PARTNER / DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Like his e3i colleagues, Ryan Center has contracting in his blood. Hailing from New York, Uncle Frank, a member of the electrical union, introduced Ryan to the electrical contracting world by taking him to projects at an early age. As he got older, Frank would give him odd jobs to do around the project sites. With an intrinsic interest in buildings and their systems, this early introduction to construction served as the springboard towards bigger ideals. 

An old soul at heart, Ryan’s high school years were spent learning the business from the drafting table, practicing the finer points of hand drawing, and the precision it takes to execute plans using non-digital tools. This training shaped his work ethic and is a big part of the methodical planning and systems integration that benefits e3i today. As programs like AutoCad and Revit emerged, Ryan's traditional foundation has greatly benefited his technical education and gives him a new appreciation of how to best optimize the software to excel at his work. 

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As a college freshman, Ryan studied architecture. As he learned more about how buildings are put together and the systems that make them work, he naturally gravitated towards the field of engineering; electrical engineering was a direct tie back to his childhood. Even now, Ryan especially enjoys looking at a blank set of drawings, putting in the electrical systems, and then integrating them with the work of other trades. 

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With all of these experiences under his belt, Ryan was able to use his college co-op to full advantage. At BR+A, he was given the opportunity to perform the design and engineering tasks of a more experienced engineer. He secured a position with the firm after graduation, where he was first introduced to the electrical engineering components of healthcare systems. His time at Collaborative Engineers introduced him to project management, which sparked an interest in understanding how projects come together and the importance of how they run as a component of project success. Joining colleague Brian Mulkerrin at AKF, Ryan used all his previous experience to help grow the business from five to 50 people, while expanding its electrical engineering service offerings. 

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As the director of operations at e3i, Ryan is charged with establishing the firm standard. He’s excited about taking all his experience to form innovative processes that define the firm, in order to provide the high-level of service for which the individual partners are known. Strategic growth will be part of his plan, but streamlined operations and client satisfaction will always be his ultimate goal. 

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A self-described "mama’s boy", Ryan’s family keeps him going, and he enjoys down time at their Connecticut Lake House or occasional visits to check on family property in Greece. Beyond his New York ties, Ryan’s roots run even deeper. His great grandfather who lived on the island of Kasos, was a contractor on the Suez Canal. Just another reminder that, for Ryan, this career path was meant to be.