CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW DIRECTORS
We are excited to announce the promotion of five new Directors to the RTM Engineering Consultants team, marking a pivotal moment in our journey. At RTM, we are firm believers in the transformative power of growth, not only for our company but for each member of our incredible team. The thrill of being part of a dynamic, growing company lies in the continuous unveiling of new opportunities. These advancements go beyond mere job titles – they represent fresh opportunities, exciting challenges, and remarkable milestones for our team.
Read about each of our new Directors below:
Kathryn Duytschaever | Director of Operations
Since joining RTM in 2008 as Mechanical Project Engineer, Kathryn has exemplified dedication and leadership throughout her career. Beginning by heading an MEP studio in our Illinois office, she later relocated to Iowa to establish and grow RTM’s Davenport office, cultivating strong client relationships and expanding our portfolio across several markets. In 2019, Kathryn was promoted to Principal and Business Unit Leader, a role dedicated to connecting and developing our teams and offices nationwide. As she steps into her new role as Director, Kathryn’s commitment to elevating RTM’s standards continues by further enhancing best practices in project organization, workshare, and communication. Her financial expertise focusing on budgeting, backlog analysis, and forecasting, will persist as she collaborates with our financial leadership team. In addition to maintaining her mechanical engineering foundation, Kathryn will contribute to the firm’s quality assurance standards, mentorship program, and overall EOR responsibilities. Beyond professional accomplishments, Kathryn’s commitment to excellence extends to STEM advocacy and mentoring initiatives. Notably she recently launched RTM Elevate, a women’s advocacy group, highlighting her dedication to fostering diversity and inclusion within the engineering community.
Rich Clark | Director of Operations
Rich joined RTM as Principal in 2019, bringing with him a wealth of knowledge and experience in civil engineering, and thereby expanding and strengthening RTM’s presence on the West Coast. As Business Unit Leader, Rich blends his unique skill set of business acumen, engineering expertise, and creative and innovative thinking to mentor and empower younger engineers and other leaders alike. His strategic mindset has been instrumental in pinpointing operational and project synergies across offices, effectively driving collaboration with other office leaders and aiding in the realization of the organization’s goals and growth strategies. As part of Rich’s new Director role, he will continue to champion team unity by collaborating with our civil and structural teams to identify further client and project synergies and new opportunities for expansion, growth, and progression within those service areas. Fostering a culture of mentorship, he nurtures his team’s ability to identify prevailing industry trends and translate these insights into strategic decisions aimed at boosting operational efficiency.
Jim Wicker | Director of Operations
Jim joined RTM as Principal in 2012, bringing with him a unique blend of mechanical engineering expertise and an entrepreneurial mindset. His skills have proven invaluable over the years as he has consistently strived to strengthen client relationships and provided support and mentorship to younger engineers as they have embarked on more ambitious and challenging projects. As an advocate for collaboration, Jim’s efforts in ensuring that offices have the support and experience they need have been instrumental in achieving project objectives. Stepping into the role of Business Unit Leader in 2019, Jim paved the way towards greater team unity and integration, uncovering project and operational synergies across the firm and facilitating smoother workflows and efficient processes. As part of his new Director role, Jim will continue to facilitate team unity by sharing best practices, fostering connections between offices and people, balancing workflow throughout the firm, and exploring new opportunities for growth. This role will involve acting as a bridge to connect RTM’s resources and networks to optimize our operational processes, implement innovative solutions, and contribute to the overall success of the organization.
Rod Finkle | Director of Corporate Development
Rod embarked on his journey with RTM as Principal in 2018, leveraging his experience in guiding and mentoring MEP teams through complex and challenging engineering projects. In 2019 he became Business Unit Leader for RTM’s National Business Development and Marketing team, spearheading our overall business growth strategy by leading market analysis to identify potential avenues for growth, establishing meaningful relationships with key clients and stakeholders, and mentoring and leading a team of marketing and business development professionals. In his role as Director, Rod’s focus will shift to identifying and aligning with potential firms that share RTM’s vision, thereby expanding our network of resources and achieving our organizational growth strategy. A true embodiment of our CORE values, Rod cultivates an atmosphere that encourages teamwork, innovation, and unity. His leadership acumen, coupled with his experience in the M&A process, places him in a unique position to seek out fresh opportunities that align with our organizational objectives.
Brandon Blackberg | Director of Innovation
Brandon joined RTM in 2017, bringing with him a wealth of knowledge and understanding of information technology training and management. Throughout his time at RTM, Brandon’s passion for technology and innovative ideas has left a memorable mark. Collaborating with project teams, offices, and departments, he has spearheaded the development of new methodologies and automation software to enhance efficiency and realize long-term organizational goals and policies. Additionally, as a thought leader, Brandon has authored several articles on AI in the AEC space and most recently participated in a panel discussion at Zwieg Group’s 2023 Elevate AEC Conference, delving into the transformative power of AI, machine learning, and advanced tech in shaping the future of the design industry. Brandon’s transition into this new visionary role as Director of Innovation underscores our commitment to harnessing the power of new and cutting-edge technologies. He will continue collaborating with our internal teams and external vendors alike to evaluate and adopt innovative engineering solutions. Additionally, he will dedicate his expertise to building RTM’s own suite of proprietary AI tools, raising the bar for our firm’s standards, strengthening our support for team members nationwide, and accelerating our journey towards robust, technology driven solutions.