This episode welcomes Barry Barber, Chairman of the Board at Kimley-Horn. Barry shares invaluable insights into how Kimley-Horn has become a leader in the AEC space, growing to over 8,500 employees with innovative expansion strategies. The interview delves into Kimley-Horn's distinctive ownership model and Barry's deep commitment to organizational culture and leadership development, emphasizing flexibility, community, and high performance at scale. The conversation also highlights Kimley-Horn’s meticulous approach to recruiting top talent, sharing strategies for maintaining culture even during rapid organizational growth. The episode provides a comprehensive look at the path to ownership within the firm, emphasizing performance-driven progression and the importance of developing future leaders. Barry’s stories and experiences underscore a commitment to sustainable business practices, employee empowerment, and customer satisfaction, making it a must-listen for anyone curious about successful business and team management strategies in the AEC industry.Key Takeaways:Strategic Growth: Kimley-Horn's expansion to 150 offices is driven by local leadership and opportunities identified by employees and clients.Ownership Structure: With around 925 owners, Kimley-Horn’s ownership transition plan emphasizes performance and participation over tenure.Culture and Integration: The firm’s success is heavily attributed to its focus on maintaining culture and ensuring smooth integration of new hires and offices.Talent Acquisition: The emphasis on college recruiting and personalized interview processes helps attract talented individuals who align with the company values.Leadership Development: Continuous leadership training and development help prepare emerging leaders for future responsibilities, fostering personal and professional growth.Notable Quotes:"I decided I'd rather own a small piece of something bigger than a big piece of something small." - Barry Barber"It’s kind of the old build your people and they’ll build your organization." - Barry Barber"The flywheel's going. The flywheel's going." - Barry Barber on Kimley-Horn's continuous growth strategy."Our job is to help other people be successful." - Barry Barber reflects on leadership roles."There's rarely a dull moment in it, but it’s been a cool thing." - Barry Barber discussing his journey in HR.Resources:Kimley-Horn Website: kimley-horn.com"The Outsiders" by William ThorndikePodcast Recommendation: Acquired PodcastThank you so much for listening and thank you for joining the Design Development community. Don't forget to subscribe to hear about the latest episodes dropping every Wednesday. If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend.Our goal is to help people in the industry identify opportunities for growth by sharing the journey of top performers. There is no one path. Success isn't a straight line. There is something to learn from everyone's story. Let's go!Leave your thoughts in the comments and reach out if you want to be a valuable guest on the show!Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTubeFind out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

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