What becomes possible when you find a place where you can truly be yourself? For Matt Neimeyer, Team Lead, Civil Design in CAD, it started with a chance: moving his family to Oregon and joining Keller. Along the way, he found new challenges, meaningful relationships, and room for both family and career.
We recently sat down with Matt to talk about what brought him here, what he’s learned along the way, and a few things you might not know about him.
Tell us a bit about your background and what made Keller the right next step for you?
I first fell in love with drafting in high school and was lucky enough to land a drafting job right after graduation. In 2004, I moved into civil drafting and found the career path I wanted to pursue. I had always hoped to live in Oregon and keep growing in the civil industry. Then, in 2018, the timing finally lined up. I found an opening with Keller in the Salem office and talked with my wife about moving our family—including our two young boys—from Southern California to Oregon if it worked out. Keller felt like the right place to take the next step in my career, and it has been. Since joining, I’ve grown into a senior designer and team lead, and I hope to become a CAD manager in the near future.
I’m grateful my family and I took a chance on Keller. I’ve been able to keep growing professionally without losing the balance that matters most at home.
How would you describe what you do to someone who’s not in the industry?
I work with a team to design the infrastructure that helps your toilets flush and keeps clean water running to your home.
What’s your favorite thing about working at Keller?
The people, by far. Keller is full of great people who care about doing great work.
Can you share a memorable project, achievement, or moment from your career?
One project that stands out was a structural seismic upgrade for Mann’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. The original drawings dated back to the early 1900s. They were hand-drawn on linen paper, with the engineer’s calculations written throughout the plan set. Working with those historic materials—and helping preserve such an iconic landmark—was a pretty unique experience.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received, and how has it guided you?
Just because someone writes an email that escalates a conversation doesn’t mean you have to respond the same way. A phone call is usually the best way to get the communication back on track. Whenever I feel frustrated with a written conversation, I pick up the phone. That advice has helped me build and maintain strong relationships across Keller.
What surprised you most about Keller after you joined?
The year after I joined Keller, COVID shut down the world. I got to see firsthand how Keller responds when things get difficult. The focus was simple: keep people safe and make sure they could keep their jobs. Companies don’t often get the chance to prove they put people first. Keller did.
What hobby or interest takes up most of your free time?
My wife and I like to watch movies, although I usually have to work pretty hard not to fall asleep. I also squeeze in Magic: The Gathering, guitar, and video games when I can.
Important question: Is a hot dog a sandwich? Calc it out.
If a hot dog is a sandwich, then cereal is soup—and I just can’t support that.
Is there anything else you’d like to share or add?
I’m lucky to have built a life where I can be successful personally and professionally by being honest and kind. My advice is to find a place where you can be yourself and people who bring out the best in you.
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