Earth Anchoring Suppliers Adds Veteran Geotechnical Engineer: Five Questions with Nate Seguin

Nate Seguin joins the EAS team, heading up their engineering services department. Nate is a veteran Geotech formerly working with American Pile and Foundation (NJ), Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers (NYC) and S.W. Cole Engineering (New England).

1. You’ve been a geotechnical engineer for the past 12 years. Why did you move to Earth Anchoring Suppliers?

My discovery of Earth Anchoring Suppliers has been a journey; and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. It’s the culmination of years of seeking the best opportunities. My time with clients and colleagues, from brief conversations to months-long projects, has shaped who I’ve become as a professional. I’m excited to bring that experience to EAS, because we’re a group that sincerely enjoys assisting our clients with what I believe are the best possible solutions, given our group experience with educating, distributing, installing and engineering. And we have fun doing it.

2. What part(s) of being an engineer for deep foundations do you get the biggest “kick” out of?

It’s interesting to be among the “first ones in, first ones out”. For building projects utilizing deep foundations, nearly everything else comes after. Deep foundations are a critical element; but there’s a limited window – after which, they’re covered up by what they’re intended to support. I get a “kick” out of envisioning the efforts that went into designing and installing the foundations for a project.

3. What types of projects, in your experience, have been the most challenging and/or satisfying?

I’ve enjoyed the projects with real opportunities to educate clients on how my deep foundation solutions meet code and design requirements. Conversations like these are the furthest thing from feeling like I’m sharing “infinite wisdom”. Instead, every time I’ve had great, informative discussions with a client, it improves my ability to convey ideas and alleviate concerns more effectively.

4. If you could instantly change one thing about the deep foundation construction business, what would it be?

I’d want everyone to have at least one mentor – at all the different points of their career. Self-education is a wonderful thing for the curious mind; but without mentorship, one may develop unchecked and become focused on “doings things the way we’ve always done them”. Without mentorship, employees can find themselves on “autopilot”. Construction details get copied from the last job, not knowing if they’re even applicable or instruct-able on the next one.  Mentorship
can foster thoughtful discussion on how you can get things done practically and efficiently. I benefited greatly from the mentors I’ve been so lucky to have.

5. If you could time-travel back to when you were just entering the field, what advice would you give yourself?

If I could travel back to 2008, I would remind myself that my day-to-day job is supposed to be fun. I’d tell myself that it’s important to enjoy who you’re working with and who you’re working for – not just what you’re doing. It’s been my experience the latter comes with the great relationships!