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www.HartfordBusiness.com • October 22, 2018 • Hartford Business Journal 35 FAMILY BUSINESS AWARDS 2018 www.HartfordBusiness.com • October 22, 2018 • Hartford Business Journal 35 FAMILY BUSINESS AWARDS 2018 Russell and Dawson Inc. R ussell and Dawson Inc. is an architecture, engineer- ing and construction services company serving six states, with a primary focus on hotels and public buildings. Dan Lyman Russell, a graduate of Syracuse University, and Robert M. Dawson III, a graduate of MIT, founded the architecture and engi- neering firm of Russell and Dawson in 1965 in Hartford. In 2007, Chirag and Jalpa Thaker acquired the firm from the found- ers and have since restructured the business, including by expanding the firm to Florida, Vermont, New Hamp- shire and India. Recent accomplishments Russell and Dawson Inc. has ex- panded its service offerings by add- ing construction services. As a result, it is now an integrated architecture, engineering and construction firm. The firm has two ongoing hotel design-build construction projects for brand names such as Hilton and Marriot and two more design-build projects in pipeline for this year. Russell and Dawson has created five new direct jobs in the state and over 100 through construction con- tractors. How do you remain competitive in the market? Over the last 10 years we have strengthened a culture of: customer success — always putting the client first in all our service offerings and in- teractions and making it easy for them to work with us; talent development — continuously learning, developing and improving to achieve the highest standards of excellence; innovation for quality, cost and speed — adapting the advances in digital transformation for speed and quality of our services and offerings to customers and embracing industry 4.0 technology; ethical behav- ior — doing the right things, the right way for all stakeholders. How do you instill your family values in your employees? We believe that we lead by example and inclusion. We engage with our employees in their happy times and difficult days. We mentor them professionally and personally to be successful in life, not just the project on hand. Our kids come to work during their days away from school and hang out with professionals as if they are part of the working team, thus everyone learns the same attitude. Our employ- ees are part of most of our meetings and decisions with suppliers and customers, thus practicing what we believe in. What is the biggest challenge to your business in the coming year? We are in a growth mode and we struggle to acquire talent. On one end, qualified architecture and engineering professionals are hard to come by, and on the other hand there is also a scar- city of skilled construction workers. The situation with experienced manag- ers is not better and part of it is fueled by growth all over the state. FIRST-GENERATION HONOREE 25 to 75 employees category Russell and Dawson Inc. Headquarters: East Hartford Industry: Architecture, Engineering, Construction Year Founded: 1965 Founders: Dan Lyman Russell and Robert M. Dawson Generation Currently Running Company: 1st No. of Full-Time Employees: 35 No. of Part-Time Employees: 0 Family Members Currently Employed at Company: Chirag Thaker, President, husband; Jalpa Thaker, Office Manager, wife. Company Website: www.rdaep.com JOIN US IN 2019! For as little as $65, Members enjoy: • Free ticket EXCHANGES • NO FEES on ticket purchases • Member PRE-SALES • DISCOUNTS at the gift shop • Invitations to exclusive member • EVENTS, TRIPS, and TOURS • Subscription to Curtain! Magazine GOODSPEED MUSICALS BECOME A MEMBER TODAY! 860.873.8668 goodspeed.org ©Julia Balfour, LLC Russel and Dawson Inc. President Chirag Thaker and his wife Jalpa Thaker, office manager.