It didn’t take Zakaria Sharif Omar long to realize that ABES Engineering was a good fit for him.
“From day one when I went to Memphis for onboarding … you could feel the love there. I mean, on my second day Brett (Dunagan) brought me three habaneros from his garden after I told him I love spicy foods,” he says with a laugh. “Everyone is very genuine.”
Omar, EIT, joined ABES Engineering on July 1. He’s based in the company’s Nashville office, working on ongoing projects, including work through the Clean Water Nashville program, and cultivating new work in the community.
“We’re excited to have Zakaria on the team,” says ABES Engineering CEO Emmanual Tuombe. “He brings a solid blend of civil engineering expertise to the role, including stormwater management, drainage design, site civil design, and construction administration. I look forward to working alongside him, and I hope he will benefit from the mentorship of our seasoned PEs.”
Omar, who was born in Kenya but is of Somali descent, immigrated with his parents to the United States when he was five. The family lived in Ohio, where Omar first learned about engineering. “I remember it was back in 9th grade, I’ve always loved math and one of my math teachers had been an engineer for Honda. From then on, I decided I wanted to be an engineer.”
Omar says his parents highly valued education and encouraged him to apply himself at every level of his education journey. He remembers his mother’s persistence fondly. “They wouldn’t let me miss even one day of school … I appreciate that a lot now.”
Omar started his college career at The Ohio State University in Columbus studying computer science engineering. Eventually, however, he found himself drawn to civil engineering. He likes that with civil engineering, he can see a tangible result from his work. “You’ll see it come to life.”
Following graduation in 2020, Omar began his civil engineering career in Ohio in project management before moving to Nashville in 2021 to be near his then fiance/now wife, Zubeida. In Nashville, he worked for various civil engineering companies, gaining experience in grading, drainage, site layout, stormwater management and even, for a brief period, software development.
In June of this year, Omar says he noticed ABES Engineering’s posting for an engineer with drainage experience. “Emmanuel and I really felt from the get go … that it was something right up my alley,” he says. “It looked like a great way to take the knowledge that I had and grow it.”
Just a month into his new position, Omar says he particularly enjoys the range of the work he is doing with ABES. “One of the things I love about this company is that I get to see who all the players are. And I’m not just working on one part of a large project. It’s nice seeing the whole scope of a project,” he says. “I like meeting all of the people involved and working together with them.”
When Omar isn’t applying his civil engineering skills at his job, he’s likely applying his athletic abilities on a field somewhere. “I love to play any sport. I’ll play soccer or basketball,” he says. He’s part of a Nashville group that coordinates pickup games of various sports, allowing people to drop into a game when available. “There’s always a game to join.”
As for his civil engineering career, Omar is studying for his Professional Engineering license and hopes to take the test later in the year. In the meantime, he works with ABES’s team of PEs and continues to grow his knowledge and gain experience wherever he can. “I’m really enjoying it,” he says. “I’m in a great position for professional growth and have fellow team members who I enjoy working with and who are always willing to mentor and guide me. I think ABES’s future in Nashville is bright.”
