In support of a multi-year strategic plan set in motion in late 2019, leading Front Range civil engineering and land surveying firm Northern Engineering bolstered its staff with seven new employees.
“Even during the pandemic, we kept our commitments to our employees and our clients,” says Northern Engineering President and CEO Nick Haws, P.E., LEED AP. “I attribute much of this positive outcome to the improvements we made in our outlook and operations, including revisiting our mission, vision, and values. We’re now building on this achievement by adding seven extremely competent and purpose-driven individuals to our growing staff.”
Haws adds that the new hires not only provide deeper technical resources for the firm, but some bring experience in markets and disciplines that Northern Engineering has typically not served. This includes expanded capabilities in water and wastewater engineering. “Our region is growing, the needs of our clients are growing, and we’re growing to meet these needs,” says Haws.
A major component of the new strategy was establishing director-level positions overseeing Land Development, Municipal Services, Land Surveying and Employee Engagement. Five of the new hires are in the Land Development group, with two others in Municipal Services.
Land Development:
The following employees were hired to serve in the group headed by Vice President Andy Reese, who joined the firm in 2003 and was named Director of Engineering/Land Development in early 2020:
Robbie Lauer – Project Manager. A graduate of Northwest Kansas College, Robbie has 20 years of experience in civil engineering. He has worked on a variety of commercial and residential projects throughout the Front Range, including some of the fastest-paced subdivisions in Northern Colorado.
Austin Snow, PE – Civil Engineer. A Colorado State University graduate in Environmental Engineering, Austin’s experience combines land development and public works. His recent projects include waterline improvements for a local water district and residential development for a regional builder/developer.
Christian Fierro – Civil Engineer. After serving for almost five years in the U.S. Army and attending Technical Engineer School, Christian worked as a Civil3D Drafter for a firm in Fort Collins before joining Northern Engineering.
Cody Pape – Civil Engineer. With a degree in Civil Engineering from Iowa State University, Cody has worked as a survey technician and design engineer in his six-year engineering career. He is a certified Engineering Intern (EI) from the State of Iowa.
Sterling Hallauer – Civil Engineer. A graduate of Colorado School of Mines with a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering, Sterling has worked as a geotechnical engineering technician, as well as a quality assurance inspector for Denver International Airport Infrastructure Management. He is an EI and holds certifications for soils testing and concrete inspection.
Municipal Services:
Bradley Curtis, PE, helms the new Municipal Services group, which welcomes two new hires. A registered Professional Engineer in five states, as well as a LEED accredited professional, Brad spent more than 10 years in municipal government before joining Northern Engineering in late 2019.
Leah Santiago – Civil Engineer. Leah holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering from Syracuse University, and a Master of Science in Environmental/Water Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Prior to joining Northern Engineering, Leah served as a process engineer for a global engineering-construction company serving water/wastewater treatment facilities, as well as for a treatment technology company and Boulder’s Wastewater Treatment Facility.
Michael Castillo – Civil Engineer. With a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder and working to complete a Master of Engineering from Colorado State University, Michael has more than four years of experience in water conveyance, conventional water and wastewater treatment, membrane treatment systems and stormwater management systems. Michael is a member of the Water Environment Federation (WEF) and American Water Works Association (AWWA).
Land Surveying:
Matt Lockwood, who has been with Northern Engineering since 2002, was elevated to the position of Director of Land Surveying in early 2020. Also a Vice President, he is part of sixteen-person surveying team with physical presence in both Larimer and Weld Counties. Matt’s group recently promoted two employees to the Associate Surveyor position, Travis Kish in the Fort Collins office and Josh Pepek in the Greeley office.
Employee Engagement:
Once the co-founder and principal of her own engineering firm, Jodee Hinton, PE, serves in the role of Director of Employee Engagement. A blend of human resources, wellness, development and corporate strategy, her role is ultimately to help all employees be their best and reach their highest potential.
About Northern Engineering. Founded in 1987, Northern Engineering is the largest locally owned civil engineering and land surveying firm in the region. The firm has offices in Fort Collins and Greeley, Colorado. Contact Kim Hammond at 970.488.1101 for more information or interview requests.