New Year Greetings 2025
: : : A wholly owned subsidiary of 8-koi, Inc. : : :
Cape Design Engineering Co. is Lighting the Way to the New SoFi Center Ahead of TGL Season Opener
Known for heavy industrial design engineering of launchpads at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Cape Design Engineering Co. is having a little fun these days with a light project in proximity to the new SoFi Center currently under construction at Palm Beach State College (PBSC), host venue for Tomorrow’s Golf League (TGL) that opened January 7, 2025. The first match is scheduled for January 14.
Anticipating the excitement of an all-star lineup to include PGA TOUR Players Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, and TGL Team Owners like Venus Williams and Steph Curry, Cape Design Engineering (CDE) crews are providing electrical plans and installing Edge Series LED lighting for the VIP parking and footpaths at PBSC leading to the SoFi Center’s virtual golf greens.
“This project is a fun changeup from our normal workload,” says CDE Director of Engineering Matt Charmbury. “Our engineering and construction team is proud to be a trusted partner to Palm Beach State College to help them reach their goals for the SoFi Branding Experience and opening Tomorrow’s Golf League on campus with a focus on technology, innovation and fan engagement.”
PBSC says the purpose-built venue combines a data-rich virtual course with a state-of-the-art short game complex creating a unique experience for the fans watching in the stands and around the world. The league launches with six teams, each consisting of three PGA TOUR players competing in a two-hour team golf competition. All matches are played at SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, with a capacity of approximately 1,600 spectators for TGL’s inaugural season, according to PGATour.com
Cape Design Engineering has decades of experience delivering services as an approved contractor to PBSC and other Florida state colleges. This firm fixed price award was approved this summer to develop electrical drawings with details, enable photometric analysis, and provide technical specifications to relocate utility service and install energy-efficient traffic lighting fixtures for the new SoFi Center VIP entrance. CDE is not an associate of the SoFi Center or TGL entities.
Cape Design Engineering Co. is a Certified Women’s Business Enterprise
The Women’s Business Enterprise Council Florida Certification Committee approved Cape Design Engineering Co. (CDE) as a Certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) effective 10 November 2024.
WBENC-Certified WBEs are recognized nationally by thousands of major U.S. corporations and federal, state and local government entities. With this WBE certification, CDE has the opportunity to interface with supplier diversity and procurement executives at hundreds of major U.S. corporations and federal, state and local government entities that accept WBENC Certification.
The certificate is valid for one year through 10 November 2025. CDE will need to recertify with WBENC to maintain the certification after this expiration date.
To certify, the applicant company must be at least fifty-one percent (51%) owned and controlled by one or more women who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. The company must demonstrate that management and daily operation is controlled by one or more of the women.
WBENC uses a two-part process to ensure that the applicant company meets the WBENC Standards. This includes a thorough review of the documentation presented and a site visit interview with the female owner(s).
Cape Design Engineering WBE Certification_10NOV24-25
The WBENC certification for women-owned businesses is one of the most widely recognized and respected certifications in the nation. Accepted by hundreds of corporations within the country and a number of federal, state, and local government agencies, WBENC certification is an important marketing tool for expanding a company’s visibility among decision makers in corporate supply chain diversity and procurement organizations.
WBENC is also an approved Third Party Certifier for the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contracting Program.
CDE President Inga Young Presents at Space Coast Alliance for Technolgy and Innovation 25 JUL
Inga Young will be presenting at the Space Coast Association for Technology and Innovation (SCATI) at the Florida Tech Center for Advanced Manufacturing Innovation and Design on Thursday, July 25th. Reserve your seat to learn about how gamification can bring productivity and FUN to your workplace.
CDE Celebrates 8-koi’s 15th Anniversary
This year marks a significant milestone for our parent company 8-koi. Founded on August 8th, 2008 by University of Florida accounting graduate and show dog mom Inga Young, the woman-owned small business has grown to support millions of dollars in government contracts and hired hundreds of employees around the US. As a first generation American, Inga credits her success to her parents, and practices everyday gratitude for the opportunity to learn from her coworkers and peers in the industry. Design, build, staff, and supply… 8-koi offers full-spectrum contracting solutions with a human touch. See more about the EDWOSB’s capabilities in design engineering, construction, technical, and healthcare-related services.
Join us in the celebration and see the milestones!
CDE in San Antonio for SAME Conference MAY 2-4
CDE Mechanical Engineer Kritika Kanphade attended the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Joint Engineer Training Conference (JETC) in San Antonio, TX May 2-4, 2023 to take part in “over 80 hours of education and training sessions, keynote speaker, myriad networking activities, a robust exhibit hall, and countless opportunities to connect and meet with decision-makers throughout industry and government.”
CDE and parent company 8-koi have been long-time corporate members of the SAME Space Coast Post. According to the JETC website, “For three days, attendees took in more than 70 education sessions, participated in influential Warfighter Seminars and Facility Asset Management Forum, networked with 200+ exhibitors, viewed lived geospatial demonstrations, heard from senior agency leaders and keynote speaker Sarah Thomas, and celebrated achievements such as the Academy of Fellows Investiture, Leader Development Program graduation, Society Ball & Awards Gala, to include the Golden Eagle Award, and swearing-in of the 104th SAME National President, Charlie Perham, F.SAME, USAF (Ret.).”
Kritika says,”It was a whirlwind week of activity between learning about big things in the AEC industry and talking to people interested in SAME’s Leader Development Community of Interest (COI). I got to hear Sarah Thomas, the first female official in NFL today. She is such a motivation!”
Kritika adds, “The week at JETC was equally energizing and exhausting, but either way I can’t wait to go back to San Antonio for the Small Business Conference (SBC) in November 2023. I will also be attending the SAME’s Post Leaders Workshop (PLW) in Fort Lauderdale in August, where I will reconnect with many other SAME Post leaders from the JETC trip.”
We love seeing our Florida-based team making connections on the road. Thank you for being there, Kritika! View more about CDE Design Engineering and 8-koi Construction Capabilities and contact us to set a meeting.
CDE Proudly Offers Patented Bollard System
The simple OttoBollardTM design is made to be permanently installed, stowed in place, easily maintained, and operated manually to replace more complicated and expensive hydraulic traffic control systems. It is designed to give property owners the choice of how and when they change protection levels and or traffic patterns. As an example of maintainability, 8-koi’s OttoBollardTM was easily repaired and made ready for service with minimal downtime the same day following impact at a secured facility.
Applications include property egress paths, facility egress paths, civic meeting places, and roads and other similar locations where bollard systems are not to be permanently installed and there is a need to modify or change potential traffic patterns. The OttoBollardTM eliminates off site storage of temporary bollards or other similar systems when not in use. The OttoBollardTM reduces recurring costs of transport, manpower, rental, and deployment.
“Our patented bollard is a simple system that is quick to deploy, operates without electricity or hydraulics, requires no storage, and works in all weather conditions,” says CDE Owner Inga Young. “We are looking forward to targeting sales to municipalities for secure event areas like sports arenas, stadiums, and parks to help with crowd control and hopefully avoid tragic public safety disasters such as the recent parade crashing events we see on the news.”
The US Patent Office issued Patent No. US 11,319,681 B2 to 8-koi on May 3, 2022 for a bollard system invented by 8-koi VP of Construction Otto Herrera. The patent application for the physical security device used to restrict vehicular movement was filed August 6, 2020 in response to a DoD customer’s request for a solution to their force protection. Read more about the patent held by CDE’s parent company 8-koi.
CONTACT US to request more information about installing the OttoBollardTM at your project site.
Kyle Findlater Earns P.E.
Inspired by the hit television series “Prison Break,” CDE’s Kyle Findlater chose to pursue a career in structural engineering and successfully earned his Professional Engineering License from the State of Florida on July 1st, 2022. “After watching Michael Scofield apply structural engineering principles to break his brother out of the prison he designed, I knew that was the specialty I wanted to pursue,” Kyle muses.
Though being highly motivated, but not having a falsely imprisoned brother to free, Kyle admits his journey to be a Professional Engineer was not an easy road to walk. “I struggled to get back the motivation to study,” Kyle says after his first P.E. exam was cancelled in April 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I had spent the six months prior studying intensely and working practice problems. It was very frustrating and deflating.”
As disappointing as it was, I immediately jumped back in and rescheduled my test…
His next opportunity to test came in October 2021 when he sat for the last paper-and-pencil version of the P.E. exam before they switched to a standard computer-based exam. “Several weeks later, I received a failing result. As disappointing as it was, I immediately jumped back in and rescheduled my test for April 2022.” This time he passed.
“I then had to fill out the P.E. licensure application by gathering my work history and professional engineering references to be validated by the Florida Board of Professional Engineers. A few weeks later after going before the FBPE committee, I was granted my P.E. License,” Kyle proudly explains of the process.
Kyle joined CDE in July 2021 and now serves as the lead designer and project manager for the structural engineering department. Prior to CDE, Kyle’s work experience included three years in residential structures with Apex Technology and three years in marine structures with JACOBS.
My biggest career highlight so far has definitely been achieving my Professional Engineering License…
A first-generation American, Kyle was born in New York after his parents emigrated from Jamaica, but he’s called Florida home ever since his family moved to Palatka when he was young. Kyle went on to attend the University of Florida where he received his bachelor’s in civil engineering and met his wife, Nureka, who was a nursing student from Jamaica. They have a lively young daughter and enjoy family travel and trips to the beach.
When asked about his future, Kyle says he’s focused on honing his design skills so he can eventually mentor and teach other young engineers. “My advice for aspiring P.E.’s would be to find great mentors and take your P.E. exam as close to your schooling as possible because it will be harder to re-learn how to study and prepare for a test of this magnitude if you wait.”
As for Kyle’s mentors who helped him along the way, “I would like to thank Jesse Dayhoff, P.E. with Apex Technology, Gary Ledford, P.E. with JACOBS, Josh Smith, P.E. formally with CDE, and currently Rob Sullivan, P.E. and Lutfi Mized, P.E. with CDE for their mentorship.”
Please join us all at CDE and 8-koi in congratulating Kyle on his well-deserved accomplishment of becoming a licensed Professional Engineer. You can connect with Kyle on LinkedIn.
CDE Supports Scholarships at Florida State Colleges
It’s golf season in Florida and our Cape Design Engineering Co. (CDE) team came out swinging in support of local scholarships last month. As corporate sponsors of the Palm Beach State College and Eastern Florida State College Foundations’ golf tournaments held on October 31st, CDE contributes to scholarship funds and helps students in-need advance their education.
The funds raised during the annual golf events go directly to students pursuing degrees in engineering, healthcare, and technical subjects. You can see more about the PBSC Golf Tourney in the video below and review the scholarships offered at EFSC.
CDE and parent company 8-koi have provided design engineering and construction services to both schools over the years and regularly offer student internships. We are proud to support our local state colleges and students!
