Blogpost
4.7 minute read
July 17, 2024
This year, Harris & Associates commemorates 50 years of service; 50 years from when Carl Harris and David Newton first opened our doors, and 50 years in our role as trusted advisors.
Beginning to Shape the Future
Our founders started Harris envisioning a company with a thriving culture of employee empowerment and camaraderie. A workplace with abundant opportunities for growth and development. One that would Shape the Future, One Project at a Time, as we used to say.
Much has changed since 1974. New technologies emerged at a rapid pace to not only alter how we live, work, play, and connect, but also to define how we design and deliver on projects. More than once, Harris experienced economic and social shifts that sharpened our resilience and adaptability.
Through challenging lows and triumphant highs, Harris remained agile. Despite the company’s relatively small size, our unwavering spirit prevailed. Over five decades, we developed a deep understanding of our communities. And that insight defined our offerings.
Harris understood early on that to meet our client’s evolving needs, we must first champion our communities and solve for the impacts of economic and social shifts. That approach set us apart. Fueled by this mindset, we navigated the changing Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) landscape to deliver the greatest value for our clients and communities.
Growing with Purpose
To keep pace with our communities, Harris had to grow. And we did. We built a world-class team of 280+ civil engineers, construction managers, public finance professionals, community development and housing experts, planning and environmental specialists, and trusted strategic advisors. As we grew, our diverse perspectives enabled us to best serve our private, public, and institutional clients.
Over time, our people expanded the business and built our reputation as a leading company and top workplace. In 2012, we celebrated a monumental company milestone: transitioning to a 100% employee-owned stock ownership plan (ESOP), S corporation. This keeps our employee-owners at the heart of our aspirations—and provides them with a real stake and share in Harris’ success.
Soon after, we refreshed our Shared Values to enduringly guide our decisions and actions. Time and again, we live up to our commitments to continuously improve, think and act inclusively, invest in our people, and more.
Proof positive: For several consecutive years, our employee-owners have recognized Harris with national and regional Top Workplace honors. These awards highlight what we do best: work smarter together to build equitable, resilient, and sustainable communities—starting with our own.
Delivering Results
Our work today covers a broad spectrum to deliver what our clients and communities need most. Though each project differs, Harris’ Purpose and Shared Values shine through each. Prioritizing safety, equity, and sustainability, we:
- Make vital transportation and water infrastructure more effective and resilient in the face of aging infrastructure, population growth, economic uncertainty, and climate change.
- Support initiatives to address California’s housing crisis and increase opportunity among traditionally under-resourced communities.
- Serve the education market to oversee development of academic environments conducive to student success and expand equitable opportunities.
As we partner with clients to improve the quality of life for all, our team of experts employs innovative methods, continually adopting and applying best practices. Consider just a few of our many notable projects. Harris:
- Participates in the historic High-Speed Rail project connecting a 29-mile stretch from Madera to Fresno.
- Helped prepare a comprehensive environmental impact report and manage a large team of specialists for the Fanita Ranch development project with the City of Santee.
- Oversaw the expansion of the Rio Vista Water Treatment Plant, which more than doubled its capacity.
What makes these projects all the more rewarding? Our team lives and works in the communities we serve. The roads and rails we ride, the schools that educate our children, the water that flows through our pipes, and the rich biodiversity in our neighborhoods are daily reminders of what Harris—alongside our clients—has built and preserved for 50 years and counting.
Sustaining Communities For Generations to Come
Now, more than ever, our clients and communities rely on Harris to build a future that’s equitable, resilient, and sustainable. They can’t and won’t settle for anything less. Neither will we. Reflecting on Harris’ 50 years of service, yes, we’re proud of our work. We also know that we’re not done yet.
As communities face increasingly complex challenges and rapid change, Harris will continue to create better places to live through smart, sustainable planning, design, and construction. To meet each new challenge head on, we’ll ever enhance and expand our capabilities.
Tending to tomorrow, we’ll develop the next generation of trusted advisors who’ll tackle environmentally and socially conscious work. All along, we’ll keep nurturing the dynamic, inclusive company culture that makes Harris extraordinary.
I am grateful to serve as Harris & Associates CEO and confident that our collective strengths and expertise hold bright prospects for Harris now and in the years ahead.
Thank you to everyone who made the past 50 years possible—our clients and communities who entrust us with their vital projects, the Harris alums who paved the way for our success, and our employee-owners who create a purpose-driven legacy for generations to come.
