At Providence Engineering, leadership is more than a role—it’s about guiding, inspiring, and supporting a team to grow and thrive. As we welcome Dana Ziegler as our new President, we wanted to take a moment to get to know the person behind the title.
Through five key questions, Dana shares his journey, values, and vision for the future of Providence Engineering.
Question 1: What’s one area where you’d like to see the company challenge itself?
Answer: Do not be comfortable with the status quo or business as usual. Just as the code changes/ updates, new materials, products, and processes are available today that were not around even 5 years ago. We should always look for ways to improve ourselves, our designs, and our company.
Question 2: What’s a career moment that really shaped who you are as a leader?
Answer: There are two. The first is the recession in 2008. I was working in our family business at that time and trying to expand building and structural engineering services into an existing construction business. No one wants to experience a recession, but I learned it is how you respond, react, and come out of the difficult times that sets you up for the future.
The second was a project I worked on at Providence, Sight and Sound Theatre in Strasburg, Pennsylvania. This was one of the first projects where I became the primary point of contact for the client and general contractor. This challenge and opportunity forced me to take on new responsibilities and really helped me grow as an engineer and project manager.
Question 3: Who is an influential person in your work and life and what is a piece of advice you remember from them?
Answer: My Father. He taught me work ethic and that nothing worthwhile in life is easy. But there are so many things I learned from him that have shaped my work and personal life including, dedication to family, finding a career in what you love to do and not just a job, doing it right the first time is easier and less expensive than going back to fix it later, and my love of the outdoors.
Question 4: When you think about the future of the company, what makes you the most excited?
Answer: When I think about the future of Providence, I am most excited for our younger employee-owners to have the opportunity for career growth and mentorship that I had. When I graduated from Penn State, my first career stop was with Providence as a Design Engineer. I took some time to work with our family business and then returned to Providence in 2014. Since then, I have grown from a Project Engineer to executive leadership, and I want to be the example for our young employee-owners that anything is possible.
Providence is a company where all our employee-owners can pursue the projects that interest them as they serve their clients’ needs. That is exciting!
Question 5: What do you like to do when you’re not in the office?
Answer: Well, some people (especially my colleagues in Doylestown) think I am always in the office! In my downtime, I love being outdoors. Whether it is hiking, hunting, backpacking, skiing, boating or water skiing, the chance to be in nature, enjoying time with family and friends, is always top of my list. I also really enjoy cooking and grilling, especially during the holidays.
Dana’s journey at Providence Engineering showcases his commitment to mentorship, career growth, and building a supportive environment for all employee-owners.
We’re excited for what’s ahead under his leadership and look forward to seeing how Dana continues to inspire and guide our team.
