30 years is a long time. We’ve had 8 Presidential Elections. Amazon, Google, and Facebook were born. Apple gave us the iPhone. Mass school shootings became real with Columbine. We lived through 9/11 and its aftermath. We lost Princess Diana, Michael Jackson, and Prince. The US elected its first African American President. The international space station opened. The European Union became a reality. And we had the dawn of cloning. Now we are living through a pandemic. America passed a more than trillion-dollar infrastructure bill. So much more has happened. This is just a small list. Amid all this SINGH became a reality and is moving forward with boundless optimism.
Part 4 of 4
In the first three parts of this series, I shared our origin story; finding our path; and how our core values of Integrity, Equality, Gratitude, and Kindness drive our work. In this last installment, we look to the future.
SINGH is prepared for the future. We pivoted, changed, and persisted through the most significant disruption the world has seen. The pandemic changed what we knew as “normal”. We are left with remnants of the past, aspirations for the future, and a desire to create a new normal infused with optimism, flexibility, and kindness. What the future holds may feel uncertain, but disruptions and uncertainty are not negative – they breed innovation and change. And those elements are what move the world forward.
When I took the helm of SINGH in 2019, we already had a clear vision of how we defined ourselves. We were a full-service design firm. No matter the specific service area, we are focused on improving infrastructure to connect people, businesses, and communities.
SINGH is also focused on changing the narrative for Women, Minority, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises. We have refused to be defined by others as exclusively a subconsultant or a specialty firm. Our goals are clear, we will strive to break down barriers and win more work as a Prime consultant – bringing our staff and partners along with us.
The path we have chosen is not easy. And while we, in the industry, are energized by the federal Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act, we cannot forget that this is only a temporary solution. The issue of sustainable infrastructure funding is not resolved. The rapid change in technology propelling the quick adaptation of electric vehicles and the need for more electrification is an issue to be resolved on the transportation use side, as well as having a robust electric grid to sustain future needs. While funds are identified for this future, how will we keep pace?
I have always told people that I believe slow and steady wins the race. It is not easy when we all expect to see transformation and radical change overnight. It is interesting to think about a butterfly. The caterpillar lives a life knowing one day it will soar and not just crawl. But it lives patiently doing what it needs to until it’s time to transform. Then it cocoons itself so that it can take the time to radically change into the most beautiful butterfly.
SINGH has transformed over the past 30 years. We will continue to change as we face unknown challenges. Over the next 30 years we will transform yet again. The horizon is bright. And we are ready to continue to grow and win meaningful projects. For now, we move forward with kindness and a spirit of boundless optimism.
by Harvind K. Singh | President