At Century West, our success is built on the passion, expertise, and leadership of our team. This month, we’re spotlighting Tom Headley, PE, Senior Project Manager and Bend Office Supervisor. His commitment to mentorship, staff development, and industry involvement has made a lasting impact, not just within our company but across the engineering community. From guiding new engineers through the challenges of the profession to championing recruiting and retention efforts, Tom’s approach is all about building connections, fostering growth, and shaping the future of civil engineering. We sat down with him to talk about his journey, the lessons he’s learned, and why investing in people is the key to long-term success.
Can you share a little bit about your journey into civil engineering? How did you end up in the field?
I didn’t start out in civil engineering. At Oregon State University, I was a general engineering student, exploring different disciplines before ultimately finding my way to civil. What drew me in was the direct impact on communities. I wanted to work on projects where I could see the physical results and understand their importance.
That realization almost didn’t happen. Faced with statically indeterminate structural analysis in CE 382, I felt for the first time like I might not have what it takes to be an engineer. My educational path had reached an inflection point. Thankfully, I asked a professor of mine, Tom Miller, PhD, P.E., F.ASCE, for guidance. He was kind yet direct as he pointed out that I just needed to pass CE 382 and move on with my life. He reminded me that civil engineering is a broad field, with numerous disciplines and even more roles within those disciplines. Civil engineers need to know how to solve problems in their discipline and, unless I wanted to be a structural engineer, I’d never have to solve a statically indeterminate analysis problem again. So I earned a better than passing grade and decided I wouldn’t be a structural engineer. Professor Miller’s lesson stuck with me, and now, when I’m speaking with interns and EITs, I use my own experience to help them push through their own challenges. When I see young engineers facing that same doubt, I remind them that struggling in one area doesn’t mean they don’t belong in the field, it just means they need to find where their strengths shine.
What brought you to Century West, and what has kept you here?
Initially, it was a necessity; I needed a job. The office I had been with was shutting down due to the ‘08 recession. Fortunately, I had been volunteering with the local MATHCOUNTS middle school math competition, led at the time by Century West’s Bryan Condon. Through that connection, I learned about Century West and landed an interview as an EIT.
What has kept me here is the steady, thoughtful growth of the company. While other firms I worked for focused on private development, Century West has always prioritized public infrastructure, something that has provided stability and long-term success. I also love that we focus on projects within our communities rather than constantly traveling to unfamiliar job sites or working on projects sight unseen. That connection to place and purpose has made all the difference.
As the Bend Office Supervisor and a Senior Project Manager, what aspects of your roles do you find most fulfilling?
I really enjoy helping develop our staff, not just in terms of assigning tasks, but in mentorship, career growth, and building an office culture that sees people excited to come to work. Our field is collaborative by nature, and one of my favorite parts of this role is seeing younger engineers develop their skills, take on new challenges, and grow into their own technical and professional leadership positions.
Another aspect I enjoy is business development. Early in my career, I was told that even as an EIT standing on the grade, I was representing Century West to our clients. That stuck with me, and over time, I’ve grown into roles where I now get to lead client interactions, pursue new opportunities, and work on major projects that shape the region. At the beginning of March, I was able to participate in an interview for a major terminal expansion project at Medford Airport. It’s rewarding to work on projects that positively affect your own community.
Century West places a strong emphasis on mentorship and career pathing. How do you personally contribute to fostering staff development?
I’ve been heavily involved in the Mentorship Program, which is still in its early years but has already made a big impact. My role has been to facilitate mentor-mentee pairings and encourage cross-office connections. I believe that one of the best things we can do for career development is to make sure employees are engaging with each other; across offices, across disciplines, and across experience levels.
One of my priorities is to get people out of their normal routine, encouraging EITs to visit different offices, connect with senior staff, and get exposure to different projects. As Century West grows, one challenge is maintaining that personal, close-knit culture that I’ve enjoyed through my years here. I believe mentorship provides a key opportunity to meet that challenge.
You’re involved in many professional organizations. Can you list some of the ones you’re currently a part of?
My biggest involvement is with the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) through the Professional Engineers of Oregon (PEO). I started at the local chapter level. I went to the meetings because they were at ODOT’s Region 4 office, and it was a chance to talk to the area’s engineers and hear about local projects and challenges facing the profession. And when I showed up long enough, I got elected onto the board. Eventually, I served as state president and then moved into national leadership, where I worked on industry-wide initiatives like protecting professional engineering licensure at the legislative level and advocating for equity of access into the engineering industry.
I also lead the Central Oregon MATHCOUNTS competition, helping middle school students develop confidence in their own STEM abilities. I’m a member of ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers), and I’ve been involved with a few others, including APWA (American Public Works Association) and WTS (Women’s Transportation Seminar).
How do organizations like PEO and MATHCOUNTS help shape the future of civil engineering?
NSPE and PEO play a critical role in advocacy, for example, debating legislation that would weaken engineering licensure requirements. Every year, we see efforts to roll back licensure requirements across different states, and NSPE and PEO work hard to ensure that protection of the public health, safety, and welfare remains the top priority.
MATHCOUNTS is all about inspiring the next generation of STEM professionals. It’s rewarding to work with middle schoolers who might be future engineers, helping them see how math connects to real-world problem-solving. Even if just a few of them go on to engineering careers, it’s worth the time and energy invested by the volunteer team.
Can you share a particularly memorable experience from your industry involvement?
One that stands out was honoring Bob Patterson, the longtime Public Works Director of Pendleton, through APWA Oregon’s annual disc golf tournament. Bob had been a cornerstone of APWA for decades. He was also the creator of the APWA Oregon Conference Disc Golf Tournament. His retirement happened to be the 10th anniversary of the Tournament and the 60th anniversary of the conference. Century West is a sponsor for the Disc Golf Tournament, so Brooke Kerr, Rachel Montagne, and I created a limited edition, hand-numbered, custom disc to celebrate his contributions. There are 60 of those discs in existence I was able to hand Bob the “1 of 60” disc at the event.
It was a moment of seeing the full arc of an engineering career in public infrastructure, and it reinforced how involvement in professional organizations builds a sense of shared history. With luck, I’ll look back one day and feel that same deep connection to the profession and its community.
If you could give one piece of advice to future civil engineers, what would it be?
Ask questions. Of course, I don’t mean just asking questions in a stream of consciousness, but thoughtful, engaged questions where you’re truly listening to the answer. Civil engineering is about understanding communities and working with people, and that requires curiosity, dialogue, and the willingness to learn from others. As was taught to me, I like to remind younger engineers that we don’t just “do” engineering, we practice it. Every day, we improve, learn, and refine our skills. That’s what makes this profession so rewarding.
Just one piece of advice? Here’s another: go play. Your professional career is meant to be enjoyable. Enjoy doing good work and enjoy your time away from work. I’m grateful for my experience at Century West in part because it enables me to travel and explore with my wife, Candy, and son, Evren.
Looking Ahead
Tom’s passion for civil engineering, mentorship, and industry involvement is evident in everything he does. His dedication to building strong teams, fostering professional development, and giving back to the industry makes a lasting impact, not just at Century West but in the engineering community at large.
We’re proud to have Tom as part of our team, and we’re excited to see what he accomplishes next!