Meet Mike Obst, the Client Manager at Huffman Engineering, Inc., Omaha (huffmaneng.com) and is responsible for business development in the region.

Tell us a little about your business (in your own words). – Huffman Engineering Inc. (HEI) is an Engineering firm that specializes in systems integration. The best thing about it is we work in a lot of different industries, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and water/wastewater. I like to say if you’ve had a drink of water or flushed a toilet in Omaha and expected clean water to eventually be returned to the River or if you’ve had a headache and tried to make it go away with a popular medicine, we’ve likely had a hand in controlling the process to make that happen.

How did you get started in the business? – I was in the software development industry for 25 years where the 3D modeling software exported data to controlled automation equipment. I have always been fascinated with how automation can improve safety and product production so I made a career change from the software development industry to control systems integration. The speed and accuracy of some of the automated manufacturing equipment is incredible, all controlled by a SCADA touchscreen.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? – Technology drives new solutions every day. Staying educated on existing technologies while learning how to leverage new ones can be challenging. The good thing about working at HEI is their focus on professional development and support of their employees constantly learning – so honestly it makes it fun.

Tell us a little about your family. – I have been married to my wife Amy for 31 years. We have lived in Omaha, Elkhorn, Valley, and now Lincoln, and I find myself once again working in Omaha. Recently, we adopted two girls who are both in high school. That means I’m learning lessons of how to shop and hopefully picking up a few fashion tips along the way.

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? – When I get a day off, I enjoy riding ATV’s and hanging out with friends and family. I also enjoy working on house projects. The fashion tips don’t end at the mall shopping, the fashion tips continue at home with accent walls, pretty wall colors and colored led accent lighting.

Who inspires you? – I have several people who inspire me. One of my favorites is Simon Sinek. I love his simple, well communicated approach. I’m an optimistic person. When I combine his short and powerful messages with some of my optimism, I am certainly inspired and energized. On a day to day basis, I have several colleagues at Huffman Engineering who inspire me. I’m fascinated by the engineers, project managers, and automation technicians who surround me each day, every one of them bringing their specializations to some really complex projects. It’s really gratifying to know that the communities we live and work in are in such good hands with these industrial systems like power grids, water utilities and companies that make medicines and equipment we use every day.

What is your favorite quote or the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? – Growing up in the 80’s, one of my favorite fun quotes came from the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day off where Ferris said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” I loved that quote back then and it has even more meaning as we all get older and experience that statement.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? – I work out of our new Huffman Engineering Omaha office located at 10707 O Street. You can reach me there or send me an email at mobst@huffmaneng.com.