Join Us in Celebrating Professional Engineers Day

Professional Engineers Day (PE Day) is an industry holiday that raises awareness of the vast engineering career field and the professionals who work in it. Each year, PE Day is recognized on the first Wednesday of August. 

A Professional Engineer (PE) is a registered or licensed engineer with the authority to sign off on a structure or design. This engineering industry includes professionals in various specialties such as aerospace, chemical, civil, electrical, firmware, mechanical, and software. 

While engineering is one of the most trusted professions in the world, it is also one of the least understood by the general public. Engineers bring you fresh drinking water, provide transportation networks across the world, develop the power sources and distribution systems that bring power to your home, and design the very buildings and spaces where all other professions reside. 

LIS President Patrick Smith commented, “The challenges that the civil engineering workforce faces highlight the necessity to not only showcase what a professional engineer does, but also the need for them in this industry.”  

In honor of PE Day, LIS is pleased to introduce our talented engineering team, who are registered in seven states including Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, and Virginia. The team is comprised of two Professional Civil Engineers (PE), three Professional Engineers in Training (EIT). 

Larry Smith 

Larry Smith, LIS cofounder and current Executive Vice President, was the company’s first licensed engineer and surveyor. He earned his first, and LIS’ first, civil engineering license in March of 1990. This accomplishment allowed LIS to expand and begin providing civil engineering services to the public. Smith is currently a licensed engineer in six out of LIS’ seven states of coverage. He has over 40 years of experience in the industry and holds a bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Technological University. 

Patrick Smith 

LIS President Patrick Smith acts as the Principal Civil Engineer on staff. He provides training and mentorship to the engineering staff. P. Smith has decades of industry experience and holds both a PE and Professional Land Surveyor license (RLS). He earned a bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State University and is involved in engineering organizations such as the Tennessee Society of Professional Engineers and the American Society of Professional Engineers.  

Trevor Teague 

Working under the mentorship of our PEs, LIS has three PEITs on staff, Trevor Teague, Will Clark, and Zech Rowley. Teague began his career in the industry directly after earning his civil engineering degree at UTM, when he interned at the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). There he gained valuable knowledge in different areas of transportation. Shortly thereafter, Teague joined the LIS team where he assists in both engineering and surveying projects. In addition, Teague earned his RLS in 2022.  

“As an engineer, I have realized that our roles go beyond the realms of equations and plan sheets. The work we do shapes the future of our communities and leaves a lasting impact on lives we will likely never know,” Teague stated. 

Will Clark 

Will Clark is LIS’ second PEIT. Clark graduated from UTM in 2020 and has been working at LIS for two years. Clark was previously an intern at Construction Materials Laboratory where he learned skillsets such as construction site inspection, quality control test, and geotechnical engineering, which are necessities within the civil engineering field. Clark is a team player and shows great potential as a future professional. 

Zech Rowley 

Former intern, Zech Rowley, is LIS’ newest EIT graduate engineer. Rowley graduated from Lipscomb University in 2021 with a degree in civil engineering and began working with LIS full-time. In the future, he plans to take the Fundamentals of Engineering exam to officially become a PEIT. 

Initially launched in 2016 by the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), 2023 marks the eighth anniversary of this industry holiday. NSPE was founded in 1934 to represent licensed Professional Engineers within the United States. Over the last 89 years, the organization has grown and is represented in 53 states and has over 500 chapters.  

“LIS is proud to assist in raising much needed awareness not only of this industry holiday but also of this vast field,” commented LIS Marketing Coordinator Ashley Horn. “It is our goal to assist the community in exposing the youth to the many engineering career opportunities both throughout the industry and those available locally.” 

To become a PE, one must graduate from an accredited four-year university and pass the Fundamentals of Engineering exam to become a PEIT. After gaining four years of experience under the mentorship of a PE, a PEIT is eligible to take the Professional Engineering exam. When the PEIT has passed the exam, he or she will finally reach their goal of becoming a PE. 

For more information about career opportunities and internships at LIS, contact Ashley Horn at careers@lismith.com.