As engineering supervisor for Corle Building Systems in Imler, Jim MacIntyre says his job is "always challenging. There's always something new." A 1985 graduate of Chestnut Ridge High School, MacIntyre entered the Navy upon graduation, but returned to his home in 1989, going back to school to pursue a degree at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown in Civil Engineering and Technology. Upon graduation he worked for several companies before coming to Corle last November.

MacIntyre has three employees in his department, which designs buildings for the company's diverse client base. The engineers work from purchase order specifications to design the company's prefabricated buildings. He then sends the engineering specs to the drafting and detailing departments for the development of final plans. "Engineers need to like to be problem-solvers," MacIntyre says. "They need to like to figure things out and put puzzles together." A strong background in mathematics and physics is a must to purse an engineering degree, he says. "You need as much math as possible in high school," he says. "And CAD (computer-aided drafting) and chemistry would also be helpful," he says.

As a husband and father of three boys, MacIntyre says returning to his home area and taking his current position has the added bonus of permitting him to spend more time at home and allowing his children to grow up surrounded by family. "Keeping those family ties strong is important to us," he says. Would he recommend his profession to others? "Absolutely. Civil engineering is an excellent springboard to many careers," he says. "The opportunities are almost unlimited."

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