Why I wear the “J” with Peter Lalas

How long have you been with Jacobs? 

I started my engineering career with Sverdrup & Parcel and Associates, Inc., in New York City on April 7, 1969. Jacobs acquired Sverdrup in April of 2002, so I’ve been working a little more than 55 years with Sverdrup/Jacobs.

How have you seen Jacobs evolve over the years? 

Jacobs and the engineering profession in general have evolved dramatically since 1969.  There’s a lot more flexibility today than there was when I first started. Work times were regimented – with only two coffee breaks each day, one at 9 a.m. and one at 3 p.m. If you came back from lunch a little late, you’d be politely lectured about lunch times. This was very common in the industry at the time. 

Technology is obviously very different today than it was in 1969. There was very little technology at the time. Most of the work and drafting were done by hand. Today, we do most of this work on the computer. 

Additionally, the industry is much more diverse today than it was when I first started working at Jacobs. 

What hasn’t changed? 

Our commitment to delivering excellence has not changed over the years. Error-free and excellent quality engineering were, and still are, paramount. 

What makes you stay? 

I’ve stayed for 55 years because I genuinely enjoy the structural engineering work, the projects and many people that I work with. It hasn’t been “work” per se – it’s simply what I like to do.

What’s your proudest moment so far? 

One of my proudest moments was watching the placement of the final tube of the Central Artery/Tunnel project at the Ted Williams Tunnel in 1995. My original role on the project was providing design support. Then, when the tunnel was being built, I was assigned to the construction office where I worked for about a year watching the construction of the tubes. 

This is one of my favorite projects because it was a unique structure. Very sophisticated. I’ve never worked on anything like this. And it was a tremendous success! There were only very minor problems. Also, this type of tunnel – a double steel shelf tunnel – will likely never be built again. You need a casting basin which becomes an environmental issue. I remember at the time, the tunnels were built in Virginia and then they were floated out to Boston to be pieced together. 

What else do you want to accomplish? 

I enjoy mentoring entry-level engineers, and I hope to continue doing this. A piece of advice I share regularly with those I mentor is that everyone should keep a diary from their first day to their last – because in 50 years, you’ll want to look back on it. 

Why do you wear the "J?" 

Where should I put it? No one dresses formally anymore! 

All jokes aside, I wear the “J” because of the work we do and the impact we’re able to have on the world.