Steve Donaldson, Steadfast Civil Engineering Ambassador and Beloved Mentor, Retires from CEC

December 31, 2020

We are at once honored and humbled to announce that Steve Donaldson, P.E., P.L.S., will officially retire on January 4, 2021. Steve has provided CEC with more than 27 years of devoted service during his 43-year career. Steve, a Vice President, is an esteemed member of the CEC family. His leaving marks the end of an era for CEC and he will be greatly missed by his colleagues and clients alike.

Based in our Pittsburgh office, Steve served as the Corporate Civil Engineering Practice Lead for CEC for more than 20 years until transitioning out of the role in 2017. His land development experience includes major multi-faceted commercial, residential, retail, industrial, and public works projects. With his comprehensive understanding of land development challenges, Steve consistently demonstrated his ability to evaluate the development potential of sites and identify critical project issues during the early stages of design. We know Steve has made a tremendous impact on his clients, whom he considers friends, and certainly on the business community in Pittsburgh and nationally. He has been an active member of the National Society of Professional Engineers, the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the International Council of Shopping Centers, and the Society for Marketing Professional Services.

At CEC, we have all benefited from Steve’s expertise, mentorship, and steady personality. Here is what just a few of Steve’s colleagues had to say:

 

Steve interviewed me in 2000 and has been a mentor to me for the past 20 years. Steve always made time when I needed reviews, guidance, or advice, and he never hesitated to go to bat for me when I was facing difficult situations. He was always calm, rational, and able to get his point across. Steve was a consistent, steadfast ambassador for the civil group. Through his work across offices, he helped to connect us all and make the group even stronger.
– Adele Beaves, Vice President and Corporate Real Estate Market Group Lead

 

I’ve worked with Steve since 2006, and he has inspired me to lead by example. Steve would stop whatever he was doing to help you. He would let you bend his ear and then offer sage advice. One of the biggest lessons he taught me was that if I wanted to be successful, I needed to help others be successful. I tell people now that ‘It is my job to get you ready to take my job.’ I credit this “next-up” selfless attitude to Steve.
– Rick Celender, Vice President and Pittsburgh Office Civil Engineering Practice Co-Lead

 

Steve hired me directly out of college in 2005. From my first day at CEC, I have always relied on Steve for engineering advice and his calm reassurance during trying times. As one of CEC’s senior leaders in the civil practice, Steve paved the way for many of us to grow and develop into the next generation of industry-leading consulting engineers in the Pittsburgh market. We will greatly miss Steve, but we will continue to carry on his tradition of being a trusted advisor and personal friend to our clients.
– Zach Coy, Vice President and Pittsburgh Office Civil Engineering Practice Co-Lead

 

Steve has always been my go-to guy for civil projects. No matter what, he finds time for me – and most likely it is his approach to projects and clients that leads us to winning work. He is considerate of others and always maintains a gentle and calm demeanor. Steve is not only a colleague but also a good friend. Working alongside him for nearly 28 years has been rewarding and fun for me and countless others.
– Mary Guinee, Strategic Development Officer

 

As a young civil engineer working in a branch office, Steve was always the first call when technical and client questions arose. To his credit, he answered every time despite the frequency of the calls. His calm and reassuring demeanor was greatly appreciated. I’m honored to serve in the Corporate Practice Lead role Steve held for many years, and I strive every day to convey the same patience and reassurance that Steve always provided to me.
– Mike Sheleheda, Vice President and Corporate Civil Engineering Practice Lead

 

We are thrilled for Steve as he moves on to his next chapter, yet we’re also looking forward to deepening the relationships we have built with our clients. Please do not hesitate to reach out to any of the capable, highly skilled professionals at CEC with whom you have grown familiar and comfortable over the years. We are committed to exemplary service and will continue to provide an unmatched level of consistency as we head into a promising 2021.

CEC will honor Steve for his contributions to the firm during a reception to be held in, what we hope will be, the very near future as conditions allow. Until then, it is with great fondness that we extend our tremendous appreciation and best wishes to Steve.

About the Author


CEC Staff

Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. (CEC) provides comprehensive market-oriented consulting services to advance client strategic business objectives. CEC is recognized for delivering innovative design solutions and integrated expertise in air quality, civil engineering, ecological sciences, environmental engineering and sciences, manufacturing infrastructure services, survey/geospatial, waste management, and water resources.

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