Meet Adam Raby, one of our Level IV Senior Controls Engineers based in our Memphis, TN, office. He started with LSI in 2016 as a controls engineer and is now leading advanced projects for our pulp and paper clients. We value Adam’s technical leadership and the impact he makes every day! The three words that we use to describe Adam are proactive, versatile, and zealous. Read our latest Employee Spotlight interview below.
How long have you been with LSI?
8 years as of January 2024.
What is your current role at LSI?
I am a Level IV Senior Controls Engineer.
Where did you go to college?
I graduated from the University of Tennessee Knoxville with a degree in Biomedical Engineering.
What industries have you been involved in?
The lion’s share of my career has been spent working in the pulp and paper industry, but I have also spent significant time in the brewing industry and had smaller stints in various chemical plants.
Tell us about a project success story that you are proud of.
Some of my fondest project memories will always be with the “Mill Heroes” working on projects for one of our pulp and paper clients. However, the project I have the most pride in is a project we recently completed for a client in Green Bay in collaboration with Foth. It was the first project I was given the opportunity to lead from start to finish, and it was a resounding success. The scope was to update the sludge plant in their effluent area, which involved converting old relay panels to DeltaV logic, commissioning brand-new sludge presses, as well as starting up an entirely new polymer makedown system in a freshly constructed building. The commissioning effort happened in 4 phases spanning all of 2023. I could not have been happier with the way the project played out, and I am incredibly proud of how our small team pulled it off.
What do you think is unique about LSI?
110% its culture. We keep getting named one of the Top Places to Work in the area (and now nationally) and it’s for a reason. Everyone is ready and willing to share the wealth of knowledge they’ve acquired, which is an invaluable resource. There’s always someone who has experience in some niche technology within our ranks, and that is just another benefit for our clients.
How have you grown professionally since joining LSI?
If you worked with me when I started at LSI, you’ll know how loaded this question is. As I mentioned earlier, my degree is in Biomedical Engineering. I knew nothing about electrical outside of Ohm’s Law when I started and had never heard of controls. LSI took a chance on me that I’ll always be grateful for and to say I’ve come a long way is akin to saying going to the moon is a bit of a hike. LSI will constantly present you with opportunities to learn, grow, and succeed. I’ve had such a fulfilling journey here, and as I get more years under my belt, my goals and responsibilities may change, but I know I’ll always be given the support I need to provide our clients with excellent service as well as continue to develop my own career.
What advice do you have for aspiring engineers?
Be calm, kind, inquisitive, and have fun. Everything else will follow. I would be nowhere without those who surround me. Following those principles has led me to people at LSI who have not only helped me grow into the engineer that I am but have led me to true friendships with both coworkers and clients. People always want to work with people they can get along with, so be that person and facilitate that type of culture.
What is your favorite vacation spot?
The Greaseland Porkers tent during BBQFest cooking and hanging out with the team is my favorite vacation, but if we’re talking about travel, my wife and I went to Sandals Emerald Bay in the Bahamas for our honeymoon, and I’d go back there in a heartbeat.
Do you have any hobbies or random facts about yourself that you could share with us?
Hobby-wise I love to cook and do a lot of experimenting in that realm. Sometimes it’s even pretty good.
As for random facts, I spent six years in the Army National Guard in a mobile artillery unit. During my time in the Army, I was named the Distinguished Honor Graduate in both Basic Training and AIT (Army job school), given the Soldier of the Year award twice for my battalion, and Soldier of the Battle once, during a month-long exercise out in the Mojave desert.
