Dennis is the owner of Vista Structural Engineering and started the company in July of 2014.  Since earning his B.S. in civil engineering from The University of Kansas, Dennis has been working in the structural engineering field since 2000, also obtaining an M.Eng. degree from Portland State University along the way.  It’s his mission to see to it that everyone at Vista enjoys being part of the team and that our clients realize how devoted we are to their success.

Dennis enjoys an occasional round of golf and a good hike in the Pacific Northwest.  But his absolute favorite thing is spending time with his wife and playing with his two little princesses.

Jake has worked with Vista since the Fall of 2016 as a freelance engineer and began working full-time with Vista in January of 2018.  Jake began his career in structural engineering in 2009 after graduating from Portland State University.  Jake is very efficient in the structural design of timber-framed, reinforced concrete, and steel-framed structures.  Jake is also very up-to-date on the latest technology and has improved the efficiency of the company by implementing effective applications and CAD detailing systems.  Jake lives in Sherwood with his wife and two children and is a legend in the ranks of previous Sherwood High School quarterbacks.  He enjoys an occasional trip to Pacific City or Bend and a wide variety of IPA’s.  When Jake’s not working or sleeping 3 hours/night (yes, he only sleeps 3 hours/night!!), he’s almost guaranteed to be playing with his kids.

Eric joined Vista in July of 2019.  After spending the first few years of his career working in civil engineering, Eric decided to pursue his passion of structural engineering, and has done an amazing job making the transition.  Eric specializes in deep foundation and residential engineering.  Eric graduated from Oregon State University.

Eric enjoys time with his wife and two beautiful daughters, skateboarding, a good craft brew, and spending time with family in California and Alaska.  He’s also the member of our team most likely to make you laugh!

Avery joined Vista in November 2019.  After spending 13 years working on large scale commercial projects, Avery has taken the lead on most of Vista’s commercial work, and has made a smooth transition into providing well thought-out, detailed, and contractor-friendly residential structural plans.  Avery earned his B.S. from Vanderbilt University and his Masters from Portland State University.

Avery resides in NE Portland with his wife and three boys.  He enjoys chasing his boys on their bikes, and visiting family in Memphis and Eugene.  If you asked anybody at Vista who on the team they would go to when looking for a solution to a complex engineering problem, Avery would be the unanimous answer.

Dennis started working at Vista in March 2021 as a Design engineer. He has a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Portland State University. The most exciting part of his job is getting projects done and making clients happy. Clients like him so much that one of Vista’s clients was comfortable enough to give him the nickname D-Dog, which is really catching on with our team at Vista.  His most-used productivity hacks are music and coffee. He is always motivated and eager to find learning opportunities.

Dennis is fluent in Vietnamese, and he can play the piano. He is a huge fan of basketball and Lebron James, wherever he plays at. His favorite things to do on the weekends are fishing and dining out with his girlfriend. Pasta is his go to meal, but he can go days with just bread and water! Dennis enjoys traveling to Mexico; however, the next overseas trip he plans to take is to Japan.

Dennis’ idea of a perfect day is Christmas day or any cold Winter weather day under cozy blankets with good food, and movies.

Biography (Coming Soon)

After receiving over a decade worth of work experience in concrete construction and residential/commercial wood framing, Stephen decided to go back to school to pursue a higher education and a greater knowledge of structures. Stephen graduated cum laude from Portland State University in 2013 with a degree in Civil Engineering. In addition, he went on to completing 6 terms of graduate studies in structural engineering/design before entering the engineering work force in 2015.

Now, after the many years spent building and constructing structures, Stephen’s main focus is the design and engineering of residential and light commercial buildings. Stephen joined Vista in December of 2021. We believe his “real world” experience in construction gives him an advantage in his approach to design.

Stephen and his wife Alysea live in SE Portland with their two vibrant children, Grace and Sawyer. Family life keeps Stephen busy and fulfilled, but in his “spare” time he enjoys playing the many stringed instruments that adorn the walls of their home including guitar, banjo, mandolin, and ukulele. In his happiest times, you will find him around a fire pit with friends and family enjoying a music session/sing-along, accompanied by a cold beverage.

Joe received his M. Eng. Structural Engineering degree form University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC).

Joe joined Vista in June of 2022. After spending years working as a Property & Casualty Underwriter, he went back to earn a degree in Engineering to help keep structures from falling down in the first place. He is very passionate about training and process improvements, so has quickly become thick as thieves with Blake.

Joe and his wife Kassie have two boys, Bastian and Tristan. They live in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Calvo family enjoys getting away from the bustle of the city to go exploring in the nearby Smoky Mountains. And when Joe’s got the time, he loves to cook up a storm to enjoy with a cold beer or cider.

Joe received his M. Eng. Structural Engineering degree form University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC).

Joe joined Vista in June of 2022. After spending years working as a Property & Casualty Underwriter, he went back to earn a degree in Engineering to help keep structures from falling down in the first place. He is very passionate about training and process improvements, so has quickly become thick as thieves with Blake.

Joe and his wife Kassie have two boys, Bastian and Tristan. They live in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Calvo family enjoys getting away from the bustle of the city to go exploring in the nearby Smoky Mountains. And when Joe’s got the time, he loves to cook up a storm to enjoy with a cold beer or cider.

Karla is the office manager at Vista since June 2019.
​She was born in Peru. She moved to USA in 1998 to join the rest of her family settled in Portland. She worked at a Property Management Company for 6 years in the Portland Metro Area before she switched her focus to healthcare where she stayed for 12 years before coming to work for Vista Structural Engineering.

When she is not in the office, she is a mom. She spends time with her 4 year old son Sebastian. She enjoys going on walks, reading, singing, and dancing with him. She also likes cooking and trying new recipes. She loves listening to radio shows like Science Friday on NPR radio and Radio lab which are her favorite ones.

Pamela has been with Vista since day 1.  Pamela assists Vista with marketing and building client relationships.  She has a magnetic personality and can make any gathering more fun and interesting.

Pamela’s passion is her and Dennis’ two daughters.  She is a great skier, cook, wife, and mother, and a funny young lady.  She loves traveling the world, but her most frequent trips are to Texas to see her best friend – her sister.

Blake joined Vista in June of 2020.  Blake joins us after recently graduating as a top student in his Architectural Design and Drafting program.  After spending years working as an inspector for corporate aviation, Blake decided to pursue his true passion for architecture, which had been with him since he saw his parents design, draft, and build their home when he was young.  Blake is very passionate about what he does for our team and clients, and takes great pride in the detailed work that he creates.  He also takes great pride in working to improve our CAD systems and make our processes more efficient.

Blake and his wife live in Beaverton, and are big Portland Timbers and Thorns fans.  Blake enjoys an occasional trip to Southern Oregon, where much of his family lives, and to California, where his new nephew lives.  On weekends, you’ll find Blake hiking, followed by drinking some good wine.

Biography (Coming Soon)

Another top graduate with a degree in Architectural Design and Drafting, Nils brings to Vista his enthusiasm and knowledge of light framed structures and his contracting experience from frame-ups to finish carpentry.

Nils previously attained a BA from SUNY before moving west, going on many wild adventures along the way. Ask him sometime about skiing in the Wasatch, rafting the Grand Canyon, kayaking in Kenai or his variety of international travels.  A previous life in the wine industry has instilled a well-rounded appreciation of old grape juice and provided a strong foundation in managing workflows and customer service for the pickiest of clients. Now his fascination with structures and pursuit of perfection are comfortably at home where CAD and structural design intersect, loving the opportunity to contribute and advance his own skills every day with some of the best folks around.

Residing in North Portland with his wife and dog, he is an engaged community member, often chatting up strangers and neighbors on dog walks, riding his bike to local restaurants, fussing over his 1980 Volvo 242 and drawing plans for the remodel of his own old Portland bungalow.

Biography (Coming Soon)