NICK W. MCLAIN, P.E., LEED® AP

Principal, Phoenix Office

Backstory

Growing up in a small town in Missouri, Nick’s intrinsic drive to put things together revealed itself at a young age. He grew up creating masterpiece wood homes with Lincoln Logs, skyscrapers with Constructs, and international space stations with Legos. On a pre-college aptitude test, he scored high in art and science, pointing to two paths: architecture or engineering. Combining the two, Nick received a Bachelor of Science degree in Architectural Engineering from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas.

How He Got His Start

Ready to expand his horizons and leave the cold weather behind, Nick arrived in Phoenix, Arizona to begin his career as a structural engineer, with ambitions to lead a large engineering firm.  Nick has been actively involved in the local AEC community, building a network of great industry colleagues and friends. After only five years with Schneider, Nick became the newest member of Schneider’s Leadership Team, earning the title of Principal. He oversees operations for the Southwest Region of the U.S., which includes offices in Phoenix and Tucson, and is now responsible for helping to develop corporate strategy and long-term planning for the organization.

Lasting Lesson Learned

Always ask questions and listen so that you can understand someone’s vision and build from it.  This advice has brought me success and has helped me engineer many unique projects that require thinking outside the box to create structure.  I’ve also learned this advice applies to my personal life as my favorite engineering time is spent with my son Pierce, setting up building blocks for his demolition.

Where You’ve Seen His Work

  • SEAoA award-winning Pandhi Dental Clinic, Tucson, Arizona
  • Sea Life Aquarium at Arizona Mills Mall, Tempe, Arizona
  • SRP’s 260,000 SF parking garage with roof top canopy, Tempe, Arizona
  • Renovation, historic home into The Vig Fillmore restaurant, Phoenix, Arizona
  • Checkpoint C Expansion at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Phoenix, Arizona
  • Curtis Park Indoor Sports Center, Tucson, Arizona

Specialties

Nick’s specialty is the analysis and design of complex structural framing systems utilizing finite element analysis and building information modeling. Most of his projects involve the design of buildings comprised of steel, concrete, masonry, wood and cold-formed steel that have encompassed LEED design, vibration analysis, blast analysis, forensic investigation, and considerable client/user coordination and communications.

State Licenses

Nick is licensed to practice in Arizona.