We Are Loureiro: Brian Cruz
September 15th, 2023
Brian Cruz’s passion for environmental engineering started back in high school. While in high school he participated in a pre-engineering program put on by the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) at the Port Hueneme Naval Base. During one of his classes, Brian recalls a presentation that stuck with him. Put on by a couple of engineers that worked on the base, the presentation highlighted the different engineering disciplines and their potential applications — work that applied not only in the military but throughout all aspects of life.
“When you’re in engineering they tell you that you’re being taught a way of thinking. Once you have that mindset you can apply it to many different things,” Brian says. “I’ve always had a passion for environmental stewardship. Growing up in California I gained an awareness of water scarcity and the importance of the water cycle. That was my initial motivation for following a path towards environmental engineering.”
Brian received his undergraduate degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Riverside and his Masters from the University of Connecticut. Throughout school, his desire to see something through from beginning to end motivated him. Asking questions, coming up with solutions — in the long run it was a love for problem solving that led Brian to Loureiro. A Professional Engineer, Brian audits, designs, builds, permits, and maintains water and wastewater treatment systems for a variety of Loureiro’s clients, including large aerospace and defense companies. He appreciates the sense of community created by Loureiro’s employee-ownership model – where everything you do impacts the company.
“From project manager to engineer to field technician to VP, we each have a stake and a sense of control, and it creates a true feeling that we’re all in it together,” says Brian. “It’s also something that is valuable to our clients. As a multi-disciplined engineering, environmental and construction company, we can take on so many different projects that involve multiple disciplines. At Loureiro, we’re able to pool all of our resources together. We can help a client with whatever their issue may be without having to bring in subcontractors or seek an answer elsewhere.”
To Brian, it takes a team to make something great, and he thrives in environments where no one feels the need to put all the pressure of a project on yourself.
“I think one thing that’s important to remember, and something I appreciate about Loureiro, is the sense that your managers and coworkers are there to help you, and are people you want to reach out to and connect with,” Brian says. “If you need help, you don’t need to be afraid to ask for it. No matter how technically skilled you are you can’t do everything on your own and you don’t need to feel like you have to.”
