Meet the Board Member: Justin Owens
Justin Owens, PE, Salina Office Director, was recently elected to Kaw Valley Engineering’s Board of Directors. Having tackled challenges and progressed faster than he anticipated in almost five years at the firm, joining the Board adds another achievement to Justin’s resume.
Meet the Board Member: Justin Owens
Justin graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in Civil Engineering in 2005 and is licensed to practice engineering in Kansas and Nebraska. He said he came to Kaw Valley Engineering because he was looking for more challenges.
“I spent my career up to that point working on projects, being project-focused, and not so much in a leadership role and that’s what I wanted,” he said. “Kaw Valley gave me that opportunity to come here.”
One of those challenges was growing the Salina office’s engineering department.
“I knew that was going to be a challenge, which I was excited to take on,” Justin said. “We had a foothold already in this market in the engineering and design market in Salina, but we’ve really been able to take it on in a fuller capacity and I hope to continue to grow our engineering presence on the design side, and also in the field of course.”
After successfully growing Salina’s engineering department and the retirement of then-Office Director Bill Delker, Justin took on the challenge of becoming the Office Director of the Salina office, helping grow the office’s staff and presence in Salina. He has been the Office Director for about three years.
“It was a challenge for all of us, but I think we’ve done well with it and we’re growing,” he said.
After those career advancements, Justin was elected to the Board on March 31. In this position, Justin said his goal as Board member is to keep the interests of Kaw Valley Engineering employees in mind. Justin has quickly taken on and overcome many challenges at the firm, so what’s in the future for him?
“I’ve progressed faster than I would’ve anticipated so I’ve kind of accomplished those goals, so trying to think, ‘what’s the next step?’” Justin said. “[M]y goal is: what’s the vision for Kaw Valley in the future? How do we get the people that are newer, just getting their professional lives started, and transitioning them to see big picture besides just what they’re doing on a day-to-day basis? How do I fit into the company’s leadership down the road?”
We look forward to Justin’s perspective being brought to the Board of Directors.
“I’m just really looking forward to the future,” Justin said. “I think things are going well now for us, and I want to make sure we keep that going.”
Along with Justin’s addition to the Board of Directors, Director of Drafting Services Jennifer Lindsley was elected to the Board. With their additions, Kaw Valley Engineering’s Board of Directors now includes: Leon Osbourn, PE, PS, President; Marty Arling, PE, Kansas City Office Director; Charles Sharp, Jr., Director of Operations; Gary Leeds, PE, Lenexa Office Director; Jason Loader, PS, Director of Surveying Services; Jennifer Lindsley; and Justin Owens.
Since 1982, Kaw Valley Engineering has been the team of experts needed to help take a project from inception to completion, providing a full range of civil engineering, geotechnical engineering, surveying, construction observation and materials testing services throughout the Midwest. Kaw Valley Engineering has offices in Junction City, Lenexa, Salina, Emporia, and Wichita, Kansas; and Kansas City, Missouri.