When I think of Father’s Day, I think of everything from playing catch and grilling burgers to having someone pick you up when you fall and fixing everything that breaks even when you think it’s unfixable. As I sat down and thought about what fatherhood means to me, I couldn’t help but think about all the father-son duos we have at Timmons Group when one in particular duo came to mind: Dexter and Dawson Howell.
After talking with the Howells, I quickly learned a lot about their dynamic, not just as father and son but also as colleagues at the same firm. Their journeys that led them here may be different, but it was clear Dexter passed down his same work ethic and values to Dawson along the way.
Dexter’s path to civil engineering was anything but conventional. Before beginning his career in the AEC industry, Dexter started out in the printing business, making the decision to switch career paths later in life while working and raising a family. “In my 30s, I decided to make a big change and went back to school at Wake Tech, where I earned an associate degree in civil engineering. Juggling school, work, and having two young kids at home was challenging, but it was a change that turned out to be very beneficial,” Dexter says. Now, as a principal at the firm, Dexter is guiding and shaping the next generation of civil engineers.
Following his long-time colleague, Keith Roberts, Dexter joined Timmons Group’s Raleigh residential team a decade ago. “I started working with Keith 17 years ago and made the decision to move to Timmons Group with him because it felt like the right career choice,” Dexter explains. Specializing in the residential sector, complemented by commercial experience, Dexter’s expertise includes site and civil design, stormwater management, grading, and specific experience with the entitlement process.
“Earning my associate degree changed my life forever in a very positive way. It’s wild to think about it now,” he says. “I was taking a survey class when I met Keith, and we’ve stuck together ever since. Now, I’m passing along what I’ve learned to my son and other young professionals, and it feels great.”
Dexter’s path paved the way for his son Dawson, now a party chief on our Wilmington survey team. “About four or five years ago, I was figuring out what to do for work over the summer. I was looking for something more unique that could turn into a career path for me,” Dawson said. After talking through many options with his dad, Dexter suggested the land surveying team at Timmons Group. A few phone calls later, Dawson spoke with a licensed surveyor on our Raleigh team about what a career in land surveying entails and “the rest is history.”
In Between interning with Timmons Group’s survey team over the summers, Dawson was working to earn a Bachelor of Science in coastal engineering from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), the first bachelor’s program of its kind in the country. “I graduated in December of 2022 and was in the inaugural class of UNCW’s coastal engineering program. I interned until I graduated, and then I got one full year under my belt as a full-time instrument operator.”
Working with his father, Dawson has found great value in having a knowledgeable resource in the family for engineering-related questions. “There are things I encounter in the field that I take home and discuss with my dad,” Dawson says. “He’s a great resource for me to pick his brain on various aspects of the engineering side.”
On the other hand, Dexter enjoys living vicariously through Dawson’s photos featuring the wildlife and field sites he encounters as a surveyor in Wilmington. “He gets to live a little bit outdoors through me with all the photos I send him of our environment in the field.”
From starting in the world of paper business to becoming a principal of the firm, Dexter looks back on his unique career path with pride as he sees his son and his team advancing in their professions. “After 17 years in the industry, watching my team grow in their careers excites me. It’s unique the way it’s worked out for me, and now I’m guiding my team on what I’ve learned and watching them grow professionally.”
When asked about their plans for Father’s Day, Dexter and Dawson said they look forward to spending time together. “I know for sure I’ll be hanging out with him. I’ll probably chase him wherever he goes,” Dawson jokes.
As our interview came to a close, Dawson surprised his dad with an early Father’s Day present and thanked him for being a great role model in his life. “Having him go back to school at Wake Tech to chase his associate degree is a story that has stuck with me and inspired me. He let me realize that a lot of work is involved in getting where you need to be in life, and you have to put forth the effort. He’s been a role model for me and always taught me to take pride in my work. That’s how he got to where he is, and that’s something that sticks with me, taking pride in my work.”
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