The HGD Story

Facilities are more than just four walls, they are a hand print to our history that evolve to be legacies for the communities we live and work in.  Facility engineering allows the opportunity for science (engineering principles) to meet art and form (architectural principles) and develop functional and innovative structures. Over the course of my 18+yr career, I have grown to have great passion for designing buildings and establishing high performing facility project teams.  It is inspiring to listen to our clients' ideas to help evolve it from a thought, to a plan, to a design and then into existence. 

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The HGD story starts with my graduation from Howard University, where I was selected for the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) internship program.  During the internship, I was given an assignment to conduct research and interviews to develop a technical awards package for submission to the prestigious White House Closing the Circle Award, an awards program that recognizes organizations for efforts resulting in significant contributions to the environment.  My awards package was submitted and resulted in the organization’s selection as the award winner for Energy and Sustainability for Adaptive Building Re-use.  

   

I received a number of DOD awards and honorable mentions throughout the internship and later on after graduating from the program to pursue my career as a civilian engineer and Project Manager.  At mid-level in my career, I was asked to oversee and manage the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center BRAC (Bethesda, MD) construction office as the Program Management Team Lead.  At the time, this project was the Navy's largest BRAC project in the continental United States at $1Billion.  I was the organization's first Program Manager to oversee a construction office and led a team of professionals to ensure all construction activities met compliance with Military Construction (MILCON) guidance and policies.  I developed tools to streamline invoicing, resulting in timely contractor payments, which was later adopted by the organization as a standardized process improvement tool.  As a result of my success with the BRAC program, I was selected to work overseas in the Guam Marianas region, to help support a major Marine build-up initiative.  I was responsible for managing and leading the MILCON design program at Andersen AFB.  My work resulted in the organization's prestigious selection for high customer service as the 2012 Air Force Design Agent of the Year.  I was recognized with the Navy Commendation award for the timely deliverable and quality design scope developed for these facility projects.  As Senior Project Manager, I also went on to provide internal training and regularly developed planning documentation (DD1391s) for various Department of Defense clients.  I regularly reviewed contractor proposals and prepared technical analysis reports for design and construction procurement award selections.  I managed the local MILCON funding programs to ensure organization-wide policy and regulation compliance were met.  After returning from the Pacific Marianas region, I later was asked to lead the organization’s Project Management Office at the Washington Navy Yard to help provide guidance and training to senior and junior architects and engineers.  And, have had the opportunity to work with a talented network of architects and engineers and notable design firms, to include Wiley|Wilson, Setiadi Architects, Jacobs, Burns & McDonnell, Mason & Hanger, ADTEK, Clark-Nexsen and HBA.  

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Since returning from overseas, Damien and I were presented with an opportunity to take advantage of our growing network of relationships and the valuable experience we've attained over the years, to partner with other talented architect and engineering firms and to branch off to start our own facility engineering firm.  Thus, the birth of HGD.  

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As the CEO and Principal Engineer of HGD, I am committed to ensuring HGD brings value and high quality service to every HGD client we serve, allowing each person and firm served to have access to the facility engineering expertise and government contracting experience our team has attained over the years and continues to grow in.  HGD - Because we care about people, we care about buildings.   

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Raquan (Quan) Hall, PE

CEO of HGD