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.
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.
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.
Palm Beach State College (PBSC) selected Cape Design Engineering (CDE) to provide Professional Engineering Services in several disciplines across the college’s five campuses in Belle Glade, Boca Raton, Lake Worth, Loxahatchee, and Palm Beach Gardens.
As a preferred service provider, CDE will have the opportunity to perform on PBSC’s structural and mechanical/electrical/plumbing (MEP) continuing services contracts for single projects under $1,000,000. CDE is a wholly-owned subsidiary of 8-koi, a minority- and woman-owned small business headquartered in Merritt Island, FL.
“Our CDE team has a long-standing reputation for excellence in supporting academic institutions across Florida. I’m proud of the work we do to help students learn and teachers teach. We look forward to meeting PBSC’s physical plant needs for years to come,” says 8-koi President Inga Young.
CDE has provided engineering support to PBSC on a variety of projects for almost two decades. In 2010, CDE successfully completed work on the 34,000 SF Technical
Palm Beach State College is nationally recognized as an innovative academic leader advancing student success through its unparalleled commitment to excellence, engagement, and dynamic partnerships.
Education Facility at the College’s Belle Glade campus and was responsible for MEP design of the facility and for modifications to the campus central energy plant. It was the first public State College facility to earn the prestigious USGBC LEED Platinum rating in the State of Florida. Also, thanks to CDE’s ingenuity in the design, PBSC enjoyed a NET ZERO increase in energy costs despite adding a new building to the campus. [To see more about this project click here!]
Other related higher educational projects completed by CDE include the Daytona State College 2.5-million-gallon Thermal Energy Storage System, the Wayne Densch Athletics Administration Building at the University of Central Florida, and the Eastern Florida State College Health Sciences and Student Union Buildings.
In March 2019, 8-koi acquired Merritt Island design-build firm Cape Design Engineering Co. (CDE) to expand WOSB design engineering and mil-spec construction capabilities. Since its founding in 2008, 8-koi has grown to offer a diverse range of services that helped to earn the title “Florida’s Companies to Watch” in 2018 by GrowFL.
About 8-koi
8-koi is an 8(a) certified minority- and woman-owned small disadvantaged business headquartered in Melbourne, FL. Founded in 2008 by Inga Young, 8-koi specializes in providing Design Engineering, Construction, Training/Technical and Administrative Support, and Healthcare-Related Services to government agencies across the United States. 8-koi’s work within these divisions meets rigorous training/technical specifications to include Mil-Spec design-build, facility renovation, medical admin and direct care, quality assurance and risk management. See more at https://www.8-koi.com/.
About Cape Design Engineering
Cape Design Engineering Co. (CDE) was incorporated in 1997 by Lutfi M. Mized, P.E. and Kannan Rengarajan, P.E. to offer full-service, multi-discipline engineering and construction firm. CDE is well-known for commercial, industrial, educational, medical, institutional, military, and government facilities to include the designs of critical launch systems and facilities for NASA and USAF rocketry programs. Acquired in 2019 by 8-koi as a wholly-owned subsidiary, CDE continues to provide exceptional contracting services on time and within budget. See more at https://www.cdeco.com.
It’s that time of the year again for our yearly newsletter! There have been some changes at CDE and this newsletter will introduce you to those changes and the people behind them. Also, in this edition are several interesting project profiles CDE has recently worked on. We hope you enjoy it!
We are excited to announce the latest iteration in the growth of CDE. Our company, now in its 22nd year, is transitioning to the ownership of 8-koi, a vibrant, multifaceted, Melbourne-based firm that is recognized as one of Florida’s fastest growing companies.
We are also pleased to announce that co-founders Lutfi Mized and Kannan Rengarajan will remain at CDE, only now with the enhanced ability to focus their energy on their first passion – engineering. This latest evolution of the company allows Lutfi and Kannan to be even more hands-on with client needs.
“Our commitment, as it has always been, is to continue to provide the best professional engineering services to our clients,” Mized said. “CDE will not only maintain its name, its Merritt Island offices, and its staff, but most importantly its same standard of excellence.”
Rengarajan noted that “this is a great fit that solidifies CDE’s future growth. This was an important step and we are thrilled to be making it with 8-koi, a company with so much vitality and a gold-standard commitment to client services.”
For the past several years, CDE has often partnered with 8-koi and its owner, Inga Young. Her savvy business sense impressed us from day one – and still does today. She also shares the same core values that we do. We are confident that combining her talent, energy, and ambitious leadership with CDE’s well-established reputation and business model will ensure our company’s future success.
“I am delighted to be bringing the management expertise and personal touch of 8-koi to CDE,” Young said. “And I am even more delighted to have the expertise of Lutfi and Kannan still onboard to help guide the company.”
Lutfi and Kannan look forward in the coming weeks to introducing Inga to our clients.
Sincerely,
The CDE Team
For more about 8-koi, please visit their website here.
