Harold C. Cobb, senior director and senior vice president of operational excellence in Houston for Terracon Consultants Inc., doesn’t like to talk about himself, but his colleagues don’t.
“I’ve always been in awe of Harold’s passion for people and his desire to see them succeed,” says Patrick Beecher, director of the Olathe, Kan., company’s Houston office.
Todd E. Swoboda, its vice president and senior regional director in Houston, says Cobb is always willing to listen to ideas and feedback from others and build consensus.
“As a leader, Harold has an innate ability to connect with people at all levels and from all backgrounds,” she says. “His relentless pursuit of excellence in everything he does motivates those he works with and drives them to be focused and motivated to provide excellent customer service, both technical and practical.”
Cobb with Terracon President and CEO M. Gayle Packer at Engineers Week 2019.
Photo courtesy of Terracon
Tammy Bowley, manager of Terracon’s administrative office, says she is “fortunate” to have worked with Cobb for nearly three decades. “Harold is a man of great faith and moral character that has proven itself in his leadership here at Terracon,” he says.
Looking out over the skyline of the nation’s third-largest city, Cobb’s fingerprints will also be seen on key projects, from schools to a sports stadium. The executive’s impact on the growth of the city and his company has led to his selection as a 2024 ENR Texas and Louisiana Legacy Award winner.
Cobb served as Terracon’s senior project manager for Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros baseball team.
The company provided construction materials, engineering and testing services for the $250 million, 1 million square foot stadium, which includes a retractable roof and was completed in 2000.
“As a leader, Harold has an innate ability to connect with people at all levels.”
— Todd E. Swoboda, vice president and senior regional director, Terracon
“I had a career-defining opportunity to work on this iconic project,” says Cobb. “I’ve worked in a similar role on hundreds of projects, but so far, this is the one I’m most proud of.”
For many of his best-known projects, including the Texas Children’s Hospital North Campus in Houston, the Metronational Memorial Herman Tower and the Phillips 66 headquarters, Cobb oversaw quality control and contractual arrangements.
But before the executive picked up transits, theodolites or a folding ruler, he studied liberal arts and engineering at Texas A&M University in College Station, saying he felt a pull toward the latter subject.
Cobb credits his interest in engineering to a former scoutmaster who was an engineer for the Texas Department of Transportation. He eventually earned the highest rank in scouting, Eagle Scout. With his bachelor’s degree, Cobb worked in legal engineering in Florida and Georgia and then joined Terracon. At both companies, he realized that management was more to his taste, although he stresses that he enjoys the practical aspects of engineering. “Every day is a new day, every project is a new project,” he says.
At Terracon, Cobb has served as a department manager, office manager, senior manager, senior vice president, division manager and central operating group manager. As division manager, he was responsible for five offices in East Texas, two in Oklahoma and one in Little Rock, with a total of 316 employees.
As Central Operating Group Director, Cobb led Terracon’s 46 offices in 11 states. The firm is currently ranked #20 on the latest ENR Top 500 Design Firms list, with more than $1 billion in domestic and international revenue by 2022.
Cobb has been recognized for his contributions to the community and industry.
Photo courtesy of Terracon
The executive’s responsibilities at the company include building name recognition for its geothermal, environmental and materials engineering specialties.
He is also in charge of creating work teams by developing strategies and training to motivate and engage co-workers. Cobb also trains through readings, group discussions, identification of leadership styles, development of Terracon-specific core competencies, and one-on-one coaching to enhance strengths. Even with a busy schedule, Cobb still finds time to mentor the next generation of employees. The two pieces of advice he imparts: Bad news never gets better with time, and any experience you gain will be valuable.
Cobb is also recognized as a leader beyond Terracon’s 6,000 employees at 175 locations nationwide. Engineering associations and community groups have praised his leadership and commitment to the profession and the greater Houston area during his 35-year career in the industry.
He was first cited by the Texas Society of Professional Engineers Northwest Houston chapter and went on to serve as president of the group’s larger Houston chapter and regional vice president. He currently serves on the Texas A&M Civil Engineering Advisory Board and is chairman of the board of the Texas Engineering Foundation. Cobb was recognized as Houston’s Engineer of the Year in 2019, and the city and county of Harris designated February 22 of that year as “Harold Cobb, PE, Day.” He has also been named a member of the Society of American Military Engineers.
Cobb says, “I’ve been very blessed in my career.”
