We are excited to shine a spotlight on Leslie Hollaway, the visionary behind Hollaway Environmental + Communications Services, Inc.
Leslie began her journey with the company now known as Hollaway over 17 years ago… In 2007, Leslie was hired as an associate-level communications specialist to support the METRO Solutions Light Rail Transit Expansion. Leslie spent the first few years of her consulting career focused on community outreach and education related to METRO’s mass transit services throughout Harris County. During this time, she was granted the opportunity to build a community outreach department within the company that was previously focused on environmental services only. And — believe it or not — one of Leslie’s first hires was our award-winning Art Director Greg Sevcik (who recently celebrated 15 years with Hollaway!).
After several years of serving METRO exclusively, Leslie and the community outreach team took the opportunity to branch out and serve new and different clients. Before long, Leslie was working on behalf of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to deliver the Addicks and Barker Dam Safety Program, as well as leading several significant community engagement efforts led by the Harris County Flood Control District, TxDOT, PortHouston, and others. It was during this time that Leslie began to realize her success as a team builder, problem solver, and entrepreneur.
After five years of consulting, Leslie transitioned into management and leadership roles at the company, learning from and working alongside the company founders. During this time, Leslie worked with professional management coaches, attended training seminars, completed countless hours of personal development courses, formed connections with industry mentors, and read every book she could find relating to company acquisition, entrepreneurship, and running small businesses. All the while, she continued to build the business and position the company for success through opportunities with large‑scale clients, such as the Texas General Land Office.
In 2016, Leslie entered a long-term agreement with the company’s founders to purchase the company into which she’d spent almost a decade pouring her energy, time, heart, and soul. The purchase of the well-respected “little company that could” was completed in 2019, and — shortly thereafter — she rebranded the company as the Hollaway we know it as today.
Under Leslie’s leadership and in the last five years, the company has tripled its staff and expanded services statewide, with offices in Houston and San Antonio. In 2021, Leslie chose to share ownership and partner with two dedicated employees, our Chief Operating Officer Claire Garvin, and our Chief People Officer Jennifer Smith, in order to best serve our clients, our team members, and the long-term vitality of this vibrant company.
Leading the team at Hollaway is and continues to be one of the greatest honors of Leslie’s life. When she’s not wearing her “CEO hat” or working to support our region’s biggest infrastructure projects, Leslie enjoys spending time with her two daughters, traveling, taking photos for fun, and writing her memoir.
