From hand-drawn blueprints and dial-up modems to full digital integration, John Parker, S&B’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), has witnessed the engineering and construction industry evolve in extraordinary ways. In this Insights, John reflects on how the industry has changed, what he's learned along the way and the values that shaped his 35-years of leadership at S&B.
Q: When did you join S&B, and what was the industry like at the time?
A: I joined S&B in the early 1990s, after spending two years at John Brown Engineering as a civil engineer. Back then, the industry was vastly different. There was no such thing as FEEDs or FELs, no 3D modeling or AutoCAD; everything was done by hand.
We used pencils, erasers and the ever-present ammonia smell from blueprint machines. That’s a scent you never forget. We would draw all day, then spend days revising everything manually. When I came to S&B, it was hand drafting and physical scale models made from plastic.
There were no personal computers for engineers. We shared computers by discipline, and you'd have to sign up for time slots. It was primitive by today's standards—even making copies required punching in your employee number into a copier.
Q: What were your early years at S&B like?
A: In those early days, I worked on a pump job with a client—our first project collaboration with an overseas office. It didn’t go smoothly. We didn’t fully understand each other’s processes and it led to some costly missteps—steel was field-welded instead of shop-fabricated, and some foundations required additional redesigns.
We also had to do rebar schedules by hand—imagine detailing every bend of rebar in a foundation, one schedule at a time. That’s something today’s engineers don't have to worry about, with modern fabrication vendors handling most of it. Despite those challenges, it was a time of growth.
It was only six months before I quickly moved into leadership, where I was asked to step into a lead engineer role. There was no training, just “show up to the meeting and figure it out.” It was trial by fire, but it shaped who I am.
Q: What was the most exciting part of your early career?
A: Honestly, it was the pace of opportunity. I came in thinking it would take 30 years to become a lead engineer. But within six months, I was given the responsibility. That early exposure to leadership and decision-making completely changed the trajectory of my career.
Q: How did your career progress from there? What steps led you to your current role as COO?
A: I’ve held eight different roles at S&B, but there was a pivotal moment when I moved from Director to VP of Construction. At the time, engineering and construction were separate divisions and leadership wanted someone with a deep understanding of both. I was brought in to bridge that gap.
Not long after, we merged engineering and construction into a single, more streamlined group. That integration gave me broader oversight and exposure to all facets of the EPC lifecycle. From there, I moved into project execution leadership and ultimately into the COO role.
Q: What keeps you motivated and inspired today?
A: It’s the people. Every day, I’m surrounded by individuals who care about doing great work. They hold themselves to high standards, they take pride in solving complex challenges, and they impress me with their commitment and creativity.
We’ve faced enormous challenges, but we’ve always found a way to overcome them—sometimes with a few bruises, but always better on the other side. That resilience and dedication are what inspire me to keep showing up and giving my best.
Q: What advice would you give to young engineers just starting out?
A: Don’t be afraid to take on new challenges—even if you feel unprepared. You can always go back, but if you never take the chance, you’ll never know where it could have led.
Think outside the box. There’s always a solution—it might take time and effort, and it might not be easy, but its out there. Remember, mistakes aren’t failures. You can learn and grow from them.
Finally, be fair and give others opportunities. Mentor others to be better than they think they can be. That’s how we build not just strong teams, but a lasting legacy.