Sounds like a big deal, doesn’t it?  President and owner of a civil engineering design firm.  Well it certainly is a big responsibility – and I don’t for a minute take that lightly.

But I’m still the same guy who nervously applied for a position with Chester County’s Engineering Department right out of college.  Educated with a B.S. in civil engineering from Penn State, I started my career performing bridge safety inspections, structural bridge ratings and designs for bridge repairs for Chester County. I enjoyed the theoretical office work, but also the hands-on field work that I experienced as a resident engineer/inspector for bridge reconstruction projects as well as the bridge maintenance and repairs performed by the County’s own work crew.

I’m also still the same guy that accepted a position a few years later with Fisher Engineering Inc (FEI).  At FEI, my design skills improved as I learned site design, stormwater management, sanitary sewer design, erosion and sediment control, NDPES permitting and a whole host of other site-related skills. We did this work for an even mix of municipal and private clients, giving me exposure to the commercial, residential, industrial and educational industries.

And I haven’t changed much from when I continued my career journey by moving to C.S. Davidson Inc several years later.  Here I not only refined my design skills but became well-versed in the world of municipal consultation.  Subdivision ordinance plan reviews, zoning ordinance re-writes, construction inspection and representation at public meetings almost became second nature. The ability to take a public works or capital infrastructure project from concept to planning to design through final construction was an absolute necessity. Pursuing and administering grants from local, state and federal agencies wasn’t quite as necessary, but my clients sure did appreciate it. After seven years at CSD I was managing a sharp group of 12-13 engineers and technicians who were focused on providing excellent work within the context of great client relationships. All excellent preparation for starting my own firm – which I did in July of 2014 when I formed the Lancaster Civil Engineering Company.

So even though I take my work very seriously and the responsibilities that are inherent with being a civil engineer…and even though I may have the somewhat formidable title of “president”…I believe that anyone who has known me along the way would not have any trouble recognizing me today.  I still love classic rock, laugh way too loud at my own jokes, and make too many fielding errors in softball.

But that’s just fine.  Being genuine and authentic is a big deal to me…a much bigger deal than any title behind my name.