2021 Ones to Watch: Kevin Sanders, Director of Civil Engineering, EBI Consulting

Which project, deal, or transaction was the “game-changer” in the advancement of your career? No single project was a “game-changer” in the development of my career, which was built working on thousands of projects of importance throughout the years, but a notable project in terms of scale and complexity was the new Arlington High School. This $333-million multi-discipline and multi-phase project really enabled me to evolve as an engineer. As senior project manager, it required extensive coordination with different teams and engineering/architectural disciplines, and thinking outside the box when faced with challenges such as replacing a culvert that handled the runoff for a good portion of the town.

What advice can you offer to someone who is interested in a career in your industry? To be successful, you need to work hard and never give up. Your career will have ups and downs and while you may encounter roadblocks to success, successful people see roadblocks as opportunities to grow. You may set out in the working world with the basics once you graduate, but most of your learning will be done through your peers. Listen before you speak. Be a sponge and absorb everything. Be open to learning from anybody, even if somebody is less experienced than you. Every day gives you the opportunity to learn something new.

How do you contribute to your community or your profession? I worked on the Sterling Economic Development Committee, and chaired the Fitchburg Conservation Commission for 12 years, where I not only regulated the city’s resources areas, but also helped develop the Wetlands Ordinance used to this day. I am also an active member of Ducks Unlimited, the world’s largest conservation group, and act as a civil peer reviewer for municipalities like Quincy and Medfield. In the past, I have written technical articles for publications such as AUGIWorld (Autodesk Users Group International), and have spoken and trained others at industry events such as Autodesk University.

What led you to your current profession? I wanted to be an engineer from an early age. As long as I can remember, I’ve had a fascination with patterns and how things work. That engineering mindset followed me into high school where I excelled in math and physics. My physics teacher, Ms. Collins, inspired me when she pulled me aside one day during a physics lab and told me, “Kevin, you are going to be a great engineer one day.” Those words have driven me since and I still try to make her and my family proud every day.