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Jesse Cowger, PE Principal Engineer, President

"It is not your business to succeed (no one can be sure of that), but to do right: when you have done so, the rest lies with God..."

–C.S. Lewis

background

Jesse was born in Billings, Montana but spent most of his life in Spokane, Washington. He attended Washington State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.

Since 2004 Jesse has performed municipal water and wastewater systems evaluations, planning, funding acquisition, design, and construction management. He specializes in municipal water system planning and design.

Jesse has a unique ability to boil down complex issues and deconstruct tangled situations into their basic parts. This trait shines through in Jesse’s leadership and is an incredible asset in the office and among staff, as well as on complicated projects that require problem-solving and articulation of complex issues.

He mentors others with a sense of humor and positivity, and always has an encouraging word for everyone in the office.

interests

A consistent theme at Varela, Jesse is a family man who likes to spend time with his wife, their five children, and his extended family. He believes that it doesn't matter so much what you are doing, as long as you are doing it together with the people you love.

Jesse is an avid golfer and he also likes to run and swim. Jesse's wife Libby swam competitively in high school. Jesse and Libby enjoy sharing their passions with their children by teaching them to golf and swim.

He also likes guns, playing guitar, and reading. He’s musically talented and likes to sing; he regularly employs his guitar skills at church.