Many thanks to our friends at Brevard Business News for sharing more about 8-koi’s leadership and successes over the past 15 years! Contact us to schedule a meeting.
BBN Feature | September 2023
8-koi Celebrates 15 Years!
Fifteen years ago, University of Florida accounting graduate and show dog mom Inga Young founded 8-koi on August 8th in her hometown of Melbourne, Florida. Since then, the woman-owned small business has grown to support millions of dollars in government contracts and hired hundreds of employees around the US. As a first generation American, Inga credits her success to her parents, and practices everyday gratitude for the opportunity to learn from her coworkers and peers in the industry. Design, build, staff, and supply… 8-koi offers full-spectrum contracting solutions with a human touch. See more about the EDWOSB’s capabilities in design engineering, construction, and technical services.
8-koi President in Washington DC for SAME Industry Day JUNE 29-30
The Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations Industry Day will be held June 29-30, 2023 at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C.
8-koi Founder & President Inga Young will attend the market research event to share engineering and construction capabilities with potential customers and teammates for upcoming contracts with the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations.
8-koi and subsidiary CDE are corporate members of SAME Space Coast Post.
To set a meeting, send an email or contact us.
8-koi in San Antonio for SAME Conference MAY 2-4
CDE Mechanical Engineer Kritika Kanphade attended the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Joint Engineer Training Conference (JETC) in San Antonio, TX May 2-4, 2023 to take part in “over 80 hours of education and training sessions, keynote speaker, myriad networking activities, a robust exhibit hall, and countless opportunities to connect and meet with decision-makers throughout industry and government.”
8-koi and subsidiary CDE have been long-time corporate members of the SAME Space Coast Post. According to the JETC website, “For three days, attendees took in more than 70 education sessions, participated in influential Warfighter Seminars and Facility Asset Management Forum, networked with 200+ exhibitors, viewed lived geospatial demonstrations, heard from senior agency leaders and keynote speaker Sarah Thomas, and celebrated achievements such as the Academy of Fellows Investiture, Leader Development Program graduation, Society Ball & Awards Gala, to include the Golden Eagle Award, and swearing-in of the 104th SAME National President, Charlie Perham, F.SAME, USAF (Ret.).”
Kritika says,”It was a whirlwind week of activity between learning about big things in the AEC industry and talking to people interested in SAME’s Leader Development Community of Interest (COI). I got to hear Sarah Thomas, the first female official in NFL today. She is such a motivation!”
Kritika adds, “The week at JETC was equally energizing and exhausting, but either way I can’t wait to go back to San Antonio for the Small Business Conference (SBC) in November 2023. I will also be attending the SAME’s Post Leaders Workshop (PLW) in Fort Lauderdale in August, where I will reconnect with many other SAME Post leaders from the JETC trip.”
We love seeing our Florida-based team making connections on the road. Thank you for being there, Kritika! View more about 8-koi Construction and CDE Design Engineering Capabilities and contact us to set a meeting.
8-koi Receives Patent for Military Approved Bollard System
The US Patent Office issued Patent No. US 11,319,681 B2 to 8-koi on May 3, 2022 for a bollard system invented by 8-koi VP of Construction Otto Herrera. The patent application for the physical security device used to restrict vehicular movement was filed August 6, 2020 in response to a DoD customer’s request for a solution to their force protection.
“Their fancy hydraulic traffic retractable bollard system was inoperable because of built up debris and muck within the mechanism. I couldn’t fix the existing problem, nor could the manufacturer, but I thought a simpler retractable system could serve the same purpose,” says Otto. “I proposed a conceptional system with a cardboard model to test the basic functionality for a customer demonstration and they greenlighted it.”
Otto went to work to complete the design and fabricate a full-sized prototype to install and test. The total cost for the first unit is a tremendous cost savings when compared to the dysfunctional barrier system that was installed, not inclusive of the time lost and the associated labor required to maintain the original system.
The simple OttoBollardTM design is made to be permanently installed, stowed in place, easily maintained, and operated manually to replace more complicated and expensive hydraulic traffic control systems. It is designed to give property owners the choice of how and when they change protection levels and or traffic patterns. As an example of maintainability, 8-koi’s OttoBollardTM was easily repaired and made ready for service with minimal downtime the same day following impact.
Applications include property egress paths, facility egress paths, civic meeting places, and roads and other similar locations where bollard systems are not to be permanently installed and there is a need to modify or change potential traffic patterns. The OttoBollardTM eliminates off site storage of temporary bollards or other similar systems when not in use. The OttoBollardTM reduces recurring costs of transport, manpower, rental, and deployment.
“Our patented bollard is a simple system that is quick to deploy, operates without electricity or hydraulics, requires no storage, and works in all weather conditions,” says 8-koi President Inga Young. “We are looking forward to targeting sales to municipalities for secure event areas like sports arenas, stadiums, and parks to help with crowd control and hopefully avoid tragic public safety disasters such as the recent parade crashing events we see on the news.”
A woman-owned company, 8-koi currently supports design engineering and construction contracts with public and private organizations to include Eastern Florida State College, Daytona State College, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, and Army Corps of Engineers among others. See more construction capabilities.
CDE’s Kyle Findlater Earns P.E.
Inspired by the hit television series “Prison Break,” CDE’s Kyle Findlater chose to pursue a career in structural engineering and successfully earned his Professional Engineering License from the State of Florida on July 1st, 2022. “After watching Michael Scofield apply structural engineering principles to break his brother out of the prison he designed, I knew that was the specialty I wanted to pursue,” Kyle muses.
Though being highly motivated, but not having a falsely imprisoned brother to free, Kyle admits his journey to be a Professional Engineer was not an easy road to walk. “I struggled to get back the motivation to study,” Kyle says after his first P.E. exam was cancelled in April 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I had spent the six months prior studying intensely and working practice problems. It was very frustrating and deflating.”
As disappointing as it was, I immediately jumped back in and rescheduled my test…
His next opportunity to test came in October 2021 when he sat for the last paper-and-pencil version of the P.E. exam before they switched to a standard computer-based exam. “Several weeks later, I received a failing result. As disappointing as it was, I immediately jumped back in and rescheduled my test for April 2022.” This time he passed.
“I then had to fill out the P.E. licensure application by gathering my work history and professional engineering references to be validated by the Florida Board of Professional Engineers. A few weeks later after going before the FBPE committee, I was granted my P.E. License,” Kyle proudly explains of the process.
Kyle joined CDE in July 2021 and now serves as the lead designer and project manager for the structural engineering department. Prior to CDE, Kyle’s work experience included three years in residential structures with Apex Technology and three years in marine structures with JACOBS.
My biggest career highlight so far has definitely been achieving my Professional Engineering License…
“A few of my favorite projects have been the Chem Lab Chiller Plant Building, Area 57 West Building 50801 Crane Evaluation, and King Center Speaker Support Beam Upgrades,” he says, “but my biggest career highlight so far has definitely been achieving my Professional Engineering License.”
A first-generation American, Kyle was born in New York after his parents emigrated from Jamaica, but he’s called Florida home ever since his family moved to Palatka when he was young. Kyle went on to attend the University of Florida where he received his bachelor’s in civil engineering and met his wife, Nureka, who was a nursing student from Jamaica. They have a lively young daughter and enjoy family travel and trips to the beach.
When asked about his future, Kyle says he’s focused on honing his design skills so he can eventually mentor and teach other young engineers. “My advice for aspiring P.E.’s would be to find great mentors and take your P.E. exam as close to your schooling as possible because it will be harder to re-learn how to study and prepare for a test of this magnitude if you wait.”
As for Kyle’s mentors who helped him along the way, “I would like to thank Jesse Dayhoff, P.E. with Apex Technology, Gary Ledford, P.E. with JACOBS, Josh Smith, P.E. formally with CDE, and currently Rob Sullivan, P.E. and Lutfi Mized, P.E. with CDE for their mentorship.”
Please join us all at CDE and 8-koi in congratulating Kyle on his well-deserved accomplishment of becoming a licensed Professional Engineer. You can connect with Kyle on LinkedIn.
8-koi Names Robert M. Sullivan, P.E. as Vice President, Engineering Division
Robert Sullivan is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Florida who enthusiastically accepted the position of Vice President for 8-koi’s Engineering Division, effective March 11th. In this leadership position, Robert will be taking the lead for current and future projects at Cape Design Engineering Co. (CDE), a wholly-owned subsidiary of 8-koi.
Robert joins the team in Merritt Island with over forty years of experience as an innovator in the fields of capital project contracts management, civil environmental, structural, and construction engineering, planning, forensics, emergency and reconstruction management, expert litigation support, and safety.
With over 25 years of service with the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department FEMA response team, Florida Task Force One (FL-TF1), Robert’s work as a Structural Specialist with this international response rescue team has been integral in the development of his operations management skill set to include accurate rapid assessment and detailed analysis to achieve mission-critical goals when time and resources are not always optimum.
“Robert brings a high level of industry expertise and keen understanding of senior/executive management to 8-koi and CDE. His multi-disciplinary experience and background in Earned Value Analysis (EVA) will be an asset to growing our Design Engineering capability for years to come,” stated Dean Rosenquist, 8-koi’s Chief Operating Officer.
With a portfolio that includes work on special capital projects related to construction of unique buildings/facilities, airport and airfield upgrades, harbor dredging, environmental and hazardous waste system upgrades, value engineering, roadway and bridge transportation project management, Robert will be tasked with aligning business development strategy to CDE’s in-demand capabilities.
“My motivation and motto is: Plan the Work – Work the Plan,” says Robert. “I’m really looking forward to making the most of the next chapter in my career with this dynamic small business.”
Please help us welcome Robert to the Team and be sure to connect with him on LinkedIn to learn more about his work.
8-koi Exhibits at Navy Contracting Summit June 24-25
8-koi is a virtual exhibitor at the Southwest Defense Contracting Summit June 24-25, 2021. We are joining hundreds of prime contractors, subcontractors, military officials, contracting officials, financing experts, and defense agencies from throughout the country at this year’s Navy Contracting Summit with Defense Leadership Forums.
We stand ready to partner in capturing a portion of the new Pentagon and Navy contracts resulting from the $740 Billion 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. Our design engineering and construction capabilities include post-catastrophe response, BIM modeling, energy simulations, underground, infrastructure, safety planning, communications, and logistics.
Not limited to buildings and infrastructure, 8-koi contributes to developing public health resiliency during the COVID-19 pandemic with healthcare-related capabilities to include direct care, medical supplies (PPE), logistics, training, administration, and contract support services.
Be sure to visit our virtual booth at the Summit and we look forward to connecting with you on LinkedIn!
8-koi Exhibits at Southwest Defense Contracting Summit April 6-7
8-koi is a virtual exhibitor at the Southwest Defense Contracting Summit April 6-7, 2021. We are joining hundreds of prime contractors, subcontractors, military officials, contracting officials, financing experts, and defense agencies from throughout the country at this year’s Southwest Defense Contracting Summit with Defense Leadership Forums.
Because so many installations were affected by extreme weather events earlier this year, a major general session on energy resiliency will be included in this year’s summit program. Our design engineering and construction capabilities include post-catastrophe response, BIM modeling, energy simulations, underground, infrastructure, safety planning, communications, and logistics.
Not limited to buildings and infrastructure, 8-koi contributes to developing public health resiliency during the COVID-19 pandemic with healthcare-related capabilities to include direct care, medical supplies (PPE), logistics, training, administration, and contract support services.
Be sure to visit our virtual booth at the Summit and we look forward to connecting with you on LinkedIn!
Preferred Service Provider for Palm Beach State College
8-koi’s CDE has been selected as the preferred service provider for Palm Beach State College’s five campuses and will perform structural and MEP continuing services for projects under $1M. For almost two decades CDE has provided engineering support to PBSC. It was the first public State College facility to earn the prestigious USGBC LEED Platinum rating in the State of Florida. Another win, another great day to be 8-koi. Go Team!