Defining the Legacy

Everyone is bound to their own legacy. God provides us with one life, and the opportunity to understand and achieve our purpose through Him during our time here on the earth. I remember going through my graduate program and one of my professors proposed a question, “what is your why?” At the time, I was baffled because I had never been asked the question before, I figured I was living out my dreams and that's all that mattered. I had the opportunity to play college football, serve my country, construct different cool civil projects and most importantly be a dad. What more could you ask for, right?

I knew there was more, everything that I mentioned was of earthy things and so focused on “ME.”  I was consumed with going through everyday life being a doer, always thinking about the next assignment, task or thing I can accomplish. It caused me to slow down and reflect and question whether I had been truly living out my greater purpose or had I been going through the motions. Some people may not know how they want to spend their lives or better yet who they are or what they represent, and that’s okay. Just know you represent something far greater than yourself. I wasn't the creator of my last name, the name was given to me, and it has always been my job to represent the name with dignity and respect.  

I grew up in a low-income family; my mom and her brothers always told me the only way to survive in this world and gain respect from others is by having a strong work ethic. You go out and take what you want; in the form of educating yourself and work ethic, and you never let anyone out work you because those are things you can control. I remember as a kid driving around and seeing different projects being constructed thinking everyone was a genius at the time but wondering how I could do that one day too. I knew right away what I wanted to do but didn't have any idea of what it took to get there, I just knew once I got there no one was out working me.  

Family taught me love, respect, hard work and practical skills to maneuver throughout life. Sports taught me teamwork, dedication, resilience and how to compete. The military gave me leadership skills and taught me the true meaning of being a person of high character and understanding that as a leader you may not have all the answers, but you have the research capabilities to find the answer.  God is my creator who put me here to fulfill His purpose and equipped me with the tools to do so, preparing me to serve Him by leading. Leading is a challenge because every person and contractor is different but as a leader you have to really understand personnel and the situation. I use the crawl, walk and run phase when I am leading. It is like raising a toddler, a baby has to crawl before they can walk. You must understand what everyone's strong suit and weakness is and focus on their weakness to become more well-rounded.  Failure is never an option, if they fail; it is because I failed them as a leader. I apply the same concept when managing construction projects. Sometimes I take the hard approach and other times I take the softer approach; it all depends on who/what I am dealing with but in the end, it always ends with respect and the task at hand has been accomplished. You have to meet people where they’re at. Learn the leadership styles people are comfortable with and effectively lead individuals with that in mind.  

Construction is my passion; I love waking up every day knowing I am about to face a new challenge and that I have the ability to affect change. I often get asked why I work so hard. First, it's because I feel like it's my purpose. Second, I am representing my family name. Third, it's because I love what I do. Lastly, it's because the firm entrusted me to do a job, and I take great pride in representing those who stamp their signatures on the plans by being a problem solver and building their design into a reality.  

I have worn many hats throughout my career that I am able to apply here at EHRA; whether it's been on the consulting side, contracting or even the owner side of the business. My work ethic, passion and a wide range of experience have prepared me for the role I am in today. Through the many different civil disciplines I have managed over the years, and although they have all been special to me, I am most passionate about Water/Wastewater. I have managed over 200 plus water/wastewater projects over my career, and all different and all had their own set of problems that needed to be overcome. Doing the hard things is what makes me go.  

As the Senior Construction Project Manager, I have been given the opportunity to lead, build and grow the construction group within the Water & Wastewater Management team, an opportunity that I have been very grateful for. It allows me to assist the design teams as they are designing, answering any construction-related questions they may have or just passing on my years of experience to them to help gain a new perspective.  I am here to be a servant to them. It has provided me with another purpose and another task to conquer and an opportunity to leave a legacy here at EHRA long after I am gone. It is not just me, I have an amazing team, and we all work together and it's my responsibility to ensure they have everything needed to be successful. I don’t believe in creating workers, I believe in creating leaders, the ship shouldn’t sink if I am not here, it’s important that they know all that I know. Not just delegating but walking with them, leading from the front. I’ll get dirty with you and I’ll be there to catch you before you fall.  No matter what, I will be with my team every step of the way.  

When my life is looked on after I’m long gone, I want to be known as a child of God, selfless servant, a hard worker and a family man. EHRA Engineering is my family away from my family. Construction is my home away from home. Working is my work life balance because it’s what I love to do, it's one of the gifts God provided me. I want to continue to grow, continue to lead and to continue to inspire. Everything I have been taught and all the tools I have been equipped with have been passed along to my daughter. My daughter is a junior in high school and is on pace to major in Civil Engineering as she attends college. She is the future of this country’s infrastructure, and I assure you she understands the importance of the role she will embark on. Failure doesn't make you a bad leader, not trying does. Always leave the legacy intact, represent your last name, understand your “why” and cowboy on!