Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com May 15, 2017 • Hartford Business Journal 5 At 87, Cermola Jr.'s engineering career leaves lasting impression By John Stearns jstearns@HartfordBusiness.com W hen Timothy Cermola, director of business development for Meriden- based Cardinal Engineering Asso- ciates, visits a town engineer, he'll check their engineering license hanging on the office wall if the engineer looks a certain age. Often, the signature at the bottom is that of his father, Joseph Cermola Jr., president and founder of Cardinal, whom former Gov. Ella Grasso appointed in 1976 to the State Board of Examiners for Pro- fessional Engineers and Land Surveyors. Cermola served on the board 19 years. "Quite a few times, it's his sig- nature — it's cool," Timothy said of his father, who contin- ues to work part time at the civil engineering firm he co-founded 55 years ago and which focuses mostly on municipal projects, including bridges and sewer systems. Cermola Jr., 87, a professional engineer and licensed land surveyor, estimates he signed 10,000 engineering licenses while on the board. Today, Cardinal is largely run by this three sons, Timothy, 55; Joseph Cermola III, vice president, 61; and Bernard Cermola, director of survey services, 59. A third generation also works full or part time at the firm. Told he belies his age, Cermola Jr. cred- its working and keeping busy (and good genes — his mother lived to 100). His sons' presence in the firm also motivates his continued work. "If they weren't with us, I might have retired, or whatever, but with them here, the continuation just seemed to be natural for me to stay," Cermola said. Cermola founded Cardinal — named for principles, not the bird — with two partners in Waterbury in 1962 before Cardinal moved to downtown Meriden a few years later after doing work there. Cermola bought out his partners' shares when they retired in 1985, after which Cermola III joined from another firm. Bernard was already there as a surveyor. Timothy came later. The secret to Cardinal's longevity? "Doing good work and instead of pay- ing attention to your bottom line, you're paying attention to your client's needs," Cermola Jr. said. Being smaller — Cardinal has 22 people, including 10 engineers — allows a personal relationship with clients, whose calls and needs get immediate attention, he said. It's also important to understand clients' needs and wants before beginning a proj- ect, he added, noting decadeslong repeat business with New Haven, Middletown and New Britain. Cermola Jr. said a New Haven contract to design a separation of combined sewers for stormwater and sanitary flows is among many project highlights. Cardinal designed about 100 miles of new storm-sewer system parallel to the sanitary lines there, doing the master plan in 1979, a blueprint used ever since. Cermola III credited Cardinal for its longevity and evolution from pri- vate projects into municipal projects, then ever-larger munic- ipal jobs. To wit, Cardinal just completed design for rehabilitating the southbound span of the 6,000-foot Gold Star Memorial Bridge, Connecticut's largest. Cardinal recently opened a small office in Litchfield to service more work in that region and was prequalified by the North- west Hills Council of Governments to help COG towns with engineering needs. It has the same prequalification with the Capitol Region Council of Governments and Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Author- ity. Cardinal, which has roughly doubled revenue and staff over the last decade, is seeking experienced civil engineers to help manage its 20 to 30 municipal clients. Cermola said his management style has been mostly hands-off, offering advice as needed, and setting clear proj- ect goals, budgets and expected results. He reduces his workload in winter, when he lives in Florida's Palm Beach Gardens area, returning to Meriden one week each month for South Central Con- necticut Regional Water Authority meet- ings. He's vice-chairman on the board, which he's sat on since its 1977 inception. Cermola, a widower of four years who also has two daughters, says golf is his pas- sion outside work and family. "I play a lot of golf, not good golf, but golf," he quipped. n H B J P H O T O | J O H N S T E A R N S Three generations of the Cermola family work in Meriden's Cardinal Engineering Associates, led by Joseph Cermola Jr. Joseph Cermola Jr. Founder and president, Cardinal Engineering Associates, Meriden. Highest education: Bachelor's in civil engineering, Indiana Tech, Fort Wayne, Ind., 1952. Executive insights: Pay attention to your clients and they'll pay attention to you. 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