Nadeem Abbasi, PE, ENV SP Joins IEA as Senior Roadway Project Manager in Houston
Meet Nadeem Abbasi – A 35-Year Transportation Leader Strengthening IEA's Houston Team
Experienced. Collaborative. Practical. Nadeem Abbasi, PE, ENV SP is all of this and more, joining IEA as our newest Senior Roadway Project Manager.
“Joining IEA gives me the opportunity to work with different clients and projects. I am excited to use my project and client experience to produce quality deliverables with IEA,” stated Nadeem.
Houston Area Manager Wilson Wong, PE notes, “at IEA, we are constantly looking for quality folks to provide value to our clients. With his diverse experience, we are fortunate to have him join us in this competitive market.”
FROM GLOBAL ROOTS TO TEXAS IMPACT
Originally from Pakistan, Nadeem has called Houston home for his entire engineering career. Nadeem completed his undergraduate degree at the N.E.D University of Engineering & Technology in Pakistan before moving to Oklahoma State University for graduate school.
“Pakistan has some of the most qualified and talented engineers, and they’re willing to mentor young, inquisitive minds in infrastructure. That is what drew me into the field. I had an analytical mindset from the beginning and needed things to fit perfectly in their environment. Engineering was the best course for me to achieve satisfaction in my everyday life,” shared Nadeem.
Now a long-time Houston resident, Nadeem was drawn to the city for its “melting pot nature that embraces all cultures and lifestyles. The food, the people, and above all my college buddies in this city were a major draw for me.”
TRANSPORTATION EXPERIENCE
For the last 35 years, Nadeem has brought countless solutions and innovative ideas while serving clients like HCTRA, METRO, TxDOT, the City of Houston, and Harris and surrounding Counties. His experience includes FM 359 Schematic Design from FM 1092 to Mason Road and more recent Design Support for Houston District on NHHIP Seg 3A, 3B1, and 3B2 project reviews. Nadeem’s expertise also extends beyond the roadway and onto the tracks, having led projects for Houston METRO involving alignments, parking lot grading, utility relocation, signal design, and Transit System Corridor Studies.
Wilson strongly believes that “Nadeem’s experience directly aligns with the complexity of projects we deliver. While he has a strong background in managing projects from planning through PS&E and into construction, his ability to anticipate issues early, provide clear communication across design teams, and exceed client’s expectations is the biggest asset to our IEA Team.”
While he is proud of the many operational infrastructure projects he has managed throughout his career, two stand out in particular.
“For the East End METRO Light Rail Transit Harrisburg Line, I was involved from its inception to the day the line was operational. Seeing first-hand how the line affected the surrounding development and mobility fills my heart with joy,” emphasized Nadeem.
The second project involved the biggest challenge in his career, one that is uncommon for engineers to encounter. “On a County Boulevard realignment job that split a parcel into two sections in northwest Houston, the imminent domain forced the owner to agree to county pricing. Engineers don’t usually get involved in litigation, but I played my part in transitioning the parcel division,” explained Nadeem.
NATURAL LEADERSHIP
Alongside his project management capabilities, Nadeem brings internal leadership qualities that align with IEA’s culture. Nadeem believes that strong team management lies in “transparency and tackling every issue head on with due respect to everyone’s mindset. Mutual respect and integrity go a long way for team management and client relationship management.”
A pillar of IEA’s leadership culture is mentoring the next generation to help them grow. Nadeem loves to share his experience with young engineers and share lessons learned to enhance their knowledge. Wilson noted this quality clearly and shared that “Nadeem will strengthen our project delivery process and mentor junior engineers to set professional goals while meeting company goals and objectives.”
OUTSIDE OF OFFICE HOURS
Outside of work, you can find Nadeem travelling internationally and taking short trips with his friends. Day-to-day, he enjoys an evening stroll and spending time with his cat. Nadeem was proud to share that his biggest personal accomplishment is “the help and support I provided to my family to carry out charity work in rural and impoverished areas.”
Please join us in welcoming Nadeem into his next chapter with IEA!
