From Puerto Rico to LaGuardia: Building America's Toughest Structures | Ep. 281

Jose R. Hernandez, PE, is a structural engineer and founder of PRYCO Structural in Augusta, GA. Jose walks through his path from Puerto Rico — where a childhood conversation redirected him from computer engineering into civil, then structural, engineering — to major U.S. projects including the LaGuardia Airport terminal renovation and the FBI's new Atlanta headquarters. We also cover starting his own firm during the pandemic, why Puerto Rico's building codes account for both hurricanes and earthquakes, and what it took to assess 80+ homes across Augusta after Hurricane Helene — including weeks spent sleeping in his own office while his family was without power. A conversation about career pivots, technical craft, and building something that holds up.