Scott Cooke, PE, joins ms, from a civil and structural engineering firm, as the new Director of Municipal Services for ms Carolinas. Scott brings experience in many different service areas, and he already has new ideas to catapult ms forward in the region. Scott will be a valuable asset to our team. Welcome to ms, Scott!
About Scott
We sat down with Scott to learn a little more about his experience prior to ms. Here’s what he had to say…
What are your professional specialty areas?
I have a very diverse background. From my NCDOT experience, I have construction, maintenance, and design (roadway, hydraulic, and traffic). I also was a Director of Development for a private development company. My responsibilities included land acquisition/negotiations, negotiating Limited Liability Company agreements between partners, and project proformas. For the last six years, I was the Southeast Operations Manager at a civil and structural engineering firm and responsible for developing a corporate presence in the region.
What are the biggest challenges you face on a day-to-day basis when it comes to meeting client/project needs? How do you deal with these challenges?
It is balancing the needs and expectations of a client on project deliverables for their timeline, which is generally compressed. You deal with this by being flexible, working on project tasks concurrently, optimizing the personnel working on the project, and coordination with the sub-consultants to maintain the schedule.
What do you feel is the biggest trend in your specialty areas? How are you meeting these needs?
A big trend is the expansion of the midsize firms in the industry. Firms are achieving this through both organic growth and acquisitions of smaller firms with local connections. Through opening offices in Wilmington and Charlotte, ms consultants will be able to offer services with a local presence to serve our existing and future clients throughout North Carolina and South Carolina.
OKAY, ON TO THE FUN STUFF!
How did you decide you wanted to be in your chosen profession?
My dad was an engineer, and I like figuring out how things work and problem-solving.
If you weren’t in this profession, what would you be doing?
I would be a custom home builder/developer if I were not an engineer.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Hobbies, organizations, community involvement, etc.
I enjoy woodworking when I have time and attending my girls’ dance and music recitals. I have also been the president of my homeowner’s association for the past 14 years and on the board for a total of 16 years.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Always do your best, no matter the situation.