Hygun Group, Inc

Jan 1, 1966: New Year’s Day – Vietnam War

2011-12-30T21:54:00.001-05:00

Jan 1, 1966: New Year’s Day – Vietnam War

On this day, January 1, 1966, advance elements of the 1st Regiment of the Marine 1st Division arrive in Vietnam. The entire division followed by the end of March.

The division established its headquarters at Chu Lai and was given responsibility for the two southernmost provinces of I Corps (the military region just south of the DMZ). At the peak of its strength, the 1st Marine Division consisted of four regiments of infantry: the 1st, 5th, 7th, and 27th Marines. It also included the 11th Artillery regiment, which consisted of six battalions of 105-mm, 155-mm, and 8-inch howitzers. Other divisional combat units included the 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Antitank Battalion, 1st Amphibious Tractor Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, and the 1st Force Reconnaissance Company. The division numbered nearly 20,000 marines by the time all elements had arrived in South Vietnam.

During the Tet Offensive of 1968, the 1st Marine Division assisted the South Vietnamese army forces in recapturing the imperial city of Hue. The 1st Marine Division was withdrawn from Vietnam in the spring of 1971 and moved to its current base at Camp Pendleton, California. During the course of the Vietnam War, 20 members of the 1st Marine Division won the Medal of Honor for conspicuous bravery on the battlefield. The 1st Marine Division was twice awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for gallantry in action in Vietnam and received the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm and the Vietnamese Civil Action Award.

As it is the end of the year and a beginning for a new year, time for reflection is the order of the day. As our active service military personnel are currently deployed internationally serving with honor it is a time to remember those who came before us like these and other divisions who served in Vietnam and other wars or conflicts, now and forever, may Hygun Group always wish you the strength and fortitude to serve with patriotic honor and the ability to complete your mission so you can come home to a thankful country. For our many friends of Hygun, we want to wish you a safe and prosperous New Year for 2012.

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-25T18:50:00.001-05:00

Hygun Group would like to wish everyone a Happy Holiday's!!!

REMEMBER, HONOR and TEACH

2011-12-13T16:23:00.001-05:00

Nearly 4 million veterans of every American conflict from the Revolutionary War to Afghanistan are buried in national cemeteries around the country—and many of them go unremembered. Wreaths Across America is hoping to alleviate that void, at least a little.

Twenty years ago, the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine, began a tradition of placing wreaths on the headstones of our nation's fallen heroes at Arlington National Cemetery during the holidays. Since then, the firm has donated some 90,000 wreaths to Arlington, and in those 20 years the event has grown and spread.

This year, more than 700 locations in addition to Arlington are participating.

The mission of Wreaths Across America is to "remember, honor, and teach." What better time than the holidays to remember and say thanks for these many sacrifices.

Georgia has two National Cemeteries that are on the national register, Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, GA and Marietta National Cemetery in Marietta, GA.

Georgia National Cemetery is located near the site of the Etowah burial mounds, created by American Indians of the Mississippian culture between AD1000-1550. This site is one of the largest American Indian burial mounds in North America. Archaeological investigations have been conducted on Etowah mounds for over one hundred years.

Marietta National Cemetery is home to one of five monumental masonry archways that originally served as the formal entrance to national cemeteries found in the South. Three are managed by NCA: Marietta, GA., built 1883; Chattanooga, Tenn., built ca.1880; and Nashville, Tenn., built ca.1870. These Roman-inspired structures are approximately 35 feet high with Doric columns, a pair of ornamental iron gates, and inscriptions above. The two other memorial arches are found at Arlington National Cemetery, built 1879, and Vicksburg National Cemetery, ca. 1880, properties managed by the Department of Defense and National Park Service, respectively.

Load up the family “Truckster”, create a new holiday memory with your family and visit these National Cemeteries for the rich and empowering history that our brave soldiers from all eras can share with our many generations. Our fallen deserve to be thanked for their ultimate sacrifice to our country, so take some time out of our hectic holiday season to remember, enjoy the majestic landscapes that we know as our National Cemeteries of the United States of America. Bring a wreath, remember those before us, honor their memory, and teach history for future generations. It’s worth the trip.

Hygun Group, Inc.

Made In America Campaign

2011-12-02T14:33:00.001-05:00

Hygun Group is an American Made, American and Veteran owned business. We are proud Americans who have pledged to buy "Made in America" products during the holidays, when ever possible. If every household would spend $64 on American Made products this holiday season you would be able to employ 200,000 Americans. Stand-up to retailers and say you want American Goods and Products, this is a great band-wagon to be on, show your patriotism and pride in OUR country, support the BUY AMERICAN CAMPAIGN. Even if your household were to buy American products when you can at least a little more often, you will be making a difference on the economic growth of U.S.A.

These are just a couple of websites with helpful resources to find these American Companies & Products.

www.howtobuyamerican.com

www.digusout.com

History of Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T17:58:00.002-05:00

Although Thanksgiving celebrations have dated back to 1621 to the first European settlements in America, it was not until 1863 that President Lincoln officially declared and proclaimed that the last Thursday in November would be an American National Holiday. Since the Thanksgiving Holiday is a day of family, feasting, football and floats here are a few “nibbles” to think about:

George Washington, leader of the revolutionary forces in the American Revolutionary War, proclaimed a Thanksgiving in December 1777 as a victory celebration honoring the defeat of the British at Saratoga.

In the middle of the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln, prompted by a series of editorials written by Sarah Josepha Hale, poetess of “Mary Had A Little Lamb”, asking for a permanent American day of thanks as a holiday, he proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day, to be celebrated on the final Thursday in November 1863: (excerpt from; Proclamation of President Abraham Lincoln, October 3, 1863.)

“… It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty- three, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-eighth."

The National Football League has played games on Thanksgiving every year since its creation; the tradition is referred to as the Thanksgiving Classic. The Detroit Lions have hosted a game every Thanksgiving Day since 1934, with the exception of 1939–1944 (due to World War II).

Since 1924, in New York City, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade featuring floats, large balloons is held annually every Thanksgiving Day from the Upper West Side of Manhattan to Macy's flagship store in Herald Square, and televised nationally by NBC.

All of us at Hygun Group want to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving with your families and to watch out for the TRYPTOPHAN while watching those floats and football games. We are THANKFUL for all of you as family, friends, and clients.

Veteran's Day with Hygun's Family, Friends and Contacts

2011-11-10T16:13:00.001-05:00

All of us at Hygun Group want to wish all of our cherished Veterans a nod to your military service for our country on Veteran's Day. Have a Happy Veteran's Day from those who honor your service. As we recognize some of our Family, Friends and Business Friends who have helped to make Hygun Group to be a successful Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, we are the ones to be humbled that all of you have touched our lives through your vast and experienced military service from all branches of the military. We want to say hello and recognize so many by name, though to all those millions of service personnel who have ever served on our behalf we extend our best wishes to you as our Nation's Veterans, Happy Veteran's Day.

Veteran Family and Friends of Hygun Group:

Daniel Hydrick, CEO Hygun Group - Americal Division - Vietnam Veteran - U.S. Army; John Hardin, Federal Programs Hygun Group - U. S. Navy and Air Force Reserve; Jim O'Hara - Vietnam Veteran - U.S. Navy; Capt. Colin O'Hara - Explosive Ordinance Disposal - U.S. Army; C.L. Melenyzer IV - Vietnam Veteran - U.S. Air Force;Sgt. Bobby Salazar - U.S. Army; Capt. David Haywood - U.S. Army Ranger; Major General Andy Aadland - U.S. Army; Sgt. Wayne Miller - Army Sniper - U.S. Army; Sgt. Glen Kunkel - U.S. Marine Corps; Sgt. Donald Hydrick - 101st Airborne - U.S. Army; Julian Hydrick - Iraq War Veteran - U.S. Army; Graydon Clark - (future Veteran) heading out to boot camp in 20 days - U.S. Air Force; Specialist 5 Matt Adkins - Calvary - U.S. Army; John Williams - U.S. Air Force; Dick Clark - Vietnam Veteran - U.S. Army; Jerry Goodman - U.S. Navy; Dennis Goodman - U.S. Air Force; Col. John Rogers - U.S. Army Ranger; Andy Rogers - U.S. Army Ranger

Veterans from our Client Side of Hygun Group:

Gen. Ed Arnold - U.S. Army; Maj. Gen. Randy Castro - U.S. Army; Lt. Gen. Robert Flowers - U.S. Army; Col. Fritz Heneman - U.S. Army; Col. Joe Graff - U.S. Army; Col. Tony Leketa - U.S. Army; Col. Tom Peck - U.S. Army; Col. Lee Norton - U.S. Army; Maj. Gen. Gene Lupia - U.S. Air Force; Maj. Gen. Dean Fox - U.S. Air Force; Maj. Gen. Ernie Robbins - U.S. Air Force; Brig. Gen. Tim Bryers - U.S. Air Force; Col. Neal McElhannon - U.S. Air Force; Col. Pat Fink - U.S. Air Force; Col. Steve Bradshaw - U.S. Air Force; Col. Steve Moes - U.S. Air Force; Col. Tom Kuasney - U.S. Air Force; Lt. Gen. Roy Beauchamp - U.S. Army; Col. Erin Mercer - U.S. Air Force; Maj. Gen. Maria Britt - U.S. Army; Col. Marv Fisher - U.S. Air Force; Col. Clayton Perry - U.S. Air Force; Col. Brent Nixon - U.S. Air Force; Tony Williams - U.S. Army; Tim Tope - U.S. Air Force; Col. Delphine Rafferty - U.S. Air Force; Col. Tim Sanford - U.S. Army; Col. Bob Davis - U.S. Army; Maj. Gen. Pete Madsen - U.S. Army; Col. John Mogge - U.S. Air Force; Col. Rick Galloway - U.S. Air Force; Col. Kevin Rumsey - U.S. Air Force; Rob Fetter - U.S. Navy; Jim Pawlisch - U.S. Navy; Joe McGonagle - U.S. Marine Corps; Jay Huston - U.S. Navy; Roland Moreau - U.S. Navy

Click here to see a heartwarming video of 3rd graders singing "thank you" to all soldiers, past and present.

Recognize a Veteran for Veteran's Day 2011

2011-11-10T08:59:00.001-05:00

So many U.S. Veterans to be remembered on this year's Veteran's Day within your local communities, within all states and even overseas it is time to show your appreciation and honor them for their military service. Carrying the title of "VETERAN" weighs heavy on our military personnel who ultimately carry the vast duty of defending our American freedoms. Show your appreciation to them by attending a patriotic parade, hug a veteran, send a card to our deployed or retired military personnel, visit a Veteran's hospital in your local area -- no matter what you do to honor this very special group of American citizens, find a way to recognize our cherished Veterans this November 11, 2011 on Veteran's Day. There are so many organizations that help, support and aide our generations of proud Veterans, the list below is just a handful of resources where you can volunteer, contribute time and monetary donations and even attend local events that support our military all year long, get involved.

Various Support Veteran Organizations:

Wounded Warrior Project - www.woundedwarriorproject.org

Operation Home Front - www.operationhomefront.net

Adopt-A-Platoon - www.adoptaplatoon.org

American Red Cross - www.redcross.org

Homeless Veterans - www.va.gov/homeless

Veterans of Foreign Wars - www.vfw.org

American Legion Posts - www.legion.org

Military - www.military.com

USO (United Service Organizations)- www.uso.org

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America - www.iava.org

To all of our Veteran's - Hygun Group wishes you peace and an abundance of gratitude for your years of military service. Happy Veteran's Day.

A Sweet Way to Make Everyone Smile

2011-11-03T14:25:00.003-04:00

Every kid loves Halloween! So do adults. The Halloween Candy Buy Back Program (www.halloweencandybuyback.com) was started by dentists to get the sugar out of the kids and eliminate cavities. As responsible dentists, community members, and US citizens, Halloween Candy Buy Back Program dentists have found a way to keep the fun, while helping kids and our military troops who are deployed overseas.

How does the program work? Participating dentists "buy" back kids' Halloween candy at a scheduled event, "buy" with cash, coupons, toothbrushes, creative exchanges with local partners and businesses. One pound of candy gets the kid the opportunity to get cash or other prizes and the dentists send the "purchased" candy to Operation Gratitude (www.operationgratitude.com) or other Military support groups. Operation Gratitude sends the candy to U.S. Military who are deployed in harms' way.

You'll enjoy peace of mind knowing you're making kids, parents, and Service Personnel smile! You'll set a great example for the next generation to give back in many ways!
www.hygun.com

A Sweet Way to Make Everyone Smile

2011-11-03T14:25:00.001-04:00

You'll enjoy peace of mind knowing you're making kids, parents, and Service Personnel smile! You'll set a great example for the next generation to give back in many ways!
www.hygun.com

Death of an American Hero

2011-10-28T09:10:00.001-04:00

America has lost 2 more sons and a daughter. Sergeant 1st Class Kristoffer B. Domeij, as you may have heard by know, was mortally wounded along with two others; Lieutenant Ashley White, 24, and Private 1st Class Christopher A. Horns, 20, by an IED explosion, Saturday near Kandahar Province. This was Kristoffer's 14th deployment. No comments needed.....just a moment of silence for those who are now at peace. Remember them always for the price they paid. God rest their souls. To the families, we send our love and prayers. Honor them for their commitment, morn them along with their families;

To those still fighting remember; A warriors soul never dies, it simple stands watch over those still fighting.
Full article here: http://bit.ly/tKi3Xj

http://www.hygun.com

SAME 2011 South Central / South Atlantic Regional Conference

2011-10-18T12:47:00.001-04:00

Hygun Group, Inc, CEO, Dan Hydrick and Business Development Federal Programs John Hardin, are looking forward to a very productive week at the SAME 2011 South Central/South Atlantic Regional Conference in San Destin, FL. "Engineering America's Future" is the theme and a lot of great minds will be there. We look forward to meeting one and all. Let's America back on it's feet, together.

http://www.regonline.com/builder/site/default.aspx?EventID=892121

Farewell to Major General Maria L. Britt

2011-09-27T16:33:00.001-04:00

On Thursday, September 22, Daniel Hydrick, CEO of Hygun Group, and
John Hardin, Director of Business Development for Federal Programs for
Hygun Group attended the farewell luncheon for Major General Maria L.
Britt, Commanding General Georgia Army National Guard. Major General
Britt has commanded at various levels and has been responsible for the
manning, training and equiping of the 11,250 soldiers that comprise
the Georgia Army National Guard. Mr. Mitch Abel, President of AFCEA -
Atlanta, hosted the event for Major General Britt's final farewell
speech. Hygun Group wants to send our well-wishes for the future to
the Major General as she moves onto new endeavors. Good luck to you,
Major General Maria Britt, thank you for your established military
career here in Georgia and other duty stations.

Post-it-Notes is Alive and Charming

2011-09-19T09:33:00.001-04:00

Daniel O. Hydrick, while attending a technical presentation in Atlanta, GA, Sunday September 18, 2011, by Julie Kimmerling of fiteBac SkinCare had the pleasant surprise of meeting the infamous inventor of Post- it-Notes Arthur L. Fry. It was a surprise and honor to speak with this charming, witty and delightful young man. If you haven’t checked out fiteBac SkinCare as of yet, you really should…and if you’ve never used a Post-it-Note you must be from Mars.

-Hygun Group, INC.

See the full gallery on Posterous

U.S. Constitution Signed

2011-09-15T15:37:00.004-04:00

The U.S. Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787 by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, PA by the delegates in the building named, Philadelphia's Pennsylvania State House. Historically, the building became known as Independence Hall. The U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the U.S. Government for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens and all people of the U.S. After intense debate, the delegates devised a brilliant federal organization characterized by an intricate system of checks and balances. The convention was divided over the issue of state representation in Congress and the problem was resolved by the Connecticut Compromise, the bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the lower house (House of Representatives) and equal representation of the states in the upper house (Senate). Nine of thirteen states finally ratified the U.S. Constitution on June 21, 1788, it became official when the state of New Hampshire was the ninth state to ratify.

The U.S. Constitution is the second oldest written Constitution still in effective use by any nation in the world after the 1600 Statutes of San Marino (Italy). (San Marino, Italy is the oldest surviving sovereign state and constitutional republic in the world.)

Oh! Say Can You See...

2011-09-14T12:22:00.001-04:00

These words start our Star-Spangled Banner as the National Anthem for the United States of America that was officially adopted in 1931 as our country's anthem. The lyrics come from a poem, "Defence of Fort McHenry", [old English spelling of "Defense"] a poem written by Francis Scott Key on September 14, 1814 during the War of 1812 aboard British ship HMS Minden, under a flag of truce for the mission was approved by President James Madison. Francis Scott Key was a 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, who wrote the poem after witnessing the continuous shelling and bombardment of Fort McHenry after 25 hours by British Royal Navy ships in the Chesapeake Bay during the Battle of Fort McHenry.

Key was inspired by the American victory and the sight of the large American flag or the Great Garrison Flag flying triumphantly above the fort at dawn. This flag, with fifteen stars and fifteen stripes, came to be known as the STAR-SPANGLED BANNER FLAG and is today on display in the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian.

The Day After...

2011-09-12T15:52:00.001-04:00

On September 12, one day after the the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and the streets are clear of mourners and well wishers, politicians and speech givers. Sounds go back to normal and people go back to their day. Do you feel a little better today about America? You should, this past memorial weekend, albeit sobering, was a reminder of who we are as a Nation. Proud, strong and dedicated. We will miss those that fell and those still in harms way, forever. Have a good day, a good week, and a good year America.

Breakfast with the Consul of Greece

2011-09-08T11:31:00.002-04:00

Dan Hydrick, CEO of Hygun Group, and Vassilios Gouloussis, Consul of Greece, at a breakfast meeting. Very informative meeting on the state of the economy and a frank forecast of the financial future.

Deadline Set for filing Agent Orange Claims

2011-08-25T16:09:00.002-04:00

ATTENTION ALL VIETNAM ERA VETERANS: READ THIS: Shocking deadline. You must take action. Families, loved ones and neighbors send this on, it is important that they not miss out. Details here: http://legion.org/veteransbenefits/158350/agent-orange-claim-filing-deadline-aug-30. Also, for those that are Navy Veterans: How a paperwork error excluded hundreds from receiving benefits: http://www.legion.org/magazine/157873/brown-water-bungle

Hygun goes to the Parade…

2011-08-12T10:56:00.007-04:00

The American Legion Post 201 in Alpharetta, GA hosted a very special parade which honors all of our veterans from all of our American wars and conflicts as far back as the American Revolution, French and Indian Wars, War of 1812 and even the Civil War to name a few. The Old Soldiers Day Parade in recent years has been a continuous parade for 59 years honoring our veterans of many historical conflicts. Hygun’s new Office Manager, Lisa Tobin, was there to show her patriotism and to honor the many sacrifices all of our soldiers from past and present as she participated in the parade. This year’s theme, “My Flag, My Country: Worth Fighting For”, was a special one since it was dedicated to the 10th Anniversary of September 11 to honor the victims and heroes of that awful day in our history.

It is imperative we remember our veterans as the City of Alpharetta has done since the inception of this wonderful parade back in 1865 after the guns were silenced in the War Between the States. The Confederate Soldiers living in the area established a time each year to re-live a fellowship born of war. They came from miles around by horse, wagon and on foot to a very small town called Alpharetta. Many of them were still living in Alpharetta when the young soldiers of World War I returned to their homes in Milton County. Best evidence would indicate that sometime during 1920 the elderly Confederate Soldiers invited the “Young-uns,” the new veterans of World War I, to assemble to the rear and parade with them down Main Street of Alpharetta. They marched together for only a few years until most were gone and the event faded during the Depression. In 1952, a small group of men in Alpharetta from the American Legion Post 201 re-dedicated the Old Soldiers Day Parade and began having the parade again in downtown Alpharetta. This would be a tribute and living memorial to ALL VETERANS OF ALL WARS. Our country is and will always be worth fighting for under our American Flag of freedom.

See the full gallery on Posterous

August 1972

2011-08-11T10:03:00.001-04:00

As a Vietnam Veteran Owned Small Business, Hygun recognizes this week in history, August 1972, as marking the official end of ground operations in Vietnam for the United States. We thank those who fought for us in this and all conflicts, past and present, that our wonderful country has had to face. God Bless.

Happy 4th of July!!

2011-07-04T12:41:00.001-04:00

From all of us at Hygun Group we would like to wish you all a very Happy and safe 4th of July! Enjoy the fireworks!

Mind your manners...

2011-06-03T11:56:00.001-04:00

I was at lunch the other day with a very senior candidate that I met for the first time. I was asking her a few questions as to where she had been looking, how she went about her search on her own, how she found the reception, etc. She looked at me and said, "When did hiring authorities become so rude"? Upon further inquiry, she said that during her interviews with several senior ranking officers, she was met with almost a hostile question and answer session; out and out facial expression that almost bordering on insult and just BAD MANNERS. The interviews ended with not so much as a simple courtesy to speak of, such as “thanks for your time.” She has not received a call back on any of the interviews as of today. If nothing more than to say ‘Thank you for coming out”. Let me tell you, this is an experienced individual with amazing contacts, skills and friendly to.

Another young lady had called this week with a similar story. She started out by asking me that if I worked with her could I promise to do two things, One, have the courtesy to return her calls and two tell her if our client is not interested. I assured her I would not leave her out in the cold and asked her why, not knowing me, would she say such a thing? It was as she said, “Out of frustration for the lack of no call backs, interviews without further responses and just lack of civility on behalf of the hiring authorities”.

Wow, some hiring authorities are making me and my company look really good. We have an old saying in my office which is “If you invited them to dinner don't ask them to pay”. Meaning, be respectful of those you are talking to and interviewing....someday you might be the one in that chair. Better yet “What would your Mother think?”

Happy Memorial Day!

2011-05-30T13:30:00.001-04:00

Memorial Day Weekend for some is the perfect time for friends and family to honor loved ones who have served their country. For others, this national holiday is the unofficial start of their summer. But for most, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who have died serving our country.

This day is not just a time for grief; it is a time to celebrate peace and sacrifice. You can find several celebratory events happening in pretty much any community. Take the family to a watch a parade, visit and places flags at a local cemetery, or attend a Memorial Day festival. This is also the perfect time to honor our veterans and say “Thank You”.

No matter where you are or what you are doing, please, take the time to be thankful for your freedom. Whether you want to honor a fallen soldier or celebrate peace, Memorial Day Weekend is a time for remembrance and thanksgiving.

Memorial Day thought...

2011-05-26T10:03:00.001-04:00

As we near the Memorial Day weekend, I wanted to ask all of you in your own way to say a prayer, save a quite moment or just give thanks to all the fallen. Whatever your thoughts may be of the wars and the losses, the soldier follows orders and must believe them to be just.

Their families know this day. Each year it is a National reminder of their loss and the sacrifice that was made by a loved one. We sometimes overlook what this day is really all about. Someone died for our freedom, gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we can voice free speech and live in a free society. I personally managed to live beyond the battle field, due to the sacrifice of a brother and saved by other hands. Memorial Day is a special day for all of us hold it near and dear, just say thank you, I know they are listening and they will never be forgotten.

Have a safe Memorial Day weekend!

Dan Hydrick, CEO

Hygun Group, Inc. a SDVOSB

Returning a Call....

2011-05-25T14:36:00.001-04:00

Can someone please explain to me why someone does not return my call? Please understand, I am not asking this of someone that does not know me or who is not doing business with me currently, however, I am asking those that are my clients and candidates that I am currently working with.

A call back 36 hours later due to being too "busy" just does not make sense to me. If we are working together, either I am recruiting on your behalf or you are a recruit, I think it is only professional and a common courtesy to take two minutes to call me back. I have never had a schedule in which I could not get away to make a call from my cell phone. A simple phone call while walking to your car, coming back from lunch or on your way home can alleviate many issues or answer some questions that may arise. There could be a number of reasons for calling and at times the information is critical for either party. Remember, there is another participant that is dependent on our communication, someone you may even work with in the future. By not returning a call not only is it a slight to me but towards them as well.

In our industry, communication is vital to being successful. So I ask you to, please make a conscientious effort to return your Executive Recruiters calls. It might just be an opportunity of a lifetime waiting on the other end, but if you get too busy or forget to call me back, you may miss out.

We Love Our Jobs...

2011-04-27T09:13:00.001-04:00

In many ways, my partners and I are very lucky, or persevering, or both. In our business, executive recruiting, we always get calls from senior professionals that are ready take the next steps in their careers or C-level executives looking for the top leaders in the industry in order to build their organization to the next level.

We are fortunate enough to have the luxury and ability to choose who we are going to partner with and who we are not. Personally, I love helping people make their next career move, that big life decision. But I do it to make a living.

Candidates should try to understand that doing a lot of the searching for a new job on their own, through their own network, is truly difficult and should they decide to do their search this way, then we do not need to get involved.

On the client side, we try to inform our clients that we neither have the time nor the desire to work on things that are never ending and quite frankly not going to make either of us any money. Meaning, if our client is posting ads and collecting hundreds of resumes on their own, then our services aren’t needed and we move on. However, if our candidates and client comes to the realization that we can help them, then we work together creating a win/win situation for all of us.

This is what we get paid for…I do it every day. There are many reasons you work with a professional recruiter. To see how we, Hygun Group, Inc., can assist you in your search, please contact us at 770-973-0838 or www.hygun.com.

Timing IS Everything....

2011-04-14T11:25:00.001-04:00

Sometimes I have to sit back and just wonder what some people are thinking. Here’s the story…

I have a candidate that, against my better judgment and counsel, decided to tell my client that he could not start for 4 months. Knowing full well that he IS the best candidate for the position and our client truly wants to hire him. My candidate stated he wanted to finish a project and make sure the conditions were right, whatever his reasons are, my client was not happy! However, they decided to go along with it. We have since pulled ourselves from the search and will wait to see what happens. Well, that was two months ago, and he still won't start for another 2 months. At that time, I advised my client that I did not see it lasting that long and that we should continue the search; they told me that they had their guy and they are confident that the candidate will be there. And so, we wait!

My opinion, I still believe my client is going to ask me to get back on the search when the candidate doesn't make it for one reason or another and here’s why. I know other firms are currently contacting my candidate; I know that he is involved in long range planning with his current firm; I know that his clients are assuming that he will be around for the things he is marketing. Professional? Unethical? Not for me to decide.

However, if this does not work and something does interfere with this candidate going to work for my client; this ends up being a colossal waste of time for our client, our candidate and for Hygun and our team. That something may be that the candidate changed his mind or maybe a better candidate comes along, one with an immediate time line.

My point, timing IS everything! As a candidate that begins pursuing a new job opportunity, which leads down the road of an interview, which should be assumed you get to the offer stage, then you should understand the timing of the opportunity and it should be attainable before beginning the process.

To learn more on strategic solutions for your hiring needs please contact Hygun Group, Inc at 770-973-0838 or visit us at www.hygun.com.

April proclaim Sexual Assault Prevention Month

2011-04-01T15:50:00.001-04:00

This is great news from the White House. Please get the word out, support any and all awareness programs in you state. This is a subject that needs to be addressed openly to all our women and youth. If you would like to contact a group that can help contact A.C.T. self defense for woman for information or helpful tips. Stay safe and for your own good, read this report. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/03/31/presidential-proclamation-national-sexual-assault-awareness-and-preventi

Amazing News!!!

2011-04-01T13:30:00.001-04:00

Hygun Group, Inc., a Veteran Owned Small Business executive search firm is pleased to announce that they have been awarded their GSA Certification. CEO, Dan Hydrick, is honored to be recognized by the U.S. Government Services Administration for being able to provide professional executive recruiting services to E & I firms nationally. This will allow Hygun the ability to provide more opportunities in assisting their Federal Program clients with their hiring leadership needs. The partners and senior associates at Hygun looks forward to being a part of the GSA vendor group and establishing new partnerships and continuing to serve those we already are partnered with. Please contact Hygun Group should you or your firm need further assistance with your recruitment needs.

Weekend Reader for the Rest of your life

2011-04-01T09:58:00.001-04:00

Great book for the weekend....and then for the rest of your life. From inside the world of executive recruiting you would be "amazed" at the number of candidates and clients who find it very difficult to express themselves. As an executive search firm, Hygun Group, Inc., presents extremely talented individuals to the Top Fortune 100 company executives daily. The problem, the candidates, as well as the client's presentation skills are most often lacking. In Timothy J. Koegel's book; "The Exceptional Presenter" the thing that struck me most was a simple acronym called "Open Up". Simple, easy to read, Great Guide to becoming an Exceptional Presenter! Thanks Tim. Interesting interview take a look.

“Growth and renewal in the United States: Retooling America’s economic engine

2011-03-02T15:17:00.001-05:00

In all the years I have been in the Infrastructural Engineering Executive Search business, I have seen Infrastructure product lines come and go due to levels of importance. The only difference now is, the money is not getting out anywhere. Why? Well everyone has an opinion, Bankers, Politicians, and the guys that give out statistics. The fact is, this is real time and some of the finest engineers of our time, from the Schwarzkopt, Baby boomers, X-gen and Y-generations are not happy. You should see the level of candidates I have the privelege to work with every day. Highly educated, hard working and they are the Infrastructure Designers and Builders of America. They aren't complaining however, they are just working and trying to jump start this country back to health. Sadly, McKinsey Global Institute showed the world where we truly are, "almost even with Namibia. (no offense Namibia). Got any ideas on how we can get the word up the hill? Stop complaining and get off your collective political backsides and just "try something". As the old man's sign on the side of the road says, "Will work for Food". Engineers are ready to put their "hands on that shovel", just give them a shovel.

New Report: America’s Poor Infrastructure Is Holding Back Economic Growth » INFRASTRUCTURIST

Why won't you recommend someone to a recruiter...

2011-02-18T10:28:00.001-05:00

Being the Search Execution Director with Hygun Group, Inc. I can’t tell you how often I hear the words, "I don't know anyone", when I ask for a recommendation. Is that really true? Everyone knows people. I am stunned on a daily basis by the lack of interest in recommending a friend, colleague or former coworker for an opportunity; especially in the Engineering field, where logic reigns supreme. Why? If this is a good opportunity and it makes sense for someone (which is the only way they would take it), what harm did you do? You helped a person advance their career, make things better in some way for them and their family. You just did something good, something great for someone else, something I bet you would appreciate them doing for you. If my opportunity is not going to be better in some way, then they will obviously stay where they are. But, we are also told "I don't know if they are looking". It doesn’t matter. We aren’t trying to find someone that is looking. We want the recommendation of someone that this opportunity would be good for. When someone hears that a fellow Engineer went to work for another firm or advanced their career, it is probable that you had no idea that they might be interested in a new our opportunity. You are probably a bit surprised on a daily basis when you hear someone left one firm for another. So, from now on, please take a moment & think about your fellow colleagues. Maybe you would be doing a good thing for someone be recommending them to us when we call.

What are you making? ~ Why you shouldn't answer that question during an interview....

2011-02-10T16:45:00.001-05:00

As a candidate begins their search for a new job opportunity, do they ever wonder what the biggest benefit of using an Executive Recruiter is once they are introduced to a new company? One benefit in having an executive recruiter market your skills is during the negotiation of the offer package. Your recruiters’ job is to find a fair win/win that makes sense for the candidate and the client. Often times a potential employer will ask during the interview “What are you making?” or “What are you looking for in a salary?” Your recruiter will advise you on how to answer or not to answer at all. Why shouldn’t you answer that question? Honestly, because you can only hurt yourself. You have no sense for what the opportunity is worth in the marketplace, what different salaries do to the internal office structure or the mindset of the person asking. You may have been way underpaid in your current job and unfortunately, the hiring manager might think a 10% bump is fair (just like the old days). By answering the question without any ‘coaching’ from your executive recruiter, may have just cost you thousands of dollars in salary or additional benefits. Allowing your recruiter to work on your behalf means you get the right salary/benefits package and no target on your back and the potential employer gets a new employee that feels appreciated. Contact Hygun Group, Inc. for additional information on the services that we provide.

Recruiter and Candidate Partnerships

2011-01-31T19:41:00.001-05:00

The most important quality in a recruiter and candidate relationship is TRUST. Without trust, the process will break down in one of many different ways, time and again. The recruiter and the candidate must be able to work together if they are going to reach the desired outcome.

Trust – Be HONEST- The more that the recruiter knows of your situation and your wants and needs the more accurately he will be able to match with an opportunity, and save from wasting a lot of time. This is the main reason that things go wrong, so you must be able to be honest with yourself early on in the process

Responsive – Be ACCESSABLE- Your recruiter is going to need to be able to get a hold of you. Everyone talks during their work day, but if you are busy, always return a call promptly and set aside a time to talk

Uunderstanding – Be OPEN- take the advice that the recruiter is giving, they do this every day and deal with a hiring authority all day long. This is a recruiter’s living and their insights are going to help you be a better candidate than your competition.

Steadfast – Be LOYAL- It is important to maintain confidentiality if only for your reputation and to keep the appearance of a commodity in the market. That means that you should only work with 1 recruiter, that you trust. This recruiter should keep you in the loop for every move and should never send your information anywhere without discussing it with you first. Tell all other recruiters that call that you have professional representation and that they should call your recruiter.

Timely – Be FLEXIBLE- You should understand in the world of opportunities 'time kills all deals'. You need to be able to find time to talk with people, meet with people and even travel. If you can’t do these things, then you need to evaluate if you are going to make a change at all or at least discuss the process with your recruiter.

Why Retain an Executive Recruiter?

2011-01-27T09:57:00.001-05:00

"Why Retain an Executive Recruiter?” - Have you asked yourself this before, when it came down to finding the right candidate for the opportunity you have?

The ads didn’t work, the candidate database you spent A LOT of money on is…. well….monstrous, and you just aren’t getting any good leads from internal referrals in the office, associations, or networking gatherings. The contingency recruiters you have called, and have called you, netted resumes of candidates you have already passed on or don't even fit what you are looking for. The next big questions are: "Have you looked at what this empty position has now cost you?"; “Have you reviewed the time spent on man hours for interviews, travel expenses, plus all the work that is not getting done while this position remains open?” Well, that kind of answers “why retain an executive recruiter” doesn't it?

With a retained search, the client is guaranteed that there is a team working all day, every day, dedicated to finding the right candidate, as described by the client, for their need, as fast as possible. A retained search firm’s livelihood is based on their capability to bring the best candidates to the table so their clients can fulfill their hiring needs. We want our clients to come back again and again knowing we can find what they want. Retainers also offer the ability to spread out payments on a search, and with multiple retained searches, the client can get discounts for the searches they have open. The only reason I can see that contingency recruiters are willing to take on searches at a discount is that they simply are not going to put in the time on a search that they would on a retainer. Otherwise, why would you take on more risk for less return? My business classes in college taught me that goes against any successful business model. My guess is they know of a candidate or two in the market that could fit the search requirements, and they can make a few calls. If that doesn’t pan out, well, they can move on to the next contingency search. We call it low hanging fruit.

Don’t get me wrong, my firm does recruit on contingency searches, for our retained clients, or clients that we are developing into retained clients. When we apply our "retained" search methods and benefits to a "contingency" search the clients begin to see the answer to "Why Retain and Executive Recruiter."

I'm always interested in feedback from our recruiting brothers and sisters and clients. “Why Retain an Executive Recruiter?”

Christian Hydrick
COO
Hygun Group, Inc

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

2011-01-25T10:41:00.001-05:00

Executive recruiting is like any other profession in that you have The Good, The Bad & The Ugly. There are good, ethical and well-respected recruiting professionals. Unfortunately, you also have bad and unethical and downright miscreants. As a potential candidate (and everyone is a potential candidate) it behooves you to know the differences between them.

Any good executive recruiter should be able to answer the basic Who, What, When and Where questions when they approach you as prospective candidate.

Who represents both their firm as well as their respective client. A professional recruiter should identify themselves, their company, and alert you to the nature of their call. They should also identify the client with which they are working. Be capable and willing to answer any questions regarding their own firm and their respective clients firm.

What applies to the opportunities description. A good recruiter will provide you with an outline of the position which would include minimum requirements, responsibilities, amount of travel, company reporting structure; just to name a few.

When & Where relates to the urgency of filling the position. Typically, once a recruiter is involved this represents an immediate need for the hiring Client. And where is the location of the company and respective opportunity.

When an executive recruiter is unwilling or unable to answer the basic four questions, it is time to run and find a true professional recruiter. One that is an expert in your field. Hygun Group, Inc. welcomes the opportunity to discuss how me can assist you with managing your engineering career.

Honor MLK Day

2011-01-17T13:55:00.001-05:00

The civil rights leader Martin Luther King delivered the greatest and most well known speech "I Have A Dream" to hundreds if not thousands of supporters on August 28, 1963 on the Mall in Washington DC during the "March on Washington". One of the greatest quotes follows:

“From every mountainside, let freedom ring. When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

Winter Wonderland

2011-01-10T10:47:00.001-05:00

The snow sure does make the city look beautiful, but at the same time is can cause chaos for many people & businesses. In fact, our office like many others, are closed today due to the treacherous roads caused from the snow and ice. Atlanta has been on alert for the last week about the storm we just received and the snow storm hit just as they predicted. Now we are just waiting for the ice to come & go which may cause the same kind of turmoil again tomorrow. But while the cold, fluffy, white stuff is here go outside, be safe & enjoy it. Be a kid again and have fun!

Hgyun Group's Sr. Officers hold a A.C.T. Seminar

2011-01-06T10:26:00.001-05:00

As many of our associates already know, Dan and Christian Hydrick, are both very involved in martial arts. Dan is a 7th Degree Black Belt Korean Karate, 6th Degree Okinawan Karate and a Weapons Master and has served as a National Chief Referee for the United States Amateur Athletics Union, Tae Kwon Do Associations.

Christian, who trained under his father, is a 4^th Degree Black Belt in Korean Karate, 4^th Degree in Okinawan Karate and is a National Competition Gold Medalist. Christian currently trains and runs a nationally ranked martial arts school, ChiBudo Kwon, in Marietta, Georgia.

Both, Dan and Christian, went on to develop a nationally recognized women’s self defense program known as A.C.T., Assailant Control Techniques, for women. They conduct seminars locally as well as across the country. At these seminars woman receive information and are taught methods to help prevent and protect themselves from sexual assault.

Recently, Dan & Christian held an A.C.T. seminar at Sewell Mill Baptist Church. A portion of the proceeds from this event were donated to the church towards their fundraising efforts for their mobile kitchen which they purchased for Refuge West Church located in Powder Springs.

If anyone is interested in the services of: Hygun Group, Inc., www.hygun.com; ChiBudo Kwon Martial Arts, www.cbkatlanta.com; or A.C.T., www.actselfdefense.com, please feel free to visit the respective websites for additional information.

Happy New Year

2011-01-03T08:10:00.001-05:00

Welcome to 2011! The year is new and the future is bright. From all of us at Hygun Group we wish you a healthy, safe and prosperous New Year!

Hygun Group, Inc.

They left and I feel....

2010-12-27T15:20:00.001-05:00

Why is it that some employers can be so disingenuous when it comes to their people moving on to a new opportunity? Can they not appreciate the fact that this person is obviously moving on to an opportunity that is in some way different and better then what they were able to offer, otherwise they would not be leaving. Why is it that I hear time and again that it is OK that this person left, that they are better off or that they have to go. If that is the case, why did they not get rid of that person before they resigned? Why does the negativity come out only after that person resigns and leaves? Does it not make the company look petty to say those things? Is this done out of spite to try and damage this persons' reputation? I think that this is distressing and think that the employer would be better served to be gracious and reasonable and wish the parting employee well in their future endeavors. Bridges can be burned in both directions.

Donor Appreciation Event

2010-12-22T16:10:00.001-05:00

Dr. Betty Siegel is pictured with Dan Hydrick, CEO of Hygun Group, Inc. at the first annual Donor Appreciation Reception for Reconnecting Families. The event was held to thank and honor the numerous volunteers for their countless hours and donors for their continued monetary support to Reconnecting Families. Guests had the privilege of listening and meeting the guest speaker, Dr. Betty Siegel, President Emeritus and Endowed Chair Leadership, Ethics & Character Kennesaw State University. Hygun Group, Inc., www.hygun.com is a supporter of Reconnecting Families and the Cobb County community.

Computer Donation

2010-12-21T11:48:00.001-05:00

Hygun Group, Inc. was very instrumental in partnering with Pickron Orthodontics to donate over 30 computers to Reconnecting Families. Reconnecting Families is a non-profit organization that partners with the Cobb County community, court system and academic sector to provide prevention programs and treatment to offset the impact of drug addiction on the lives of children, teens and families. The goal for Reconnecting Families is to assist families in living safe and sober lives by providing educational opportunities, prevention services, in-home therapy, and parenting programs to enhance family unity. The computers will provide a positive impact for some of these families as it will assist them in continuing their education for their future successes.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Hygun Group Receives Community Service Award

2010-12-16T16:49:00.001-05:00

Hygun Group, Inc. was awarded the 2010 Business Community Service Award for Outstanding Service for the Cobb Community. The award was presented by Cobb County Chamber of Commerce and GeorgiaTrends magazine. Pictured with Dan Hydrick, CEO, of Hygun Group, Inc. is Attorney and Board Chairman for Reconnecting Families, Justin O'Dell. Also, pictured is Ms. Brin Black, Executive Director of Reconnecting Families and former Executive Director Jennifer Farmer. Ms. Farmer has now taken on the role of Executive Director & Coach for A.C.T. Women's Self Defense. Hygun Group, Inc. is honored and will continue to serve Cobb County & it's surrounding communities in various ways.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Send a Soldier a Holiday Message

2010-12-09T22:01:00.001-05:00

Being a company that is Veteran owned, our very own CEO often wondered if people back home remembered those serving or even thought about them especially around the holidays. Did people know they were lonely, did they know they could use a "lift"? Did they know they were thinking about them? Well we don't want our soldiers to wonder that this year! We are supporting XEROX with their Lets Say Thanks campaign. XEROX IS DOING SOMETHING AMAZING for our Soldiers for FREE! This "hook up" is a simple way of telling someone you don't know that you are thinking about them. It does not take long and trust us it will be greatly appreciated at this time of year. Let them know you care. Soldiers serve and they serve proudly! Send a card today, it is the least we can do for those who serve in the name of this great Nation. Just go to www.LetsSayThanks.com and thank you for taking the time to support our military!

Horn Foundation

2010-12-01T09:31:00.001-05:00

Hygun Group's Director of Search Execution, Ryan Goodman, attended the Horn Foundation Fundraiser. The Horn Foundation hosted the event in hopes of raising additional funds in order to purchase a digital mammography machine for the hospital. Ryan and his guest attended the event with retired Iowa Supreme Court Judge Bruce Snell and his wife Ann, Jim and Judy Andresen who are very supportive of this Foundation along with many others. The evenings fundraising event was a big success for the hospital.

2010 Atlanta 3-Day for the Cure

2010-11-18T12:01:00.001-05:00

Much love and support was given to our Administration Manager, Dana Morelly. She took on the incredible challenge of walking 60 miles in the 2010 Susan G. Komen Atlanta 3 Day for the Cure against breast cancer. Her journey began at Lake Lanier Islands where she traveled thru Buford & Sugar Hill on Day One. Day Two took her and her teammates & thousands of other men and woman thru the streets of Downtown Duluth & Norcross area. She began her final day of walking under beautiful skies & warm temps. Making stops along the way at Oglethorpe campus, meeting many supporters cheer the walkers on down Peachtree Street with a quick bite for lunch at Georgia Tech campus. Her 3Day adventure finally came to an end with Closing Ceremonies at Turner Field with her friends and family.

The Atlanta 3Day event raised more than $6.1 million dollars and the money we raised will help Susan G. Komen for the Cure® save lives against this dreadful disease. We are proud of her and support her every step! Bring on 2011!

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Veterans ~ We Thank You

2010-11-11T12:46:00.001-05:00

All of us at Hygun Group would like to express our gratitude to all those who have served and to all those still serving. It is an honor to know so many of you and we are grateful for your undying commitment to protect and serve our Country.

Hygun Group CEO & Mayor Kip Holden of Baton Rouge, LA

2010-11-09T16:17:00.001-05:00

Hygun Group CEO, Dan Hydrick, and Mayor of Baton Rouge, LA, Kip Holden, along with many others, joined Shaw Chairman and CEO, Jim Bernhard, Jr., in a tremendously successful fund raiser for "Every Kid a King" in Baton Rouge. The fundraising event raised almost $2 million dollars to support the children. Outstanding job, Mr. Bernhard!

We are currently representing a High Profile Structural Candidate, SE/PE registered

2010-10-28T12:02:00.001-04:00

We are currently working with a 12 year experienced, PhD in Structural Engineering with a SE in CA and WA, and PE in CA,WA, and TX.

Expertise includes

Experience in several Transportation-related multimillion Design-Build (DB) Projects.

Experience in Rapid-Rail-Transit System Design-Build Projects.

Experience using the AASHTO LRFD, AREMA codes as well as the FHWA seismic

retrofitting manual.

Experience designing Port, Water-related, and Hydropower and Fisheries structures.

If you have a need or are interested please contact:

Christian Hydrick
COO
Hygun Group, Inc.
(770) 973-0838 phone
(770) 973-0877 fax
www.hygun.com
http://hygungroupinc.blogspot.com

We seem to be Stuck

2010-10-22T15:05:00.001-04:00

Can you believe the indecisiveness on the part of everybody. Yes we need to, but no we shouldn't. Trouble waters or nervous Nellie's! http://enr.construction.com/yb/enr/article.aspx?story_id=151338285&elq=8cc6c186b37e43ddb8651cdb2716dc16

http://www.hygun.com

Sidelines Marietta Donates 47 TV

2010-10-21T10:52:00.001-04:00

Sidelines Marietta Donates 47 TVs to Needy Families and Reconnecting Families

October 7, 2010 (Marietta, GA) Sidelines Marietta made a donation of 47 TVs to Reconnecting Families, a Cobb County organization that provides prevention programs and treatment to families and individuals impacted by drugs. The TVs will then be distributed to deserving families in Marietta through Mothers Making Change and the Sheppard’s Home.

The donation is a result of Sidelines Marietta recent renovations and TV upgrade. The bar and grill now features 23 plasma TVs, interior upgrades and a new menu.

“Giving back to the community and being involved in charity is important to me and the recent improvements of Sidelines have given the perfect opportunity to do just that,” stated Joe Ahn, owner of Sidelines Marietta.

Jennifer Farmer, director of Reconnecting Families and Dan Hydrick, CEO of Hygun Group, www.hygun.com

helped coordinate the donation.

About Sidelines

In operation for over 14 years, Sidelines Marietta provides guests with a unique dining experience offering a made from scratch menu, full liquor bar, billiards, volleyball court and variety gaming entertainment. Sidelines Marietta is also home to The Local, Marietta’s #1 music venue. For more information about Sidelines Marietta visit www.sidelinesmarietta.com.

Reconnecting Families partners with families in Cobb County community, court system and academic sector to provide prevention programs and treatment to offset the impact of drug addition on the lives of children, teens and families. For more information visitwww.reconnectingfamilies.org.

Civil Engineer One of America's Top 10 Jobs, Money Magazine Says;Civil engineer named among top 10 jobs in America

2010-10-18T14:26:00.001-04:00

via asce.org

America getting back to work. Engineers lead the way!

Cecil Balmond Leaves Arup to Start His Own Firm | News | Architectural Record

2010-10-13T12:55:00.001-04:00

Cecil Balmond Leaves Arup to Start His Own Firm

October 11, 2010

After more than 40 years with Arup, the famed structural engineer Cecil Balmond is launching his own practice.

By Tim McKeough

Renowned structural engineer and designer Cecil Balmond is leaving Arup, the UK-based engineering firm where he has worked for more than 40 years.

“I’m stepping out to set up my own practice,” says Balmond, who is credited with making possible some of the most audacious structures in recent decades, including the CCTV Headquarters in Beijing by the Office for Metropolitan Architecture and the Centre Pompidou in Metz, France, by Shigeru Ban.

Photo courtesy Balmond Studio

Renowned structural engineer and designer Cecil Balmond is leaving Arup, the UK-based engineering firm where he has worked for more than 40 years.

sponsored by:

--> Rate this project:
Based on what you have seen and read about this project, how would you grade it? Use the stars below to indicate your assessment, five stars being the highest rating.

----- Advertising -----

“I want to have more time to make some of the big art installations I’ve been doing for the past four or five years, and I want to do prototypes for the ideas I have.” His new firm, Balmond Studio, will be based in London, although he says “I’ll spend a little more time in America,” than he does already. (He’s a professor of architecture at the University of Pennsylvania School of Design.)

Balmond became deputy chairman of Arup Group in 2003. He stepped down from that position last year, yet continued to head the firm’s Advanced Geometry Unit (AGU), which he founded in 2000. He quietly resigned in July, but remains an advisor on the London Olympic Orbit project (a collaboration with Anish Kapoor) until the end of 2010. “I’m gradually easing myself out,” Balmond says. He will remain an Arup Fellow, a trustee of the firm, and a consultant.

Free to pursue his own desires, Balmond expects his career will become more multidisciplinary. “Of course, there’ll be some bridge design, and some other prime design,” he says. “There’s also some product design that’s been growing at the AGU. I want to design some products, maybe. I’m really open—it’s not a predetermined thing.”

Balmond, who was born in Sri Lanka, started working at Arup in 1968, after earning his Bachelor of Science at the University of Southampton in 1965. He completed his Master of Science at Imperial College in London in 1970.

Balmond has won numerous accolades, including an honorary Architectural Association diploma in 1992 and a Charles Jencks Award for Theory in Practice in 2003. The Royal Institute of British Architects named Balmond an honorary fellow in 1998.

Notable projects he has worked on include the Seattle Central Library (with OMA), England’s Imperial War Museum North (with Daniel Libeskind), and the Serpentine Pavilion annual program in London. “Cecil has had an enormous impact on Arup, and on me personally,” says Philip Dilley, chairman of Arup Group. “Cecil embodies much of what Arup is about: design and technical excellence, quality, and collaboration.”

Dilley says there are no plans to replace Balmond but adds that there will be “an evolution of leadership and talent” within the firm. As for potentially losing prime clients due to Balmond’s departure, he notes that Balmond “has been generous in ensuring that his architect friends and other collaborators are well-anchored into Arup at several levels.”

Indeed, Balmond emphasizes that he is not severing his times with his longtime employer. “With contacts like Koolhaas, Ito, Kapoor, and the people I’ve worked with in the past, if they want engineering from Arup, that work will go to Arup, and I’ll just be a consultant who facilitates the whole process.” He adds: “I’ve been there for a long time, so it’s time to move on. But we’re close. Arup is family.”

share: more »

Subscribe to Architectural Record in print | Buy Back Issues | Manage your subscription | Get Architectural Record digitally | Sign up for Free Architectural Record newsletter

Reader Comments:

We welcome comments from all points of view. Off-topic or abusive comments, however, will be removed at the editors� discretion.

via archrecord.construction.com

Mr. Balmond: We at Hygun Group wish you tremendous success on the road ahead. I know ARUP will miss you.

Untitled

2010-10-12T11:00:00.001-04:00

Coastal repairs: The good news is that we're moving forward. Slowly, but it's moving.

Interviewing: Shopping or Buying?

2010-10-12T10:27:00.003-04:00

Hygun Group's Coaching consultant once asked a group of executives a question when they spoke about the 'interviewing' process. "Are you shopping or buying"? she asked. I thought it an unusual question until she explained. You see if we leave our homes to go "SHOPPING" we truly mean we are just going out to browse, compare, try on or test out whatever it is that we are looking to "BUY". But when you are going out to buy, you have done your homework, made up your mind, set your eyes on the target and you are prepared to close the deal. You are seriously going to BUY!

When you go into a store and the clerk says, "May I help you?", most of you say "No, I'm just LOOKING". Right? This is an honest question and you should give yourself and honest answer. So, what are you doing? Are you prepared to "BUY" when opportunity avails itself or are you really just "SHOPPING"? It matters, to everyone.

Have you ever heard the phrase from an employer after the interview, "Well we are looking at several candidates and we will get back to you" or a candidate says "Do you mind if I think it over or talk to my significant other and get back to you?" What did you just hear? Shopping! Yep, not prepared to buy!

Back to that store clerk, he or she knows you came in for something; i.e. to "shop" or to "buy". So, why did you come in the first place? As a candidate or employer, do your homework, there are many tools available to you to "shop", however, when it comes to moment of truth, be respectful and kind. The questions you have asked in preparation is called "shopping" and when you have realized your goal and you are ready to make a decision, that's called "buying".

Coastal restoration

2010-10-12T09:52:00.001-04:00

Coastal repairs: The good news is that we're moving forward. Slowly, but it's moving.

Hygun Group CEO is now mobile with Posterous

2010-09-28T10:08:00.001-04:00

Hygun Group CEO

Hygun Group is now using posterous

2010-09-28T09:52:00.001-04:00

Hygun Group is now connected to all our social media through posterous!

Turning the Corner

2010-08-19T10:30:00.009-04:00

2010 sure feels good. With the downturn in the economy, spending and profits down businesses as a whole had a difficult go of it. Thankfully, my partners, support staff and our clients understood that hiring quality leadership is necessary in any economy. Things seem to be shifting upwards in the engineering industries. Companies are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel and the proactive ones are really being aggressive in upgrading their leadership team. We are hearing the needs for Infrastructure management, Transportation is promising and companies are preparing for a turn in water. Unfortunately, Land Development still seems to be in the tank. But Energy and Power along with Buildings and Facilities is getting everyone's attention.

So, if you are looking for that next step in your career or your company is in need of top quality leaders, visit our website http://www.hygun.com/ and contact us for further assistance.

Safe answer for Job Rejection ”Overqualified"

2010-07-09T14:00:00.003-04:00

Everyone should be prepared for the "overqualified" question or assumption, during an interview when you feel that is where the interviewer is going or just comes out and says it. Keep this in mind. First, you were chosen out of a stack of resumes, or your relentless networking got you in the door. Great Job so far. Now you're in the interview when the hint of being "overqualified" comes up. FIRST of all, realize that if you are then evaluate the opportunity realistically. You know if you are way out of range or not. Don’t punish the interviewer. However, if the opportunity is RIGHT for you and it is what you are looking for then help the interviewer out and yourself as well.

Now is the time to “Think” about the questions you are about to “ask, not answer”. “I am curious sir/madam, what drew you to my resume or to me in the first place? DO NOT STOP, this is a rhetorical question, YOU ANSWER IT FIRST. It is the infamous Zig Ziglar’s tool that now comes to play; the, “IS IT" technique of closing. As in, IS IT my years of leadership responsibilities, IS IT the amount of design work, IS IT my ability to obtain success through hard work and dedication, etc etc etc. Ending with; "these are much needed skills acquired over time that I believe this opportunity would need and I am excited about bringing them to the table. Don’t’ you agree? Oh yea, ABC...Always Be Closing. Good luck.

AND

If you think the “over qualified” statement comes from your age, well here’s a thought; don’t speak "old", don't act "old", don't be old. Bring the energy and the life with you. Age discrimination is what it is, illegal, and the laws are made to protect us from that. BUT you must address it as a part of your presentation. Overqualified is OK, as I said earlier, the IS IT close can be used anywhere any time. Your year of experience is how you are. Sell it! Just think of the IS IT’s that you can use to get others to think about YOU.

Again my long time sage and mentor had this to say about effort: (and I believe Mr. Ziglar has seen a few sun rises).

This I do know beyond any reasonable doubt. Regardless of what you are doing, if you pump long enough, hard enough and enthusiastically enough, sooner or later the effort will bring forth the reward. Zig Ziglar

Way Back WHEN-esday

2008-10-08T13:41:00.001-04:00

Well it’s that time again to go Way Back Whenes-day. Remember I spoke in my first blog about the “Candidate Rich” markets of yester years? You know the Baby Boomers that filled the Engineering marketplace, driven by their parents, the “Class of 45”. You know, that group known and written by Tom Brokaw, NBC News Anchor and author of the best selling book “The Greatest Generation”. They are the ones that bent your ear and made you study such things as “math and science”. They raised a class of students (many students) Baby boomers - to become Engineers and Scientists. Those men and women went out to continue the efforts to build this Nation and other nation’s Infrastructure and rid the world of environmentally bad things, cleaned up things, designed and built things, like their fathers and mothers did.

Now here’s the rub, the pay wasn’t so great, not nearly. Years went by; Engineers and Scientists were like that of the great teachers of the world. They knew a lot, were made to study a lot, were required to be Registered a lot and even made to keep up with their CEU’s a lot. But even in the best economic times, Engineers and Scientists were not then and even now, PAID A LOT. Now we are talking about “the perfect candidate”: educated, skilled, years of experience, registered and paid adequate for the times; nothing to write home about, not near as much as a Wall Streeter or even a cab driver in some cases. The reason: we had a lot of Engineers and Scientists and the infrastructure and environment were not issues of the day.

So we wake up one day and find that we now need more and more Engineers and Scientists, not only here, but around the Globe. However, now the ones from Way back Whenes-day are older, more experienced and one would think, in high demand. Instead, hiring authorities look for the juniors. And guess what? Somebody forgot to bend an ear and make engineering and science a priority; you know the math and science part. Maybe because an era of computer science and engineering came along and the DOT.COM world was sexier and paid a lot more money, etc.; and maybe that other Engineering and Science industry as a whole isn’t sexy to say or be a part of (or maybe years of low pay lead them away) and just maybe, no one wanted to be an Engineer or Scientist because for them, some one else can do that, they wanted to be a rock star. You all should see Bob Compton’s new film called “2 Million Minutes”. This film, “examines the education gap between U.S. high school students and those in China and India.” What a shock; or maybe not. Haven’t you been listening; America needs engineers and scientist NOW. SHORTAGE - CRISIS! (America seems to listen better when you say CRISIS)

Why is their so much money being poured into College Recruitment for Engineers and Scientists when we already know the numbers aren’t there? If you are an Engineer and/or Scientist and are into numbers; look at the numbers. A client of mine showed up at a College Recruitment Fair and realized that there were more Recruiters looking for candidates than potential candidates. SURPRISE!

In conclusion, hire the seniors, take that big leap of faith (joke), those with 20-25-30 years of experience can do the job and have been doing it for a lot of years. Look at the Engineers coming out of the Military, and for god sakes, keep educating the youth in math and science. “Bend an ear”, the future of our world is counting on you.

So for this week's shocker, “CLIENTS” and Human Resource Managers”, see Bob Compton’s movie “2 Million Minutes”. And for the “CANDIDATES”, young and old, read the article from the front page of MSN October 6, 2008 “THE SECRET TO FINDING A NEW JOB!”, by Todd McCormick. OR just call us, we bring the world together one candidate and employer at a time.

Till Next Time,

Dan Hydrick
CEO

Fading Into the Darkness

2008-09-15T12:14:00.005-04:00

Many Hiring Managers and Hiring Executives that I hear from are not pleased with the recruiting services they are receiving from internal and external recruiters. This is the primary reason that Hiring Authorities tend not to respect working with recruiters. Hiring Managers get calls from many different recruiters, usually adding up to way too many calls. Most of the Hiring Authorities remember taking the time to describe their needs while a recruiter on the other end of the phone reassures the Hiring Authorities that their company “is different” and the recruiter will be able fill this position. When that does not happen, many recruiters just fade into the darkness. Many of my Clients, both Managers and Executives, that I explain the following to are surprised, but finally understand why.

The misunderstanding by Hiring Authorities with Contingency Recruiting is that recruiters are getting paid. The truth is, recruiters will get paid nothing unless they find the right candidate and get the candidate interviewed and hired. I started my career with a firm that only did Contingency searches. There, we were only paid if we filled the position. With no guarantees that we were going to make any money, added to that, the failure rate of Contingency searches, all of us had to play a numbers game. In this situation, we had to write as many job orders with as many clients as we could, filling the database full of resumes. First, we were all looking for “low hanging fruit”, which were searches we could match up with candidates easily. After completing the “quick-to-fill” searches, we moved on to the more time consuming searches. At this point, many recruiters will search an interoffice peg board or “bull pen” to find other candidates or searches to match up with theirs. And many times, recruiters were willing to take a long shot with a certain candidate that didn’t really meet the needs of the job order. At this point, both the recruiter and client feel a sense of frustration, and the recruiter simply fades away, realizing that this search would require too much time for percentage gained and may cause them to miss out on money elsewhere.

When I was thinking about getting back into the agency business, I looked at a lot of different firms. When I first heard about Hygun and their “Retained Services” business line, I was intrigued. As I sat down and got an appreciation of the operation, I really understood the logic and jumped on board. At Hygun we do work under Contingency contracts on a case by case basis. We use the Contingency to introduce “Opportunity Hires” to the market. These are people that we have known for a long time and trust us to represent them quietly and confidentially in the marketplace. We also use Contingency contracts to work on searches with potential new clients that we are introducing to our services so we can develop a long term retained relationship. Finally, there are those clients that for one reason or another can not work under a retained contract. These must be exceptional orders to work on if we are going to assign recruiters to them (serious, sense of urgency, realistic expectations, reasonable interview process and track record of success). There also must be an availability of staff from our Retainers. As a Senior member of Hygun Group, I have people that I pay “billable hours” that work for me. If we have the availability, we can work Contingency searches. Our goal however is to maximize that billability, just like any of our clients. My recruit staff, and myself, devote man hours to “Direct Recruiting.” We will search out the people in the market that fit the search and we approach them directly. If they are not looking for employment, they are “Passive” Candidates, which our clients like to see because they are usually not in the market. With a Retained partnership, we are allowed to share all the information with the candidate about the Client, which is another huge advantage in retained recruiting. This allows us to provide a quality of candidate and a level of success that our clients have not seen before. Retained service provides an assigned and focused professional service that is like any other (Doctors, Lawyers, Agents, Consultants, etc) in that if you want the best service, you have to hire it. This also ensures that our relationships with our clients do not “fade away into the darkness”.

Ryan Goodman
Sr. Account Executive
http://www.hygun.com/

Way Back WHEN-esday

2008-09-03T11:29:00.020-04:00

It was suggested that once a month I write an article about "way by when" and call it Way Back When-esday. As I thought about the title of the blog, it made perfect sense. The questions my younger recruiting colleagues keep asking is 'why'. Why do employers not understand that engineering candidates do not grow on trees and there will be another one better to interview tomorrow? Why don't they feel the need to move more quickly on certain candidates? Why do employers perceive Baby Boomers as over-qualified, and moreover, what are their perceptions of the X, Y & Me generations? Hiring authorities are not wrong to think this way because so much has changed since they themselves first graduated with their Engineering degrees and had their first interviews. These changes include the Dot Com world, EOE rules, the Internet, the standard work week, the mobile worker, telecommuting, the global market, profit margins and multipliers, wages, bonuses and on and on.

So, here we go. In the early days of my recruiting experience, I felt like a crusader finding the "Perfect" Candidate for "My" Clients. Well, time has passed and I realized that there is neither a "Perfect" Candidate nor are the Clients solely "Mine". You see, in the beginning recruiters believed that candidates never really lied about their experiences, but "stretched" the truth. After all, not everyone is perfect. Learning fast, one of my greatest quotes in training is "the best lie ever told is the one that lies closest to the truth." Not only were we surprised at the misdirected fact, but down right shocked to believe, as the statistics began to show, that resumes were a mere 44% embellished, if not just down right made up.

Clients have always USED recruiters, many recruiters, on a contingency basis, storing and stock-piling resumes until they themselves are glazed over with a term we call "Candidate Drunk." We believed that hiring authorities felt that if they didn't review and interview several hundred (my embellishment) candidates then they could not justify the hiring of the Golden Child to their bosses, who they themselves were glazed over with interviewing Senior candidates. Oh yes, contingency fee, defined by Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, as a noun, is "a fee for services paid upon successful completions of the services and usually calculated as a percentage of the gain realized for the client." Way back when, recruiters were paid a flat rate, "finder's fee", for rounding up resumes and sometimes the actual candidates. They were not really recruiting them for a special opportunity or next step in their career. So, resume factories sprang up everywhere. And in 1987, Canon came out with "the first plain-paper Fax Machine" which brought on more efficient and affordable technology to aid in reducing verbal conversations. No more talking about a candidate's personal or professional history, or their wants and needs for the future of their career. And with the introduction of e-mail, conversations that used to be conducted by the phone or in person, are now being executed via e-mail, Blackberry or text. Recruiters were being paid to fill data banks for human resources and then told to get out of the way and let the interviewing talents of the hiring authorities prevail, giving recruiters very little involvement, if any at all, in the hiring process. Without the recruiter to prepare the candidate, the interview style (i.e., negative, soft, hard, group grope, etc.), most often would result in the candidate appearing as a deer caught in headlights or left with the feeling of being ambushed by the hiring authorities.

You see, back in the day we had a lot of Engineers and Scientists to go around. Ph.D.'s were in fact "Piled High and Deep." Jobs were few and employed engineers were grateful to have one. Annual wages were low and I mean low. Tim Colebatch says in an article he wrote in 2004 that, "The money level of our wages has increased sharply over time. It was only in 1973 that the average male earning first topped $100 a week - female earnings were excluded until 1980 - and when the bureau started collecting data in 1941, the average male was paid just over ?5 ($10) a week."

Back in the day, if a candidate gave thought to making a change, hiring authorities had one basic question, "Why are you looking?" This gave the impression that something was wrong with the candidate. Ironically this question has lived to repeat itself, for a whole different reason (more on this later). The decline of graduating engineers over the last two decades in specific sciences and the turn towards big money lure of the IT engineering world, has shocked a lot of us and cost us additional graduating engineers that were needed for the up and coming building of the Infrastructure World. It was also a shock and a blessing when we ran into the Dot Com crash, as more engineers with wrong engineering degrees filled the job market and were not the right fit to fill the rise of the Infrastructure growth of the late 90's and early 2000. However, it seemed to add a little more argument to having sons and daughters go into traditional engineering coarse work.

In closing, through my Way Back When-esday posts, I want to get into the whys from our eyes. In the mean time you should read some. Try reading a cool little article by Fareed Zakaria from Newsweek Magazine published on May 12, 2008 titled "Rise of the Rest". This article should help you sleep better hearing that it isn't all bad, but also hopefully optimistic.

But remember, things have changed:

You need a good Doctor to keep you healthy
You need a good Accountant to keep you wealthy
And an excellent Recruiter to keep you moving on a good career path,
...and a good career opportunity provided by some of the best engineering people and companies I know, My Clients.

Over the coming weeks and months, my team and I plan to address the why's this post includes, in much greater depth. However, if something in particular has caught your eye and you want to know more now, leave us a comment and we will cover that first. I profess that I don't know everything, but after a few decades of actually talking to people on both sides of the interviewing trail, I can at least give you my opinion.

See you next When-esday!

Daniel Hydrick, CEO

Introduction

2008-08-22T09:14:00.006-04:00

Hygun Group, Inc. is a national executive search firm providing professional recruiting services in the Engineering & Science industry. As a result of our expertise of our industry we have proven to be very successful in complementing the right company with the right candidate. Our direct and precise approach to an assignment allows us to provide highly qualified executive and professional individuals to our client base, in lieu of our client being inundated with unsolicited resumes.

Through this blog, you will tap in to a number of helpful resources, articles and advice from Executive Recruiters that have had hands-on experience with both high-level candidates and clients. After executing thousands of interview exits from both the candidate and client, we have become aware of interviewing techniques that professionals may not be aware of. We offer our expertise of how to manage a mixed dialogue between both candidates and clients, whether it be an entry level or executive level candidate.

To meet the contributors to this blog, go to http://www.hygun.com/Corporate/meetourstaff.htm.

And for more information on Hygun Group, Inc., please visit our website at http://www.hygun.com/.

Stay tuned for our next post from the CEO, Dan Hydrick titled "Way Back When-esday".