One of Indiana’s best places to work: South Bend’s Lawson-Fisher Associates

What’s one of the best places to work in the entire state of Indiana?

South Bend’s Lawson-Fisher Associates, a civil engineering firm serving the public and private sectors since 1971.

Lawson-Fisher’s team members

Lawson-Fisher received this distinction last month, when the Indiana Chamber of Commerce named it a “Best Place to Work in Indiana” among small to medium-sized companies possessing between 15 and 249 employees. In fact, Lawson-Fisher also earned this distinction in 2011 and was ranked second overall in Indiana in the small to medium-sized company category.

On May 3, Lawson-Fisher and the 69 other “Best Places to Work in Indiana” will find out their rankings for 2012 at a special ceremony in Indianapolis.

Success begins with the ‘Golden Rule’

What’s the secret to the company’s success?

“It is a very employee-oriented firm and thereby achieves a high level of excellent service to clients,” says Greg Holden, the company’s president, who has been with Lawson-Fisher for 30 years.

Greg Holden, president of Lawson-Fisher Associates

“By treating our team members as the most valuable resources, we know they will contribute to the utmost of their abilities. It becomes a win-win situation.”

Providing continuing education and advancement opportunities, professional employee ownership, physical fitness bonuses, even fruit in the lunchroom are just a few of the ways the company’s leaders demonstrate their interest in, and appreciation for, Lawson-Fisher’s 40-plus team members.

The company’s philosophy is quite simple — applying the “Golden Rule” in all aspects of the business.

“We know that for every client, their problems and project challenges are the most important thing they are facing, so we seek to understand the issues and background in order to be able to tailor our services to provide them with the best possible solutions,” says Theresa Harrison, a senior civil engineer and corporate safety officer at Lawson-Fisher.

Succeeding in South Bend

It is no accident that Lawson-Fisher has succeeded in South Bend for more than 40 years. Holden cites numerous benefits of being in South Bend, including the area’s excellent universities and colleges that provide the firm with a rich pool of talent; centralized proximity to major metropolitan areas like Indianapolis, Chicago and Grand Rapids; and easy “access to the world” via interstates, rail and the South Bend Regional Airport.

“There also is a great variety of educational opportunities, from kindergarten to graduate school,” Holden says. “And there are outstanding cultural and entertainment options, including performances at The Morris Performing Arts Center and the University of Notre Dame, a variety of nightclubs and restaurants, dance and performing arts events, museums, downtown South Bend’s activities, and high-caliber collegiate sporting events.”

Covering the South Bend area and beyond

Lawson-Fisher’s projects cover a wide geographic area in Indiana and Michigan.

“While the greatest number of our projects are in St. Joseph County, we have several in Elkhart and LaPorte counties,” Harrison explains. “Because of our expertise in dams, we cover the state of Indiana and as far north as Hart, Michigan.”

A shining example of the company’s work in South Bend is the East Race Waterway, the first artificial urban whitewater course in North America. Other projects in the area include South Bend’s river trails, including the East Bank and Northside Trails; the Olive Road Bridge over the Indiana Toll Road; Mishawaka’s Beutter Park and Riverwalk; and the Koontz Lake Dam, currently under construction in Walkerton.

South Bend's East Race Waterway, the first artificial urban whitewater course in North America, is a shining example of Lawson-Fisher's work.

Make no mistake, this “Best Place to Work in Indiana” will remain a fixture in South Bend for many years to come.

“There is a tremendous sense of pride and loyalty to the community among our team members,” Holden says. “The firm was founded here, and is grounded here.”