Harold MacDowell
CEO and Director of TDIndustries, Inc.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in engineering management from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, Harold MacDowell began searching for his calling--and he found TDIndustries. MacDowell started his career with TD in 1985 as an assistant project manager and gradually and diligently ascended to chief executive officer and board director.
In 2005, MacDowell became TDIndustries’ third CEO in its over-77-year history. During his tenure with TDIndustries, he has worked in almost every leadership role in the company, gaining keen insight into the evolution of the construction industry. Under his leadership, this premier facilities service and mechanical construction firm has grown to more than 3,000 employees with offices throughout the United States. Through his work with several notable organizations, MacDowell has strengthened the community and helped others who want to be masters of their trades. He is a member of the Southern Methodist University School of Engineering Advisory Board, Methodist Health System Foundation Board, and the University of Texas at Dallas Institute for Excellence in Corporate Governance Advisory Board. He has also served on the Parish Episcopal School board, the Dallas Regional Chamber, United Way of Greater Dallas, the Quoin Chapter of Associated General Contractors of America (QUOIN-AGC) and as board chairman for the Construction Education Foundation.
TDIndustries, Inc. is a premier facilities service and mechanical construction company, and since 1946 it has pursued excellence through servant leadership, technology and innovation. TD is well-positioned to meet customers’ needs and exceed expectations on any project, regardless of size, complexity, or location, within budget and on time.
Why We Chose Him:
“The secret to improving the work environment is to drive out fear. When we get fear out of the environment and get everyone to open up and share their best ideas, we can all find the answers together,” TDIndustries CEO Harold MacDowell, whose company is frequently named a “Best Places to Work,” once told an interviewer.
Driving out fear is certainly a laudable goal. But this environment also elevates knowledge, as everyone can feel free to share and build upon each other’s ideas.
Noting that TDIndustries is an employee-owned company, Harold says, “With that in mind, every employee has a stake in the company's success. Our culture of continuous, aggressive improvement means we listen to one another and share knowledge that helps us serve our customers better.”
TD’s leaders also collaborate with others in the industry to exchange learnings and find ways to improve. “It's not just about TD,” Harold emphasizes. “Our culture of servant leadership means we care about every customer and general contractor we work with, and we gather feedback and share learnings because it improves the work environment for our entire industry and keeps people safe.”
One of TD’s core values is to passionately pursue excellence. To do that, the company encourages employees to never stop learning. In fact, Harold says, “We innovate and challenge the status quo as we seek and share knowledge within our team and our industry.
“Many companies will say they care about developing their people, but at TDIndustries it isn't lip service,” Harold continues. “The core of our mission is to provide outstanding career opportunities. You can't do that without being open and sharing what you know.” TD offers more than 1,700 training courses and has a team of people who help all employees develop the latest skills in their profession. Underscoring that commitment, he shares, “We even measure the performance of our leaders based on how well they develop others. It's not uncommon to see team members hosting a "lunch and learn" or a morning webinar that provides deeper knowledge about our field and the industry.”
Harold notes this sharing also applies to the financials, as the company has open-book financials and remains transparent with the team. He believes that, when people understand the financials, they make better decisions in their daily jobs. “That's the power of knowledge sharing: It develops your people and business.”
Noting that this kind of knowledge sharing fosters an increase in engagement and retention, Harold observes, “For over 76 years, we've had a knowledgeable team that continues to uphold a standard of excellence. It's all about informing the team so we can achieve more together.”
Empowering their employees through belief in their potential greatness rather than motivating them through fear of punishment is one of the greatest proofs of human respect possible.
Company Name | Tenure at Current Position | Previous Position |
|---|---|---|
| TDIndustries | Managing Director of TDIndustries, Inc. | |
Education | Industry | Sub Industry |
| Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, Bachelor of Science in engineering management; Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Executive Program for Growing Companies. |