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When Ali Khataw isn’t in Austin, he is often roaming the African Serengeti toting his camouflaged telephoto lens while teaching others how to see and capture the image of a lifetime. Photography and education are both longtime passions for Khataw, an engineering CEO and influential figure in local economic development.
Khataw acquired an affinity for built structures from his father, who worked in construction and moved the family frequently as projects took him to places such as Bangladesh, Hong Kong and England.
As founder and head of Encotech Engineering Consultants Inc., Khataw has contributed to projects such as the Pfluger Bridge over Lady Bird Lake, the Zach Theatre and the Austin Central Library.
Khataw came to the U.S. in 1980 to attend college. With the ink still wet on his University of Texas diploma, he knocked on doors applying for jobs until Grady Wooldridge of D&W Enterprises answered and hired him on the spot. This sparked a lifelong friendship that eventually led to Khataw becoming an American citizen and owner of his own engineering firm. Not only did Wooldridge sponsor Khataw‘s immigration, but when hard times forced Wooldridge to shutter his own business, he gifted his protege with office furnishings and equipment, along with six months left on a prepaid lease.
Throughout his career, Khataw has served on dozens of boards and special committees. He is currently active in eight organizations including as 2023 board chair for the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce. He's been a member of the Austin Area Research Organization the longest and considers the people he has served with over his decade there to be like mentors. Khataw now feels it is his turn to share his wisdom with the next generation.
A conversation with his daughter a few years ago was the impetus for combining his passion for photography with his desire to give back and build community. The idea started with a website and has spawned photo safari workshops in Africa, which Khataw does in partnership with Austin-based Fair Trade Safaris. He has recently added workshops to teach street photography. The list of amateur photographers signing up for workshops has grown by word-of-mouth, ensuring plenty of donations for the future. As with his own award-winning photos, all profits from these workshops are donated to wildlife conservation and local communities.
This year, Khataw is launching an internal company award called the ”Grady Wooldridge Paying Forward Award” to shine light on staff and their stories of helping others.
Khataw wants everyone to know "the American Dream is still alive. You just have to work really hard and put in your full 100% to make it work."
When did you become an American citizen? 1995 — five years after I came back to the U.S. on a permanent residency visa. I arrived with a net worth of $3,000, my wife and 6-month-old son. My Pakistani passport has been sitting in a drawer and it's never been renewed since I became a U.S. citizen.
How do you decide which organizations to spend your time with? Education and workforce development are my passions. And those are also my priorities at the chamber. For all other boards, my litmus test is my heart.
Describe your average day and week. One-third CEO, one-third community, one-third photo. My day is not eight hours, my day is 12 hours because I am reading company emails at 11 o'clock at night. The weekends are for my family completely.
What's your strongest character trait? Building bridges and connections for the greater good of others.
What have you learned and refined through the years that has improved your business? So I was very controlling — "it's my way or the highway" kind of approach. And then I took Leadership Austin in 2009 and it changed me completely. I became more collaborative. I run my company on an entrepreneurial operating system as defined by a book called "Traction." It’s a completely collaborative model.
What is your most effective time-management tactic? Having an executive assistant.
What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made in business? Should have had civil engineering as one of our services.
What has contributed to your successes? My parents' prayers; persistence and integrity.
Describe a time when persistence paid off. During the bootstrapping years starting Encotech, I was trying to transition from residential to commercial work and prospective clients wouldn't hire me, due to lack of experience. I'm a man of faith, and that day, I prayed. During the night, I got this flashbulb in my head. So I drafted up a proposal that included a clause that stated the client did not have to pay me if not satisfied with my services — no questions asked. I’m proud to say that I never had a client invoke that clause. [That clause has since been removed from proposals.]
If you could work on any project, what would it be? I'd like aviation work, terminals. I travel a lot and have an affinity for airports. How they're planned out, how they're designed, the experience of travel. My favorite right now is the new airport in Turkey. Beautifully designed; has a flare — actual plants and trees growing inside.
You designed and built your dream home, what features are you most proud of? I came across a piece of land that was on the side of a hill in Westlake that wasn’t selling. Being a structural engineer, I knew I could build there. I made an offer that was accepted immediately. The feature that resonates with me is the feng shui of the house. I love as people are entering the house, they pass by water: looking through the house is a view of the Hill Country beyond the infinity-edge pool.
What advice do you find yourself repeating? In mentoring: chase your passion, but consider its economic sustainability. In economic development: Look at the greater good. Don’t be polarized when making decisions.
What is your favorite restaurant in Austin? Uchi.
Is there any restaurant here with food that reminds you of Pakistan? Zaviya Grill.
Best place to meet for networking? The Headliners Club.
What’s your favorite thing about Austin? It’s a great place to raise a family and start a business.
Least favorite thing about Austin? Lack of infrastructure and transportation.
What was the last book you read? "The Suffering of Light" by photographer Alex Webb.
Ali Khataw
Titles: CEO, Encotech Engineering Consultants; 2023 chairman, Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce; founder, Ali Khataw's Photo Philanthropy
Age: 63
Birthplace: Karachi, Pakistan ("Since I lived only eight to nine years in Pakistan, I consider home to be USA.")
Education: Bachelor's degree in civil engineering, University of Texas at Austin
Family: Wife, Nahid; son, Zain, and daughter, Salva
Email: Ali.Khataw@eec-tx.com
Phone: 512-796-9510
Austin office: Engineering billings 2022
| Rank | Prior Rank | Business name (Prior rank) |
|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Kimley-Horn |
2 | 2 | AECOM |
3 | 3 | BGE Inc. |
