2014 40 Under 40: Ryan Chapman, PE, LEED AP, 38

Project Executive, KJWW Engineering Consultants, Des Moines, Iowa

By Silvia Chavez and Amara Rozgus May 19, 2014

Ryan Chapman, PE, LEED AP, 38
Project Executive, KJWW Engineering Consultants, Des Moines, Iowa
Iowa State University, BS Electrical Engineering; Drake University, MBA

As the son of an electrical contractor, Ryan Chapman spent most of his summers and weekends throughout high school and college helping his father and two uncles on construction sites. The experience gained throughout his younger years helped Chapman kick-start his career path in the field of electrical consulting and engineering. Chapman has provided KJWW Engineering Consultants with 14 years of his expertise in electrical systems, including power distribution, generation, illumination design, lighting controls, and fire systems. Chapman also serves as project executive, where he maintains a close-knit relationship with his clients. He focuses primarily on the design and market trends for the higher education and mission critical markets. Chapman’s passion lies in designing reliable systems for mission critical facilities. He has spoken at several mission critical conferences, such as AFCOM’s global data center conference. With innovation and sustainability in mind, Chapman worked as lead electrical engineer and project manager for the first U.S. Green Building Council LEED Platinum data center in North America. The 10,000-sq-ft data center located in Iowa City, Iowa, is equipped with individual HVAC controls in each of its workstations, and is cooled via a geothermal system instead of the typical external cooling towers that run the risk of being destroyed by tornadoes. In 2005, Chapman was bestowed the title Young Engineer of the Year by the Iowa Engineering Society. Whether it’s hiking on a glacier with his wife or zip-lining in Mexico, Chapman makes sure to set aside some time for travel. Almost every weekend, Chapman can be found making home repairs or spending time with his father, with whom he has helped to construct three homes.