David Langlais, PE – Massachusetts Regional Business Manager & Lifelong Scouter
1. What drew you to Hoyle Tanner?
Early in my career, as a then budding structural engineer, I was introduced to Matt Low through a mutual friend. Sometime afterwards, Matt reached out to me with an opportunity to fill-in on a temp assignment for staff who were away. I spent about five or six weeks handling assignments both in the field and office, and I got to know a handful of people. I liked the people here, and the way things operated. The assignment ended, and I went on to do temp work for another firm, hoping that a full-time opportunity would present itself. It took about four months, but then that opportunity came, and the rest is history.
2. What’s something invaluable you’ve learned here?
Adaptability. When I came to Hoyle Tanner, I was a structural engineer with some diverse field inspection experience. In the span of two years, I became a roadway engineer through both field and office experience. Over the course of the next 10 years, my field experience out-paced my office experience and I thought that I was set on being a resident engineer for the rest of my career. Then in 2018, the opportunity arose for me to change course and serve the Massachusetts market through business development. I wouldn’t be where I am now if I did not adapt and remain open to new opportunities.
3. What’s your favorite time of year to work at Hoyle Tanner & why?
Christmas. It’s my favorite holiday, and I love how the groups come together to compete in the decoration contests.
4. What’s the coolest thing you are working on & why?
Obtaining my drone pilot’s license. Another instance of my career turning in a direction that I never could have predicted. There are so many uses for drones to support the work we do, and we’ve barely scratched the surface with their capabilities.
5. What’s the best thing that’s happened to you so far this week?
I got news that my new desk is arriving!
6. How many different states have you lived in?
If you count working at a summer camp, then three states: Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Michigan.
7. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life what would it be?
Shepherd’s pie.
8. What kind of pet do you have & how did you choose to name it?
Unfortunately, I don’t have any pets anymore, but I have lots of plants spread throughout my office. They are named either after their physical traits, or from a creative spin on their plant name (except for Martha, who was named by my son, Ben). The rest are Ray, Wilhelmina, Shuma, Francine, Robert, Jean and Sal.
9. What is a fun or interesting fact about your hometown?
Scenes from “Grown-ups 2,” “The Fighter” and “School Ties” were filmed in Lowell.
10. What are three things still left on your bucket list?
Visit every state, see a Red Sox game from every stadium and write a fictional novel.
11. Name three items you’d take with you to a desert island.
A sturdy pair of hiking shoes, a magnifying glass for starting fires and a Gerber multi-tool.
12. What characteristic do you admire most in others?
Honesty.
13. How old is the oldest item in your closet?
I have a sweatshirt from when the Red Sox were in the 2004 World Series.
14. Words to live by? Favorite quote? Why?
“If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” It’s better to not say anything than it is to offend someone. It fits right in with “Think before you speak/act,” “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” and “Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone.”
15. What did you want to be when you were growing up?
An engineer (the kind that drives trains).
16. If you were to skydive from an airplane what would you think about on the way down?
“Why did I jump out of a perfectly good airplane?”
