STEVEN C. WURSTER P.E., CPSWQ, CFM

Senior Vice President, COO, Client Team Leader

Why did you decide to become an engineer?

My dad is an engineer and had a very successful career. He’s always been a huge influence in my life, and many of my early childhood memories are of my dad tinkering with the car, the lawn mower, or whatever else needed fixing. He would never hire anyone else to fix anything around the house because he always did it himself. He taught me that it was okay to think about things differently; that you could take something apart, figure out how it worked, why it worked and how to make it better. He was Pewaukee’s version of MacGyver. My dad was a mechanical engineer, and his company made sewer vacuum trucks. When I’d tag along with him, I was always particularly interested in how they took a standard, factory model truck and completely transformed it to fit the needs of their customers. Those visits helped me realize you could think of something you wanted to create, put drawings together to figure how to make it work, and then build that thing… and I loved watching things get built. So that’s how I knew I wanted to be an engineer.

How long have you been with R/M?

Basically my entire career. I started here in 1999 after a very short time with another firm. I knew I wanted to be with a firm that just felt right, that was family focused, that’s respectful of their staff and clients. A firm that provides guidance, training and mentoring, but also allows their employees to grow. I found that at R/M, so I never had any interest in going anywhere else.

What is the best part of your job?

As COO, the best part of my job is working with our employees. I love seeing our staff grow, learn new things, and take on additional responsibilities. It’s especially rewarding when you see someone you helped hire come in, excel at their role, progress in their career, and start to teach others. It makes me feel like I’m making a difference, and that really drives me.

As an engineer, I love being a part of a technical team working on a variety of different projects. It’s great when a project team comes together, brainstorms the particular issue our client is dealing with and comes up with a game plan that leads to a successful solution for the client. It’s always important to understand the problems our clients are trying to fix – why did they really call us. When our team can help address those problems and be a part of something that improves a community, it truly does make you feel like you’re making the world a better place.

What do you think differentiates R/M from other firms?

R/M feels like a family, and I know not all other firms have that connection. We are invested in each other’s lives. That investment makes coming to work feel like so much more than just a job, because you get to work with people you really like to spend time with. Our culture is always evolving, it’s never constant, but one of the foundational roots of our company is that we genuinely care for one another.

If you could go back in time and give your 18-year-old self one piece of advice, what would it be?

Soak in the moment. I was very driven as a student, and I’ve spent a lot of time later in life learning how to slow down and enjoy things more. I’d also tell myself to go see more Dave Matthews Band Concerts.

What are you up to when you’re not at work?

I’m a huge live music fan, so I try to see as many live shows as I can. I also love to fish. I bought a boat a few years ago, so I try to get out and fish as often as possible, sometimes by myself for the solitude, but also with my kids, friends, and family.

What is your favorite food right now?

Mexican… anything Mexican. And sushi.

What do you want your clients to know about R/M?

We want to function as an extension of their staff. It’s not the R/M way, or my way, it’s the way that works best for the client. Every client has a different need, and it’s important for them to know that we listen and adapt our approach based on their needs. We can be as involved as they need us to be, but we can also stand off to the side when that’s what’s best. We want to do the right thing by them, leading to a long-term relationship.