Chris Goslin, Refrigeration Engineering Director, Honored with 2022 ICS Award
Chris Goslin may be a director of Cushing Terrell’s Refrigeration Engineering team, but there’s not a cold shoulder in sight when it comes to his relationships with team members, partners, and clients. As the 2022 recipient of the firm’s Integrity and Client Service (ICS) Award, Chris has demonstrated the utmost care for his clients and their projects.
The phrase consistently associated with Chris is “going above and beyond,” and he demonstrates this in all ways, from mentoring team members and ensuring they have the skills to be successful, to being there for his clients, no matter the time or day, to keep projects on track, problem solve, and ensure peace of mind. Chris inspires confidence and camaraderie in his team and his clients and for this, and so many reasons you’ll read about below, he could not be more deserving of the ICS Award.
The Integrity and Client Service Award is the highest annual honor bestowed upon a Cushing Terrell team member. Nicknamed “The Geno” after 57-year-tenured Gene Kolstad, the award is presented in December with a cash prize. Colleagues are nominated from across the firm, and the winner is judged on their excellence in three categories: honesty, compassion, and responsiveness.
Chris and his family pose with “The Geno” during the award presentation ceremony.
Chris joined Cushing Terrell in 2009 and is a refrigeration design expert and associate. He co-leads the firm’s refrigeration design and engineering discipline, specializing in large-scale refrigeration systems for major U.S. grocery chains and cold storage distribution centers. This work is a critical piece of the services we provide our retail and industrial clients, with a portfolio of more than 2,000 commercial refrigeration design projects and groundbreaking work in terms of energy efficient, natural solutions.
With 20 team members located in Idaho and Montana, Chris and co-lead Nick Doherty support refrigeration design for all types of projects, from new systems to upgrades and retrofits for buildings of every size, shape, and functionality.
With his high-profile clients and responsibility for critical systems, Chris is known for putting his clients first and always finding a way to get things done, even when a clear solution is not always apparent. He is someone who can take on the “hard tasks” by stepping up and owning every aspect, while ensuring project timelines and budgets are met. He is a well-rounded, service-oriented professional with top-notch communications skills. He is a relationship builder, collaborative partner, calm under pressure, and confident in his own abilities and the abilities of his team.
Chris was born and raised in Emmett, Idaho, and works out of our Caldwell office. When he’s not in the office, he likes to be outside fishing, boating, and enjoying the outdoors with his friends and family, including his wife and three daughters who are following in his footsteps in many ways!
“For many years now, I’ve grown to depend on Chris and his team of engineers for the refrigeration design needs of the Albertsons Intermountain Division. From the smallest case replacements to ground-up new stores, Chris has been our go-to expert for all our refrigeration design needs and questions. Given the success of the implementation of Chris’ designs into our stores, it’s clear he is the best refrigeration engineer I’ve had the pleasure to work with over the course of my career.”
Todd Isom
Director of Construction
Albertsons Companies
What People Say About Chris
“The dedication Chris has put into his career, his knowledge of refrigeration systems, project and team management, and client relationships is such that it makes Chris nearly impossible to replace. But he does not hold onto this knowledge for himself; he is constantly communicating these experiences to team members, creating documents or processes for others to follow, and stepping into the designer role to work through a difficult problem. He is extremely passionate about growing the baseline knowledge for the entire refrigeration group.”
Nick Doherty
Associate Principal | Refrigeration Engineering Director
Cushing Terrell
“From day one, Chris went above and beyond expectation in taking the time not only to teach me the refrigeration design process but also to teach me the importance of client service, a strong work ethic, and working as a team. Throughout the 20-plus years of having Chris as my mentor, he has continued to dedicate his time to helping me develop as a team lead and always lead by example. Chris goes the extra mile to ensure things are done the right way and that client service and a quality product are always the priority, which can be seen in the way clients respect what we do and the work those clients continue to push to Cushing Terrell.”
Tony Ytuarte
Refrigeration Designer
Cushing Terrell
“Honesty might be one of Chris’ strongest character traits but responsiveness is what sets him apart. Chris is known at a national level as someone who gets done what he says he will. This is something he trains into his teams, and they all have the same approach. They want to get things done on time and done correctly, and at a good value to the client.”
Rob Arthur
Principal | Retail Design Director
Cushing Terrell
“It is clear when working with Chris that he believes every project deserves his best efforts and that he wants to ensure he is putting out the best product possible for the customer. Along with his strong engineering skills, Chris has strong communication and collaboration skills. He has a very good demeanor that allows him to work with anyone across the industry to ensure a quality design is met for any given project.”
Derek Walton
Sales Principal
Hussmann
“The sheer number and variation in projects that Chris and his team have assisted us on over the last year is simply amazing, but what is even more valuable is the ownership he takes in every one of them. I know with Chris, whatever project we put in front of him, no matter how large or small, he puts the same effort into making sure he is acting in the best interest of Albertsons. I often think of him more as an arm of the Albertsons team than as a contracted design engineer.”
Scott Bohn
Sourcing Manager
Albertsons Companies
“Chris and I have been working together a long time and it’s been fun to watch him grow in his career. I know if I need anything, all I need to do is call and we can discuss anything and he would help the best he can by listening first, then work together for moving forward.”
Steve Pietropaoli
Project Manager | Refrigeration Designer
Cushing Terrell
“Chris is a dedicated team member who will go above and beyond in the interest of his team and his clients. No ask is too small or too big, he always finds a path to making the almost impossible possible. That warrior spirit is what sets Chris apart in all his endeavors. Whether solving a challenging load calculation or patiently waiting on the river for the big catch, he’s all in!”
Sheri Blattel
Associate Principal | Retail Design Director
Cushing Terrell
“I have the privilege of working with Chris in our new Caldwell office, so I get to hear what Chris does on a weeknight or a weekend. Chris was taking a much-needed relaxing drive in the foothills around Emmett one evening after work. He came upon several teenagers stranded in their economy car in rough terrain, on a dirt road, no adults, and the kids didn’t know quite what to do to get themselves back home. Chris stepped in — drove back home to get the proper towing equipment, drove back out to them, and towed them directly to their home. He was up late and did not get the relaxing he was looking for — but he looked out for those kids. Chris helps anyone and everyone in need.”
Nicole Dovel-Moore
Associate Principal | Project Manager | Architect
Cushing Terrell
Chris is pictured (center) with members of Cushing Terrell’s leadership team — from left to right: Tim Miller, Josh Hershel, Nick Doherty, Nicole Dovel-Moore, Chris, Rob Arthur, Greg Matthews, Jason Butler, and Jim Armer.
From Chris on Being Honored with the ICS Award
What does the ICS Award represent to you?
The ICS Award represents strong core values and doing business the right way — in my personal experience, this has been the only way to live. When I say the ‘right way,’ I mean having integrity, serving others, and maintaining open lines of communication. This approach makes up the culture at Cushing Terrell, creating an environment that prioritizes client service every day. This award reflects how strong this approach resonates within the company, and I’m proud to be a part of it.
How do you feel about winning the award, and to what do you attribute it?
When I found out I was even nominated, I felt overwhelming excitement and humility. I found myself thinking of the attributes within my team and a prospective outcome for them for the hard work they put forth. With that being said, self-recognition is extremely difficult for me, so it came as a bit of a shock to be nominated for such an award as the ICS.
I attribute winning this award to all the people I am around each day. I will always thank my family, both at home and at Cushing Terrell, before myself. My Cushing Terrell team is like my second family who support me through each project and so much more — for that, I am extremely grateful. Without their mentorship and contributions, I would not be where I am today. This is a tremendous honor to be recognized by my peers and clients.
One thing to always remember; listen before you act, try to understand what people are saying before you jump into action.
You’re on the selection committee now. What will you be looking for in next year’s ICS Award winner?
Being part of the selection committee for the next ICS Award winner will be a rewarding experience. I look forward to learning about fellow CT colleagues — through the words of other team members and clients. At Cushing Terrell, there are so many deserving people who could win this award, but the challenge will be to find the next Geno! I believe someone who displays a strong work ethic, honesty, and is a responsive client leader will be at the core of what is required to win. I cannot wait to see what amazing nominations and testimonies will be submitted.
A Final Note From Cushing Terrell President Greg Matthews
“Chris is the kind of person who will always have your back. You can see from the testimonials submitted for his nomination that this applies to the full spectrum of people he interacts with — friends, family, clients, team members, and even strangers. He’s a good person to have in the world and we’re fortunate to have him and his talents bringing out the best in his team, their projects, and our firm.”
Back in 2008, Cushing Terrell constructed a vision statement to help govern firm goals over the following five years. The effort was driven — and much of the language was crafted — by then-principal and project manager/architect Gene Kolstad out of Cushing Terrell’s Billings office. The list of seven goals dealt largely with issues of integrity, character, and client service. With visions of the Academy Awards and Oscar statuettes dancing in their heads, the ratifying committee dreamed up an annual award to present to the Cushing Terrell employee who most exemplified these ideals.
The accompanying trophy, “The Geno” (after Kolstad, who is noted for his commitment to the principles the award celebrates) was inspired by one of Kolstad’s passions: masonry. Hence, the large, heavy, traveling trophy features Montana-sourced travertine (from the original installation at a long-time client, Billings Clinic) with one of Kolstad’s trowels partially embedded — an homage to the Arthurian legend of the sword in the stone. Staff in the Great Falls office built a “mini Fort Knox” (exceptionally secure) traveling case that safely moves the award from recipient-to-recipient each year.
“Half the fun of bestowing the award is discretely delivering the award case, early, to the respective office, and keeping it under wraps,” former committee member (now-retired) Ken Richardson once said.
The Geno is now presented each December to the winner of the Integrity and Client Service (ICS) Award, alongside a cash prize. A selection committee — dubbed “the Posse” — which always includes the previous year’s recipient, convenes annually to select the winner. Nominees from across the firm are listed in an evaluation tabulation spreadsheet and graded in three categories: honesty, compassion, and responsiveness. The highest score for each category is 30, 50, and 40, respectively, with a total possible high score of 120. Fellow Cushing Terrell team members complete ICS nomination forms, many with attached letters of appreciation from internal and external clients, and send them to the Posse. Their spreadsheet is then populated and the scoring begins.
Former Cushing Terrell Great Falls mechanical engineer Gary Morris was the initial recipient at the end of 2010, and the ICS Award has been presented each year since. Last year, Marni Moore of Cushing Terrell Boise was the winner.
Read more on the history of the concept of “integrity” on the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
