I joined the NCSEA board in January 2020, and the profound shift that followed seemed to usher in a time of continuous change at an increasingly rapid pace. As I stepped into the NCSEA Presidency this April, I carry the lessons of those seismic shifts, not just personally, but for the future of our structural engineering profession.
Until recently, my career followed a traditional AEC pathway: from project engineer to project manager, then Principal and Shareholder of a new office, and eventually Principal in Charge of Corporate Business Development after a 2017 merger. In 2020, I would have confidently predicted a continued trajectory along this well-worn path. But what if the route to greater success in structural engineering isn’t the one we’ve always followed?
In 2023, after 18 years, I made the difficult, once unimaginable decision to leave my firm. Our company had doubled in size and my extensive travel became unsustainable for my family. My two children, 12 and 14, were navigating a challenging adolescent period compounded by the pandemic’s lingering effects. Simultaneously, the office I had founded grew to 35 people, now managed by the next generation of leaders. It was time for a new course.
At its core, my decision was equally rooted in my desire for personal development that no longer aligned with the firm’s leadership opportunities. My business development role leveraged my personal strengths and passions—establishing deep connections with clients, colleagues and construction partners to build successful relationships and projects. I had envisioned that my corporate role would amplify my impact in these tenets of a healthy culture internally and externally. But with continued company growth and a corporate focus on independent office management structure, it became obvious that my influence could only reach so far.
Engineering schools provide technical prowess, but the nuanced art of fostering cohesive teams, building trust, and driving strategic growth often remains uncharted territory for both emerging and tenured leaders. I was formulating a belief that the true crux of success in an engineering consulting firm lies in cultivating a leadership-focused culture, aligned with clear core values, accountability, employee engagement, and professional development. Regardless of firm size, consistent leadership training at every level is essential for holistic thriving. Ask yourself: what leadership lessons do you wish you had learned sooner, and is there potential you can cultivate in your future leaders earlier in their careers?
Upon leaving my structural firm in 2023, I had the opportunity to test this theory and work with my favorite architectural client as the Director of Firm Development. They had grown from 20 to 40 employees and were grappling with the challenge of maintaining their unique culture, employee engagement, and client experience. I began working with a business coach employed by the firm—the same coach who had guided my previous firm a decade earlier after the 2012 economic downturn. She had pushed us to organize and evolve, achieving 20% profitability with a thriving culture. Re-engaging with her in my new role quickly reminded me of the transformative change that came from shedding the “this is how we’ve always done it” mentality.
As a non-billable leader with partner support at the architectural firm, I was given the bandwidth to objectively assess administrative and operational structures. Over two years, we established guiding principles for the future to collectively build a thriving community, clear career paths, and align our strategic vision. We engaged all our employees with feedback surveys, 360 reviews, and semi-annual Town Halls—inviting them to the table to discuss ideas for culture, benefits, and professional development. These efforts have built the foundation for deeper connections across offices, among employees, with clients, and within project teams.
With these past experiences in mind, my challenge to our industry leaders is this: be vulnerable to the opportunities brought by change; ask yourself if there is a different route to greater success. During a time of countless mergers and acquisitions, constant innovations in AI, more pressure on fees, schedules, and scope creep, what mindsets need to be changed to allow your business practices to continue to thrive? Embracing small movements can lead to transformation, starting with asking younger colleagues for their ideas, exploring current resources on leadership development, and engaging with peers that have started down that path. If you are a leader, I urge you to critically assess your firm’s trajectory and start a conversation with your people about how you can instill your core values into the firm’s culture, build community, and create a sense of shared purpose.
Like an earthquake, seismic shifts can be large or small, but each can leave a lasting impact. If this resonates with you, join us at the 2nd annual NCSEA Executive Retreat in 2026 to share your stories, struggles, and ideas with your fellow structural engineering executives. Bring one of your future trailblazers! By engaging your next generation, embracing innovation, and providing dedicated leadership development, you will define a roadmap to shared success. ■
About the Author
Jami Lorenz, PE, is the current President of NCSEA. She is passionate about inspiring innovative mindsets and thriving employee cultures within the AEC industry.