Pearl Engineering strives to build a team composed of bright, young minds who bring with them new ideas and fresh palettes alongside experienced veterans who have the experience and knowledge needed to complete the job the right way and help shape the next generation through mentorship.
The latter of the two are people like Hugh Walsh. Hugh is a Senior Engineering Associate at Pearl Engineering specializing in heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), industrial piping and industrial sheet metal. With over 35 years’ experience in the industry, Hugh conducts on-site surveys for related projects and meets with clients to best determine their needs and how best to complete the job.
After more than 35 years in the industry, Hugh says the work has never gotten old.
“I enjoy doing whatever it takes to get the project done,” Hugh said. “I’ve seen a lot of new and unusual situations over the years, and there often isn’t just one way to get something done. Finding the most effective and feasible way to complete the project is what I really like.”
Hugh points specifically to a recent instance working at a local church that featured a 1976 vintage organ. This organ blew air through valves and airboxes made in the original style of leather and wood. The team needed to find the best way to keep these inner workings from losing too much humidity and cracking, but also from getting overly humidified and damaging in this way as well.
“You only maybe see situations like this one time,” he said. “So, the challenge was tremendous. You have to draw on your own experiences, what others have done and how the client wants it done.”
Growing up in Wausau, Hugh claims he always had an interest in design and engineering, tracing his interests back to when along with the neighborhood kids would build homemade buggies and carts to race down the road. He says it usually ended with road rash… but were the early beginnings none the less.
When he reached high school, his engineering passion continued to grow after he took a job at a gas station. In addition to pumping gas and cleaning windshields, he also learned how to work on cars. After attending the University of Wisconsin-Marathon County, he moved into the world of sales for a refrigeration company and soon after to HVAC design. It was at these jobs he combined his passions before eventually moving on to work with larger mechanical contractors.
Over the next couple decades as a contractor project manager and quality control manager, he has gained experience with power piping systems, including quality control procedures, welding procedure specifications, welder qualification and piping design utilizing applicable ASME and ANSI codes.
His project engineering and management responsibilities have included field surveys, conceptual design, heat gain/loss calculation, system evaluation/design, piping and duct design, bid-proposal and construction document preparation, drawing preparation, equipment and installation specification, equipment/material/sub-contract procurement, shop drawing review, installation details, schedule preparation, field coordination, vendor invoice review, payment requests and project close-out as required.
Enjoying semi-retirement, Hugh reconnected with former coworker and current Pearl Engineering Senior Electrical Project Consultant Sue Rice which opened an opportunity to bring his refrigeration, piping, sheet metal and HVAC expertise to Pearl Engineering and to help mentor the next generation of engineers.
Outside of work, Hugh enjoys tending to his garden at home where he grows tomatoes, butterfly milkweed, rhubarb and more. He’s also a big fan of the Wisconsin local craft beer scene. His wife of over 50 years loves to check out craft fairs around the state and Hugh usually accompanies her… typically when he knows there is a good brewery nearby they can go to afterward!
Hugh and his wife raised two boys, who now live in Madison, and are the proud grandparents to two adopted grandchildren. He is also a member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and past President of NE Wisconsin Chapter.
Have a unique situation that requires a unique solution? Contact us to work with the Pearl Engineering team.
