Ronald Ishmael, PE, LEED AP

Vice President | Structural Engineer

Growing up, Ronald’s family had strong ties to the construction industry and was often involved in some type of construction project – whether it be for a local nonprofit, family members, or the farm he lived on. In fact, his childhood home was a barn that his parents turned into a house. It comes as no surprise that Ronald knew he wanted a career in construction from a young age, and his success in mathematics pushed him toward engineering. He attended Texas A&M University to pursue a degree in construction management through the civil engineering department. During his last semester, however, the degree program was altered, and he decided to switch to the specialty of structural engineering. The unplanned change of course turned out to be exactly what Ronald had been looking for.

Now, he has garnered nearly 15 years of diverse industry experience and continues his journey at BHB as the firm’s first structural engineer. His background includes structural design services for new and existing buildings, structural assessments and evaluations, historic preservation, and forensic failure investigations. Ronald has experience with multiple construction materials such as steel, concrete, wood/timber, cold formed steel, ICF, foundations, and FRP, and has extensive experience in elevated concrete design. He is also heavily involved in the Fort Worth Structural Engineers Association of Texas (SEAoT) and is a past president of the International Concrete Repair Institute.

Outside of the office walls, Ronald spends his spare time with his wife, a high school anatomy and forensics teacher, and two children, Laykin and Cohen. He can often be found fishing, working on personal construction projects including his wife’s classroom, playing with his kids, and rooting for the Texas A&M football team. Ronald also enjoys traveling to unique places and finding activities that involve communicating and interacting with local residents. His recent expeditions include visiting off-the-path wineries in Napa and Sonoma, finding local hot spots in Alaska, and taking a road trip through the Philippines.

Project Experience

Bob Bolen Public Safety Complex