John G. Hart

BSCE 1990
Chairman of the Board
Peak Engineering, Inc.

"Structural engineering is a challenging and rewarding profession, but it is the people you work with, colleagues, clients, and contractors, that make it special."

John Hart was born in Lafayette, Indiana but moved to Kokomo soon after. He became interested in construction as he watched his father build a new two-story garage. In middle school, he took his first drafting class and became interested in the design side when he got to draw his first house plans. He became interested in going to architecture school at Ball State University.

John achieved that goal and started classes in the fall of 1985. However, it quickly became apparent that architecture was not the right path and he transferred to Purdue University to study Structural Engineering in the fall of 1987, graduating in 1990.

Shortly after graduating, Hart moved to Indianapolis and took a position in the Plant Engineering Department of Allison Gas Turbines. He spent three years there working on a large variety of industrial projects before moving into the consulting world by taking a position with K. Gene Miller. He started learning to design buildings including schools and warehouses, offices, and churches.

John has had a love of the mountains since his parents took his family out west when he was nine years old. So, in 1997 he accepted a Project Engineer position with Peak Engineering in Golden, Colorado with Don Berry, a Purdue graduate.

After learning design of construction types more common in Colorado, such as tilt-up concrete and getting involved with the business side of consulting, John was offered a minority ownership share of Peak in 2000. He expanded that role over the years and when Don decided to step down as majority owner and President in 2009. John then took over those positions.

John is a technical expert in the design of tilt-up concrete structures and serves on national committees for ACI and the Tilt-up Concrete Association. In 2020, he was honored into the TCA College of Fellows. This year, John stepped down as President of Peak to focus on his health. The new leadership also includes a Purdue graduate, Nicole Laiho.

John has been father to four children: Katie, Hannah, John, and Grace.