Patrick Cotter
Community Planning Strategist | Business Development Expert | Driving Public Engagement for Sustainable Growth
- Role
- Principal Planner & Infrastructure Business Development Director at RESPEC
- Location
- Fairbanks, AK, US
- LinkedIn followers
- 500 followers
About Patrick Cotter
I always saw myself becoming a scientist in a laboratory with beakers and Bunsen burners. Even after going to college to study biology, I still didn’t know my career path. Fortunately, I got a taste of GIS, which combines my love of analysis with exploring the outdoors. Mapping trails for the Bureau of Land Management and sea ice with UAF’s Geophysical Institute gave me experience working with land managers, biologists, computer scientists, and physicists. Then, an opportunity to start a GIS program with the Alaska Department of Transportation popped up, opening my eyes to the professional planning field. Since embracing this new career path nearly 20 years ago, I’ve spent the past 15 years building a planning department and expanding our service offerings at PDC Engineers (which became part of RESPEC). I also took on the role of business development director in 2016, where I oversaw our marketing team, led strategic initiatives, and helped implement our corporate vision. Today, I lead business development for our Infrastructure business unit while expanding our planning practice into markets nationwide. Over the past decade, I’ve become active in the local business community. I joined the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce\'s board of directors in 2020, becoming chair in 2023. I currently chair the chamber’s Transportation Committee. Unlike many in the AEC industry, I enjoy public speaking. I\'ve presented on business development at the Society for Marketing Professional Services\' Pacific Regional Conference twice and on community planning at the Alaska Planning Conference three times. If you want to talk planning, GIS, or business development, feel free to reach out. I’m always looking for teaming opportunities and professionals who want to join a growing consulting firm. “Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men\'s blood…” Daniel Burnham
Experience
Principal Planner & Infrastructure Business Development Director
May 2020 — Present · Fairbanks, AK, US
When PDC Engineers was acquired by RESPEC in 2020, my role as the lead planner and business development director continued. In June of 2022, I was promoted to Principal, overseeing our 6-person planning team and leading business development activities for the Infrastructure business unit of RESPEC. I am responsible for the financial strength of our Planning Division and pursue projects and partnerships to ensure financial success. I\'m actively engaged in projects where I lead multi-disciplinary teams and present to political, business, non-profit, and government sectors and their diverse audiences. I also manage the Fairbanks office.
Education
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Bachelor of Science - BS, Biology/Biological Sciences, General
Stagen Leadership Academy
Foundational Leadership Course (FLC) Certificate
Penn State University
Post-baccalaureate certificate, Geographic Information Science
2009 — 2012
Paul Smith's College
AAS, Ecology
1996 — 1998
Skills
- Arcgis
- Gps
- Arcmap
- Gis
- Geomatics
- Public Participation
- Remote Sensing
- Spatial Databases
- Environmental Awareness
- Spatial Analysis
- Transportation Planning
- Autocad
- Surveying
- Nepa
- Geography
- Cartography
- Esri
- Land Use Planning
- Geographic Information Systems (Gis)
- Global Positioning System (Gps)
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