Leadership

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Founder and President, Robert H. Siegfried, P.E., MBA, brings over 32 years’ professional construction & engineering experience to the Houston area. For the last three decades, he has built relationships with some of the leading firms throughout the region. Together, they have assembled winning teams to provide quality service & deliverables throughout the Lone Star state. He serves private-sector clients and public agencies such as the City of Houston, TxDOT, HCTRA, and NTTA to name just a few.

Prior to launching SEC, Siegfried helped establish large engineering companies in the Texas market and led design teams at some of Houston’s most prominent corporations. It is this success that inspired him to open his own engineering consulting firm.

Siegfried earned is BSCE from the University of Houston and his MBA from Rice University. It was at Rice where he developed constructive leadership skills to teach and motivate his team to excel every day. When not at the office, you’ll find Mr. Siegfried spending time with his children.

Jesse R. Garcia, P.E., built a career with TxDOT where he served 8 years as a Houston District project engineer & Assistant Area Engineer, then 11 years as Area Engineer in Fort Bend and West Harris. As AE, he managed over 18 complex freeway widenings, with combined costs   

exceeding $2 Billion.

Garcia became a private engineering consultant in 2003, then joined SEC in 2020. He has served as a Project Manager on CEI, major roadway, and tollway design projects. He earned his BSCE at Texas A&M.

Regional Vice President & CEI Project Manager, Lucio Ortiz, P.E., retired from TxDOT in 2021 after a distinguished 34-year career. He served as Director of Construction for the Houston District, from 2015 to 2021, where he administered all District construction contracts for highways, bridges, and related structures. 

As Area Engineer over the Southeast Region, from 2011 to 2015, Ortiz led notable projects such as the SH 146 Reconstruction from Port Road to Radcliffe Road; the IH 45 Freeway Reconstruction & Upgrade from Kurland Street to Medical Center Boulevard; and the South Shaver Road Widening Reconstruction. 

Ortiz is a graduate of University of Houston Downtown where he earned his BS in Engineering Technology and Lamar University where he earned his BS in Civil Engineering. When he’s not hard at work, Ortiz enjoys fishing, mountain hiking, and carpentry. 

Many of you know Ricardo from his 25 years of experience in roadway, bridge, and drainage projects throughout Texas. He has led Traffic and Roadway PS&E design projects, with construction costs ranging from $1.5M to over $200M. Prior to joining SEC, Ricardo spent the last nine years serving Mont Belvieu as City Engineer, Community Development Director, and Director of Public Works & Engineering. 

Ricardo has managed construction, inspection, and infrastructure asset management & maintenance, and he has worked with several TxDOT Districts including HOU, ATL, BMT, DAL, ELP, LUF, TYL, and YKM. He is TxDOT precertified in Schematics, Roadway Design, Bridge Design, Traffic Design, Hydraulic Design, and adding more work categories to CCIS every month.

Ricardo earned his BS in Civil Engineering at Texas Tech.

Paul Jaap, P.E., brings 42 years of experience in the transportation construction industry. He served as TxDOT Area Engineer of the Tyler District for 20 years before retiring in 2012. Following TxDOT, he served as the Director of Public Works/Airport Manager for the City of Gladewater. Paul will develop & manage SEC’s regional CEI transportation division with particular focus on northern TxDOT districts, toll road authorities, counties, and cities. He is precertified in several TxDOT CCIS work categories and adding more every month.

Paul earned his BS in Civil Engineering at Texas A&M.