Harrington Group, Inc. Names Angie Fuqua and Nolan McCarthy Principal Owners
Harrington Group is proud to announce that two of our esteemed fire protection engineers, Angie Fuqua and Nolan McCarthy, have been promoted to the position of Principal and become owners by acquiring shares in the corporation. Both Angie and Nolan have distinguished themselves through their talent in the field, leadership skills, and entrepreneurial spirit. Keep reading to get to know our newest owners!
Angie Fuqua
A graduate of Texas A&M University (B.S. Industrial Engineering) and Worcester Polytechnic Institute (M.S. Fire Protection Engineering), Angie has been in the fire protection industry for 23 years.
“I like that it touches various aspects of all the other engineering disciplines,” she says. “Fire protection engineers are involved with all the other engineering disciplines, because we look at their systems through the lens of fire and explosion hazards.”
While cross-disciplinary collaboration makes the work interesting and rewarding, Angie says it can also make things complicated. Fire protection engineers aren’t always “looped in” at appropriate times, she says, which can add a layer of challenges when it comes to complying with so many codes and standards.
“Because fire protection engineering covers such a large expanse of knowledge, no one can know it all. You have to know the limits of your knowledge and practice within your competencies.”
Angie joined the Harrington Group team in April of 2015, and she’s grateful for the opportunity to have input and influence on the direction of the company into the future.
“I love the way the company operates with integrity and trust, because those characteristics are in harmony with my personal belief system,” she says. “I feel good about being part-owner of a small business that provides good jobs for people, and I am really excited about the opportunity to keep building on what Jeff Harrington has created and what all the owners have developed together over the last 31 years.”
In her spare time, Angie loves to travel with her family and read.
Nolan McCarthy
The son of a firefighter, Nolan was drawn to the world of fire protection from a young age. He worked as a seasonal firefighter during his college summers, and his undergraduate degree from Oklahoma State University (B.S. in Fire Protection & Safety) gave him a lot of hands-on training in safety and sprinkler work.
“I think my favorite aspect [of the field] is the way fire protection touches on so many things within the built environment,” he says, noting that the work involves collaborating with civil, mechanical, electrical, structural, and architectural engineers. “The fire protection engineer is most commonly focused on fire safety challenges in the built environment. This isn’t to say we’re experts in all areas, but for me, I like how a fire protection engineer needs to be involved/knowledgeable in as many areas as possible to be truly effective and provide the unique value that we do.”
Nolan started with Harrington in May 2014, and he completed his Master of Science in Fire Protection Engineering at California Polytechnic State University in 2015. Ownership has been on his radar for years, but he says it’s not the finish line for him, and he anticipates being in “learning mode” for the immediate future.
“This is really just the beginning,” Nolan says. “It will be incumbent upon me to develop myself as an owner and leader, so I can be an effective part of the leadership team of HGI for years to come.”
When he’s not working, Nolan can be found hanging out with his family (he has a three-year-old and a one-year-old), watching sports, or playing golf.
Jeff Harrington, founder and CEO of Harrington Group, Inc., is very confident on the future of the firm. “Angie and Nolan are both exceptional engineers and people. I am thrilled that they have become Owners and will continually improve and strengthen the firm alongside me and the other Owners. Through this process, they will add their DNA to Harrington Group and help shape its future, which they will help to ensure is very bright indeed.”