2017 40 Under 40: Ryan Evans, PE, LEED AP BD+C; 39

Director of Sustainability and Research, Henderson Engineers

By Jack Smith, Content Manager, and Amara Rozgus, Editor-in-Chief May 15, 2010

Ryan Evans, PE, LEED AP BD+C; 39

Director of Sustainability and Research, Henderson Engineers, Lenexa, Kan.

BS Mechanical Engineering and MBA, Kansas State University, Manhattan

In his rapid ascent through the ranks at Henderson Engineers in Lenexa, Kan., Evans’ position has risen from designer in 2008 to his current title: director of sustainability and research. Titles he held along the way include engineer, project manager, sustainability consultant, director of strategic partnerships, and associate. He has served most of his 9 years at the firm in leadership roles. His role in strategic partnerships makes him the company’s leader in bridging the gap between what the firm does (technical product) and how it aligns with its clients. Evans has created several new service offerings while at Henderson Engineers, bolstering the firm’s technical capacity while making it more marketable. For example, he helped formalize the firms’ approaches to sustainability, analyzing building enclosures, and investment-grade cost-benefit analyses. Currently, he has pioneered Henderson’s Business Development Academy, which trains the next generation of seller-doers with a 14-week curriculum designed to equip and empower. Passionate for charitable causes, Evans has founded two nonprofits—Invest Inc. and Historic Green. Invest feeds and educates those ravaged by poverty in the remote villages of Malawi, Africa. With operations in New Orleans and Kansas City, Historic Green works to provide a lasting, sustainable connection to a community’s heritage in distressed neighborhoods. Evans doesn’t believe that volunteering feels like work. There is no burden of responsibility. It’s essentially a form of recreation that leaves you fulfilled. When not working or serving others, you can find him wakeboarding at the lake or enjoying most sports, whether competing, coaching, or as a fan. Let’s not rule out tailgating at Arrowhead Stadium, home of professional football team Kansas City Chiefs, or faithfully cheering on his hometown baseball team, the Royals.