E & A Consulting Group, Inc. is a full-service engineering firm with ten elements to their core competency: Planning, Land Development, Civil Site, Transportation, Structural, Surveying, Environmental Services, Construction Management, Landscape Design, and SID Management.  Jason Headley, RLS, CFedS is the Survey Project Manager for E & A Consulting Group, Inc.

Tell us a little about your business. – E & A Consulting Group, Inc. began in 1966 as an Omaha-based Civil Engineering and Land Surveying firm.   The majority of our business is land planning and related development engineering services for residential, commercial and mixed use.  E&A also provides surveying, environmental, sewer, water, roadway, and bridge design for cities, counties and state clients.

How did you get started in the business? – A family friend gave me a summer job on a survey crew in 1990. The job was great. I loved the freedom of working outside and also the science and mathematics that the job required. As my career grew, I came to value the law and history of Land Surveying. Our profession can be traced back to the Egyptians. Our practices and principles are all based off of the law and what the courts have said. I have a great interest in American survey history dating back to the days of Lewis and Clark. I think most good surveyors are also amateur historians.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? – When the recession hit in 2008 and 2009, our company, like most in the industry, was forced to look closely at itself and examine its practices. Land Development projects were scarce, and we were outside of our comfort zone for a while. We needed to promote ourselves and our brand because the work was no longer walking in the door.  Engineers and Land Surveyors have very little training in marketing and typically this does not fit our personalities; however, we devoted our efforts to genuine relationships. This simple statement has worked. We are better personally and professionally for having grown in this way.

What has been your most important achievement professionally? – I was asked to become a partner of E&A at the end of 2012. This was a goal of mine for a long time, and I felt like years of hard work had finally paid off.  I’ve always enjoyed being a part of the team, but walking through the door every morning is a bit more satisfying with this increased investment.

Tell us a little about your family. – My wife, Melea, and I have been married 17 years and we have three children—Jacob (14), Carly (11) and Joshua (5).

What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life? – 9/11.  I had a young family and was still a bit naïve. The events of 9/11 changed the way I looked at the world.  Our country is not perfect but I am passionate about our founding principles. My grandfather fought in WWII and my father fought in Vietnam. I am very proud of that.  To think that someone could attack us because of our beliefs and our freedoms was hard to understand. I will never forget it.

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? – Golf, fish, or listen to live music!

If you could choose only one descriptive word to be remembered as, what would it be? – A “stand-up guy” would be good enough.

What are you the most proud of? – Easy, my family.  When I walk in public with my family, I stand taller.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? – At (402) 895-4700 or jheadley@eacg.com.