Tom Gallagher, President, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Summit Engineering Corporation, has been shaping the face of Northern Nevada for over 30 years. Born and raised in Elko, Nevada, he has watched the metamorphosis of the state in its era of greatest development. Tom uses his degree in engineering to find innovative and adaptive solutions to numerous construction, engineering, mining and public works quandaries. With literally several thousand projects behind him, his knowledge of the workflow process on local, state and federal levels is unparalleled in Northern Nevada. Creating a culture that encourages and fosters ingenuity has been a primary goal for Tom as he mentors the next generation of engineers, surveyors and technical field personnel at Summit.An example of this originality and foresight is the manifestation of the Northgate development which spreads across much of Northwest Reno. Within 20 years it has gone from barren land to an entire community with varying styles of housing, schools, parks and shopping centers. The infrastructure for this development alone was a mammoth undertaking.Tom works side-by-side with developers and the local government to achieve compromises that are appropriate for the community and beneficial to both parties. Rooted in Northern Nevada it is his goal to bring jobs to the state and to search for contemporary ways to move Summit into the next decades of mandated creativity.