As we settle into 2019, I cannot help but look back on 2018. This past year has brought many changes to the SINGH family. Our team has had many personal triumphs and as a firm we are proud of our achievements. Our family is growing and in the current transportation marketplace that is a miracle! S. Singh Rikhiraj, our founder, embodies the Sikh spirit of Chardi Kala, ever-rising optimism. Through the lean years he always led with hope for a better future. Now after nearly a decade without a capital bill in Illinois there is once again hope that our home state possesses the will to properly fund the important work of maintaining and building our transportation systems and infrastructure. Bits and pieces of this hope have come our way in 2018 thanks to the hard and industrious work of the entire SINGH team.
2018 saw our Transportation Department begin work on our first project specific prime contract with IDOT. East Avenue at 47th Street is an amazing opportunity for our talented team to prove we have the skill and capacity to design a complete project through PS&E. With the support of our engineering prime partners and agency clients, the transportation group is growing. We have brought on dynamic, young engineers Raciel Ocampo (who also earned his PE license this year!) and Ayaz Ahmed. Also joining the group and lending tremendous technical expertise is Raymond Mesina, PE. We also are incredibly thankful and inspired that Lora Supencheck, PE is back as Transportation Manager after a short leave. We are excited to take the next step in shifting the perception of SINGH as “just a subconsultant”. SINGH is a JV Partner with SRF for the Illinois Tollway project to study and plan for autonomous vehicles expected to kick off in early 2019. We understand our roadways are a data rich resource which will change the way we all think of transportation.
SINGH’s Electrical | Lighting & ITS Departments continues to prove to our clients that we are the go-to firm for roadway electrical systems. Whether the project needs roadway lighting, CCTV, fiber optic backbone, or other unique electrical systems our team is knowledgeable and reliable. SINGH is moving beyond the old methods of thinking by designing the roadways of the future incorporating ITS in our electrical designs. While we evolve into this new area of expertise, SINGH continues to work on important complex lighting projects which include the amazing 41st Street Bridge in Chicago. We also completed the Arch Cape Tunnel, a complicated tunnel lighting project for the Oregon Department of Transportation. This is in addition to the accelerated design work we continue to complete to rebuild the Central Tri-State Tollway Corridor for the Illinois Tollway. The Electrical | Lighting team has also seen growth. We are grateful to have Robert Swanson, PE as part of the SINGH family – he is an incredible engineer and resource for the group as well as James Dunn, a talented young electrical engineer.
SINGH has had tremendous success and exciting project completions with our Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection Department. We saw the completion and ribbon cutting of the O’Hare International Airport Multi Modal Facility (ConRAC). SINGH was responsible for the electrical work for this dynamic facility. Our MEP|FP team’s ability was recognized by the Illinois Tollway with our recent Prime DUR contract award for non-roadway facilities. The team is excited to work on the CTA’s RPM project as a subconsultant to the winning design build team led by Walsh. We have strengthened our Mechanical Services with the addition of a bright, young engineer, Nancy Guo, and talented Senior Mechanical Engineer, Maggie Moninski, PE. SINGH anticipates that 2019 and beyond will provide great growth opportunities as we continue to build our strong transit facilities portfolio with the CTA and the Department of Aviation among others.
SINGH’s other offices are growing as well. William Neaves joined SINGH – Milwaukee. He is an impressive young civil engineer providing support to our work for the Wisconsin DOT. Also joining SINGH is Mark Henderson, PE to lead our Columbus, Ohio office. Mark is an exceptional engineer that has dedicated himself to advancing the industry. Feeling optimistic about SINGH’s future we also recently expanded our Marketing Department by adding Travis Hymon. Our firm’s growth has only been possible because of the hard work of: Binu Nair; Dan Sobota; Eddie Choi, PE; John Abadeza; Justin Holt, PE; Kiran Prajapati, PE; Marissa Modesto; Melvin Garvida; Omar Alsharbini, PE; Rashesh Patel, PE; Sia Prosper; Stephen Gruberman, EI; Tami Hester; Vilmantas Gurskas; Vince Olsauskas; Vytas Pelegrimas, PE; Wendee Concannon; and Yousuf Jamal.
It is the dedication of everyone that makes working at SINGH rewarding. Our 2018 award from ISPE for Best Small Firm to Work For is a testament to the entire SINGH family.
by Harvind K. Singh