David Strockis: Meet Our Expert Series

Driven by purpose and progress

David Strockis, PE is a structural engineering project manager and a member of OHM Advisors’ Transportation team. We sat down with David to learn more about what drives his work at OHM Advisors.

Braced for every challenge 

Whether it’s tackling a complex engineering problem or lacing up his shoes to run on a winter Michigan morning, David Strockis, PE, doesn’t just embrace challenges—he welcomes them. David joined OHM Advisors after gaining experience at a small structural engineering firm. His experience covers settings both urban and rural, from pedestrian facilities and culvert replacements to multi-span bridges, and he has designed both new and rehabilitated structures. Though David's main emphasis has been in bridge work, he also has experience with roads, storm sewers, municipal utilities, and traffic maintenance. This exposure to various project types and elements fuels David’s appreciation for the variety of disciplines at OHM Advisors and fulfills his drive for lifelong learning.

“There’s a deep knowledge base at OHM Advisors, with professionals, leaders, and experts from all disciplines, and everyone here is passionate about the work they do,” David says. “It’s obvious by the time and effort they put in to delivering for our clients and the communities we serve. 

Quick Facts

• Title: Senior Project Manager
• With OHM since 2015, 17 years prior experience

How did you decide that structural engineering was for you? 

From the time I was in grade school, I’ve been interested in how things work and the parallels of science and math. It’s fascinating how numbers provide answers about our world and universe. In high school, teachers encouraged my curiosity on the subject matter while challenging me to do better. In addition, I’ve always appreciated the beauty and engineering of iconic long-span bridges. Not many engineers get to work on iconic structures like the Golden Gate and Brooklyn bridges, but so many people cross bridges daily without even realizing it, and there’s a lot of thought that goes into designing those structures, too. I enjoy being part of that process as a structural engineer at OHM Advisors. 

What else do you enjoy about working at OHM Advisors? 

I love the variety of projects and people I engage with each day. You never know what the day will bring and what challenges will come up. It’s interesting and fulfilling to find solutions to those challenges so we can keep projects rolling. So many disciplines intersect with our bridge work, and I get the opportunity to learn from them. I also appreciate getting to work with clients who have high expectations. I compare it to the hard teachers I admired in school—they bring out the best in you. I like being pushed out of my comfort zone because that’s where we learn and grow. OHM Advisors gives me the opportunity to do that.

I love the variety of projects and people I engage with each day. You never know what the day will bring and what challenges will come up.

Let’s talk about your project experience. What are some examples of projects that have been particularly fulfilling or interesting? 

Many of the projects that come to mind were challenging and complicated, and while some of them might not be high-profile examples, they were important to their communities and my colleagues who worked on them. 

One project that comes to mind was a culvert lining project for the Road Commission of Oakland County. While it wasn’t especially complicated from a bridge design perspective, it involved a lot of coordination with our Environmental and Water Resources Group (EWRG) team members and Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. I learned a lot from my EWRG coworkers about permitting and hydraulic analysis—insights that will help me on future projects. 

Another project that was more high profile—and one of my first projects with OHM Advisors—was the Mt. Elliott Street bridge replacement over I-94 in Detroit. I-94 is undergoing a modernization initiative, so the three-span bridge design needed to accommodate the existing location of I-94 while accommodating its future realignment under a different span of the bridge. That was just one of many challenging aspects of the project. 

Is there a philosophy or approach that guides your daily work? 

Do things with purpose and progress in mind. Not just with work, but with anything you do in life, what is the purpose behind it, and what can you learn from it? Do your best today, move through the challenges, and use that experience to get stronger and better equipped for what’s next. 

Do things with purpose and progress in mind. Not just with work, but with anything you do in life, what is the purpose behind it, and what can you learn from it?

Tell us about the importance of culture and how you’re building and maintaining it within the transportation team. 

I appreciate the people and culture of OHM Advisors, and we continually invest in that culture, so this continues to be a place where people want to work. I’m part of the events committee for OHM Advisors’ transportation group, and we host two in-person team events along with smaller group gatherings, from Whirly Ball excursions to lunch outings. Through our large group meetings and ongoing “learning lunches,” we invite our staff to talk about their projects or conferences they’ve attended. The presenters get the opportunity to exercise their public speaking skills in a comfortable and supportive atmosphere, and their peers get to hear about cool projects OHM Advisors is working on outside of their own. For those of us who work hybrid schedules or are out in the field, these experiences allow us to interact face-to-face and catch up. These activities go a long way in fostering a feeling of community, not just a place to come to work. 

What is a fun or little known fact about you? What keeps you busy outside of OHM Advisors?