Union Gospel Mission of Tarrant County – Community Outreach Center

Richard J. Watters, PE

Principal | Senior Mechanical Engineer

Richard Watters came to BHB after working with a design-build contractor in the area for two years. As an active member of BHB’s leadership team, Richard manages some of the firm’s multiple long-term engineering projects, including healthcare, commercial, oil and gas, retail, and municipal. He is experienced in sustainable design, energy studies/audits, design-build, hospitality, data centers, critical environments, medical gas systems, and construction administration.

Richard has been named one of the Top 40 Engineers Under 40 in the country by Consulting-Specifying Engineer Magazine and one of the Top 20 Engineers Under 40 in our region by Engineer News-Record magazine.

In the office, his hands-on style has helped him successfully find solutions for clients and mentor young engineers. Outside of the office, Richard has been past president of the Fort Worth Chapter of ASHRAE and has been active with various student organizations as a guest speaker or project sponsor; he also travels back to Texas A&M to guest lecture and has sponsored projects for the construction science department at Texas A&M.

With his wife Yesenia, he enjoys being outside with their kids, traveling, working on multiple home improvement projects, and helping others. They have sponsored scholarships for children in El Salvador, his wife’s native country, who would otherwise not have access to advanced education. In addition to these, they also have four annual scholarships locally at TCU and UNT. Expanding on this desire to provide resources and forward momentum for everyone, Richard is also a founding board member of the Paul Schulte Foundation, a non-profit organization with a goal to empower, inspire, and facilitate individuals with disabilities.

Project Experience

Arlington Animal Services Center
Doss Heritage and Culture Center
Ott Cribbs Public Safety Center
Star-Telegram Building
Texas Wesleyan University Jack and Jo Willa Morton Fitness Center

Ali Buron, PE

Associate | Mechanical Engineer

As a third generation engineer, you could say that it is in her blood – but Ali didn’t always dream of mechanical engineering. When she was young, she wanted to be an actress, even landing the leading role in her fourth grade school play. She still loves the stage today, but has since considered a career in law before ultimately falling in love with engineering during her studies at TCU. It was there that she met Richard Watters through a mock interview event and became interested in working at BHB. She is now a project manager for healthcare and commercial projects among others, and is an active member of the Fort Worth chapter of ASHRAE.

Having grown up hunting and fishing at her grandmother’s farm, Ali still enjoys outdoor activities. She plays on an intramural kickball team, which she loves for the opportunity to compete and meet new people. At home she has two weenie dogs named Ruff and Ryder, who love visiting dog friendly restaurants in Fort Worth and bossing around their mom.

Project Experience

Thomas Wilson, PE

Associate | Electrical Engineer

Thomas has always wanted to be an engineer; as a child he played outside with his brother, building cities in the dirt with matchbox cars, wood block buildings, and even designing roads. He enjoys the profession’s capacity to provide a creative outlet through math and problem solving. His early work experience took place in his Oma’s convenience store, expanding his world view from an early age and instilling in him an appreciation for the diversity of people and their experiences. He ultimately found BHB through interactions with electrical engineer, Paul Morris, while Thomas worked for the City of Fort Worth. He was impressed with the company culture and quality of work that he had the chance to review, and knew the company would be a good fit for him.

Thomas enjoys volunteering at church, cooking on his barbeque pit, camping, and spending time with his wife, Aryana, and daughter, Penelope. He also enjoys a good cumbia, domino game of 42, or really any activity involving a gathering of his friends and family. He is an active member of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers.

Project Experience

Trace Strevey, PE

President | Senior Civil Engineer

Trace Strevey grew up around the construction industry and, although he always wanted to be a cowboy, building is in his blood. The majority of his 20+ year engineering career has been in the pursuit of diverse projects that are both challenging and rewarding.

His land development experience includes commercial, industrial, healthcare, and residential design, and his municipal engineering experience includes water distribution, wastewater system design, drainage studies, and roadway design.  He has the proven ability to successfully coordinate with cities, counties, TxDOT, TCEQ, and other governing agencies for construction and environmental permits, zoning changes, and site planning approvals.

Project Experience

Cresson Crossroads Industrial Park
Park Hill Surgery Center
Presbyterian Night Shelter Morris Foundation Women & Children's Center
Rogers Road Pavilion
TCU Ed & Rae Schollmaier Arena

Ronald Ishmael, PE, LEED AP

Senior Associate | 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