From Two Founders to 2,000+ Employees: Trey Dawson and the Pape-Dawson Story | Ep. 10

In this episode of Breaking Ground SA, Stephanie Reyes and Rob Killen sit down with Trey Dawson, President of Pape-Dawson Engineers, one of San Antonio's most established and respected civil engineering firms. Trey is a third-generation leader of a company his grandfather co-founded in 1965 with $6,000, a six-month runway, and a Sunday school connection that barely kept the doors open.What started as a two-man land development firm has grown into a 2,000-person operation now active in 10 states, built on a simple mission: not to be the biggest, but to be the most respected.This is a conversation about family legacy, what it really takes to scale a company without losing its culture, and why San Antonio remains one of the best places in the country to build something.In this episode:(01:53) How Pape-Dawson was founded in 1965 with $6,000, a six-month runway, and a Sunday school connection that saved the company(08:26) Why staying in one market for 40 years was a risk and how diversification changed everything(17:32) The math behind expanding beyond Texas and why the organic growth model breaks down at 1,000 employees(18:56) How Pape Dawson protects its culture through M&A by partnering with firms that already share their values(22:12) What Trey learned about leadership from his grandfather, father, and uncle and why being seen matters as much as doing good work(23:21) His time chairing the Metro SA Chamber during COVID, including the gala he never got, and what leading RECSA taught him about himself(29:48) Why San Antonio punches above its weight as a place to do business and what local agencies need to hear(32:32) Rapid fire: steakhouse rankings with his kids, the Spurs playoff game he skipped for the lake, and why he'd be a real estate agent if engineering wasn't an optionLinks and ResourcesPape-Dawson Engineers: https://www.pape-dawson.com/Real Estate Council of San Antonio: https://www.recsa.orgGreater SATX: https://www.greatersatx.comSponsor Links:IRC Capital Residential: https://www.investmentrealty.comPodcast Production Services by https://EveryWord.Media#SanAntonio #BreakingGroundSA #RealEstate