This article is a synopsis of an interview with Brent Wavra on Medical Alley’s “For the Record” Series. Check out the original article here.
Brent Wavra began his engineering career in 1999 with DLR Group before joining Obermiller Nelson Engineering (Obernel) in Fargo, ND, where he spent 17 years building his expertise. During his time in Fargo, he designed a wide range of facilities, including healthcare, education, and commercial buildings. Over time, Brent shifted his focus to scaling Obernel with his business partner, Jeremiah Christenson, driving the company’s growth across North Dakota and Minnesota.
In 2021, Obernel merged with CMTA to join the Legence family, marking a key milestone in Brent’s career. This integration allowed him to contribute to a larger organization while maintaining a collaborative culture. After more than two decades in the industry, this transition reignited Brent’s passion for engineering, enabling him to focus on innovation and organizational growth.
Key Achievements
Brent highlights three key accomplishments during his time at CMTA: Midwest regional growth, strong relationships, and sustainable design leadership.
CMTA has expanded its Midwest presence with teams in Minneapolis and other offices, delivering successful projects across hospitals, schools, places of worship, and sports facilities. Brent’s career is also defined by the strong relationships he has built with clients and colleagues. These partnerships, based on trust and collaboration, have been essential for delivering complex, multi-year projects. Lastly, Brent takes pride in CMTA’s leadership in sustainable design, focusing on net-zero energy and zero-carbon buildings. With 44 offices nationwide, CMTA continues to deliver innovative, environmentally conscious solutions, driving greener, healthier communities. Brent remains committed to keeping CMTA at the forefront of sustainable engineering.
Leadership and Motivation
For Brent, trust is the cornerstone of effective leadership and team motivation. He views trust as something earned through consistent action, and CMTA’s distinctive approach to consulting engineering exemplifies this principle. Seeing his team gain clients’ trust and take ownership of projects is a key measure of success. Brent underscores the importance of humility in leadership, fostering an environment where the next generation is empowered to step into leadership roles with confidence.
Advice for Aspiring Healthcare Leaders
Brent advises future leaders in healthcare to prioritize continuous learning, improvement, and adaptability in an ever-evolving industry. Staying informed and challenging conventional approaches are critical for growth and innovation. He emphasizes the value of building strong professional networks, which not only provide fresh perspectives but also create opportunities for advancement. Brent’s leadership philosophy revolves around fostering vulnerability, curiosity, and collaboration as essential traits for making a meaningful impact in healthcare.
Navigating the Future of Healthcare Design and Innovation
The healthcare sector is transforming rapidly, but patient care remains the priority. Over the next decade, healthcare organizations will continue investing in advanced technologies to improve outcomes, while sustainability takes center stage through voluntary efforts and regulations. These trends impact budgets, infrastructure, and building design.
CMTA addresses these challenges with sustainable, high-performance healthcare solutions. Using expertise from its Building Science Leadership (BSL) team, CMTA creates innovative, cost-effective designs. From advanced HVAC systems to efficient lighting and adaptable infrastructure, CMTA delivers solutions that balance environmental responsibility with operational efficiency. This collaborative approach ensures CMTA stays ahead of industry trends and delivers measurable results.
Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Diversity is a key challenge in construction and engineering, but CMTA is working to drive change. The company focuses on recruiting diverse talent, attending career fairs, supporting STEM education in K-12 schools, and offering strong internship programs. CMTA also partners with many types of businesses, amplifying voices and helping them grow.
While the engineering field has progress to make, CMTA is taking clear steps to be part of the solution through targeted workforce efforts and inclusive collaborations.
Opportunities and Challenges in Aging Infrastructure
Aging infrastructure is a significant concern for healthcare systems, requiring substantial investment and often causing operational disruptions during replacements. CMTA emphasizes proactive planning to address these issues, ensuring smoother transitions and minimizing interruptions.
As some of the largest energy consumers per square foot, healthcare facilities face growing pressure to improve energy efficiency. CMTA specializes in delivering cost-effective, energy-saving solutions that align with operational demands and sustainability goals, providing long-term value and resilience for healthcare facilities.
Life Outside of Work
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is a priority for CMTA’s leaders. For Brent it is hunting and fishing remain treasured family traditions, while a passion for cars, particularly restoring a 1968 Camaro, reflects a lifelong enthusiasm shared with his father. These personal interests serve as a reminder of the importance of balance and connection outside of professional commitments.
This article is a synopsis of an interview with Brent Wavra on Medical Alley’s “For the Record” Series. Check out the original article here.