Shining a Spotlight on the Engineering Profession
The Snyder & Associates family is always excited to join colleagues and educators nationwide to celebrate, honor, and promote engineering. Our engineers recognize the vast contributions their profession makes to society, but they often go unnoticed.
“Engineering is a vast and versatile career that’s essential to overcoming the challenges we face locally, regionally, and beyond,” shares Dave Moeller, President of Snyder & Associates. “Our work efforts, however, sometimes blend into the background as small pieces of the community puzzle that people just expect to be there.”
To show our appreciation for these hardworking individuals, we met with several “veteran” engineers on our team to learn more about what inspired their careers, what they enjoy most about the profession, advice for younger colleagues, and how they help create the future.
What are two Important goals you have as a civil engineer?
My career goal is to be involved in an Engineers Without Borders program and spend time overseas helping communities with projects that significantly impact public health and the economy. — Laura Lamberty, P.E.
My short-term goal is to complete projects on time and within budget. Long-term, I strive to help us obtain enough clients that we’re able to double the size of our Madison office. — Scott Anderson, P.E.
I’d like to see the firm grow into the biggest and best firm in the Midwest by capturing work not only here in Iowa but all over the Midwest. — Eric Cannon, P.E., Development Business Unit Leader
In the short term, I hope to continue becoming an integral part of Snyder & Associates. In the long term, I hope to keep all the solid client relationships I have developed while building new ones. — Dave Sturm, P.E., PLS, Atlantic Business Unit Leader
Teach younger engineers so they can grow and develop processes for design efficiency. — Jerod Gross, P.E., LEED AP
Who or what inspired you to become a civil engineer, and why?
When I was a pre-teen, my family built our own house, and that experience developed my love of creating things. — Laura Lamberty, P.E.
When I was a kid, we lived next to a golf course. During the spring of the snowpack, I was fascinated by where all the water went. I would put on my rain boots and follow the melting snow water over a mile to where it eventually met a creek. — Scott Anderson, P.E.
I always loved taking things apart and putting them back together when I was a kid, along with building forts, tree houses, and anything else I could get my hands on as a kid. In high school, I was also good in math and science, so my counselor told me to go to ISU, and the rest is history! — Eric Cannon, P.E., Development Business Unit Leader
What do you enjoy most about the engineering profession?
Relating to people and solving problems. — Jerod Gross, P.E., LEED AP
The satisfaction of designing improvements for the communities we live in. Also, a variety of projects allow me the ability to have both office and fieldwork. — Dave Sturm, P.E., PLS, Atlantic Business Unit Leader
What are you most proud of accomplishing since joining Snyder & Associates?
Developing client relationships that have allowed our Madison Office to grow. — Scott Anderson, P.E.
Completing a variety of institutional college campus projects. — Jerod Gross, P.E., LEED AP
Helping grow the City of Pleasant Hill as a client and the great relationship we have with their staff. I’m also proud of helping grow the Development Group to become the dynamic group of people that we have today. I always say that it takes a certain kind of personality to make it in the development world since deadlines are fast and furious. You have to be able to juggle multiple projects and change priorities with an email or phone call. We work hard, play hard, and have a lot of fun along the way. — Eric Cannon, P.E., Development Business Unit Leader
What advice would you give to someone just entering the engineering profession?
Ask lots of questions and realize you can learn from people in the field. — Laura Lamberty, P.E.
There is no ceiling in this field if you choose to pursue the top and put forth the effort needed to be successful. — Dave Sturm, P.E., PLS, Atlantic Business Unit Leader
Work hard, and don’t be afraid to ask questions if you don’t know the answer. We have all been there at the beginning of our careers and look forward to helping mentor the next generation of engineers. — Eric Cannon, P.E., Development Business Unit Leader
