"I spent 20 years in the Navy, managing shore facilities," recalled David Hathaway, project manager for Sodexho Marriott Services (Avon, CT). "So, being in the service, I changed jobs every three years. As the new guy on the block, it didn't take long to figure out that you couldn't just come in and change things. You had to come in, observe, and try to figure out what's workable."
That basic principle flowed through this year's winning entry like a breath of 100% outdoor air. Hathaway's "participatory management style," as described by The Ritchie Organization's application (TRO, Newton, MA), set the tone for an impressive degree of cooperation by a multitude of companies working toward a common goal at Saint Mary's Health Services (Grand Rapids, MI).