Aaron Martinez, P.E., M.ASCE, 30-year-old owner of A.M. Engineering in Elko, Nev., has been named as one of ASCE's 2015 New Faces of Civil Engineering Professional honorees by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Honorees will be recognized throughout the year and during Engineers Week, which started Feb. 16, 2015.

The New Faces of Civil Engineering- Professional Edition recognition program promotes the bold and humanitarian future of civil engineering by highlighting the achievements of young civil engineers, their contributions to and impact on society. Martinez, featured in this video, will be officially recognized during ASCE's annual Outstanding Projects and Leaders (OPAL) Gala on Mar. 26, 2015, in Arlington, Va.

Each year, ASCE names 10 New Faces of Civil Engineering, all of whom will be considered by DiscoverE to represent ASCE among the 2015 New Faces of Engineering. This program includes representatives from civil, mechanical, chemical, industrial and manufacturing engineering professions. The selected ASCE representative will be profiled on the DiscoverE website and featured in various local, regional and national news outlets.

Before starting his own company, Martinez spent 10 years working for Lumos and Associates as a project engineer, construction manager, quality assurance inspector and project designer for projects like the Neighborhood Street Program in Reno, Nev. During his tenure, his most significant challenge was managing and designing the 2012 Eureka Airport Runway 18/36, a $3.4 million airport reconstruction project completed in a 21 day operation window.

Martinez' biggest accomplishment has been starting his own engineering firm, A.M. Engineering. Their company model quotes "A.M. Engineering specializes in Design - Build Engineering which integrates seasoned construction management services to accompany our responsible designs. This allows us to provide our clients with a single-source of project responsibility." As a family-oriented, innovative firm A.M. Engineering has designed, contracted and managed 19 projects since its inception. A.M. Engineering's most recent success was planning and designing a $14 million planned unit development called Carlin Crossing.

Martinez says that he "stumbled into engineering after taking a career quiz in high school," and that his "life hasn't been the same since he decided to follow the quiz's advice and jumped into engineering." Martinez also attributes his need for understanding how things work to his mother for purchasing his first Erector Set with the batter operated drill.

On what motivates him about working in civil engineering and his proudest moments, Martinez says, "Seeing my designs through the construction phase and driving home a successful project is what makes me most proud."

In addition to his primary career, Martinez served as Director for the ASCE chapter in Carson City, Nev. from 2010 to 2013. He also volunteers with the City of Elko Planning Commission and served as a mentor for the Boys and Girls Club, Truckee Meadows Branch.

Martinez was raised in Elko, Nev. and received his bachelor's in civil engineering from the University of Nevada Reno.