People skills, happy clients help Ott Consulting thrive

You’d expect a man who starts an engineering firm to be detailed, methodical and entrepreneurial.

Add skilled at public relations, and you’d have Jeffrey Ott, according to David Renaldo, supervisors’ chairman of Washington Township, Northampton County.

“His biggest attribute is his personality to work with the public,” Renaldo said.

Ott acknowledged his job running Ott Consulting Inc., which he started in 2003, requires more than engineering expertise.

“Hard skills get you into the profession,” said Ott, a licensed engineer. “It’s the soft skills that let you succeed.”

Ott and his staff review plans, oversee public-works projects and provide other engineering services – such as attending four or five evening meetings a month – for six municipalities. Ott helps Washington Township with budgets, approves releasing escrow to developers and has defended it in court, Renaldo said.

Municipalities are a big part of Ott’s work, but the company balances its portfolio with many commercial projects.

For example, it is staking out a 1.1 million square-foot facility in the Chrin Commerce Centre, on 800 acres off Route 33 in Palmer Township, Northampton County.

Ott engineers pinpoint where to put the building corners, footings, columns and walls and will certify the concrete pads.

“The commercial market right now is fairly robust,” Ott said.