Gresham Smith employees gathered on Thursday, April 13, for the firm’s annual Celebration. Staff gathered at Gresham Smith offices to watch the livestream show, with Nashville employees viewing the broadcast from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The firm’s executive leaders honored employee and project achievements over the past year and provided updates on key initiatives, including the firm’s focus on people and culture. Gresham Smith also named thirteen new owners, 26 new senior associates and 39 new associates during the event and announced the new Batey Gresham Philanthropic Program.
“Celebration is my favorite day of the year, because we get to take a break from our day-to-day routines and celebrate the individuals who make Gresham Smith great,” said Rodney Chester, Gresham Smith Chief Executive Officer and Board Chair. “Our more than 1,100 employees across 25 office locations gathered to celebrate our strong company culture and key accomplishments from the past year.”
Power of Collaboration Award
Gresham Smith’s Power of Collaboration Award recognizes individuals or teams that are living out the firm’s core value of Teamwork and embody the idea that great things happen when employees work together toward a common goal. This year’s award was presented to the project team responsible for transitioning the firm to a new business practice management software. From customized coding to testing and training, the more than 100-person team worked together to seamlessly transition to the new system without interrupting the firm’s day-to-day business processes.
Sustainability and Resiliency Leadership Award
The annual Sustainability Leadership Award honors an employee who embodies the firm’s commitment to a clean, safe and healthy environment while developing innovative and sustainable solutions for projects and clients. This year’s award was presented to Diana Chumak, P.E., an engineer in the firm’s Water + Environment market, for her innovative approach to water reuse evaluation at electric vehicle battery manufacturing facilities. Diana developed a methodology for identifying sources of wastewater within the production process that can be reclaimed and treated for reuse within the facility, thereby reducing the burden on local municipal water system. The approach also quantifies reuse options on the basis of direct and indirect costs.
Community Impact Award
The annual Community Impact Award recognizes an employee who has had a positive impact on the community and who possesses outstanding leadership skills, passion, self-motivation and commitment to service. This year’s award was presented to Sivilay Xayasaene, NCIDQ, an Interior Designer in the firm’s Life and Work Places market. Sivilay was recognized for her pro-bono design of an innovation and creativity lab for Do Greater Charlotte—an organization that focuses on igniting creativity and empowering entrepreneurship among Charlotte, North Carolina’s underprivileged youth. With studios dedicated to music and video production as well as photography and podcasting, the space enables students to turn their ideas into future opportunities.
Batey Gresham Philanthropic Program
The newly established Batey Gresham Philanthropic Program celebrates the legacy of one of Gresham Smith’s founders, Batey Gresham, who passed away in 2022. The program will integrate the firm’s community engagement programs and policies into a cohesive program. This will enable employees across the firm to better collaborate and share best practices to further the firm’s positive impact on local communities.
