Experience
“Honestly, if I wasn’t an engineer I don’t know what I’d do. I really enjoy being an engineer – it’s who I am.”
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Influence
I grew up on a family farm in a town of 800 people, so there were no mechanics. You were the mechanic. My father went to school for civil engineering and approached everything with an engineering mindset. We worked on everything ourselves. Some of my earliest memories on the farm are of working on stuff.
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Excellence
At Dunham we strive for excellence. We know that providing excellent customer service starts with trust. And trust is hard earned and easy to lose. That’s why we never shy away from a challenge and have long-term clients we’ve been working with for decades on all their engineering needs. It’s a good feeling to walk into a building and have people be genuinely happy that you’re there. It’s more than just a job. Client relationships become more than work; you learn about their lives, their families, and their hobbies. The Dunham Difference comes down to earning the trust of our clients and striving for excellence every day. Afterall, you are what you do.
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Leadership
It comes down to being authentic. To be a good leader, you need to be upfront and honest with your clients and team. Do what you say and be a person of your word. I always strive for continuous improvement and try to encourage others to do the same. We understand our goals as a team and what it takes to achieve our goals together. Making sure every person knows they’re more than just a cog in the machine by encouraging a sense of ownership and responsibility in achieving our goals.
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Mindset
Every day I approach projects with the mindset that we’re here for the owner. Understanding what will make a project successful for all stakeholders on the owner’s end makes the difference in the success of a project. Being an advocate for the owner and always putting myself in the shoes of their facilities staff. The best thing you can hear as a mechanical engineer is about the stuff that just works. Ultimately, what we design in a building is hidden in ceilings or below the floor, so we get one shot to get it right. This is why it’s so important to always think from the owner’s perspective and meet stakeholder goals.