Curiosity, passion, and playing to your strengths

Steve Bergen shares what he’s learned on the road to winning a Top 10 Under 40 Award from Design Engineering

Growing up with a dad who always had a project on the go—say, rebuilding a ’69 Chevy—sparked an early interest in understanding how things work for Steve Bergen. It was this early influence that led to Steve eventually becoming an engineer, and some 30 years later being named a Top 10 Under 40 engineer presented by Design Engineering magazine. The inaugural award “recognizes up-and-coming leaders across the country—those who exemplify the spirit of innovation and are driving progress in their fields.”

“My dad was always working on cars and trucks. I grew up around tools and building and people who worked with their hands,” says Steve, Lauren’s Manager of Project Engineering and Director of Corporate Services. “Passion and curiosity have been huge for me. I think I'm an engineer through and through. I get really curious about how everything works.”

The award acknowledges Steve’s impact on the engineering profession and his exceptional leadership as Lauren Services continues to grow its operations across Western Canada. Based at the firm’s Vancouver office, he joined Lauren eight years ago and has excelled in various roles over his tenure, always curious and pushing himself to learn and grow. Being part of the company’s dynamic growth over the last few years allowed him to take on ever-challenging roles, including pipeline engineer, project engineer and project manager across a range of increasingly large projects. These include expansion and maintenance of large-diameter gas and liquids pipelines, meter stations and district gate stations in British Columbia and Alberta.

“I’m honoured to be named a Top 10 Under 40 and to represent this great profession as well as Lauren Services which has always supported my growth,” says Bergen. “I was lucky enough to join Lauren when it was about a third of its current size. It’s been a very rewarding journey to see Lauren grow and continue to earn the reputation we have today.”

Bergen enjoys helping younger engineers entering the profession, encouraging them to play to their strengths and continually develop both hard and soft skills. “If you follow your strengths in areas that interest you, you’ll get more of those small wins that keep you motivated and building the skills to excel in that field. And when you excel, doors open for you, and you can find yourself with the ability to choose roles you truly enjoy.”

Recognition of Bergen’s talent is a win for the company and the culture it has created, says Dustin Edgren, president at Lauren Services. “We have built a high-performance culture here by recognizing the unique aspects each person brings to the team. Our portfolio of high-profile projects continues to expand, and we continually attract top talent thanks to the intelligence and passion of our employees.”