Education:

The Pennsylvania State University Bachelors of Architectural Engineering

engineering Licenses:

Colorado

Wyoming

Idaho

Montana

Texas

Pennsylvania

New York

Maryland

Florida

Georgia

Tennessee

NCEES Certified

david connolly, P.E.

Growing up, I spent a lot of time observing my uncle's work as an architect.  I was enamored by his ability to bring an entire building to life on his drafting table; and, through his encouragement, I quickly discovered my own enthusiasm for the trade. The seed was planted, and I knew that someday, I would make a career out of it myself.  As I grew older, my father's appreciation for the outdoors played in, which took us to some of the most beautiful places in Pennsylvania's Appalachian Mountains.  When visiting these places, I was always drawn to the log and timber structures that seemed to perfectly compliment their surroundings.  I was hooked.  The rustic beauty of exposed timber and quarried stone created naturally warm and inviting spaces; and I wanted to be a part of their creation.  

After earning my degree in Architectural Engineering from Penn State, I decided that the best way to learn more about this style of architecture was to immerse myself within it.  So I packed my things and headed to the Rocky Mountains. Denver was a thriving city with a high demand for design & engineering professionals, and it also served as a gateway to ski resorts, mountain communities and vacation lodges.  

My first job required tool bags.  I already had some construction experience and I knew that gaining some more would be beneficial. Before long, I landed my first engineering job with a firm of about 25 employees and this is where I was really able to fill my engineering toolbox.  It was a mixed group of architects and structural engineers and we designed both commercial and residential projects. I spent some time on both sides, as it was important to me to gain as much engineering experience as I could.  Over the years, I learned to work with just about every building material available.  Eventually, I was transferred to a new office in Steamboat Springs, CO, where I managed both commercial and residential projects, all of which reflected that mountain lodge aesthetic that I was seeking.

In 2002, our Denver office had to tighten it's belt, and the first notch included scaling down, and eventually closing, our mountain offices. Having settled in to the Steamboat area, I decided to stay and accepted a new position with a small local firm.  As much as I enjoyed my new team of professionals, after a couple of years, I felt that it was time to venture out into private practice.  In 2004, I did just that, and the rest is history.