Shadow of a Leader.
From his early days as a technician to his retirement as CEO, Steve Edwards built a lasting legacy at Black & Veatch. Enjoy these highlights from Steve’s 44-year career with BV.
Begin
Technician
Startup Manager
Engineering Manager
Partner
CEO
1978
1986
2012
1995
2015
2014
2018
2016
2021-2022
2020
Steve joined Black & Veatch as a technician in 1978, but his love for engineering began much earlier. At eight years old, Steve visited an uncle who was working on the 18-story federal building in Kansas City. From the moment he looked up at that building soaring into the sky, he knew he wanted to be an engineer.
Steve made an impact on many projects over the years. One memorable role was Startup Manager for the Channel Island Power Station Project in Darwin, Australia. It was the first time he worked on a combined cycle project and the first time he lived overseas.
Projects: 1978-1989
1986 Jim Falls Hydroelectric Station Minnesota, U.S. Control Engineer 1986-1988 The Power & Water Authority, Channel Island Power Station Australia Startup Manager 1989-1990 120 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant Virginia, U.S. Engineering Manager
1989-1990 Campbell Soup, Gas Fueled Boilers California, U.S. Project Engineer 1989-1990 TVA, 1,300 MW Nuclear Steam Turbine Alabama, U.S. Project Engineer 1989-1991 Watsonville Cogeneration California, U.S. Engineering Manager
1978-1979 Iowa-Illinois Gas & Electric Iowa, U.S. Control Technician 1979-1982, 1985 Iowa-Illinois Gas & Electric, Louisa Iowa, U.S. Control Engineer 1982-1983 OUC, Stanton Energy Center Florida, U.S. Control Engineer
1983 LADWP, Intermountain Power Project Utah, U.S. Control Engineer 1983-1984 Florida Power Corporation, Crystal River Florida, U.S. Control Engineer 1985 Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), Intermountain Power Project Utah, U.S. Control Engineer
Also significant for Steve was Mid-Georgia, his first major EPC project management (PM) assignment. He served as the Joint Venture Project Executive and BV PM on this 300-megawatt cogeneration project.
1993-1995 Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) Sylhet, Bangladesh Engineering Manager 1993-1995 Tenaska, Frederickson Washington, U.S. Engineering Manager 1995-1996 Nippon Steel, 145 MW Coal Fired Development Project Japan Project Manager
1995-1999 Energy Initiatives, Mid-Georgia Georgia, U.S. Project Executive 1999 Tenaska, Gateway Texas, U.S. JV Management Committee 1998-2001 Tenaska, Frontier Texas, U.S. Partner
1990 Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Numerous Small Retrofits Kentucky, U.S. Project Engineer 1989-1991 Watsonville Cogeneration California, U.S. Engineering Manager 1990-1992 Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC), Indian River Florida, U.S. Project Engineer
1990-1992 Sarawak Electricity Supply Corporation (SESCO) Bintulu, Malaysia Project Engineer 1990-1993 Applied Energy Services (AES), Cedar Bay Florida, U.S. Project Engineer 1992-1995 Kissimmee Utility Authority (KUA), Cane Island Florida, U.S. Engineering Manager
Projects: 1990-2001
Steve’s globally inclusive leadership mindset has been instrumental to the company’s profitable growth. He has led BV business lines and projects across the world, from North America and Southeast Asia to Australia, the Gulf Cooperation Council and India. He joined the company’s Executive Committee in 2005 and Board of Directors in 2012.
ASPiRE
With the introduction of ASPiRE, Steve embedded a foundational set of behavioral principles into the minds and hearts of BV professionals that would shape the company’s culture far into the future.
When he became CEO, one of Steve’s priorities was to make BV the top E&C company for people to build their careers.
Career Builder
Employee Experience
Steve Edwards
“As we all adopt these behaviors, the result will be high-performance teams that work together toward common goals and, ultimately, a companywide culture that will drive rapid growth and innovation.”
Appreciation
Showing appreciation gives everyone a foundation for putting forth their best effort.
Know they are making a difference Recognize what they are doing well Understand how they can improve
Appreciation …
the glue that holds teams together
How big of a team do you play on?
Be mindful of the impact of your mood, speech and behavior on others. Leaders know how to:
What Shadow do You Cast?
Teamwork helps people grow through:
Better problem-solving and innovation Greater productivity More effective use of resources
Teamwork: Together Everyone Achieves More.
Steve's favorite principles
Click to view principles
Steve helped people build their careers by committing to provide the best possible experiences to all who work for BV. He advised professionals to branch out of their current market; explore global assignments; find a mentor; and embrace change.
One example of Steve’s love for celebration was the annual Halloween party he established beginning in 2014 for employee-owners and their families.
Steve made sure BV employee-owners had plenty of fun alongside the work.
What Shadow Do You Cast?
Be role models Set good examples Walk the talk
Under Steve’s leadership, the Board of Directors and shareholders voted to make BV a 100% employee-owned company. This created a more efficient capital structure that delivered global growth while helping employee-owners share in the company’s success.
15
%
38
79
100
90
Formed ESOP: 1999
2003
2006
2013
Former partners
employee-owned
Creating rapid, profitable growth by bringing new ideas to market was a hallmark of Steve’s leadership, exemplified in the employee-owner-driven Growth Accelerator. Since its inception, the program’s incubator has empowered professionals to hatch ideas that become profitable new revenue streams like NextGen Ag, Diode and RaHMS.
Steve led the company in establishing a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiative. Entrenching DE&I into company strategy has helped BV make strides in developing a diverse workforce and in becoming somewhere all professionals can be their authentic selves.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Steve seized the opportunity to lead the company in embracing change. With Steve and the Safety team leading the way, BV quickly and smoothly transitioned to a hybrid/remote working structure — a significant accomplishment for productivity as well as work-life balance for employee-owners.
Office
Home
Project
One of Steve’s final messages was to Be Bold. Think Big. He empowered BV employee-owners to design a dynamic, client-centric organization that would unlock new market opportunities, expand careers and growth, and make a lasting impact for our future in a constantly changing world.
