Bancroft Sponsors Opening Reception for Mid-Atlantic SAME

June 21, 2013 –

This week Bancroft Architects + Engineers sponsored the opening night reception for the Mid-Atlantic chapter of the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) annual small business conference at the Marriot Waterfront Hotel in Norfolk, Virginia.

“With the overwhelming success of our offices in Philadelphia and Washington, and our rapidly growing presence in the Mid-Atlantic states, it just made sense for us to make an effort to give back on behalf of some of the people who have contributed to our success,” said Bancroft President and CEO, Paul Jenkins, himself a Life Member of SAME since his days as an undergraduate engineering student at the Naval Academy.

“One of the real pleasures of the Mid-Atlantic SAME event is the opportunity to reunite with old friends, colleagues and shipmates.  Seeing Admiral Steffens again brought back memories—good and bad,” Jenkins laughed.

This year’s SAME small business conference in Norfolk was held in the shadow of the famous retired battleship USS Wisconsin, giving Jenkins and three of Bancroft’s architects and engineers the opportunity to connect with the firm’s military roots.

“With so many Veterans in our firm, being in Norfolk is like a homecoming,” said Bancroft’s Lead Architect for the Eastern Region, Dennis Mika.  “Every time we turn around, there’s a place where some piece of the firm’s history throughout the Tidewater region.”

Making her debut with Bancroft at the SAME conference was Tara Steele, Bancroft’s newest addition, a Veteran civil engineer who is in the process of earning her Professional Engineer certification.  Though she doesn’t complete her indoctrination training with Bancroft until next month, Steele welcomed the opportunity to attend the conference.  “I was being recruited by a number of great engineering companies, but it’s important for me to work with a group that has a strong national presence, like Bancroft,” said Steele.

Before returning to Chicago late in the week, Jenkins and his East Coast team spent the week meeting with clients in the Mid-Atlantic region.