In November 1987 after working almost nine and a half years for a Camp Hill, Pennsylvania civil engineering and surveying firm, J. Michael Brill, P.E. at the age of 29 opened the doors to J. Michael Brill & Associates, Inc. a Civil Engineering firm specializing in Site/Land Development Engineering and related services. Michael and two (2) employees worked out of a 14 foot by 16 foot office space which was temporary quarters for three (3) months until permanent offices were completed. Michael started with four (4) clients and seven (7) jobs including the Union Square Shopping Center which was the one that Michael still says "it would either make us or break us". The 350,000 square foot shopping center went from sketch planning to final plan approval in less than three (3) months and began the reputation of Michael's firm as a "fast-track" design firm who was willing to work whatever it took to get the job done. Since that time, Michael now has 21 people on payroll, has performed work on 1,800 plus projects for over 710 clients and has delivered more than $950 million dollars worth of construction costs in the projects designed by his firm. His firm generated gross revenues of a little over $27,000 in 1987 and is expected to generate over $3.2 million in 2006. In-fact in 1996, Michael was nominated and selected as one of the Central Penn Business Journal's "Forty under 40" winners as being a dynamic business leader under the age of 40 in the Central Pennsylvania area. He was the only engineer selected. In 1997 and 1998, Michael and his firm were nominated and selected as one of the Central Penn Business Journal's "Fifty Fastest Growing Companies". His firm was amongst corporate giants such as Hershey Foods, Harsco, Rite Aid and others who received this honor. Again, the only engineer and engineering firm selected. He was also a finalist in Ernst & Young's 1999 & 2000 Entrepreneur-of-the-Year in Central Pennsylvania. Additionally, he and his firm have won many awards including at least one (1) for every year since 1992 in the Plat Competition held at the PSLS-Penn State Surveyors' Conference. This competition is opened to any Engineering and/or Surveying firms registered to do business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 

Work Experience:

Michael has worked since 1978 in the Civil Engineering field. The first nine (9) plus years of his career, Michael worked his way from engineering technician/draftsperson to design engineer to project engineer to project manager to senior project manager when working for a Camp Hill, Pennsylvania based Civil Engineering /Surveying firm. In November 1987, Michael became the President and Principal Engineer of his own firm and has been in this position ever since. Michael conducts the day-to-day business activities of the firm overseeing both the Technical and Administrative personnel of the firm. Michael's background includes all aspects of site/land development engineering for commercial, industrial and residential development from major subdivisions; hotel, office and warehouse complexes; retail shopping centers and malls; restaurant and bank sites among other types of establishments. He has been involved with major roadway improvements and reconstruction projects including traffic signalization work. He has a well diverse background in many areas of civil engineering including transportation engineering; hydraulics/hydrology; stormwater management/stormsewer design; sanitary sewer design including pump stations and treatment plants; environmental engineering; municipal engineering; railroad design and a limited amount of structural engineering. 

Education:

Michael's educational background is as diverse as his professional experience. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from The Pennsylvania State University actually obtaining an Electrical Engineering degree. But prior to this had taken over three (3) years of college courses in both Architecture & Civil Engineering including survey courses. He has taken graduate level courses in Electrical Engineering. After the first three (3) years of college, Michael completed his education while working full-time in the Civil Engineering field. He is also a Lifetime member of Penn State's Alumni Association.

Professional Licensing:

Michael took his Engineering-in-Training (EIT) exam in October 1984 and passed receiving his Certificate in March 1985. In April 1987, he took and successfully passed the Professional Engineer's (PE) exam in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and received his license in July 1987. Since that time he has obtained his PE license in four (4) other states where his firm has done work. These states include Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. He is currently completing applications for obtaining his PE license in the states of New York, New Jersey and Arizona.

Michael has also obtained his Professional Land Surveyor's license in Pennsylvania after successfully passing the exam in April 1992. Additionally, he took the necessary classes and course work and successfully passed the exam to obtain his Real Estate license in Pennsylvania. He is also a Notary Public in Pennsylvania and was a licensed Sewage Enforcement Officer (SEO) but left his license expire in 1995

Professional Organizations/Associations:

Michael is a member of eleven (11) professional organizations and associations. These include the following

American Congress on Surveying/Mapping
American Society of Civil Engineers 
Consulting Engineers Council of PA 
Greater Harrisburg Board of Realtors 
Harrisburg Home Builders Association
International Council of Shopping Centers
National Society of Professional Engineers
Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers
Pennsylvania Society of Professional Land Surveyors
Professional Engineers in Private Practice
Society of Marketing Professional Services

Miscellaneous Business Organizations:

Michael is also a member of the Susquehanna Alliance and West Shore Chamber of Commerce where he serves on the Commercial/Industrial Committee. He is also a member of The Breakfast Club
which is an organization established for business leads for obtaining possible work. 

Michael's contribution to community outside of business:

Michael has contributed both money and time to many charitable non-profit organizations over the past years. This includes United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) where he has appeared on a local TV channel representing his firm as being the main sponsor of the UCP's fashion show which has raised thousands of dollars. Michael also participates in the March-of-Dimes annual Golf-Til-U-Drop event where his firm is a annual team sponsor and he is a golfer. He and his team members have raised close to $30,000 between 1996 and 1999 with most of it being raised by him and has played up to 92 holes of golf in 11 hours. Michael also supports the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and American Diabetes Association having lost his father through complications of diabetes. He is a supporter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society since his first ever employee was diagnosed with MS in 1992 and since 1994 has been unable to work for Michael's firm. He was on the Commercial/Industrial committee for the Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the Leukemia Society. He has supported the annual Big 33 Football Classic held in Hershey, PA. Michael is a member and supporter of the Central Pennsylvania Conservancy where he has provided gratis services for the association on its Seven Gables project in Carlisle, PA.

Additionally, Michael has sponsored and coached girls softball teams. He has sponsored and participated as a player in both men's softball and volleyball teams. He has sponsored and participated as a player in men's golf twilight league.