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  • ASHALIM SOLAR THERMAL POWER PLANT

    Contributing Re.engineer: ​Kate Scarcella CHALLENGE The Ashalim Solar Thermal Power Plant in Ashalim, Israel has, as of April 2019, started commercial operations.  this first of a kind unit is powered by 51m tall Solar Receiver Steam Generator which sits atop a concrete tower to create the world's tallest Concentrated Solar Power Tower.  While similar units were assembled piece by piece on top of an existing tower, the height and technical difficulty of this design made that implementation impractical.   SOLUTION To meet the challenge, the SRSG was built at ground level while the tower and the rest of the plant were built alongside it.  It then slid along rails into the tower and lifted to its final height, creating the massive 251m tall structure.  Being the first of a kind design and the part of the project that was perceived as the largest risk from a technology standpoint, this Engineering team had a challenge ahead of it to meet the project schedule requirements, during both the design and construction phases.  By creating a culture of collaboration, transparency, and personal ownership, the SRSG team was able to successfully navigate many technical issues which lead to a solid design and smooth construction and commissioning phases.   RESULT The relationships and personal responsibility that were forged during the design phase carried over into site support, even with a 7-hour time difference, allowing the site team to work hand-in-hand with Engineering in  the United States to resolve issues as they came up.  In the end, the SRSG was ready early as compared to the rest of the plant and operates with a high level of performance, in many ways, exceeding the expectations of the original design concept.

  • DSPOT COMMUNITY CENTER

    Contributing Re.engineer: ​Shadrach Stephens CHALLENGE The owner of a community center needed support in closing the gap on a $6.5MM capital project that was approaching three years of construction.  In the first two years, the project had only progressed 30% and additional funding would be needed if the project continued to slip on its completion date. SOLUTION Develop a Capital Project Methodology (CPM) to provide a standard method for scoping, design and construction of the new asset, which included not not limited to, detailed design reviews, weekly construction meetings and a change order work process.  The CPM enabled a better partnership with the general contractor an design architect which also addressed he schedule delays for 30+ independent subcontractors.  RESULT Project managed by General Contractor, 2 years at 30% completion; Project managed by General Contractor with support of CPM 8 months at 100% completion.  Impact:  $1+ million

  • SCOPE DEVELOPMENT...LESS IS MORE

    Contributing Re.engineer: Millicent Gilmore CHALLENGE ​Sometimes, when a solution is needed, engineers can run towards the Cadillac when a Corolla will do!  In my experience, improvements start with ideas but the ability to implement those ideas, tend to be driven by budget.  This is why I advise the engineers who work for me to use Apollo Root Cause and when they are working on a sustainable engineering project, offer an ideal and a practical solution. When I say practical, I mean what can you do right now to achieve the goal using little to no money at all.  Recently, there was a need to improve how we manage key fobs.  There were elaborate ideas and some really simple ideas that were painful to manage.  Key fobs had been getting misplaced or taken home mistakenly, leaving the site unable to restart our coater machines.  It’s a new Lock Out Tag Out (LOTO) safety project that has been implemented but no one realized that the keys would become an issue.  Some of the ideas were to use a vending machine, RFID tags, using a sign in and out form with supervisors managing this from their offices while the key box was next to the coater, etc. SOLUTION I asked everyone to think of our processes surrounding the coater and the access to the keys.  Instead of making something new, let’s try to use something we have in a new way, even modify it if need be.  The brainstorming session started to go downhill so I laid the following out of them: People forget the key is in their pocket and once their shift ends, they go home leaving the machinery locked out. It takes about an hour to track down the fob keys and if the key is discovered offsite, it’s another 30 minutes to disable that key and reprogram another key.  This is 90 minutes of unplanned downtime with ever occurrence.  That means lost production and decreased productivity. We go through 2 scanners to get in and out of our site. Operators badge onto the system to begin using the coaters. What can we do with what we have to ensure no one leaves the building with a fob key in their pocket? I’ve decided that the answer is to make it impossible to leave with a fob key.  So the I.D. cards we use to gain entry and exit to our site can be used to stop anyone with a fob key from exiting by always sound the security alarm and preventing the gate from opening. Just takes programming and using what we already have in place.  Those cards affixed to the fob keys will be programmed to always refuse exit and sound the alarm.  Great way to manage the keys without spending much money! RESULT Results: ​We have eliminated downtime altogether from fob keys…we usually have over 28 hours of downtime each month and one hour of missed production costs the site $20k, yes $20k!  So were are saving $560k monthly!! ​ Impact: $560,000 per month

  • JOB PROMOTION

    A few weeks ago, I did a survey to learn more about the challenges that are disabling professionals from feeling engaged at work. The analysis showed that the most disengaged participants had not received a promotion in at least 5 years. I have been very fortunate to have secured a few promotions throughout my career and I wanted to share some perspectives from those experiences. Here are 11 #ReengineerHacks that you can use to craft your next promotion. DOWNLOAD HACK

  • CAREER DEVELOPMENT PLAN

    About a month ago,  I did a survey to learn more about the challenges that are stopping professionals from feeling engaged at work. The analysis showed that 75% of the disengaged participants felt like they had no career mission or vision. So we've put together a simple Career Development Plan that you can leverage in case your employer does not already have an official process. By the way, I used a similar plan about 8 years ago and guess what...? It actually works!  My last three jobs have been EXACTLY what I listed on my plan.  Imagine that! DOWNLOAD HACK Also, here is the CAREER DEVELOPMENT PLAN WORKSHEET

  • WORK FROM HOME PARENTAL GUIDE

    The Re.engineer community has answered yet another charge! This time we have produced a #HACK for the community, by the community to help us all balance the responsibilities of managing work from home during the C-19 Quarantine.  A few days ago I asked the question, “What’s the hardest part about working from home during the quarantine” and we reached over 100 responses! We decided to continue the conversation by asking for solutions to address our concerns and you did not disappoint. DOWNLOAD THIS HACK! I want to shout out everyone for taking part in developing this hack and I hope that it helps to bring balance in your homes as we work through getting to the other side of the pandemic: Tonya Rose, Melvin Bihm, Tameeka Ayo, Allison Dillon Albert, Tanisha Carson, Natalie Hernandez Wisby, Alicia Washington, Minister Deborah Wedley, Josuha Teekel, AJ Mac, Takedra Blount, Kerry Mathews, Ryan Knight, Lawrence Bazille, Lekeisha LeBlanc, Ramonica Guillory, Tara Hookfin, Nikki Carter, Mia Clark, Anuli McFadden, Michael Thomas, Nichele Hunt, Enid Jesse, Meaghan Ellis, Alegra Edwards, Apryl Wilson, Alisha Madison, Shekira Holiday, Dukes Hazard, Alicia Washington, Melanie Thomas Mitchell, Gail Robins, Terrel Kent, Patty Fennell, Kim Rankins, Jamie Barnes, and Celeste Reynolds.

  • HAPPY MARRIAGE OF MARKETING & SALES

    Our Re.engineer team had the opportunity to connect with Brandon Herndon, Medicare Sales and Marketing Professional. Brandon provides us with these perspectives on the happy marriage of marketing and sales. "​The happy marriage of marketing and sales – often times, thought of as one of them same. Let’s face it, to the average business person, marketing equals promotion. Sales and marketing have been elements of business for centuries, but they are constantly evolving — perhaps at no point as rapidly as in the past few years". - Brandon Connect with Brandon on LinkedIn. DOWNLOAD THIS HACK!

  • USMAN MUSTAFA SYED – EXCELLENCE IN ASSET MANAGEMENT

    What I learned is that there are many different ways to look at problems related to Asset Management, Reliability and Maintenance. You just have to widen your lens. Once you’re ready to do that, you open up gates to a lot of new learnings for yourself. Ever so often I am awarded an amazing opportunity to collaborate with professionals and entrepreneurs  around the world and I try my best to capture their experiences through our Re.engineer Trending Leader features - - this feature with Usman is yet another great example!  Usman Mustafa Syed is a rising star that you should connect with and I am beyond grateful that we were able to tell his story.   Usman is an Asset Management professional with 16 years of experience within Reliability and Maintenance domains. Over these years, he has worked and consulted for multiple global organizations mainly within Oil/Gas, Power and Manufacturing sectors. His expertise is  in developing Reliability based Maintenance programs and their effective roll-out through Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS). He has also been involved in developing regimes for Asset Integrity and Safety Critical Elements.  He is a graduate of NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi in Electrical Engineering and also possess following Certifications: Certified Maintenance Manager (CMM) by Association of Asset Management Professionals Certified Reliability Leader (CRL) by Association of Asset Management Professionals ISO 55000 Asset Management Certification (A55K) by Asset Leadership Network Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) by Aladon Network International Technical Certificate in Oil and Gas Operational Safety by NEBOSH An avid fan of the game of Cricket, Usman also loves to travel and explore new places.  He looks at life as a book of riddles. And in words of Ralph Waldo Emerson; ‘the key to a riddle is another riddle’. Q: I really enjoy reading your LinkedIn articles and your most recent one on the Internet of Things (IoT) resonated with me because I agree that technology must be partnered with practical skills.  What inspired you to pursue a career in Engineering and Technology? Usman:  As a child I always looked for logical reasoning behind every query or question I had in my mind. Be it related to the earth being round, how plants make their own food (never saw their Mom feeding them) and how the aeroplanes fly. Perhaps, me ending up in an Engineering career was the logical outcome to that inquisitiveness. Academically also I was good at subjects like Science and Mathematics. I remember once, I build a cardboard model of a house at my friend’s place. We placed a light bulb in it, albeit a big one for the size of the model. We didn’t had any proper connectors for the wire and were just trying to insert them in the socket, and they were coming out too often. Out of despair, I shoved in a pair of scissors within the socket. Naturally, this caused a short circuit and Boom, there was a spark. Luckily, there was no fire and no one was hurt as the fuse at my friend’s house blew up. So, I can say my taste for inquiry led me to Engineering and Technology. ​Q: Reliability is a team sport and collaboration can be found at the foundation of every successful reliability or maintenance program.  What was your latest collaboration project?​ Usman: Reliability, as a concept is incomplete without team work. If you dissect them, most of the issues related to reliability are actually cultural and people related.   As a consultant when I work with different clients, I always look to connect with their teams by trying to understand their point of view, their operating context and any constraints they operate with. Many times, they don’t really need any fancy stuff in name of reliability or maintenance programs. Another dimension to my work is working with our own team of engineers, subject matter experts and project managers. Obviously, collaborating with them is essential for any deployments we undertake. For this, I always treat them as equal partners and give respect to their experience and skills. An individual can never be an expert on all the topics related to the vast fields of reliability or maintenance. It is the collective wisdom and knowledge of your team that helps in filling in the gaps. ​ At one of my recent projects for a manufacturing concern whose business requires some very unique assets, I deployed the similar approach when it comes to team work. I established some very good and candid communication with the client’s team and also kept my own team members fully involved by giving due credit and respect to their expertise. And I’m happy we’re on the right track with this deployment. ​Q: How are you driving innovation and technology to create value?​ Usman:  One of the most common misconception about innovation and technology that I see, is the pursuit of things (read features), not necessarily required. Take for example the value proposition of Google when it was launched. It came up with a simple idea of simplifying online search. Nothing less and nothing more. It delivered this value and then gradually went on to be one of the top global companies. This highlights the fact that before embarking on any innovation drive you need to identify and define the value you seek. In many instances you don’t really need any revolutionary innovation or technology to achieve this value. I’m a huge proponent of sticking to the basics when it comes to Asset Management and Reliability. With the current plethora of technological applications available in the industry it has become more important to stick to the basics within these domains. Technology should be treated as the means and not the end. As an example many industry surveys indicate that most Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) projects ultimately end up as failures. In my opinion, it is because false promises are made, wrong expectations are held and the basics of engineering, business processes and even physics are totally discounted. This is where I guide my clients and audience to never lose sight of the fundamentals when it comes to adopting the innovation and technology. Remember, value does not lie in the technology itself. It is the organization that has to define ‘value’ for itself and look to achieve it through the optimum use of resources; technology being one of them. ​Q: What advice would you give to other young professionals or entrepreneurs looking to take their career or business to the next level?​ Usman:  If you really want to take your career or business to the next level. Keep asking yourself, ‘What’s next?’. Keep upgrading yourself on the professional front. Look for available industry research within your professional or business areas, go out and seek knowledge in form of training, conferences, webinars and certifications. You will soon realize, there are no limits to learning. Specially in this digital age and time. ​Q: What has been your most challenging project or experience in your career? Usman:  I transitioned myself in the consulting business from a career on the asset owners’ or operators’ side. Not only it has been a fulfilling experience but it came with its own challenges. My biggest motivation behind this career transition was to reach out to a wider audience through consulting with diverse clientele in terms of industry, geographical locations, operating contexts & cultures. However, it definitely came with its own unique challenges. The biggest of them is to be flexible in your approach to the technical problems each client comes up with. What I learned is that there are many different ways to look at problems related to Asset Management, Reliability and Maintenance. You just have to widen your lens. Once you’re ready to do that, you open up gates to a lot of new learnings for yourself. ​Q: What keeps you up at night? Usman:  The challenge of learning something new. I consider myself a life-long student. I love learning about new ideas, different cultures, people, regions, businesses and technology. Many times just a random query gets into my head and I then just start looking for answers to it. Until and unless I don’t get an answer that satisfies me, I literally loose my sleep. Usman is a highly successful Engineering Leader and quite an accomplished professional.  His passion for Maintenance and Reliability goes hand in hand with his relentless pursuit of excellence and he is no stranger to challenging the status quo.  I invite you to read his articles on LinkedIn and if you are like me, you'll appreciate him for candor and for "telling it like it is"!  Join us in celebrating his journey as a dynamic, talented Reliability Practitioner.  Usman, you are a certified Re.engineer! LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/usmanmsyed/

  • SAM ROSS - BRANDING YOUR DREAMS

    ​Your brand is your full message to the world. It’s who you want to be presented and perceived as. When design and innovation intersects at the corner of purpose and passion you’ll find value. And if you are a fan of excellence, then you’ll also find Mr. Sam Ross at the same corner as he makes his mark in the world. I had the pleasure of meeting this distinguished entrepreneur at the 2019 Southern University Alumni Cohort gala. His presence radiated the atmosphere as we prepared to receive our 40 under Forty recognition. I said to myself, “I HAVE to connect with this brother before I leave this place”. Just his vibes were enough to know that he was a man of character, excellence and purpose. It gives me great honor to celebrate him for all of his accomplishments and if you are not already following him, then I encourage you to allow yourself to be INSPIRED! Ross, a 2012 graduate of Southern University and A&M College where he earned a degree in Mass Communications with a concentration in Public Relations, was also awarded "Outstanding Capstone Skills Award" for academic excellence by the Public Relations Student Society of America during his tenure. Ross had the distinct honor of graduating as Student Marshal of the College of Arts & Humanities for having the highest overall grade point average within the entire college.  In Ross' professional experience, he has been employed with the Louisiana House of Representatives, The Drum Newspaper (Internship), WBRZ-TV, and the Southern University Ag Center. At WBRZ-TV, Ross worked as a graphic designer and production control operator. During his time as Web Content Specialist at the Southern University Ag Center, Ross garnered the SNAP-Ed program national recognition from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).  In 2018, Ross created the Sankofa Scholarship, a scholarship geared towards awarding first-time college students enrolled at Southern University and A&M College. Creating a scholarship had long been on Ross’ list of aspirations. And, on August 1, 2018, along with the help of Ellen C. McKnight, Founder and Principal Nutritionist of the Maxine Firm, and Dadrius C. Lanus, J.D., School Board Member for District 2 (LA), the first Sankofa Scholarship was awarded in the amount of $750.00. February 28, 2019, Ross was awarded by The Rouge Collection as one of 28 Black Leaders and Influencers in Baton Rouge, LA. Ross was also honored by his home church, Pipkins Chapel African Methodist Episcopal, for his success and work in the community during Black History Month in 2019.  In April of 2019, Ross was awarded "Outstanding PR Alumni" by the Southern University and A&M College Department of Mass Communication for outstanding alumni achievement in Public Relations. In July of 2019, Ross was announced as one of the Southern University Alumni Federation's Top 40 Under 40. Ross is currently a full-time entrepreneur and attributes any and all success to faith, works, and a community of love. Ross is confident that this is only the beginning and there is so much more to come. ​Q: What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?  Ross:  I am a natural born leader. Throughout the course of my life, I have almost always ended up in some type of leadership role in any organization I have been a part of. I would attribute that to making the decision to be an entrepreneur easier.  ​Q: Your firm, Sam Ross Designs, partners with clients to propel their brand to create more value. Why is a business or professionals “Brand” so important?  Ross:  Your brand is your full message to the world. It’s who you want to be presented and perceived as. The reason I say it is your full message to the world is because branding is complex. There are many layers to it. My business focuses mostly on brand aesthetic, which is critically important. What my business does is takes all of a person or organization’s goods and wraps them up in the pretty wrapping paper with a nice bow. Good branding helps you sell better. It makes you look better. It’s more attractive. ​Q: At Re.engineer, we believe that every professional should be technically sound within their profession but it’s their creative edge that sets them apart from the competition Where does your creative inspiration come from? Ross:  My creative inspiration comes from life itself. When it’s a problem you help solve in the world, it jumps out at you all of the time. When I’m out and about—at a restaurant, at the movies, driving, at the grocery store—I’m always observing and being inspired. I see design everywhere, all the time.  ​Q:  What advice would you give to other young professionals or entrepreneurs looking to take their career or business to the next level? Ross:  I always advise people to plan. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Take your time. Strategize. Write things down. Be your own competition. Remain vigilant of others in your arena, but do not make them your focus. Stay relevant, but set the trends.  ​Q: I love your grind and most importantly, you are just as passionate with your faith. Has there been a moment where your faith guided you through a challenging time? Ross: Thank you so much for that. My faith keeps me grounded. There have been so many instances throughout my life where my faith has kept me in one piece. My faith in God is a huge part of who I am. I make sure every success points back to Him so that He gets the glory. I don’t know where I would be without my faith. I could go on and on about the goodness and mercy and grace and favor of God. Bless His Name! ​Q: How has attending a HBCU impacted your life?  Ross:  Attending an HBCU was one of the best decisions I have made thus far. It yielded so much good fruit. It helped me become the professional I am today. It was at my dear HBCU that I fostered so many amazing friendships, many of which I still have today. I have worked professionally with a number of peers and professors from college, which is always so fulfilling.  ​Q: What keeps you up at night? Ross:  PROJECTS! Lol! But, seriously…passion. Passion is what keeps me up at night. When you are passionate about a thing, it doesn’t matter that you have to sacrifice sometimes or even a lot of the time. You get the job done. Even though his success and accomplishments are countless, Mr. Sam Ross is still a down to earth gentlemen with a eye for exceptional design.  He innovates with a flare for storytelling as each of his designs invite you into his clients world.  Join us in celebrating his journey as a dynamic, talented Brand Ambassador.  Mr. Ross, you are a certified Re.engineer! Website: https://www.iamsamross.com/ Twitter: @samrossofficial Instagram: @samrossofficial  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/samrossdesigns

  • NICHOLAS BENJAMIN - EXCELLENCE ON AND OFF THE FIELD

    I recently connected with an awesome young leader that is using his foundation in leadership and engineering to be a force that is out of this world!  Mr. Benjamin's success has been nothing short of amazing and his talents "On and Off" the field have enabled him to break through barriers in his academic, athletic and professional careers.  He is definitely a rising, trending leader that will be one to watch as we progress through the 21st century.  I am blessed to have met him at this stage of our careers, even though our roots trace back to our alma mater, Southern University and A&M College.  His story is one that should inspire us all and challenge us to not take the easy way out and cut out all complacency. Mr. Benjamin graduated from W.S. Neal High School in East Brewton, AL in 2003 with a 4.5 GPA, All-State Honors in three different Sports and a bright future ahead. He has since been inducted into the W.S. Neal Sports Hall of Fame. From Neal, Mr. Benjamin attended Southern University and A&M College where he was a part of the Jaguar Football team from 2003-2008, a graduate of the Southern University Honors College and a recipient of an honors Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering. Also while at Southern University, Mr. Benjamin became a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated. After Southern University, Benjamin started his career with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL as an Operations Controller for the International Space Station (ISS). During his career at NASA, Benjamin has received numerous awards for his hard work and determination in Payload Operation on-board the ISS. Also while at NASA, he has taken part in the agency NASA F.I.R.S.T Program which is an agency wide effort to mold the next group of leaders. Mr. Benjamin was recently chosen as a Management Intern for the Center Director of the Marshall Space Flight Center and also selected to perform duties as a Payload Operations Director. Benjamin also holds a Master’s Degree in Engineering Management/Program Management from the Florida Institute of Technology. Mr. Benjamin also has an entrepreneurial mindset and has numerous businesses outside of his daily work. He is part owner of the Huntsville Rockets Football Organization, produces and writes music, and also part owner of Mother Hemp, a wellness company based out of Memphis, Tennessee. Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in STEM? Nick: I was always fascinated by mechanical things and how they work. When you talk about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, they are all things that i have a passion about. Math was one of the only things that made sense to me growing up because I felt like I could always make numbers work. Even though, I was a part of the Pre-Med program in high school, engineering ultimately took over because it encompasses everything about STEM. I am glad that they added the A-Arts to the equation because I have been a lover of Music since a very young age. I was a drummer in church and in the band and I continue to pursue my love for music with producing and writing. I have worked with multiple local artist as well as international artist at the moment and I hope to expand my business in the near future.   Q: How has your foundation in sports helped you to become a better leader in your industry? Nick:  Sports has been the foundation for my life for a long time. The art of competition, wanting to strive to win, and learning the lessons of a loss have made me into the person that I am today. If you really look at it, most of the world is built around what sports are. Competing, winning, teamwork, taking criticism, learning from mistakes and trying again are all things that we all face at one time or another. From elementary school all the way until now, my parents have always instilled in me to be your best. That does not always mean being the best, but be your best. Use your ability to your advantage and take advantage of the gifts that God has given you from creation.  Q: NASA is known for developing cutting edge innovations and technologies, how have you or the teams you’ve supported contributed to those developments? Nick: Early on in my career while working as a Flight Controller for the International Space Station, I worked with numerous Principal Investigators and Scientist all over the world to conduct science operations. These types of investigations include anything from stem cell research to earth observations that help us understand our planet. I have also gotten a chance to work with an amazing group of astronauts that are the only group of people that have personally experienced an outer earth experience. As a part of the Executive Team at Marshall Space Flight Center, I am now getting the chance to not only help manage the production of some of the most powerful rockets ever manufactured, but I also get a chance to influence the future of NASA and our role in the space industry. I have gotten a chance to travel all over the world to advise, manage, and explore what there is to offer regarding space travel. Currently, NASA is on a mission to return back to the moon by putting the next man and the first woman on the lunar surface. This will ultimately give us access to pursue our mission to Mars. All of this will take hard work and dedication in areas such as Nuclear Thermal Propulsion, Space Launch Systems, Human Landing System, and the Lunar Gateway. All of these areas are part of NASA’s ARTEMIS mission to return to the Moon and land the first human on Mars. Q: At Re.engineer we believe that personal expression is a big part of establishing an inclusive work environment. What are some of the ways that you express yourself?​ Nick: With sports being a major part of my life, I keep that going in my free time. I am part owner and Head coach of the Huntsville Rockets here in Huntsville, AL. It gives me the opportunity to express myself day in and day out using the love for the game, the want to help people and give the guys another chance at football, and my business mindset. I played for this organization when I first relocated to the rocket city and now I am the leader of it. I also am a huge lover of music. I write and produce music as well. Under the stage name David BlaQue, I have produced music for artist here in the area as well as worked with a couple of international artist in Europe. Both of these are things that I love and I will always have some type of input in them both. Q: What advice would you give to a young professional as they start their career?​ Nick: There is so much that I would tell myself if I could go back to the start of my career, but If there was something that I could tell a young professional it would be to make great connections and learn as much about what you are doing as possible. Not only about the job that you are doing but all of the moving parts that go into the machine that your job is a part of. I am currently working with the Center director at Marshall Space Flight Center and being able to see the entire picture is huge. You don’t want to get to a point where your job is easy and you get complacent. You should always challenge yourself. You have to be your biggest competitor. In the connections piece, make sure that the people you have in your circle are fighting for you and telling your story as it should be told. Find a mentor and learn about different ways of doing what it is that you do. There are so many different perspectives out there and the best professional is one that can adapt and succeed in a rapidly changing environment. Q: What keeps you up at night? Nick: I have always been the biggest critic of myself and what keeps me up at night is the thought of “Did I do something today that will make myself and the world better tomorrow?” I always want to make sure that I leave my mark on whatever it is that I am a part of whether that’s a person, event, or area of interest. There is always a way to help and a way to leave a situation better that is was before you got there. Sometimes we get so caught up in the daily hustle and bustle of life, but we should always take the time for self-development, self-improvement, and self-education. Those are the things that keep you ahead of the curve. As an athlete, I was always taught that every day that you don’t get better, that’s a day that somebody out there got better than you. I have always taken that to heart and try to make sure that I take every day as a blessing and an opportunity to get that much better. As you can tell through his perspectives, Nick's legacy is not just bonded to his traditional engineering skill set, but it penetrates through all of his personal accomplishments - music, sports and the community.  As he has stated himself, "There will always be Challenges.  Within those challenges will be Opportunities.  Within those opportunities, take risk to go outside the comfort zone and make a difference in your life and in the life of others!" Nick, thank you for taking our industry to the next level and for your courage in living like there is no box.  You are a certified re.engineer!

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