SIDNEY — Over the years, Choice One has worked to change what people expect from business and provide fulfilling work, services, and lives to employees, clients, and all who they meet. So, despite the challenges of 2020, Choice One Engineering, of Sidney and Loveland, was able to grow in services, employees, and geographic reach this past year.
Choice One continues to work toward breaking the corporate mold by enhancing company culture and sharing that culture with clients. For this reason, Choice One’s employees voted the company a Best Firm to Work For in the Nation according to civil + structural engineering magazine and a Business Journal Best Place to Work in both the Cincinnati and Dayton regions.
In 2020, Choice One hired seven new employees including several civil engineers and surveyors, bringing the company’s total to 57. Additionally, long-time employee, Sidney-native, and Professional Surveyor Steve Bowersox retired in 2020. “Steve has been a part of Choice One Engineering from the beginning,” said President Matt Hoying, “and we are grateful for the 26-plus years he dedicated to making Choice One successful.”
Hoying’s report continues:
In 2020, Choice One also established the TLC Memorial Scholarship, to honor founding partner Tom Coverstone, of Sidney, who passed away in December 2019. Eligible students for receipt of the scholarship are civil engineering or surveying students who exhibit the qualities of Mr. Coverstone and who are willing to co-op for a semester with the company. The 2020 recipient was Daniel Foos of Fremont, Ohio. Daniel is a University of Cincinnati student who has started his co-op with Choice One in January 2021.
Daniel impressed us with his hard-work ethic, motivation, helpfulness, honesty, and focus on making work fulfilling and enjoyable for himself and others around him. It’s also apparent that he recognizes and understands the significance and worth of relationships, leadership, appreciation, and purpose in a career. These were some of the qualities Tom exhibited throughout his lifetime to his coworkers, family, and friends, and we’re excited to find another person who reflects these values.
While Choice One was unable to hold many of its typical fundraising events in 2020, the company continued its history of giving back to the community. The organization’s “Charity by Choice” initiative, which provides donation dollars and volunteer hours to employees to designate and use, provided nearly $6,000 in donations and 225 volunteer hours to different charities and events. The company organized group volunteer opportunities locally at Rustic Hope in Russia, and near the Loveland office at Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank in Cincinnati. Companywide, Choice One also participates in the Community Blood Bank and United Way, donating over $855 per employee.
Local projects of note completed or continuing development in 2020 include the following: Greenback Road Reconstruction in Fort Loramie, Commerce Drive Extension in Russia, South Street Reconstruction in Anna, Great Miami River Recreational Trail Under Interstate-75 in Sidney/Shelby County, state Route 274 Traffic Signal Improvements in New Bremen, state Route 47 Safety Improvements and Court Street/West Avenue Traffic Signal Update in Sidney, S. Main Street and Fifth Street Reconstruction in Delphos, Lock 9 Park Development in Piqua, Lewistown Sanitary Sewer, Eastern Regional Sewer, and Orchard Island Sanitary Sewer in Logan County, Ludlow Falls Sanitary Sewer in Ludlow Falls/West Milton, and Pratt Paper Facility, County Road 25A Reconstruction, and Downtown Riverscape in Wapakoneta. Recent/ongoing residential subdivisions in the area include Sidney Crossing in Sidney, The Reserve at Washington Glen and Halifax Villas in Troy, Fieldstone Place in Tipp City, Hudson Lake in Jackson Center and Stillwater Crossing in West Milton.
