Inside PRIME AE
Join an award-winning architecture and engineering firm that thrives on building long-term relationships with our employees, clients, and teaming partners.
At PRIME AE, you will have the opportunity to work with talented professionals who work towards one unified goal, to improve the infrastructure that enhances the lives of our communities.
We know that our staff is our greatest asset. By providing opportunities for professional growth and advancement, we create the ideal environment for our staff to excel in their career at PRIME AE.
PRIME AE Group, Inc. ensures nondiscrimination in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If you need more information or special assistance for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, contact Tim McKindles at 614.591.0288.
Benefits
PRIME AE has developed a comprehensive benefits package that delivers quality and value while satisfying the diverse needs of our workforce.
- Three medical offerings
- Dental
- Vision
- Health Savings Account (HSA)
- 401(K) savings
Our employees enjoy paid time off, access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), professional development, flex-time, health and wellness programs, and more!
- Flex-Time
- Tele-Work
- Casual Dress Fridays
- Company-wide Annual Holiday Celebration
- Monthly celebrations of employee work anniversaries/birthdays/professional achievements
PRIME AE’s corporate commitment to civic involvement and social responsibility is felt through sustainable design practices which conserve our natural resources, and in engaging our employees outside of the office to impact the community with positive change including charitable donations, volunteering, teaching, and sponsorships.
Our Stories
Megan Donnelly
Planner and Grant Administrator
Lou Sabad, PE
Senior Bridge Engineer/Project Manager
Doug Cole, PE
Director of Wastewater Systems, NY Division
Megan Donnelly
Planner and Grant Administrator
How did you come to PRIME AE?
After graduating with my Masters in Planning, I ended up working as a retail business manager. After a few years I felt the need to for a new adventure and a place to use my experience and education to make a difference in the community. I interviewed with PRIME AE for the Office Assistant position and was hired as a Project Coordinator, and then to Planner and Grant Administrator.
Describe your role and what you do at PRIME AE?
I am a Planner and Grant Administrator working primarily with our clients and our grant funded projects to provide financial and grant administration. A lot of the grant programs have detailed and extensive requirements and communities are already overwhelmed with paperwork, so I help take care of those requirements and keep the projects moving forward. I’ve also been described as wearing many hats here in the office. I am lucky in my role to be able to assist the team on a little bit of everything from office coordinating, project management, providing HR support, and providing the occasional homemade baked goods snacks. Keeps things interesting, and me on my toes!
What do you enjoy and find most rewarding about your job?
I think an important part of any job that everyone shares a common vision and goal. I am fortunate to be surrounded by a dedicated, passionate, and hard-working team who truly care about each client and giving them their best. With so many projects dependent on grant funding, it is rewarding to be a part of making these impactful infrastructure projects happen, and getting to see the positive affects they have on the communities.
Q: If you could do something other than your current job, what would be your dream job/career?
A: Forensic scientist
Q: What are you most proud of in your life?
A: Completing my Master’s Degree
Q: What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at PRIME AE?
A: I try to go to as many concerts as I have time for. There are a lot of great venues in Albany and my husband and I like to travel to them as often as we can.
Q: What is your favorite food or the best meal you ever ate?
A: Hands down, macaroni and cheese.
Q: What makes you smile?
A: My dog, Ruskin. He is a mini schnauzer and always is doing something crazy or silly that keeps me laughing.
Q: Describe yourself in three words.
A: Humorous, patient, idealistic
Q: What is your favorite song, movie, actor?
A: I love so much music, picking one song is very tough. Some top favorites would be Brandi Carlile, Bishop Briggs and Gwen Stefani. I also have this problem with movies- I grew up watching endless movies with my dad and I can safely say his influence turned all four of his daughters into Sci-Fi addicts. No favorite movie, but I could watch re-runs of the X-Files and it would never get old.
Q: Where is your favorite travel destination/dream vacation?
A: My favorite destination so far has been going camping along the Seawall in the Acadia National Park. My dream vacation would be a trip to Costa Rica.
Lou Sabad
Senior Bridge Engineer/Project Manager
How did you come to PRIME AE?
I was looking for a new challenge. I was friends with one of the engineers at PRIME AE and reached out to him to ask if PRIME AE was hiring. I interviewed and it felt like a good fit.
Describe your role and what you do at PRIME AE?
I’m a Project Manager in the bridge department and work primarily on all our bridge inspection projects as a Team Leader.
What do you enjoy and find most rewarding about your job?
I enjoy being able to be outside in the field as well as the office. PRIME AE has given me the opportunity to travel to places I normally wouldn’t be able to see.
What advice would you give to recent new hires?
I would tell new hires to try new things. I started my career designing water and sewer lines and ended up inspecting bridges. You never know where life will take you.
What are your hopes for the industry?
I hope we continue to provide our clients with solid information on how to maintain our infrastructure. I would like to see the inspection process continue to evolve towards that end.
How are you involved in your community?
I am involved in my local church through volunteering and have been on mission trips.
When you retire, what do you hope people will say about you at your retirement party?
That I was an honest, helpful, hardworking person who did my job well. That I was a person who people were comfortable with in and out of the office. That I cared more about the people I worked with than the work I performed.
People would be surprised to know?
I once kicked a 60-yard field goal, and was able to swim with sharks.
What do you do for fun?
I love spending time with my wife and kids and I love to golf.
Doug Cole
Director of Wastewater Systems, NY Division
How did you come to PRIME AE?
I worked for John M. McDonald Engineering P.C. during my entire career until that firm was acquired by PRIME AE in 2015.
Describe your role and what you do at PRIME AE?
I am the Director of Water and Wastewater in NY, and I work on a wide-variety of projects for our clients that have project budgets ranging from a few hundred dollars to tens of millions of dollars.
What do you enjoy and find most rewarding about your job?
As primarily a wastewater engineer, I get to solve problems that help to increase the quality of life for a lot of people and design projects that improve the environment.
What was your proudest moment at PRIME AE?
Last year, when I designed a small project at the Town of Rotterdam Great Flats Nature Trail that included a porous pavement parking lot and rain garden. This tied in directly with my son Daniel’s Eagle Scout project to update the trail brochure, restore the trail markers, and repair five wooden bridges on the 1.5 mile nature trail.
What advice would you give to recent new hires?
Learn all you can from others around you and ask as many questions as necessary for you to understand the task at hand. Also, hone your writing skills as conveying your thoughts in an easy to read and understand manner is essential.
What are your hopes for the industry?
I see the Civil Engineering field continuing to grow in the future as our infrastructure ages and as more stringent Federal and State requirements continue to be issued.
How are you involved in your community?
Many ways… I have been a Boy Scout leader for the past 10 years. Additionally, I am a member of the Oldsmobile Club of America and Tri-City Muscle Car Club, vice-chairman of the Schenectady County Water Quality Coordinating Committee, past president and current director of the Capital District Chapter of the New York State Professional Engineering Society, and a voting member of the New York State Canal Recreationway Commission.
When you retire, what do you hope people will say about you at your retirement party?
Who says I am going to retire? I thought once you become an engineer, you are one for life!?
People would be surprised to know?
That this year is my 25th wedding anniversary with my high school sweetheart, Tina.
What do you do for fun?
Work on restoring my ’65, ’68 and ’86 Olds 442’s. I have a media blaster, a welder and compressor with painting equipment, among other specialty tools, so I hope that I can complete most of the work myself.
Lance Parshall
Senior Construction Inspector
Michelle Kazanow, CPSM
Senior Marketing Specialist
Hugh Neenan, PE
Director of Operations
Lance Parshall
Senior Construction Inspector
What brought you to PRIME AE?
I was, at the time, a student at Columbus State Community College working towards my degree in Civil Engineering and in and out of work. I went to PRIME AE to interview as an AutoCad technician when I was hired into the material testing division.
Just what is it that you do at PRIME AE?
I am a Senior Construction Inspector and work on construction projects for the City of Columbus and ODOT. I perform inspections, complete daily reports, track quantities, verify that the contractors are performing the contract work under the current specifications and to plan. I also fill in for material testing when needed.
How would you describe the firms’ culture and work environment?
Genuine people work for PRIME AE. The environment is relaxed, and everyone works as a team. One of the best companies I have had the pleasure to work for.
What do you enjoy and find most rewarding about your job?
After the job is over and seeing the final product in construction. It’s that feeling of knowing that I was involved in making it happen for the public. It makes me proud to say, “yeah, I helped build that bridge.”
What was your proudest moment at PRIME AE?
Wow, I am a pretty humble person and feel it takes a team to work in this industry. I guess I would have to say after my first project working as a project inspector with the City of Columbus Division of Water. After completing the project, the City was impressed with my work and requested a meeting with my supervisor to talk about the quality of work and to request that I work on an additional project in a sensitive area that would require a lot of attention and working side-by-side with the community.
What are your hopes for the industry?
That we can continue re-building our infrastructure using inventions that help improve how our work is accomplished cheaper and faster.
What is the weirdest job experience you have ever had?
Probably the time when we placed fresh concrete pavement on East Main Street and despite the warning signs, three separate vehicles drove into the concrete and needed to be towed out. The road had to be repaired again!
What do you do for fun?
Enjoying time with my family including our newborn baby girl, Nicole. I also like kayak fishing, hunting, and enjoying the outdoors.
Michelle Kazanow
Senior Marketing Specialist
How did you come to PRIME AE?
A 2013 Toyota Camry. I still come to PRIME AE that way. Transportation aside, I was ready to expand my career endeavors, and found a job opening for a proposal coordinator through CareerBuilder.com. I applied, interviewed with Kumar and Jenna several days later, and the rest, as they say, is history.
What was your first impression of PRIME AE?
I thought we had some great, hardworking people here – and I still do. I also had this feeling that the company was on the cusp of something big: still a small firm, but growing – ready to start redefining itself and its place in the A/E industry.
Just what is it that you do here?
I help our technical staff develop proposals and other communications that help build relationships with clients and acquire business for the company. I also work hard to make everyone around me laugh. Laughing burns calories.
What do you enjoy and find most rewarding about your job?
It’s always a great moment when you finally finish a proposal and you hold the completed copy in your hands (assuming it’s a hard copy submittal). You think back on all the weeks prior that were spent planning, positioning, writing, revising, and writing again, and all that hard work is done and you have something you’re proud of. Of course, when that proposal is the winning proposal, that’s the ultimate reward!
What are your hopes for the industry?
I hope that sustainable design and water conservation techniques become consistent mainstream practices in the industry – both nationally and internationally. Earth is a closed system; the materials we have here are all we’re going to get. It’s up to us to preserve them the best we can.
What is your favorite thing to do in the wonderful city of Baltimore?
I love visiting the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland and walking by the water. I love taking my young daughter to Port Discovery and the Aquarium. And the crab cakes at G&M are the best!
What do you do for fun?
I love cooking and baking. I enjoy reading, and I dabble in short story writing when I can. Mostly I try to spend as much time as I can with my husband and daughter.
Motto or Personal Mantra?
If every pork crop were perfect, we wouldn’t have hot dogs.
Hugh Neenan
Director of Operations
What was your first impression of PRIME AE?
That Kumar and Jay were honest, hardworking, and easy to deal with.
What advice would you give to a recent new hire?
Learn as much as you can.
How has PRIME AE changed since you joined?
It has increased in both size and capabilities. Originally, I knew everyone who worked here! We are now much more diversified.
If there was one person you could meet, dead or alive, who would it be?
The Project Engineer for the Great Pyramid in Giza.
Describe yourself in three words.
As my kids call me “Nerd, Nerd, Nerd”
Our Stories
Megan Donnelly
Planner and Grant Administrator
Lou Sabad, PE
Senior Bridge Engineer/Project Manager
Megan Donnelly
Planner and Grant Administrator
How did you come to PRIME AE?
After graduating with my Masters in Planning, I ended up working as a retail business manager. After a few years I felt the need to for a new adventure and a place to use my experience and education to make a difference in the community. I interviewed with PRIME AE for the Office Assistant position and was hired as a Project Coordinator, and then to Planner and Grant Administrator.
Describe your role and what you do at PRIME AE?
I am a Planner and Grant Administrator working primarily with our clients and our grant funded projects to provide financial and grant administration. A lot of the grant programs have detailed and extensive requirements and communities are already overwhelmed with paperwork, so I help take care of those requirements and keep the projects moving forward. I’ve also been described as wearing many hats here in the office. I am lucky in my role to be able to assist the team on a little bit of everything from office coordinating, project management, providing HR support, and providing the occasional homemade baked goods snacks. Keeps things interesting, and me on my toes!
What do you enjoy and find most rewarding about your job?
I think an important part of any job that everyone shares a common vision and goal. I am fortunate to be surrounded by a dedicated, passionate, and hard-working team who truly care about each client and giving them their best. With so many projects dependent on grant funding, it is rewarding to be a part of making these impactful infrastructure projects happen, and getting to see the positive affects they have on the communities.
Q: If you could do something other than your current job, what would be your dream job/career?
A: Forensic scientist
Q: What are you most proud of in your life?
A: Completing my Master’s Degree
Q: What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at PRIME AE?
A: I try to go to as many concerts as I have time for. There are a lot of great venues in Albany and my husband and I like to travel to them as often as we can.
Q: What is your favorite food or the best meal you ever ate?
A: Hands down, macaroni and cheese.
Q: What makes you smile?
A: My dog, Ruskin. He is a mini schnauzer and always is doing something crazy or silly that keeps me laughing.
Q: Describe yourself in three words.
A: Humorous, patient, idealistic
Q: What is your favorite song, movie, actor?
A: I love so much music, picking one song is very tough. Some top favorites would be Brandi Carlile, Bishop Briggs and Gwen Stefani. I also have this problem with movies- I grew up watching endless movies with my dad and I can safely say his influence turned all four of his daughters into Sci-Fi addicts. No favorite movie, but I could watch re-runs of the X-Files and it would never get old.
Q: Where is your favorite travel destination/dream vacation?
A: My favorite destination so far has been going camping along the Seawall in the Acadia National Park. My dream vacation would be a trip to Costa Rica.
Lou Sabad
Senior Bridge Engineer/Project Manager
How did you come to PRIME AE?
I was looking for a new challenge. I was friends with one of the engineers at PRIME AE and reached out to him to ask if PRIME AE was hiring. I interviewed and it felt like a good fit.
Describe your role and what you do at PRIME AE?
I’m a Project Manager in the bridge department and work primarily on all our bridge inspection projects as a Team Leader.
What do you enjoy and find most rewarding about your job?
I enjoy being able to be outside in the field as well as the office. PRIME AE has given me the opportunity to travel to places I normally wouldn’t be able to see.
What advice would you give to recent new hires?
I would tell new hires to try new things. I started my career designing water and sewer lines and ended up inspecting bridges. You never know where life will take you.
What are your hopes for the industry?
I hope we continue to provide our clients with solid information on how to maintain our infrastructure. I would like to see the inspection process continue to evolve towards that end.
How are you involved in your community?
I am involved in my local church through volunteering and have been on mission trips.
When you retire, what do you hope people will say about you at your retirement party?
That I was an honest, helpful, hardworking person who did my job well. That I was a person who people were comfortable with in and out of the office. That I cared more about the people I worked with than the work I performed.
People would be surprised to know?
I once kicked a 60-yard field goal, and was able to swim with sharks.
What do you do for fun?
I love spending time with my wife and kids and I love to golf.
Doug Cole, PE
Director of Wastewater Systems, NY Division
Lance Parshall
Senior Construction Inspector
Doug Cole
Director of Wastewater Systems, NY Division
How did you come to PRIME AE?
I worked for John M. McDonald Engineering P.C. during my entire career until that firm was acquired by PRIME AE in 2015.
Describe your role and what you do at PRIME AE?
I am the Director of Water and Wastewater in NY, and I work on a wide-variety of projects for our clients that have project budgets ranging from a few hundred dollars to tens of millions of dollars.
What do you enjoy and find most rewarding about your job?
As primarily a wastewater engineer, I get to solve problems that help to increase the quality of life for a lot of people and design projects that improve the environment.
What was your proudest moment at PRIME AE?
Last year, when I designed a small project at the Town of Rotterdam Great Flats Nature Trail that included a porous pavement parking lot and rain garden. This tied in directly with my son Daniel’s Eagle Scout project to update the trail brochure, restore the trail markers, and repair five wooden bridges on the 1.5 mile nature trail.
What advice would you give to recent new hires?
Learn all you can from others around you and ask as many questions as necessary for you to understand the task at hand. Also, hone your writing skills as conveying your thoughts in an easy to read and understand manner is essential.
What are your hopes for the industry?
I see the Civil Engineering field continuing to grow in the future as our infrastructure ages and as more stringent Federal and State requirements continue to be issued.
How are you involved in your community?
Many ways… I have been a Boy Scout leader for the past 10 years. Additionally, I am a member of the Oldsmobile Club of America and Tri-City Muscle Car Club, vice-chairman of the Schenectady County Water Quality Coordinating Committee, past president and current director of the Capital District Chapter of the New York State Professional Engineering Society, and a voting member of the New York State Canal Recreationway Commission.
When you retire, what do you hope people will say about you at your retirement party?
Who says I am going to retire? I thought once you become an engineer, you are one for life!?
People would be surprised to know?
That this year is my 25th wedding anniversary with my high school sweetheart, Tina.
What do you do for fun?
Work on restoring my ’65, ’68 and ’86 Olds 442’s. I have a media blaster, a welder and compressor with painting equipment, among other specialty tools, so I hope that I can complete most of the work myself.
Lance Parshall
Senior Construction Inspector
What brought you to PRIME AE?
I was, at the time, a student at Columbus State Community College working towards my degree in Civil Engineering and in and out of work. I went to PRIME AE to interview as an AutoCad technician when I was hired into the material testing division.
Just what is it that you do at PRIME AE?
I am a Senior Construction Inspector and work on construction projects for the City of Columbus and ODOT. I perform inspections, complete daily reports, track quantities, verify that the contractors are performing the contract work under the current specifications and to plan. I also fill in for material testing when needed.
How would you describe the firms’ culture and work environment?
Genuine people work for PRIME AE. The environment is relaxed, and everyone works as a team. One of the best companies I have had the pleasure to work for.
What do you enjoy and find most rewarding about your job?
After the job is over and seeing the final product in construction. It’s that feeling of knowing that I was involved in making it happen for the public. It makes me proud to say, “yeah, I helped build that bridge.”
What was your proudest moment at PRIME AE?
Wow, I am a pretty humble person and feel it takes a team to work in this industry. I guess I would have to say after my first project working as a project inspector with the City of Columbus Division of Water. After completing the project, the City was impressed with my work and requested a meeting with my supervisor to talk about the quality of work and to request that I work on an additional project in a sensitive area that would require a lot of attention and working side-by-side with the community.
What are your hopes for the industry?
That we can continue re-building our infrastructure using inventions that help improve how our work is accomplished cheaper and faster.
What is the weirdest job experience you have ever had?
Probably the time when we placed fresh concrete pavement on East Main Street and despite the warning signs, three separate vehicles drove into the concrete and needed to be towed out. The road had to be repaired again!
What do you do for fun?
Enjoying time with my family including our newborn baby girl, Nicole. I also like kayak fishing, hunting, and enjoying the outdoors.
Michelle Kazanow, CPSM
Senior Marketing Specialist
Hugh Neenan, PE
Director of Operations
Michelle Kazanow
Senior Marketing Specialist
How did you come to PRIME AE?
A 2013 Toyota Camry. I still come to PRIME AE that way. Transportation aside, I was ready to expand my career endeavors, and found a job opening for a proposal coordinator through CareerBuilder.com. I applied, interviewed with Kumar and Jenna several days later, and the rest, as they say, is history.
What was your first impression of PRIME AE?
I thought we had some great, hardworking people here – and I still do. I also had this feeling that the company was on the cusp of something big: still a small firm, but growing – ready to start redefining itself and its place in the A/E industry.
Just what is it that you do here?
I help our technical staff develop proposals and other communications that help build relationships with clients and acquire business for the company. I also work hard to make everyone around me laugh. Laughing burns calories.
What do you enjoy and find most rewarding about your job?
It’s always a great moment when you finally finish a proposal and you hold the completed copy in your hands (assuming it’s a hard copy submittal). You think back on all the weeks prior that were spent planning, positioning, writing, revising, and writing again, and all that hard work is done and you have something you’re proud of. Of course, when that proposal is the winning proposal, that’s the ultimate reward!
What are your hopes for the industry?
I hope that sustainable design and water conservation techniques become consistent mainstream practices in the industry – both nationally and internationally. Earth is a closed system; the materials we have here are all we’re going to get. It’s up to us to preserve them the best we can.
What is your favorite thing to do in the wonderful city of Baltimore?
I love visiting the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland and walking by the water. I love taking my young daughter to Port Discovery and the Aquarium. And the crab cakes at G&M are the best!
What do you do for fun?
I love cooking and baking. I enjoy reading, and I dabble in short story writing when I can. Mostly I try to spend as much time as I can with my husband and daughter.
Motto or Personal Mantra?
If every pork crop were perfect, we wouldn’t have hot dogs.
Hugh Neenan
Director of Operations
What was your first impression of PRIME AE?
That Kumar and Jay were honest, hardworking, and easy to deal with.
What advice would you give to a recent new hire?
Learn as much as you can.
How has PRIME AE changed since you joined?
It has increased in both size and capabilities. Originally, I knew everyone who worked here! We are now much more diversified.
If there was one person you could meet, dead or alive, who would it be?
The Project Engineer for the Great Pyramid in Giza.
Describe yourself in three words.
As my kids call me “Nerd, Nerd, Nerd”