Leader, Colleague, Mentor, Friend
As of March 31st, 2021, after 44 years in the field of structural engineering, Dave Nelson is hanging up his T-square and slide rule to begin his hard-earned retirement years. We will miss his presence here in the office, but after all he has invested in this company, he definitely deserves this time of rest and relaxation.
A California native, Dave started his structural engineering career in 1977 and met co-founder and future partner Larry Kaprielian in 1979. After forming a great friendship based on common interests and respect for each other, they decided to build their own firm from the ground up (no pun intended). KNA Consulting Engineers (name changed in 2017) was formed in 1996 and has grown significantly in size and project scope since its inception. Dave’s outstanding leadership and commitment to excellence have guided hundreds of projects to success and established trusted relationships with a large portion of our client base.
Over the past several months, Dave has gradually transferred his responsibilities to Principals Josh Randall, Ben Pitts, and Kevin Westervelt to make for a seamless transition.
Dave shared some of his thoughts and plans for the future:
What do you think you might miss most about your work?
Dave: I will miss the KNA staff along with the personal and professional relationships that grew out of this business. Over the years what has driven me the most is serving our clients to the best of my abilities. It really comes down to relationships and working closely with people, and that has been the best reward I could ask for. Successful engineering is not just the technical stuff, but it is also the interaction of working with your peers and clients alike.
How do you plan on spending your retirement days? Any new hobbies you might take up?
Dave: Well I have quite a few plans on the board and only hope that I can fulfill them in due time. Spending more time with my family and being an active grandfather to the grandkids is really the gold at the end of the rainbow.
Beyond that, I hope to continue with overland excursions, boating, traveling, hunting, cooking and whatever else fits my fancy. Those that know me know that I am passionate about wine and all of the knowledge, culture, and history that goes along with it. That said, I plan to continue in my quest in wine education…who knows, maybe someday you’ll see my name on a bottle of wine!
Anything else you want to add?
Dave: On a personal note, I am very grateful for Larry, the best business partner one could ask for. This partnership made the whole adventure worthwhile, and I could not have done it without him.
KNA would like to thank Dave for his service to the company and wish him a heartfelt congratulations on all of his accomplishments throughout his career!