WHO WE ARE …
At LSB you will find a group of talented and professional individuals who enjoy what they do and continuously strive to do it better. We draw from the knowledge and experience of those around us and believe that great ideas come from diverse perspectives.
Leadership
Joseph D. Scholze, P.E. S.E.
Founding Principal
Joe is responsible for establishing LSB’s thorough and complete design document philosophy. His leadership has created an environment that maintains high standards and develops a culture of dedication, attention to detail, complete coordination, and solid structural fundamentals throughout the firm. Joe wishes his photo resembled Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise more closely. Joe and Randy were both born in Wisconsin, Joe, one day before Randy. You can refer to Joe as ‘the Old Man”. He doesn’t mind.
Larry A. Harris, P.E. S.E.
Principal
Larry is part of LSB’s second generation of ownership and brings energy and fresh insight to the firm’s management. He is attentive to company culture and cohesiveness, as well as continuing education to keep LSB’s staff motivated, elevated, and at the forefront of structural engineering. Larry provides a strong example of commitment and collaboration and has an inherent ability to solve complex challenges with simple and effective solutions. When he’s not busy working with staff and keeping clients happy, Larry likes to relax with a good action flick and has always felt he would make a good sidekick…. for comic relief.
David M. Linke, P.E.
Principal
David joined firm ownership with Larry and brought his strengths and skills to our management team. He has a strong consulting background and experience in construction engineering, which provides valuable insight and strengths in working with and understanding the needs and motivations of the General Contractors we work with. David is the poster boy for dedication and sets a strong example for all our staff; the first one at work in the morning, the last one to leave in the evening, that’s David. Hailing from Walla Walla, he secretly hopes they will someday name a bold red after him in honor of his professional accomplishments.
Consulting Principals
John Bauer
Consulting Principal
John’s professional career has been defined by outstanding technical wisdom, an unwavering attention to detail, and a drive to go the extra mile to serve our clients well. Those qualities led the way when he co-founded the company with Joe and Randy, and they continue just as strong to this day. However, despite his great love of engineering, John’s true passion is sitting behind the wheel of his tractor, farming until the sun goes down.
Randall J. LaPlante
Consulting Principal
Randy is a strong conceptual designer and frequently is involved in design collaboration in the early stages of project development. Like most of our staff, he is detail oriented and provides quality assurance, and final backcheck functions on many LSB projects. He is a strong communicator (ask him, he’ll tell you!) and enjoys interaction with clients, owners, and other members of project design teams. Randy is also an incessant Mariners fan and speaks of the day when his beloved M’s will win the World Series … talk about creative concepts!
Our Team (The Real Talent)
BILL THOMPSON, P.E.
Senior Engineer
Education:
Gonzaga University, B.S. Civil Engineering
Joined LSB:
2006
Special Talents:
Bill has been providing top-notch structural design expertise on buildings of all types for longer than he cares to remember. He has a knack for taking complex engineering challenges and finding simple, economical, and highly constructible solutions. On top of all that, Bill is an avid runner who has worn out more pairs of shoes than most of us have ever owned.
JASON QUINTANA
Senior BIM/CAD Technician
Education:
Community Colleges of Spokane, A.A.S. Architectural Technology and Interior Design
Joined LSB:
2007
Special Talents:
Jason is meticulous about his drafting and 3-D modeling work. If it’s not perfect, it’s not good enough. He is a perpetual student of drafting, always looking to improve his skills and refine his craft. However, all of this talent pales in comparison to his artistry behind a BBQ. Jason’s explorations into different flavors and genres of meats have become legendary.
JED DRUFFEL, P.E.
Senior Engineer
Education:
Santa Clara University, B.S. Civil Engineering
Joined LSB:
2008
Special Talents:
Not only is Jed a highly-skilled engineer with considerable expertise designing municipal structures of all types, he is also pretty darn good at keeping our clients happy. Jed is a huge fan of soccer and undoubtedly wishes he could play it as often as he used to. But nowadays you’ll find him coaching youth soccer for his two boys, going on biking adventures, and spending time with his family on the ski mountain…even though he doesn’t ski.
BRIAN STERLING, P.E.
Staff Engineer
Education:
Eastern Washington University, B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Joined LSB:
2016
Special Talents:
Brian is a highly detail-oriented engineer. If you want to make sure nothing is overlooked on a project, Brian is your guy. But when he is not providing top-notch engineering for our clients, Brian can be found in his garage tinkering with old cars and trucks.
SETH HICKMAN, P.E.
Staff Engineer
Education:
Gonzaga University, B.S. Civil Engineering
Joined LSB:
2018
Special Talents:
Seth has a knack for leveraging the latest tech to produce a quality product for our clients. When he isn’t in the office designing, he is likely working on a building or remodel project of his own. Seth, Sarah, and their six kids enjoy getting their bikes, skateboards, and scooters out on the Centennial Trail and exploring Spokane on wheels.
CHRIS CUDDY
Senior BIM/CAD Technician
Education:
Community Colleges of Spokane, A.A., Southern New Hampshire University, B.A. Graphic Design & Media Arts
Joined LSB:
2020
Special Talents:
Chris is a highly skilled drafter and 3-D modeler with more than 15 years of experience developing high-quality architectural and structural drawings. A “Jack-of-all-trades”, he is also a painter, illustrator, sculptor, web designer, and musician. And he once built a life-size R2-D2 out of food cans.
KAELY RANDLES
Administrative Assistant/ Bookkeeper
Education:
University of Idaho, B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Joined LSB:
2020
Special Talents:
Kaely is indispensable and her contributions to the LSB team are without end. She is cool as a cucumber and makes it all look so effortless. More importantly, though, she enjoys spending time at her kids’ sporting events, which include baseball, basketball, track, and cross country.
SHANE WHITECOTTON
Graduate Engineer
Education:
Washington State University, B.S. Construction Engineering
Joined LSB:
2023
Special Talents:
Shane brings solid engineering fundamentals to the LSB team and is eager to learn from those around him. His enthusiasm for knowledge is only surpassed by his youthful optimism, which is a great addition to our office culture. When he isn’t in the office looking for the best way to communicate with colleagues and clients, he can be found in the gym lifting weights or playing with his cat Cleocatra.