Ali Khater, a member of our National Heavy Civil Division, is a Field Engineer on the HART Airport Guideway and Stations in Honolulu, Hawaii. Ali has a Structural Engineering degree from UC San Diego, is a registered Engineer in Training (EIT) and Construction Manager in Training (CMIT), and has four years of experience in the industry. Ali has been with Traylor for the past two years, providing estimate support in our Long Beach office before moving to Hawaii.
Ali received multiple nominations for our Employee Spotlight, because his attitude is second to none: positive, helpful, enthusiastic, and determined. Anyone who has worked alongside Ali has experienced the infectious nature of the smile that’s always on his face.
Ali has successfully completed several projects on the HART job, including providing a detailed software analysis for a bar coding system to track the life cycles of segments, as well as helping with seismic monitors, noise meters, and an inventory tracking system.
His interests outside of work, according to those who nominated him, are varied: flying drones, cruising around Honolulu in his convertible, riding his bicycle, watching engineering and construction documentaries, and perhaps most beneficial, obtaining free baklava from the Lebanese restaurant near the project office to share with the team.
Ali’s many good qualities embody our unique Traylor Driven culture. His peers say it best:
“Ali is the guy that you go to when you need something figured out (especially with computers). His attitude makes it easy to discuss with him what you need and he always follows through.”
He has a “smile on his face and bounce in his step all day long.”
Left, on a Traylor bike ride, photo provided in nomination; right, checking out the lava flow on the Big Island.
What Drives Ali?
TBI: Tell us about one of your most memorable moments at Traylor.
Ali Khater (AK): My first day joining Traylor because it was the first day of safety week! It has been a constant safety reminder and an instant safety alarm embedded in my brain. One more moment I would really like to mention is all the memorable trips building houses in Mexico with Corazon. Every time these trips show how our combined efforts change overnight the lives of many people around us.
TBI: Where is your favorite place you’ve lived, and why?
AK: My favorite place so far has been Hawaii. The island is like a small town. It is easy to remember where you are and you can drive around the whole island in couple hours and it is easy to get lost in the beautiful beaches and mountains. I am looking forward for us to win City Center Guideway & Stations, the next phase of the project!
TBI: What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
AK: When I am not working, I enjoy spending my time watching documentaries such as Megastructures & Build It Bigger… I also enjoy surfing, hiking for long distances, beach soccer and biking. Our road biking team in Honolulu is getting bigger. So far it includes Darren Lueking, Don Ross, Ted Morris, Shreyas Setty, and myself.
TBI: You’ve been nominated by your peers for our Employee Spotlight because you motivate others. What drives you?
AK: What drives me is knowing that you are surrounded by great peers where we learn together and motivate each other toward a greater success.
At Traylor Bros., we respect all people on a personal and professional level. We express this respect by providing a safe work environment, encouraging work/life balance, offering competitive compensation, and fostering the entrepreneurial spirit of every team member.
We have pride in our company and the work we do. We pursue the most exciting work, tackle every challenge as a team, and celebrate both company and individual success.
Traylor is Driven by Respect and Pride.