Lefeld assists with public projects

For Choice One Engineering’s Ryan Lefeld, civil engineering isn’t just about projects. It’s about relationships, too. 
“That’s a big thing for us. It’s not the projects that are important. It’s the people you work with,” said Lefeld, a project manager and vice president at Choice One. 
Since the firm opened an office in Portland last year, Lefeld has kept busy with projects and people alike. 
Choice One Engineering was founded in 1994 and has offices in Sidney and Loveland, Ohio. In September 2015, the civil engineering firm opened its first office in the Indiana market, setting up shop in Portland at 607 N. Meridian St. 
Since then, Lefeld, who works full-time out of the Portland office, has been hired for projects with a number of local municipalities. 
If engineering projects are being discussed in Portland, Geneva or Fort Recovery council meetings, there’s a good chance he is at the helm. He has also completed work for Jay County. 
“Pretty much any project we do in Indiana, I’ll pretty much being taking the lead on as the project manager,” said Lefeld, who graduated from the University of Toledo in 2011 with a civil engineering degree.
Lefeld said his specialty is in hydraulics and water projects, but the assignments he’s worked on locally extend well past those two areas. 
The firm works in the areas of street reconstruction, land development, traffic and surveying projects, streetscape and site development, paths and trails, bridges and water projects. 
In the local area, Lefeld’s work has touched on a number of facets. 
For instance, he is working with Geneva on projects for water line, infrastructure and storm drain replacements. He’s also helped the town in efforts to lure public funds back to Geneva for projects. He and town marshal Rob Johnson attended a funding conference earlier this month in Indianapolis. 
Helping municipalities secure grants and funding is a major aspect of the firm’s work. For example, Lefeld helped the City of Portland and Jay County with asset management plans that are required to apply for state road funding. 
With the road inventory, Portland was awarded $239,000 in matching Indiana Department of Transportation funds for street projects. Jay County hopes to use its plan to reel in matching funds to complete $2 million worth of road projects. 
Working on projects that help communities grow is a highlight for Lefeld, who said it’s become more rewarding the longer he’s held his position to see them progress and their visions come to fruition.  
“I really enjoy seeing … what benefit I can provide to the community. That’s one of the perks,” Lefeld said. “You can see the fruits of your labor in pretty much what can help and how you can help a community.” 
Civil engineering is a natural fit for the St. Henry, Ohio, native and resident. 
“I’ve always liked to tinker around and build stuff,” he said. “I never thought I’d be building stuff on a computer, so to speak.” 
 Lefeld also enjoys the construction aspect of the projects as well as working with those in the community. 
“It’s good to know when people are asking for help and you’re able to help,” said Lefeld.
That attitude has made an impression on those he has worked with. 
“I would take a dozen Ryan Lefelds to work with on a regular basis and have the confidence and ability they’re going to be able to work with you and look at it from your standpoint instead of their expertise,” said Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman.  
He said that while Lefeld offers his expertise, he also makes sure to understand what the City of Portland wants as well. 
“The one great thing is, he wants to listen first,” he said. 
The attitude Lefeld brings to the job has paid off for the City of Portland. 
“We had a very short time frame to put that asset management plan together and I asked Ryan … ‘Do we have enough time?’” said Geesaman. “He said, ‘We’ll put all our people on it,’ and in a week and a half’s time, they covered the entire city and put together an excellent plan.”