Certainty in Uncertainty:

Lessons in Leadership from a Top 500 Engineering Company Founder

    Keynote: Barbara Mulkey

    Director General Hugh Shelton Leadership Center, NC State University

Change is a part of life. Sometimes it’s positive, and other times less so. But regardless of what form it comes in, you have a choice: you can either ride the wave of change, or let it crash upon you as you struggle to remain afloat. Leaders have the courage to make decisions and take action during times of change, even when the outcome remains unclear. Entrepreneurial by nature, Barbara founded Mulkey Engineers & Consultants, Inc. in 1993, an engineering consulting firm specializing in engineering and related services for both the public and private sectors. Begun at her kitchen table, the company made the list of Top 500 Engineering Companies nationally multiple times while under her leadership. Barbara attributes the company’s success to her good fortune of attracting the best and the brightest in her field to join her in her journey.

Speaker's Bio:
Barbara graduated from NC State magna cum laude in Engineering in 1977, and then completed a Master’s Degree in Structural Engineering at NC State in 1984. Entrepreneurial by nature, Barbara founded Mulkey Engineers & Consultants, Inc. in 1993, an engineering consulting firm specializing in engineering and related services for both the public and private sectors. Begun at her kitchen table, the company made the list of Top 500 Engineering Companies nationally multiple times while under her leadership. With a career foundation as a structural engineer focusing on highway bridge design, Barbara naturally placed a strong emphasis on her firm's transportation planning, design and construction services. Today she is heralded as one of the most respected transportation experts in the state, as evidenced by her induction into the NC Transportation Hall of Fame.