2025 40 Under 40: Justin Milne, PE, PMP, 37

Senior Engineer, Jensen Hughes; MS, Fire Protection Engineering, California Polytechnic State University

Milne has more than 17 years of experience in construction and engineering. He began his career with eight years in construction before transitioning into fire protection engineering consulting. His work includes close coordination with HVAC, chemical process safety and electrical controls disciplines, bringing a multidisciplinary approach to fire protection solutions. His contributions have helped clients realize an estimated $20 million in cost savings, with consulting experience spanning over 20 million square feet of project space. He has supported organizations through risk assessments, compliance strategies and design approaches that balance safety with efficiency. His portfolio includes a range of confidential and high-profile projects, including the 3.3 million-square-foot Rufus campus comprising three city blocks in downtown Seattle. His master’s thesis on the Rufus Spheres explored evaluations of fire sprinkler, alarm, structural fire, life safety and advanced smoke control systems. Milne also contributed to the revision of UFC 3-600-01, the fire protection criteria for Department of Defense facilities. Recently, he launched a newsletter, Fire Insights Monthly, which shares lessons learned and best practices in fire protection engineering and has grown to more than 1,000 subscribers. From 2022 to 2024, he served as president of the SFPE Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter, during which the chapter earned the Award for Chapter Excellence in both 2023 (silver) and 2024 (gold). He organized technical sessions and networking events, helping foster professional development across the field. Outside of work, Milne is active in Catholic Young Professionals and Engineers Without Borders and has volunteered over a year in Africa and South America. He and his wife traveled to Rome last year on a babymoon and welcomed their first child in February.