Farewell, with appreciation and gratitude to retiring Eamon Timoney

After 35 years, Eamon Timoney, founder, leader, CEO, Managing Director, and colleague, will retire at the end of this month.

Eamon’s career has been an extraordinary one that has spanned over 6 decades. He graduated in 1976 with an honour’s degree in Civil Engineering from University College Dublin. Since then, he became a Chartered Engineer with the Institute of Civil Engineers, a chartered member of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, a Fellow of Engineers Ireland, a Fellow of the Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland, and he was also the President of the Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland.

He worked in and excelled in all areas of the business over the years. He worked on industrial projects in the pharma-chem industry, renewable energy, wastewater and waste sectors. He worked on major infrastructure projects in transportation and had a love of structures and bridges.  He is also an expert in the areas of solid waste management, regulatory compliance, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement and project management.

However, all that experience isn’t what makes him exceptional. What makes him exceptional are his leadership qualities. He managed the company with integrity, self-awareness, selflessness, courage, respect, compassion, and resilience. He was agile and hardworking. He positively influenced, coached, and mentored all of us that have had the pleasure working with him and for him. He encouraged teamwork and collaboration, and he acknowledged and was always grateful and proud of everyone’s support, hard work, contributions and achievements year on year. He recognised the importance of leading by example, of having and valuing a great team, of having stimulating and challenging work – always looking to the horizon for blue oceans. He also believed in the value of delivering excellence to our clients and placed a high value on clients that were not only good for the company but also good to the team. All of Eamon’s attributes and values founded the culture that we still have today in FT.

It is during a crisis that someone’s true leadership character comes to the fore. One event that truly reflects Eamon’s character, was how he responded to the economic crash of 2008. Eamon proved himself to be the most selfless of leaders and a lighthouse in a dark storm for many of us. He prioritised his staff and their families above all else. He did everything in his power to ensure they had a job and that they had an income. He moved to Saudi Arabia and established a new company to keep the team in Ireland working. He also stepped in and stepped up as the President of the ACEI and was the voice for consulting engineers during one of the industries darkest and damaging times. Eamon’s leadership ultimately saved the company, and FT would not be here today if it was not for him.

So, on Friday 13^th December, we partied like it was 1989! To celebrate Eamon’s extraordinary career, those that started his FT journey with him and lived it by his side, joined the team for a befitting send-off and a wonderful night of craic, laughter and dancing!

On retiring Eamon said “I was very fortunate throughout my career to have worked with and learned from many great engineers and great scientists , along the way learning the importance of environmental sustainability. Taking that learning to the Middle East when times were lean. Working with great international partners at home and abroad. It has been an amazing journey for me but a great team in FT continues after me on their journey.”

Eamon, from all of us to you, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to you for building a fantastic company with a culture and values founded and inspired by you.

Wishing you the very best as you embark on your retirement. It’s been a privilege working with you.

Sinéad Timoney
Chief Operating Operator