One word to describe yourself: Persistent
Alma Mater: Buffalo State College
Fun fact about yourself: I was married on leap year day, so we only need to remember an anniversary every four years.
K. Grace Viger is a mechanical engineer with 14 years of experience, six of which are with Wendel. She is currently associate principal of mechanical design engineering at Wendel, where she serves as an equipment specialist for public transit facilities including vehicle washing systems, vehicle lift systems, compressed air systems, gasoline and diesel fueling systems, fluid lubrication distribution systems, general maintenance shop tools and equipment. In this role, she leverages her specialized knowledge to work directly with the end users and product manufacturers to ensure that equipment is provided and installed appropriately. Viger also specializes in plumbing and fire protection system design.
Viger’s love for engineering began in middle school. She was offered an internship at a small engineering firm in Buffalo, N.Y., after high school. She stayed for eight years, specializing in plumbing and fire protection engineering and working full time while attending Buffalo State College. When Viger joined Wendel, she saw a need for an in-house expert in equipment specialization on the team and took it upon herself to fill that role. Previously, the MEP department had several people who worked in equipment and process systems for public transit facilities, though it had not been anyone’s full-time focus. She has developed working relationships with major equipment manufacturers, staying up to date with industry changes and new available equipment.
Heavy duty lifts and bus wash systems are selected based on the client’s needs and she coordinates with the team regarding building construction for installation. She also coordinates required maintenance equipment and makes recommendations based on the facility’s needs. Other aspects of her role include completing equipment selections with efficient layouts and creating process plans.
Her passion and dedication have been very helpful in a field that is dominated by men. Most people do a double take when seeing a female equipment specialist, but when she begins discussing their needs her abilities become evident. The Greenville Transit Authority’s Operations and Maintenance Facility exemplifies this ability. Thanks to her collaborative efforts, the project team purchased the bus wash system early on and the selected manufacturer submitted installation drawings within two weeks of the award. This allowed the team to incorporate necessary utilities within the building contract documents, resulting in greater coordination between teams. The result was a successful project that ran smoothly from start to finish without many changes after initial decisions had been made.
Colleagues describe Viger as the epitome of diligence, adding that her “commitment and hands-on approach have singled her out as an extraordinary member of Wendel’s team.” This dedication and her standout performance on projects led to Viger being named an Associate Principal at Wendel in 2020.
Outside of her work in the office, Viger serves as technical vice president of the Buffalo Niagara Chapter for the American Society of Plumbing Engineers. Her level of expertise in the technical aspects of engineering and the alignment of her values to ASPE’s mission make her a perfect fit for her role in her local chapter.
Is there a specific experience that led you to where you are today?
My firm had the lead equipment expert resign and I stepped up to fill his place. Having grown up working on all my own cars, boats, snowmobiles, etc., I had a background doing vehicle maintenance. I am now able to apply this to transit. I felt like a kid in a candy shop getting to learn the ins and outs of heavy-duty maintenance equipment, process fluids and fueling systems.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I recently brought a group from a very outdated facility, that they had been doing a good job of limping along, to a new facility we designed and constructed a few years ago. Seeing how excited they were at what they could have in the next few years really brings me great joy. Knowing I will be able to work closely with them to make their maintenance dreams become a reality is very fulfilling.
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
Time management, which sounds like a common problem for many jobs. In my role, there is quite a bit of travel, so managing my time between site meetings, walk throughs, and actual design work can become a challenge. I am continuously making sure I have a healthy balance to ensure I am giving each project the focused attention needed to capture all the intricate details.
Accomplishment you’re most proud of and why?
I am proud of being promoted to Wendel’s ownership team as an associate principal. I am excited to see how this company grows and look forward to being an integral part of its future. Working on Wendel’s transit team has been very rewarding. They are truly experts in their field and have such a passion for transit. I am very proud to be part of this outstanding team. Being able to work among some of the best in the business and having their respect is very rewarding.
Best advice/tip/best practice to share from your area of expertise?
Coordinate, Coordinate, Coordinate. I don’t believe you can over coordinate when it comes to the installation of many of the maintenance specific systems. Such as fueling systems, dispenser, fuel tanks, spill box locations, to the fuel lines routing through the site or within the building. For bus lift installation, there is coordination with the structural engineer for the pits, along with providing electric and compressed air connections. Even for items such as fluid hose reels, coordinating their locations to not impede a light pattern from lights located above, and having a properly designed structural support to hold each reel fully loaded with fluid. Communication among the project team to keep everyone well informed of my designs and how they could impact other trades is very important.
