20 Years of Personal and Professional Growth

By Amy Gralapp, Water Systems Market Lead

TREKK Design Group has been celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Hearing the leadership talk about TREKK’s beginnings made me think about what I was doing 20 years ago. My husband, Chris, and I were expecting our first child. We spent months house hunting because the new baby and all its paraphernalia wasn’t going to fit in our tiny townhouse. When I wasn’t in a pregnancy-exhausted coma, I was studying to take my professional engineer licensing exam. I had intentionally (and stupidly) planned to move, study for and take this important exam for my career, then have a new baby all within a few months.

Our baby girl finally arrived two weeks late, enormous, and with a full head of hair. Three days later, I received my letter from the State of Kansas telling me that I had passed my exam and was a professional engineer. I sat in my partially boxed up house, now a mom and a professional engineer, starting a new chapter of my life in many ways.

Much like TREKK, I’ve grown in the last 20 years, professionally and personally. We’ve raised that baby girl, along with two more kids. Pregnant on a super-hot day, I almost fainted on the walkway of a sludge basin at the Platte County Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant as I discussed the facilities expansion with the staff. I hiked a Johnson County Wastewater sewer walk-through, huge with baby, right before walking into the hospital to give birth. Like many working parents, figuratively and sometimes literally, my family has been along for the ride as we talk about and do our jobs.

I’ve nurtured my career and family at the same time, growing first as a designer, then as a manager and supervisor. I’m excited to work in the water and wastewater industry as TREKK’s Water Systems Market Lead with projects like Kansas City’s Keep Out the Rain Private I/I Program. I feel good that my team is making a difference in communities where we live by reducing inflow and infiltration.

I have loved showing my kids that work with fulfillment and purpose is possible. TREKK helps me live that purpose and improve lives every day. Here’s to the next 20 years, TREKK! This time, kids are leaving instead of arriving. Whew!