How long have you been in the industry? How long have you been at DEI?
I started in the construction industry by doing office/laborer work for the South East Washington North East Oregon Sheet Metal Training Trust when I was a junior in high school. I’ve been doing design work now for 3 years and have been at DEI for a year and half.
Where did you go to school/receive your training?
I did my undergrad at the University of Washington which got me into internships with the State Bridge Inspectors and the University District Light Rail Project.
What projects are you currently working on?
I’m working on a few high-end residential remodels and finishing up some Construction Support work on an Apartment fire loss in Everett and a Precast-Concrete Clad Building for Washington State University.
What was your first job?
My first job was a little league umpire for girls’ softball. I did it to help pay for my summer league sports camps. What was nice about it was because I lived in a small community, I actually personally knew a lot of the coaches and parents so I used to get some jarring from the peanut gallery, but it was all in good fun.
What is your favorite thing about being a structural engineer?
I enjoy how different every project is. Solutions are rarely cookie cutter. While concepts in structural engineering are universal and the practice has been around forever, there is more than one way to skin a cat and just because a certain design has been used historically doesn’t mean that it can’t be improved or the method of arriving there can’t be stream lined.
What is your favorite sports team?
I’m a Seattle sports fan so the Mariners and the Hawks. If I had to choose though I would love to see the Mariners make the playoffs. I feel like I’m not asking that much.
Where is your favorite place to vacation?
My family has a little beach cabin on the Washington Coast, and we’ve been going there since I was a kid. It’s like a second home at this point. We usually try to make a deep sea fishing trip at least once a year while we’re over there.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
My superpower would most likely be teleportation. Living and working in the same area wouldn’t be a problem. You could live wherever you wanted knowing the commute is never very long. I guess you could also rob banks like that movie jumper but as far as you know I wouldn’t do that.
