Nathan Grasfeder Earns Professional Engineer (PE) Licensure

Nathan Grasfeder has officially earned his Professional Engineering License (PE), making him the third professional engineer on the L.I. Smith & Associates (LIS) staff. Grasfeder is a civil engineer, specializing in Site Development.  

LIS President Patrick Smith remarked, “The only thing that exceeds the happiness I have for Nathan as he passes this milestone in his career is the confidence I have that we will contribute to this profession for decades to come.” 

Grasfeder holds 10 years of experience within the Construction industry. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Tennessee at Martin (UTM) in 2013. He began his career shortly thereafter, when he went to work for Harold Coffey Construction doing large scale sitework.  

For the next four years, he gained hands-on experience in commercial and industrial construction, including how to run survey equipment and an array of construction equipment. In addition, he obtained valuable experience in estimating time and materials for multi-million dollar projects. Once he established a strong foundation in construction, he was hired into LIS as an EIT in 2017. 

“Becoming a Professional Civil Engineer has been a lifelong goal. I knew from the first time I dumped out a load from a TONKA truck that this was the industry for me,” stated Grasfeder. “I was set on going to school for engineering all the way back in middle school, maybe even before then.” 

Grasfeder began his career with LIS just over five years ago as an Engineer in Training (EIT), which is essentially an apprenticeship prior to becoming a professional. In his new role as a PE, Grasfeder will assume a more prominent leadership position within LIS’ engineering department. He will be responsible for more projects while also managing and mentoring the team of EITS.  

“While at LIS, I have learned more than I could have ever imagined, sometimes the hard way! I hope that the next ten years of my career are even better than my last 10 years, which has been amazing!” 

Grasfeder is already planning for the future. He wants to earn a PE licensure in Kentucky, and maybe another nearby state. Professional development is also important to Grasfeder. He plans to get more involved in professional engineering organizations including the ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) and AAEES (American Academy of Environmental Engineers). Participating in organizations such as these provides means for professionals to network and attend activities that promote professional development.  

“Nathan has devoured design concepts while applying his construction knowledge to design some of the most efficient solutions for our clients,” said Smith. “I have noticed that what he does not know, always ends with yet.” 

In order to maintain the professional license, PEs are required to submit 24 Professional Development Hours (PDH) earned through education every two years.  This is to ensure that professionals stay on top of their field and are informed about current rules and regulations.