PUTTING EXPERIENCE INTO ACTION: SPOTLIGHT ON JEFF HARLESS, PE
“I’m thankful for the people I work with. I’m going on 24 years here because I like the environment, the projects, and the people.”
THE PATH TO PE
Jeff Harless, Senior Structural Engineer and Senior Associate at MSKTD, has always been interested in discovering how things fit together. Thanks to his experience working with his dad in construction throughout high school and college, Jeff developed a keen interest in the building industry early on.
“You can follow a set of instructions but to actually put those instructions together and communicate those ideas and concepts in a way that people can actually build from that is what intrigued me, so that’s the direction I went.”
After graduating from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Jeff served in the military. When it was time to move back to Fort Wayne, he found his way to MSKTD and is just one year shy of 25 years with the company. “I liked the way the company is put together. MSKTD offered a variety of interesting project types, a collaborative office environment, and all the disciplines in one place. The biggest benefit hands down is that we’re all in the same building. We can walk to someone’s desk and ask questions and vet ideas. Having all the right players involved at the same time to find solutions, rather than working in silos, is a better process.”
Registered as a PE in Indiana and six other states, Jeff has had the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects across the nation. Some of his favorite projects are with MSKTD’s Hygienic team, (which requires strict confidentiality when the project is going on, but can be discussed more freely once completed). Jeff has three stand out projects.
“The Dairy Farmers of America project in Garden City, Kansas had the largest dairy dryer facility in the country when it opened in 2018. The project spans 270,000 square feet and includes a stainless-steel funnel measuring 34’ in diameter and about 85’ tall and we built the structure for that to go in”.
“Also, the IVY Tech Community College Warsaw campus was a fun one which offered unique structural challenges for its small size. The design called for large overhangs and unique elevations built into the side of a hill”.
“And on the Ball State campus, we worked on the District Energy Station South where we basically took an existing building and built a building over the top of it to house upgrades to their energy station. This created some unique challenges, having to stabilize an existing structure and then build over the top of it and with a much larger building.”
BUILDING BRIDGES WITH THE NEXT GENERATION
As the lead engineer of MSKTD’s structural engineering team, Jeff takes his responsibility of mentoring his team seriously. And while MSKTD doesn’t design physical bridges, Jeff has taken on the role of bridge builder within the firm.
“We understand that the intent of an undergraduate degree is to teach fundamentals, but it’s our job to help them turn that knowledge into practical application on each project. I try to remember what I wish someone had told me when I was first starting out. We don’t want to reinvent the wheel.”
Instead, Jeff’s team focuses on a collaborative approach, where everyone knows each other’s strengths and feels free to bounce ideas off each other and ask questions. His goal is to help each team member become efficient and learn to be independent engineers—knowing that it’s okay not to know everything and it’s okay to ask questions and kick ideas around.
As a Senior Associate, Jeff sees his role as building a bridge between associates and the leadership, using his voice to help others reach their goals. “I think there’s a shift from people that have been here a long time that really understand that you can go to the principals anytime versus those who may believe that they can’t do that. One thing I try to do as a senior associate is help bridge this gap to let others know they have a voice, and we will listen to what they have to say.”
And that is an important aspect for any organization to consider!
