PORTLAND, Oregon, August 4, 2023 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), an internationally ranked architecture and engineering firm, is proud to announce its President and Chief Operating Officer Catherine Myers, PE, has been listed among Forbes’ Annual 50 Over 50 in the Innovation category. Myers is recognized alongside other remarkable women making strides in the world of STEM. Honorees were selected through research and voting by Forbes’ panel of industry experts and list alumni.
On the Forbes list, Myers was commended for her leadership in shifting SSOE’s focus to the battery and electric vehicle (EV) markets, as well as her efforts working alongside the firm’s CEO to increase company revenue by more than $33 million in her first year as President. Key to this growth was Myers’ establishment of a complex projects division that aligns technical and project management skill sets company-wide to focus solely on projects in these markets. This ultimately led to SSOE earning the #2 ranking among manufacturing design firms by the industry-leading publication Engineering News-Record (ENR).
SSOE’s CEO Vince DiPofi, PE commented on Myers’ latest recognition, stating, “The Forbes list is very impressive, and I’m not surprised Cathy was included. Her leadership, expertise, and insight are unparalleled. She is a transformative leader that has been instrumental in making large strides for SSOE in the semiconductor, battery, and EV markets. Simply put, SSOE would not be where it is today without Cathy. Not only that, but she is a true partner, peer, and role model leader with the highest ethics and professionalism.”
Myers joined SSOE in July 2017. Since then, she’s been paving the way for women in STEM and within SSOE, as the firm’s first woman chair of the board, President, and Chief Operating Officer—the latter two roles she still holds today. She has Bachelor of Science degrees in Chemistry and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Portland, where she has been instrumental in establishing an SSOE-funded senior project sponsorship within the Shiley School of Engineering.
A registered Professional Engineer for over 30 years, Myers’ knowledge of the AEC industry as well as the specific markets in which SSOE’s clients work has been an invaluable asset to the firm, along with her involvement in the Lean Construction Institute (LCI), Society of Women Engineers, and many other organizations. In 2020, she received DJC Oregon’s Women of Vision Award and in May 2023 she was named one of Portland Business Journal’s Executives of the Year.
To view a full listing of Forbes‘ 50 Over 50 in Innovation list, click here.
