EP21 - “Create Amazing” Interview with author Greg Graves, Retired, Chairman and CEO, Burns & McDonnell - ESOP company.

This episode features an interview about Greg’s book and the principals he employed to crest an amazing culture leveraging the power of an ESOP. 

Greg’s story includes leading one of the fastest-growing and most successful

engineering, architecture, construction and environmental consulting firms in North America. Graves began his career at Burns & McDonnell in 1980, fresh out

 of college. Twenty-two years later, at the age of 43, he was named just the sixth CEO in the firm's 104 year history. He became CEO on Jan 1, 2004. From 2004-2016, the results speak for themselves:

 · Employment grew from 1500 to 5500 Employee-Owners...all organically.

· Revenues grew from $300M to almost $3B.

 · An average ROI of above 25%...over 13 years!

· Fortune Magazine's Top 100 Best Places to Work six times....14th in 2014.

· Kansas City's Best Place to Work six times in a row.

· Corporate Foundation grew 1000%.

· Kansas Citian of the Year 2015.

· Midwest's Entrepreneur of the Year 2014

· Kansas City Philanthropist of the Year (along with Deanna)...2013.

 Currently, Greg is Chairman of the Board for two iconic Kansas City metro institutions that are trailblazers in fields he extremely passionate about — healthcare and the arts. Greg was named Chair of the University of Kansas Hospital Authority Board after serving as a board member since 2009. The Kansas City Repertory Theatre also appointed Greg as Chairman of its board after serving on the Executive Committee for one year.

Greg serves on one public company board, UMB Financial Corporation. UMB is a $10B bank headquartered in Kansas City. Greg currently Chairs the Compensation Committee but is likely to move to Chair of the Governance Committee in 2017 as well as serve in the positon of Lead Independent Director.

Greg's areas of technical experience include engineering, construction, electric utility, petrochemical, water, environmental and transportation.

Greg has a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines & and transportation.

Greg has a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology and a Master of Business Administration from Rockhurst University.