Meet John McWilliams, Project Engineer

The Ohio State University, Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering

Originally from Upper Sandusky and now living in Delaware

What makes you tick?
Problem solving.  Honing in on effective structural solutions is what keeps me coming to work every day.  That, and I assume the direct deposits would stop if I quit showing up.

Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Age old story…  Boy likes math, boy thinks, “What job should I do if I like math?”  Boy is routed into an engineering degree.

If money were no issue, where would you travel and why?
I’d spend a winter as a ski bum and do a couple of days at all the resorts out west that I’ve always wanted to try.

What’s the last good book you’ve read?
Fooled by Randomness by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.  An interesting take on the errors in judgement we make because we aren’t wired to think probabilistically.

Who inspires you and why?
Abraham Lincoln.  He started with next to nothing, and with one year of school guided this country through its darkest hour.

Eat in, or dine out and why?
Jet’s pizza delivered to Staas Brewing Company.  Two of my favorite things brought together.

Name something that’s on your bucket list?
Hiking the Inca trail to Machu Picchu.

What sports do you play?
No more sports.  Two surgeries in two years from basketball injuries put me into retirement.  Watching sports is much easier on my health savings account.

What was your first job and what influence did it have on you?
I worked in a factory that produced plastic parts my first summer out of high school.  It showed me the value of college.

Are you a cat or a dog person?
Dog

Do you have a nickname and if so, how did you get it?
My nickname was Johnny Mac in high school, but changed to Big John in college.  Not because I’m especially big, but I was slightly taller than the other guy named John that we hung out with freshman year.

What show, APP or music are you currently obsessed with?
None.  I’ve got four kids and no time for obsessions.  My wife and I do eventually get through all the new Big Bang Theory episodes thanks to the invention of DVR.