Regardless of the size and significance of any implementation, such as an ERP upgrade, policy changes, or process improvements, a careful change management discipline with effective leadership communication plays a key role in the success of any implementation or change, said Angie Choy Edwards, chief financial officer at HGA, a national design firm rooted in architecture and engineering.
“Learning to communicate at all levels cannot be understated for the greatest probability for success for any new endeavors,” said Edwards.
Under Edwards’ leadership, HGA has implemented many changes in the past year. Changes included leveraging IT support services across the country with staggered support schedules, implementing a travel platform that allows employees to make their own reservations, which not only saves the company money but also provides visibility reporting for sustainability management, as well as providing better analytics support and upgrading the company’s ERP.
In the past three years, HGA has experienced phenomenal growth with net revenue increasing by more than 30%. The company services clients all across the United States with 12 offices, and the Milwaukee office has the highest revenue of any architect and engineering firm in the state of Wisconsin.
“All the growth evolved from an intentional growth strategy, where we carefully plan for growth in different sectors and geographies,” said Edwards. “We analyze data to form the basis for all kinds of decisions, ranging from ensuring a healthy return on investments for capital expenditure and acquisitions to operational decisions such as a change of employee benefits.”
According to Edwards, understanding the importance of establishing a data strategy is key, and navigating change by championing further investments and focus has been a crucial part of her role at HGA. “I have learned that carefully communicating the business case and garnering support for change takes time and patience, but it is worth the investment for a successful outcome,” she said.
To fuel her passion as a leader, Edwards said she is involved with industry activities and attends chief financial officer large firm round table events, stays informed on M&A activities within the industry and stays abreast of emerging topics such as artificial intelligence and innovation in the industry. She also mentors up-and-coming talented young professionals in their career journey.
“In all things I do, I want to leave everything in a better place from where I started off,” said Edwards. “If my contributions lead to better outcomes with the individuals I helped with, and they in turn contributed the same to others, that itself is reward enough.”