News

As an African-American business owner, Juneteenth holds profound significance for me. This day, marking the emancipation of the last enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, is a powerful reminder of the resilience, courage, and relentless pursuit of freedom that defines Black history. It inspires me to reflect on the progress we’ve made, and the work still left to do.

As the CEO of a firm focused on enhancing the infrastructure of communities, I understand how critical it is to address disparities and build a foundation for lasting equity. Juneteenth gives leaders time to pause, reflect, and commit to creating truly inclusive and equitable environments, both in our communities and in our businesses. By doing so, we honor the legacy of those who fought for freedom and pave the way for a brighter, more inclusive future for all.

 

Pride Month is an annual observance that commemorates the historic struggles faced by the LGBTQIA+ community in the on-going pursuit for equality. June is the chosen month in remembrance of the Stonewall Riots in June of 1969.

Pride Month aims to increase visibility of the marginalized LGBTQIA+ community and draw attention to the critical policy and resource-related challenges that they face. It also provides us all an opportunity to celebrate our individuality and our freedom of expression.

This year’s theme, “Reflect. Empower. Unite.”, underscores the need for solidarity within the LGBTQIA+ community and issues a rallying call for all allies, particularly those in governmental and private sectors, to demonstrate their support for the broader community during this pivotal juncture in our nation’s history.

We welcome you to join IEI this June in celebrating Pride Month by acknowledging and embracing the contributions of the LGBTQIA+ community. At IEI we believe that impactful ideas and inclusive solutions result from the sharing of diverse voices, backgrounds, and experiences.

For more information on Pride Month and why it’s celebrated in June, visit https://www.britannica.com/story/why-is-pride-month-celebrated-in-june

Happy National Trails Day! It’s the perfect day to get outside and get moving.

Through our award-winning design work on trails, IEI brings to life our mission of “connecting communities”. Over the last several years, we’ve been fortunate to work with several clients, in both large cities and small communities, to design multi-use paths that create safe and equitable access to sustainable transportation and outdoor experiences.

IEI’s team of skilled engineers is excited to deliver these projects for our clients because of the benefits they provide to the local residents – opportunities for economic development, contributing to public health and well-being, and serving as a resource for community events. We are confident in our ability to bring creative solutions to our clients’ complex challenges, from design to public engagement to construction management.

To start a conversation about your next trails or recreational project, please contact Aaron Patterson at apatterson@infrastructure-eng.com.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI Heritage Month) is an annual celebration in May that spotlights the historical and cultural contributions made by the people of this region. The AAPI umbrella term encompasses cultures from the entire Asian continent, inclusive of East, Southeast, and South Asia, and the Pacific Islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.

The theme for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2024 is “Advancing Leaders Through Innovation,” which recognizes the visionaries and trailblazers who have made significant and varied contributions to the nation through their ingenuity and creativity, despite facing significant cultural and systemic barriers.

IEI’s core values are Integrity, Excellence, and Ingenuity, so we appreciate, understand, and share the ideals of the AAPI 2024 theme. We recognize a variety of heritage months, including this one, throughout the year to celebrate the richness of cultures that are represented in our diverse firm.

For more information about Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, please visit: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month – Dates, Quotes | HISTORY

As we have in previous years, IEI is joining in shining a spotlight on Earth Day.

Earth Day is an opportunity to celebrate our planet and to bring awareness to what we should all be doing to protect it through conservation and sustainable practices.

The Earth Day 2024 theme is “Planet vs. Plastics.” This campaign aims to combat the global issue of plastic pollution by uniting individuals from diverse locations. The ultimate goal is to reduce plastic usage by a significant margin of 60% by the year 2040, resulting in a future with far less plastic waste and a healthier environment. Learn more here.

IEI supports efforts to create awareness of earth’s fragility and our responsibility to protect it, both personally and professionally. Staff from many of our offices participate in annual Earth Day activities and clean-ups. In our work, IEI engineers aim to Transform the Built Environment through INGENUITY by delivering sustainable, resilient, and equitable engineering solutions.

Heritage months are designated in the United States to celebrate the contributions to America of various ethnic and marginalized groups. The initiative to create an Arab American Heritage Month started loosely in the 1990s and gained formality in 2017. In 2021, April was officially recognized by the President of the United States as National Arab American Heritage Month – a time to celebrate and recognize the culture and heritage of Americans of Arab descent.

The theme for Arab American Heritage Month 2024 is “Celebrating Arab American Resilience and Diversity.” At IEI, we celebrate diversity. The sharing of our various cultural perspectives allows our team to be their authentic selves. Being open to new and different cultures allows us to grow individually and collectively and fuels the ingenuity that we bring to our work. Recognizing heritage months is a small, but meaningful step towards a more accessible, equitable, and inclusive world.

For more information about Arab American Heritage Month, visit these websites.

Arab America

Arab American Foundation.

For the past 9 years, Ted has played an instrumental role in growing and developing our New York office. Ted loves to tell the story of IEI’s start in NYC – Michael Sutton, Ted, a folding table in a Harlem office and a BIG vision!

With Ted’s guidance and commitment, IEI navigated the successful journey from that first 2-person office in Harlem to nearly 40 people in our current Midtown Manhattan office. His leadership in developing relationships with agencies, teaming partners, and professional associations has helped create a strong foundation for IEI’s continued growth in NY. In addition to his impact on IEI’s business, Ted has done great work in establishing connections with multiple local professional and community organizations to fulfill the philanthropic mission of the Infrastructure Engineering Foundation.

Ted is known for his willingness to share his experience with the next generation of IEI engineers and has created a legacy of knowledge for us to build on. We will miss Ted’s leadership, genuineness, storytelling, and guidance. We wish Ted the very best in his future endeavors and congratulate him on the next chapter of his story. Bon voyage!

As we continue to observe Women’s History Month in the United States, the world joins together today, March 8^th, to celebrate International Women’s Day. Both of these commemorations aim to shine a spotlight on the many contributions that women have made to history and in contemporary society.

The theme for National Women’s History Month in 2024 is “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.” Likewise, International Women’s Day recognizes the collective action for creating gender parity. These shared themes celebrate women who have worked to eliminate bias and discrimination to create a more equitable society. Through their families, civic, community and religious groups, businesses, and legislative bodies, women are examining and reimagining our societies through the lenses of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

IEI commends the women who have marked history with their vision and action, and we thank the women in our firm, our families, and our communities for their boundless efforts to make the world more accessible, equitable, and inclusive.

For more information about Women’s History Month, visit womenshistorymonth.gov

IEI’s team participated in several Engineers Week 2024 (E-Week) activities in our local communities, finding inspiration by sharing our passion for engineering with other professionals, as well as educators and students.

At the Chicago Engineers Foundation Engineering Focus E-Week Kickoff Luncheon, which IEI sponsored, Project Engineer Corbin Doss, PE, PTOE, and Business Development Manager Kia Sutton, PharmD, spoke with Keynote Speaker Jamie Rhee, Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) Commissioner, who provided insights into the world of engineering, including her successful history of managing the complexities of the aviation industry and the role that all levels of government play in managing Chicago’s two major airports.

Project Manager Duane Mahone, PE, volunteered his time filling “swag bags” with giveaways in preparation for the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Chicago Professionals Chapter 2024 Engineers Week Expo at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Duane also introduced grade school students to the magic of engineering during the “Build of Electrical Transmission Towers” workshop, where they put their imagination to the test using spaghetti and marshmallows.

Indianapolis Operations Manager Alex Kline, PE, spoke to a group of 5th graders at Hattie B. Stokes Elementary School in Lebanon, IN. The class learned about what it means to be a civil engineer and then took theory to practice by designing their own bridges.

At Wayne State University, in Detroit, MI, IEI Civil Engineers Amaney Aljaber, Mohammed Albonajem, Rafael Valdivia-Enriquez, and Mohamed Mroueh attended the Engineering Career Fair, where they were honored to be judges for the annual WSU Popsicle Bridge Competition!

We appreciate the opportunity to share our knowledge and enthusiasm with future engineers, and we’re already looking forward to Engineers Week 2025!

Learn more about IEI’s commitment to the future of the AEC industry.

 

Join IEI in Celebrating Engineers Week 2024

Infrastructure Engineering Inc. (IEI) joins with multiple national organizations, our partners, and clients in the celebration of innovation, creativity, and dedication within the engineering community. Engineers Week 2024 aims to honor past achievements and envision the future possibilities of engineering under the theme “Welcome to the Future.” The primary goal of Engineers Week is to inspire the next generation of engineers by increasing awareness and interest in engineering and technology careers.

Engineers Week provides an excellent opportunity to showcase the impactful work of engineers and inspire future generations to pursue careers in engineering. In celebration of the week, IEI staff will engage with local schools, colleges, and community groups to promote the importance and diversity of engineering careers.

IEI encourages everyone to join in celebrating Engineers Week to recognize the achievements of engineers and inspire the next generation of innovators. We are motivated by our desire to build a better world and are excited to see what the future of engineering will be.

Learn more about the history and goals of Engineers Week at https://discovere.org/