In a new episode of the Rock Solid: Round Rock Business Leaders Podcast, host Bryan Eisenberg speaks with Ali Khataw, CEO of Incoteq Engineering and a Round Rock Chamber board member, about his journey from arriving alone in the United States to leading a 45-person firm that has operated for 35 years. The episode, titled "Ali Khataw | From Immigrant Entrepreneur to Community Leader," released October 20, 2026, offers lessons in resilience, leadership, and the value of community trusteeship that extend far beyond engineering.
Khataw's story matters because it illustrates how immigrant entrepreneurs can drive economic growth and community development. After enrolling at the University of Arkansas and launching Encotech in 1990, he scaled the firm from a solo practice into a mechanical, electrical, and structural engineering powerhouse behind notable projects such as the Austin Central Library, the Butterfly Bridge, and Zachary Scott Theater. His experience demonstrates that strategic pivots—like the advice from former Goodwill Industries CEO Jerry Davis to take a pay cut, stop designing, and focus on business development—can unlock growth and create jobs.
The conversation also highlights the importance of integrity in business. Khataw shares a core value from his father: "If money is lost, nothing is lost because you can always make it up. If health is lost, something is lost. But if integrity is lost, everything is lost." This principle has guided his leadership across boards in Central Texas, including chairing the Austin Chamber of Commerce and participating in Leadership Austin's 2009 class on collaborative thinking and community trusteeship.
Beyond business, Khataw's photojournalism and philanthropy underscore the human connection that threads through his career. He discusses documenting communities in Oaxaca, Mexico, Pakistan, Cuba, Tanzania, and Kenya, including his LFI magazine feature on transgender communities in Pakistan and a Tono magazine piece titled "Hands That See" about a blind Oaxacan sculptor. These stories reveal how business leaders can use their platforms to amplify marginalized voices and foster cross-cultural understanding.
Khataw also previews an upcoming workshop trip to Tanzania and Kenya with Fair Trade Safaris CEO Saurabh Katipal, where proceeds will support a wildlife conservation group working with elephants and education funding for a young woman in Tanzania. This initiative exemplifies how entrepreneurship can be a force for global good.
For listeners, the episode offers actionable insights on scaling a firm, embracing visibility, and learning from failure. Khataw's emphasis on volunteerism—through a firm-wide points competition that rewarded volunteer hours rather than board seats or donations, earning Incoteq a small business win from Austin Gives—shows how companies can embed service into their culture. Ultimately, his story is a testament to the enduring value of immigrant grit and the transformative power of integrity-driven leadership.
