Centurions - Matt Ralston

Matt Ralston

Class of 2012
Burns & McDonnell
Recruiting Committee
Transportation Task Force

What does your company do and what is your role there? Burns & McDonnell is a 100 percent employee-owned firm composed of more than 3,000 engineers, architects, construction experts, planners, estimators, economists, technicians and scientists representing virtually all disciplines. We plan, permit, design and construct airports, refineries, power plants, water treatment facilities, infrastructure, military bases, electrical transmission & distribution, and process facilities.

I am a principal in our Construction/Design-Build Group and manage all of the field staff on construction projects, which consists of about 200 individuals at any given time.

Other organizations you volunteer or serve with: Community of Christ Church, Design-Build Institute of America, ACE Mentoring, FIRST Robotics Competition.

First job ever: Outside of mowing lawns, I was on the summer construction crew for the Independence Public School District.

Town you first voted in: Absentee ballot from Ames, Iowa, back to Independence, Missouri.

What would you do for a Klondike Bar? I’d actually just drive to one of our project sites where they make that deliciousness.

What do you love about KC? What unique asset sells KC? It’s a great place to raise a family and give your children the opportunity to get interested in so many different things because of the great schools, sports teams, performing arts, children’s programs, and entertainment. To mirror that thought on the second question, I don’t think that there is one unique aspect of Kansas City that sells to everyone, but we have such a wide array of strong points that we should be able to create a strong bond with the companies and individuals looking to potentially relocate here.

Have you ever broken a bone? A rib, my hand, and although not technically a bone, my MCL and PCL in my right knee.

Are you a Mac or PC? I’m a degreed engineer working at an engineering firm … .

Worst sporting event you’ve attended: The 2003 Chiefs playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

KC place that is on your bucket list to visit: I would like to somehow rent out the Vaile Mansion for a weekend and go all “Ghost Hunters” throughout that place.

Best Kansas City shortcut: Being from suburbia, someone probably needs to be telling me good shortcuts through the city.

Matt Ralston

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