Sain Associates joins Professional Engineers from around the world in celebrating Professional Engineers Day on August 4th. On this sixth annual Professional Engineers Day, we want to raise awareness about what it means to be a Professional Engineer and show appreciation for the work they do each day. To be a Professional Engineer means that you have the appropriate education and experience to be responsible for engineering work, and you conduct yourself according to a professional canon of ethics. I’ve been blessed to work all over the country on some fun and important projects. One of the highlights in my career is the many relationships and friendships that I have made along the way. There are so many people that I work with, co-workers and clients alike, who have blessed my life. I hope I have impacted them the way they have me.
Here at Sain, we are proud to have 24 professional engineers licensed in 23 states. As our employees pursue their Professional Engineer license, we support them throughout the process and encourage them to participate in training and seek help from mentors. We asked several of our owners and leadership team members a few questions about being a Professional Engineer:
What does it mean to you to be a Professional Engineer?
“Someone once told me that passing the Professional Engineer exam
was something that no one could ever take away from you. I’ll always remember
that. I’ve had mine for nearly 20 years, but I remember the moment when I
opened the envelope to read the results like it was yesterday. It means the
world to me to be involved in creating solutions that make things safer and
more efficient for people.”
– Jeff Stephenson, PE, PTOE, Traffic Team Leader / Associate
“Being a Professional Engineer means that others have placed their
trust in me. I have the responsibility to make decisions and prepare designs
that will have a positive impact on the safety and quality of life of the
communities I’m working in, so I take that responsibility very seriously.”
– Nathan Currie, PE, Project Manager
/ Associate
Why did you pursue your professional licensure?
“Growing up, my father worked for the Tennessee Department of
Transportation, and he would tell me stories about various construction
projects. When I went to college, I was fascinated by roadway construction and spent
my summers working on highway and bridge construction sites. After graduation,
I was compelled to utilize my construction experience and college education to
create safe designs for the public.”
– Richard Holt, PE, Tennessee Branch Manager
“Earlier in my career, I worked for a minority business owner who
excelled at business development but did not have his professional license,
which led to situations where he had to pay outside Professional Engineers to
seal the plans we produced. I realized that all the hours I worked for this
company would not count towards my professional license, which required me to
look for other employment. This experience reinforced the importance of
professional licensing, and I have made it a point to encourage my mentees to
pursue their professional license, particularly if they plan to work in design
long-term.”
– Paul Gilliam, PE, PTOE, Sr. Project Manager / Associate
Please share the top highlight of your career:
“A top
highlight includes my work with the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
to advocate for infrastructure improvements for the State as well as
legislation that has been important to our professional practice. My favorite
work has been industrial and economic development projects because we see the
long-term benefit of job creation and capital investment. Another top highlight
is our firm being the City Engineer for my hometown of Irondale.”
– Joe Meads, PE, Sr. Principal
“Over
the last twenty years, I have had a lot of highlights, including graduating
college, obtaining my Professional Engineer license, several promotions,
completing large, complicated projects, and winning project awards. I get a great
sense of pride whenever I get to tell my children, “Hey kids, Mom designed this
road we are driving on.” My most recent highlight was becoming an owner at Sain
Associates. It was a huge decision for me and one that I prayed about and
discussed with my husband. After years of running my department and learning
about the company’s business side, I felt prepared to become an owner and also knew
I had a lot to learn. Becoming an owner has been the right decision for me. I
was very humbled and appreciative of being recognized and celebrated.”
– Alicia Bailey, PE, Practice Leader / Sr. Principal
“One
highlight of my career was when I was elected as the President of the American
Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Alabama Chapter. It was an honor to
serve the organization for twelve years.”
– Harry Wilson, PE, Huntsville Branch Manager