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.
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.”
Kritika Kanphade (third from right) stands with members of SAME Space Coast Post
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.).”
2023 SAME JETC Exhibit Hall in San Antonio, TX
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!”
Sarah Thomas the NFL’s first female official as SAME JETC Keynote Speaker
Kritika Kanphade (right) with colleagues at SAME JETC
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.”
Kritika Kanphade (second from right) attends the SAME JETC Society Ball & Gala with colleagues
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.
8-koi’s patented OttoBollardTM deployed at secure facility
“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.
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 Findlater, P.E.
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.
Effective March 11th, Robert M. Sullivan will be taking the lead for current and future projects at CDE. Robert is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Florida who enthusiastically accepted the position of Vice President for 8-koi’s Engineering Division. CDE became a wholly-owned subsidiary of 8-koi in 2019.
Robert joins the team in Merritt Island with over forty years of experience as an innovator in the fields of capital project contracts management, civil environmental, structural, and construction engineering, planning, forensics, emergency and reconstruction management, expert litigation support, and safety.
With over 25 years of service with the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department FEMA response team, Florida Task Force One (FL-TF1), Robert’s work as a Structural Specialist with this international response rescue team has been integral in the development of his operations management skill set to include accurate rapid assessment and detailed analysis to achieve mission-critical goals when time and resources are not always optimum.
“Robert brings a high level of industry expertise and keen understanding of senior/executive management to CDE and 8-koi. His multi-disciplinary experience and background in Earned Value Analysis (EVA) will be an asset to growing our Design Engineering capability for years to come,” stated Dean Rosenquist, 8-koi’s Chief Operating Officer.
With a portfolio that includes work on special capital projects related to construction of unique buildings/facilities, airport and airfield upgrades, harbor dredging, environmental and hazardous waste system upgrades, value engineering, roadway and bridge transportation project management, Robert will be tasked with aligning business development strategy to CDE’s in-demand capabilities.
My motivation and motto is: Plan the Work – Work the Plan,” says Robert. “I’m really looking forward to making the most of the next chapter in my career with this dynamic small business.”
Please help us welcome Robert to the Team and be sure to connect with him on LinkedIn to learn more about his work.
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!
Eastern Florida State College Health Science Building
Finished view of the Palm Beach State College Belle Glade Technical Education Facility
Li Li (her first name is the same as her last) was recently celebrated for her loyalty and longevity marked this month by 20 years serving CDE and now the 8-koi team. Currently, Li works to support new construction, having worked on projects that included: Daytona Beach State College Hosseini Center, Palm Beach State College Technical Education Facility, Space Shuttle Processing Facility (SSPF) Science Annex at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, and the Eastern Florida State College (EFSC) Student Union and Health Sciences Building. She’s also worked on various renovation projects for EFSC, Brevard County School Board and Florida Power & Light.
“I like to work on different kinds of projects so I can always learn something new,” she said.
After earning her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at TsingHua University in Beijing, China, she continued her education in the US earning her Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado.
In 2001, Li began working for CDE. With decades of experience, she’s skilled in handling projects through the beginning to end phases – from conceptual building, mechanical and plumbing system designs through the construction phase, and overcoming the challenges in between.
Around the Merritt Island office Li has a reputation for working smart and hard. She is the proud mother of her high school son, who has also earned a reputation for his smarts and she’s the wife to her husband engineer. When she’s not working, she enjoys gardening – planting all kinds of flowers, vegetables and fruit trees.
8-koi and CDE are grateful for Li’s dedicated 20 years of service to the team and customers. As 8-koi’s COO, Dean Rosenquist, put it, “There is no doubt that you have made your presence an invaluable one in our company. As you continue to commit yourself to uphold our values and vision, we won’t ever stop appreciating you.”
We congratulate you, Li Li, and thank you for 20 years with CDE!
CDE’s Vice President of Design Engineering, Victor Diaz, personally delivered KN-95 masks earlier this month to the Dean of Academic Affairs and Health Science’s Edward Willey at Palm Beach State College to ensure practical training could continue safely for the faculty and students of the school’s acclaimed nursing program.
The delivery was a part of parent company 8-koi’s community outreach during the COVID-19 public health crisis to ensure frontline personnel, first responders, schools, and non-profit organizations could continue their important work safely.
“We had to learn a lot in the beginning, but we are so fortunate to have these supplies on hand and fill a need when so many lives are at stake. These donations exemplify our company’s core values of being thoughtful and dependable and represent the ‘human touch’ our team strives to deliver in service excellence every day – even at a safe distance.” says CDE Owner Inga Young.
CDE’s Victor Diaz and Edward Willey from Palm Beach State College
CDE and 8-koi have provided design engineering and construction services to PBSC and other Florida schools over the years and regularly offer student internships. You can see more about these projects at https://www.cdeco.com/projects/.
This annual awards program recognizes exemplary leaders and outstanding advocates for small businesses, and businesses that support small business programs on federal agency contracts. Nominations aim to honor individuals and organizations that show great achievement for their support of the A/E/C profession.
CDE is nominated in the SAME Small Business Award category for support as a small business. Other categories include SAME Large Business Award for support of small business programs, SAME Industry Small Business Advocate Award, and SAME Post Small Business Liaison Officer Award.
Awardees will be selected by the eligibility criteria for work completed for any federal agency within the last five years from nomination due date in an outstanding manner. Nominations include supporting details to include:
Letters of commendations, awards, previous project evaluations, etc. to show past performance from client or prime contractor,
Company’s track record for working with other Small Businesses in the Industry,
Company’s track record for the professional development of its employees through participation in SAME education and training activities; and
Company participation in one or more small business conferences (e.g. SAME Small Business Conference, Veteran-Owned Small Business Conference, and SAME Post-sponsored small business conference).
The awards ceremony will be held during the Virtual SBC Opening General Session held November 4-6.
