Salim Sessine has come a long way since 1979, the year he emigrated to the United States from Lebanon where he was born and raised. He was only 20 then, arriving fresh out of high school and eager to pursue a college career.  

Sessine

Today he’s married with children and the president of a consulting engineering firm that generates more than $2 million annually.  Based in Birmingham, MA Engineering’s work  includes projects exceeding $60,000,000. The firm offers professional, mechanical and electrical engineering services.

But the success didn’t come without huge risk-taking. After earning both undergraduate  and graduate degrees in engineering, Sessine landed a steady job as a manager at a large firm in Detroit, then suddenly decided to take a pay cut and work for a smaller firm. And sure enough looking back the decision was very rewarding.  

“I had the security of a large firm… There’s always the fear of making the switch from a larger firm to a smaller,” he said.  The fear didn’t prevent Sessine from pushing forward to improve the quality of the existing practice he bought into. “You have to take calculated risks all the time to improve in life. And that’s what I did.”

The firm was initially Mancini, Alkateeb & Associates Inc., founded in 1998 by Peter Mancini and Joe Alkateeb. After their retirement in 1996 the firm changed its name to MA Engineering to stay connected to its founders while maintaining new ownership.

Sessine joined the firm in 1996 with an immense background in the design of government and healthcare facilities. For more than a decade Sessine expanded his experience and deepened relationships with the architectural, engineering and construction community. In 2004 he became the president of Mancini Alkateeb & Associates Inc. 

“I bought into an existing practice and I improved on it and built up on it… joining an existing practice laid the foundation for me to succeed,” Sessine said.

MA Engineering offers design services for systems that include HVAC, plumbing, fire protection, lighting, power distribution, communications, and security among others. Additionally, it incorporates aspects of sustainable design. Its projects promote energy efficiency, water conservation, and good indoor air quality and promote the use of natural light.

The company has worked with clients who have the goal of establishing the most energy efficient buildings possible or LEED certified facilities.

MA Engineering offers design services for systems that include HVAC, plumbing, fire protection, lighting, power distribution, communications, and security among others. Additionally, it incorporates aspects of sustainable design. Its projects promote energy efficiency, water conservation, and good indoor air quality and promote the use of natural light.

Over the years MA Engineering has increased its revenue significantly as well as the number of associates it employees from four to now 22. Its staff has also grown from one registered engineer to over 30 percent of its technical staff being registered.

 “We are in discussions to expand into the Washington D.C. area – opening an office there,”  he said. The new anticipated firm would launch with less than five associates and eventually expand to the size of the current office.

MA Engineering has worked on projects in various industries including the building or renovation of churches, hospitals, banks, hotels, medical offices, restaurants, residential areas, senior homes, libraries, parking structures, grocery stores, schools and more. 

In the local market most of its work has consisted of renovation, because of the availability of buildings.  Nationally, it’s entirely new construction including the work for a small mall in Salt Lake City, Utah.

MA Engineering is currently involved in the new Quicken Loans Inc. project at the Chase Tower in downtown Detroit where about 1,500 Quicken Loans employees moved there from the suburban region.

It’s also worked on the ITC building in Novi and the interior renovation for local medical centers such as Oakwood Hospital, Beaumont Hospital, Detroit Medical Center and the University of Michigan’s hospital. The firm and Sessine have been recognized with a number of awards. 

MA Engineering was able to survive the economic downturn in 2008 because of the extremely high quality of work it still maintains. “Word of mouth has been very good to us,” Sessine said.