Mark E. Bernhardt

BSCE 1991
President & CEO
Burgess & Niple, Inc.

"Always strive to be a curious, life-long learner and don’t forget to enjoy the journey along the way."

Mark Bernhardt grew up in Kokomo, Indiana, where his first exposure to the world of architecture, engineering, and construction came through amazingly-illustrated books such as City, Castle, and Cathedral by David Macaulay in the 1970s.

Mark attended Purdue University from 1987 to 1991, pursuing a degree in Civil Engineering with an emphasis on Structures. He was a member of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity, the Purdue Ski Club, and he boxed in Boiler Bouts. He also worked in the structures lab and completed an internship with Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. in Chicago. These work opportunities provided his first exposure to structural testing, inspection, and forensic engineering, which led to the technical path he would follow for much of his career.

Following graduation, Mark moved to Denver, taking a position with Madsen, Kneppers & Associates. He spent his time assessing structures in the wake of natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes, designing repairs for distressed buildings, and determining the cause of structural collapse. In 1995, he joined Construction Technology Laboratories, helping them open a Denver office.

In 1997, Mark moved to Columbus, Ohio, and joined the Facility Inspection Section at Burgess & Niple (B&N), a multi-disciplinary engineering and architectural firm with more than two dozen offices located throughout the U.S. In 2000, he became B&N’s National Practice Leader for Bridge and Facility Inspection, leading projects throughout the U.S. In 2017, Mark’s focus shifted to the business aspects of the engineering profession where he served as Chairman of the Board for two years. He is now guiding the firm as President and CEO, a role he has held since 2019.

Over the span of his career, Mark worked on many iconic structures such as the Brooklyn Bridge, Miller Park Stadium in Milwaukee, McCullough Memorial Bridge in Coos Bay, Oregon, and Dames Point Cable Stay in Jacksonville. Through his work evaluating more than 5,000 bridges, Mark became a nationally-recognized expert in the field of bridge inspection.

Mark and his wife Stephanie reside in Columbus and recently celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary. In their free time they enjoy cooking, traveling, and boating together.