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| CSHQA's core values are incorporated into the interior graphics of our office. |
Collaboration | Knowledge |
Creativity | Integrity | Excellence
These are our core values as
discussed, debated and finally selected by CSHQA in December
2012. It was a challenge to limit to
five only. In the end, a few words missed the cut, including Leadership. We are definitely Leaders. In design and innovation, in our profession
and in our communities. Three recent stories demonstrate what we might call our
Sixth
Core Value.
Helping
Clients Win Valuable Grants
Jim
Murray, AIA, LEED GA has been assisting Colorado school districts with BEST
Grant preparation for five years, even for districts that aren’t our client,
and even if they don’t technically owe us the resulting work. We have a growing record of accomplishing
essential projects such as roofing, kitchen remodels and security. Not glamorous, but very valuable to our
clients. And the conversations are now
turning to new schools and classroom additions.
This May Jim was two for two for districts awarded funds for 2015-2016
projects. We are already on board for one
and hope to win the second, who happens to be talking high school planning in
the near future. Congrats, Jim!
Moving
the Needle in Urban Design
In
a recent meeting with Boise’s Capitol City Development Corporation [CCDC]
Project Managers, Doug Woodruff and Karl Woods, CSHQA received a very nice
compliment. Kent Hanway, John Maulin,
Kyle Hemly, Jeff Ward and I were meeting to talk about urban planning and place
making projects on CCDC’s agenda. The conversation
turned to our efforts to get approval for diagonal parking and a paver
storm-water management system at the Boise building. Long story short – it took patience and
persistence from civil engineer Jeff Ward PE (and others) to bring several
agencies to the table and persuade them of our ideas. Doug Woodruff commented “You are
innovators. You made things happen and
moved the needle in [Boise] urban design.”
Our efforts are now examples of best practices and part of the urban
took kit. Jeff modestly says the timing
was right. I say Jeff was the right person.
Inspiring Young People to Think Big
Canyon Springs High School in Caldwell is working to broaden horizons and share new experiences with its students. It is challenging freshman to get out of their comfort zone and visit area businesses for short tours to learn about different professions. Two small groups of students recently toured CSHQA, learned about our building, and met and talked with staff at their work spaces. Amy Dockter, PE, Jose Gallegos, AIT and Andrew Lauda, AIT each shared how their early interests in art, music, math, science, drawing and/or engineering led them to their professions. They explained they didn’t always know what they wanted to do, but they kept looking, kept doing what they really liked, and found ways to add it together. We know it was inspiring because three students wrote to thank us.
One
wants to switch from mechanical engineering to architecture; another, who wants
to be a lawyer, listened and asked good questions; and a third, who was a bit
shy, really liked the computer animations and found them very interesting. Sometimes we lead by simply doing. Thank you, Amy, Jose and Andrew. –
KK Lipsey is Business Development Director for CSHQA. She welcomes your comments, feedback and thoughts on leadership, innovation and design.
