Primera Engineers is thrilled to welcome Mary Ellen Mack, PE as Senior Project Manager and our first female lead for construction projects in our growing Transportation division. Mary Ellen brings with her over 30 years of construction experience and knowledge specifically with Illinois roadways, Federal and state systems, and transportation project management. This, coupled with her well-established municipal networks throughout Illinois, will ensure Primera’s construction projects continue to run smoothly and will serve the firm and our clients well within her new role.

Starting out as a co-op with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), and working the design, maintenance, and construction rotation, Mary Ellen quickly found that construction was her niche. She worked as a resident engineer on major expressway projects, landscaping jobs, and supervised municipal projects to ensure federal dollars were spent and disbursed adequately. She earned her Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Bradley University and was the only woman at the time in her graduating class. In 2003, she spearheaded a large project to construct a new 40-year pavement design for I-290 near Woodfield, IL. This project won her the Engineer of the Year Award from IDOT. She’s an active member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Illinois Association of Highway Engineers and looks forward to continuing to expand her networks via these associations. She’s also a strong advocate for mentorship and looks forward to sharing her wealth of experience with junior engineers as they build their careers.

“We could not be more excited that Mary Ellen chose to continue her construction story with Primera after an impressive career with IDOT,” said Stacie Dovalovsky, Primera’s Transportation Division Manager. “She shares our people-focused values and adds to the depth of services we offer local agencies. As an accomplished leader in the transportation industry, we’re humbled to welcome her to our team as we continue to offer industry-leading experience coupled with a superior client experience .”

Founded in 1987, Primera is a full-service, woman-owned engineering design and consulting firm dedicated to developing meaningful client relationships that allow us to provide best-in-class client service. Primera offers a wide range of professional services in the buildings, transportation, and utility environments, including mechanical, electrical, plumbing (M/E/P), civil, structural and telecommunications engineering, as well as commissioning, energy, architecture, sustainability, life safety, lighting, project and construction management, and business consulting services.