Meet David Vitali, PE – Airport Engineer & Groove Alchemist
What drew you to Hoyle Tanner?
Ultimately, it came down to the people and how much the company values its employees. I received a thoughtful and personalized message on LinkedIn one day about an open position in the Aviation Services Division. Throughout the interview process, everyone I spoke with was so kind, helpful, and knowledgeable. Everyone took the time to answer my questions and get to know me as a person to understand my strengths and goals.
What’s your favorite part of the company culture?
Hoyle Tanner fosters an environment that prioritizes learning and growth. Employees are encouraged to share knowledge across the company with regularly scheduled tecTalk presentations where employees can present project highlights or share insights about specific aspects of their roles. Additionally, the company puts an emphasis on the value of training, allocating budgeted hours dedicated to developing skills along with the tools for you and your manager to track your progress.
What’s a lesson you’ve learned from a colleague or what’s the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received?
It may seem obvious, but communication is key on a project team. If you ever feel like you’re spinning your wheels getting stuck on a task, the best thing to do is reach out and ask for help. I’ve always struggled with this out of fear of bothering someone or seeming incompetent, but it is always better to get the help you need when you need it.
What’s one thing you wish people knew about your job?
A bit cliché, but every project is different. Each site has its own unique characteristics, from the soils in the ground to the local regulations, and they all determine how a project is designed.
What did you want to be when you were growing up / how did you get to be on the path you’re on?
First, I wanted to be a paleontologist because I loved dinosaurs and thought that traveling the world digging for dinosaur fossils would be the coolest thing ever. Then I discovered my love for playing drums in middle school and dreamed of being a rock-star playing sold-out stadiums and recording albums in state-of-the-art recording studios. By the time I got to college, I didn’t have a clear career path planned out and I decided to pursue civil engineering because the curriculum sounded interesting and it seemed like a practical degree for getting a job right out of school. I spent a few years as a design engineer at various consulting firms working in land development before taking a break to work in a brewery. I returned to civil engineering last year when I joined Hoyle Tanner to try my hand at Aviation Design.
