Celebrating Professional Engineers Day

August 7th, 2024

Today marks the ninth annual Professional Engineers Day, a time to raise awareness about what it means to be a professional engineer (PE), recognize PEs, and show appreciation for the work they do each and every day to protect public health, safety, and welfare, according to the National Society of Professional Engineers.

Galloway currently has nearly 70 licensed engineers, ranging from those who have held their PE licenses for years to those who recently received theirs.

To celebrate, we asked a few of our professional engineers what it means to be a PE.

Terra Mortensen, PE
Site Development Project Manager
Fresno Regional Manager | Sr. Associate

“Being a professional engineer means being part of something bigger than myself and the shared purpose that comes from collaborating with others—whether with my team, clients, other consultants, or the communities we serve. For me, it’s about shaping environments where people and ideas flourish, and fostering a team where everyone can grow together. It’s about knowing that our success lies not just in the technical solutions we create, but in the relationships and trust we build along the way.”

John Radcliffe, PE, LEED AP
Sr. Civil Project Manager
Colorado Springs Regional Manager | Principal

“Being a professional engineer means prioritizing public safety in civil design. Engineers must be conscientious, competent, and uphold high ethical standards. We should anticipate impacts others might overlook and consider unasked questions. We must continually seek better solutions and ways to design and construct.

As the saying goes, ‘To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, it’s half empty. To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.’ I add to this quote by saying an engineer must also ask, ‘Is there a reason the glass is twice the size? Are we only halfway through making our drink?’ Engineers must design for today while envisioning the future, paving the way (yes, pun intended) for our industry and communities.”

Robert Giles, PE
Director of Federal Project Development

“I’m a third-generation professional engineer, so from an early age, I think I was destined for this path. I was also always good at math and liked solving problems. To me, being a PE is not just a profession but a chance to help the local community—in my case, the federal government. I enjoyed my 34-year career with the US Army Corps of Engineers. It was a great opportunity to work on various projects across the country and experience large-scale engineering challenges with my peers.

As a PE, I can create, design, collaborate, and oversee a multitude of projects, experiencing them from the conception phase to the final build. I must say, the construction portion was the most fun, especially when I was younger. Before computers, we all knew how to use a T-square and ink pens, which is now something of a lost art.”

Stacy Keiser, PE
Federal Project Manager
Associate

“I am very proud of having had my PE license in civil engineering since 2002 (time flies!).  To me it means that I am a professional who has a strong understanding of engineering principles and has expertise in my chosen field.  On a professional level, I believe it says that I’ve done the work and spent the time to earn the license which gives you more credibility in general by most.  On a personal level, it is an accomplishment that was a goal of mine early in my career and I have a lot of pride in having met that goal.”

Ryan James, PE, CPESC, LEED AP
Sr. Civil Engineering Project Manager
Principal

“Becoming a professional engineer was always a personal goal of mine throughout college and after entering the professional workforce. Being a professional engineer opens the door to incredible opportunities and challenges in design and construction, but it also carries great responsibilities, including understanding the professional engineer’s code of ethics, which emphasizes holding paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public. It’s a rewarding endeavor for those who want to become professional engineers, and I hope our field continues to grow strong in the future.”

Chris Pauley, PE, CFM
Water Resources Team Manager
Associate

“My thoughts on what it means to be a professional engineer are heavily influenced by my education, training, and experience as a civil engineer. However, they can be applicable to most other engineering disciplines as well. The engineer’s overarching goal of protecting and advancing the health, safety, and welfare of the public can be challenging, especially when balancing the sometimes-competing needs of various stakeholders. In addition to the public or society in general, stakeholders can include the natural and built environment, our profession, our clients or employers, and our fellow engineers. All stakeholders’ needs and requirements deserve respect, and balancing those considerations with our technical knowledge to enhance the quality of life for everyone involved is both intriguing and exciting.”

Scott Brown, PE
Sr. Civil Technical Project Manager
Sr. Associate

“Being an engineer, specifically a civil engineer, means that I get to shape everyone’s everyday experience with the environment around them.  Whether they know it or not engineers have shaped their world and how they interact with it or how it interacts with them.  We get to design the backbones that make modern society function.”