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V O L . X X I N O. V I M A R C H 2 3 , 2 0 1 5 16 A t the start of 2014, Woodard & Curran President and CEO Doug McKeown launched a major reorganization of the com- pany around six strategic business units. "It was a bit of a sea change," he admits, acknowledging that it didn't surprise him to see uncertainty on employees' faces initially. Change, after all, is typically stressful. By mid-year, McKeown says he knew the company was on the right track when the new leadership teams began to take ownership of their divisions with confi dence and enthusiasm. By year's end, the company had posted a 16% increase in revenue, closing at $167 million and reaching an all- time high of 850 employees. It also opened a new offi ce in the St. Louis area, bringing the company's national presence to 16 offi ces and 45 contract-oper- ated facilities nationwide. McKeown, 53, leads an environmental services company that's doubled its revenues and number of employees since he succeeded the company's co-founder, Al Curran, as CEO in 2007. e com- pany's strong 2014 performance recently earned it a "Business Achievement" award in the large fi rm category from the Environmental Business Journal, which highlighted the company's "strong top-line growth," a more than "40% improvement in profi t- ability," its focus on safety and the reorganization as benchmarks of a rising star. Woodard & Curran, which celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2014, also reached all-time highs on industry lists such as ZweigWhite's Hot Firms (29), Engineering News Record's Top 500 Design Firms (84) and its Top 200 Environmental Firms (67). So why the major reorganization when so many things are obviously going right? "We had to change in order to stay strong," McKeown replies, explaining that although Woodard & Curran got through the recession by staying the course without laying anyone off , the environmen- tal engineering markets had become lean and mean in the post-recession years. "If we don't change to compete eff ectively in those markets, we'll be like the buggy whip manufacturing plant." Reorganizing the company according to diff er- ent business verticals, he says, has facilitated internal planning and the timely identifi cation of trends. Each division's leader, he says, is empowered to identify new market opportunities — as well as areas where Work that matters Woodard & Curran CEO Doug McKeown puts employees and environment first B y J a m e s M c C a r t h y LARGE COMPANY BUSINESS LEADER Doug McKeown President, CEO and chairman of Woodard & Curran Age: 53 Favorite place outside of work: Our simple camp on Crescent Lake with a fishing rod in my hand. Leadership icon: I've been lucky to have worked with some great people. My father taught me the importance of humility and family, which also applies to growing a business and has drawn me to an African proverb that says, "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." Maine's biggest challenge: Lack of vision. We let others (i.e., Forbes magazine) define whether or not Maine is a good place for business, when, in fact, those of us thriving here know that it is, for incredible reasons unique to Maine. We need a vision and focus that extends beyond any one administration to market our assets and quality of place into sustained economic growth. Maine's biggest opportunity: Leverage the success of some major businesses like Idexx and WEX, and our natural resources and fisheries, to build industry sectors and attract ancillary businesses. The work ethic and resilience of the Maine people is unbeatable. Best business advice: Get the right people on the bus, then decide where to go. Don't be afraid to change strategy to take advantage of the talent. P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Doug McKeown, CEO of Woodard & Curran, in his offi ce in Portland. Since becoming CEO in 2007, the fi rm has doubled its revenues and its workforce.

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