Growing Up A Gearhead.

My dad spent most of his career as an automobile mechanic before retiring as a John Deere technician. I grew up in a shop. If we weren’t working, we were fixing something—cars, tractors, equipment—you name it.

Originally, I planned to become a mechanic just like him. My dad had different plans. He encouraged me to pursue engineering instead. It wasn’t an easy path, but it opened doors I never imagined.

I spent nearly two decades designing and testing equipment for companies like Bobcat and Case IH before discovering forensic engineering. Once I learned what forensic engineering really was, I realized it combined everything I enjoyed—problem solving, mechanical systems, and helping people understand why something failed.

What Does Forensic Engineering Really Mean?

People still ask if I investigate crime scenes. I usually laugh. For me, forensic engineering is much simpler.

Something broke. Someone needs to know why.

Our job is to examine the evidence, determine what happened, and explain it in a way people can understand.

At the end of the day, we’re professional problem solvers.