Tied Together: Unique Hobby Stimulates Growth in Architecture Career
At Gray, our purpose is to make a difference in people’s lives by creating unforgettable customer experiences and great projects. We’re only able to accomplish this goal with the help of our outstanding team members who come from all walks of life, bringing with them a variety of skills that all work together and help uniquely position the business for success. Hasheem Halim is one such team member even though his time at Gray has only been a little over a year.
Title: Architectural Technician
Tenure with Gray: 15 months
Hobbies: Creating shoes
Motto: “Live the way you’d like others to live.”
We had the opportunity to talk with Hasheem about his time at Gray in the South Atlantic Office, and he provided insight into his unique hobby that he says makes him better at his job!
Since you started with Gray, how has the company changed in your opinion?
“I was skeptical that a company so large could feel like a true family, but the fact that I could have a conversation with Stephen Gray, president & CEO of Gray, Inc., over his homemade burgoo at the Gray Family Tailgate showed me that family is embedded into the fibers of this organization.”
What do you enjoy most about your work?
“I enjoy the multiple aspects of architecture that I get to experience in my work as a technician. Working in the same physical space as the project managers further enriches my work, as it give me the ability to see the results of what I do on a daily basis.”
In one word or phrase, how would you describe Gray as a company?
“Gray is committed to personal growth.”
What does being a part of the Gray Family mean to you?
“It means having support as well as being willing to jump in and support others.”
What has been your most memorable experience with Gray since you started?
“My most memorable experience with Gray so far has been helping put together deliverables for a proposal over a weekend. Having to rapidly prototype design ideas was fun and fulfilling!”
Your hobby is fascinating! Please tell us more about how you got started making shoes.
“Design principles manifest themselves in many scales. I use my time building shoes as a hands-on way to understand the much bigger scale of the work we do at Gray. Each stitch is a bolt and each scrap of fabric a wall panel. I have been drawing shoes since childhood but started teaching myself to make them three years ago. People typically describe my shoes as “barefoot” or leisure shoes. One day I hope to become good enough to wear my shoes to work.”
For more information about Gray’s Architecture and multidisciplinary Design teams, please visit https://www.gray.com/services/design/.
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