said Wes Baker, Director of GIS & Planning, who served as project manager. “The stars aligned for us on this project, even as it was happening at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and we are glad that we delivered on our promise of client service excellence for a client who was taking a chance on a partner based 2,000 miles away.”
“Congratulations to Wes and the entire project team for successfully completing this important project,” said David Martin. “As we expand Architecture, Engineering and Planning services in the Federal market, this project demonstrated the broad expertise and reach of LDG to serve our Federal clients nationwide with a full range of services.”
Founded in 1986, Larson Design Group is an award-winning, 100 percent employee-owned national architecture, engineering, and consulting firm with 15 offices in seven states and a vision to elevate client relationships, enrich the careers and lives of its employee-owners, and enhance the communities in which it operates. For more information, visit www.larsondesigngroup.com.