A couple's shared passion for engineering shapes family and business success

John (BSCNE ’06) and Meredith (Sears) Kinkle (BSCE ’05) have built their careers and lives on resilience, adaptability and a shared passion for civil and construction engineering. Meredith, a third-generation Boilermaker from Wilmington, North Carolina, once wondered if engineering suited her outgoing nature and had even considered a career in law before her parents encouraged her to attend Purdue, as her relatives had done.

Through hands-on experience, she found her place in civil engineering, particularly in construction, and became known for taking calculated risks, such as moving far from home for college and starting her own business. Support from her family and husband bolstered her confidence and determination throughout her journey.

“Looking back, I realize that my journey has been defined by a willingness to take risks without knowing the outcome, something not typically associated with engineering,” Meredith said. “I pursued an engineering degree without certainty that I would enjoy it, and later, I started a business without knowing where my first client would come from.”

John grew up in Princeton, Indiana, as the youngest of five in a closeknit family. His interest in building and solving problems led him to pursue a degree in engineering at Purdue. That experience not only enhanced his technical skills but also ignited a drive to solve real-world challenges. Over time, he explored several engineering fields before finding his fit in Construction Engineering and Management. He then added a second degree in land surveying and geomatics engineering.

“From an early age, I was fascinated by building and problem-solving,” John said. “Whether it was working with Legos and model trains, constructing dams in the woods behind my house or completing hands-on projects in 4-H and as an Eagle Scout, I was always drawn to creating and improving things.”

Their marriage has paralleled a shared journey through the civil and construction industries, with careers that are closely intertwined. Meredith began her career with Archer Western Construction in North Carolina, then relocated to Florida to join John, where she managed major bridge projects and further developed her scheduling expertise. As her passion for planning grew, she became project scheduler for the first extradosed bridge in the U.S. in Connecticut.

Meredith shares that the I-275 in Tampa remains one of her favorite career experiences. “I loved being outdoors, collaborating with superintendents, foremen and inspectors, and absorbing the wealth of knowledge they had gained over their careers.”

John also began his career in Florida with Lane Construction. There, he served as a field engineer and sharpened his skills in traditional and emerging surveying techniques. He advanced through roles in bridge construction and project management, eventually collaborating with Meredith on the Connecticut bridge project.

John and Meredith managed the challenges of the construction industry while balancing their careers and family life. As their jobs required them to relocate frequently, Meredith founded Kinkle Consulting LLC offering advanced scheduling and modeling services for large infrastructure projects.

John joined Meredith’s consulting firm in 2017 and together they introduced innovative 4D modeling and advanced scheduling techniques, enhancing collaboration on large-scale civil projects.

Today, John and Meredith run Kinkle Consulting working with clients all along the East Coast. They spend their days creating construction schedules, building 3D and 4D models and supporting a diverse team. They focus on building strong client relationships and a supportive, team-oriented culture. Balancing work and family remain important for the Kinkles, who have three daughters.

Both Meredith and John credit their undergraduate experience with providing them with a strong technical foundation, hands-on internships and valuable industry connections. Meredith appreciated the wide range of opportunities and credits the civil engineering program for building her confidence. John found the construction engineering and management internship program to be crucial in securing jobs and acquiring valuable skills. The construction scheduling curriculum they learned as students is central to their consulting work today.

The Kinkles advise aspiring engineers to embrace Purdue’s strong network and resources, seek mentorship from experienced professionals and value both technical and people skills. They emphasize learning from others, staying open to new experiences — including early career geographic mobility — and building strong relationships. Their combined advice highlights that engineers achieve success by striking a balance between technical expertise, adaptability and collaboration with diverse teams and mentors.