W. P. Hickman Company Employee Receives Professional Engineer Certification

Online, September 30, 2009 (Newswire.com) - (Asheville, NC) - Dr. Robert Steffen, Director of Engineering for the W. P. Hickman Company has expanded his Professional Engineer licensure to include the state of Florida. Steffen already holds Professional Engineer licenses in North Carolina, California, and Maryland. In addition, Steffen has a complete and current record (#34580) with the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), which allows for faster processing towards recognition as a Professional Engineer in any state for which PE certification may be required.

"Having a Professional Engineer on staff who is certified in multiple states, and especially in wind-sensitive Florida, gives us unique engineering capabilities," noted Scott Hickman, CEO of the W.P.Hickman Company. "Whether we're developing a new product line or working with an architect on a complex individual project, we have a credentialed Engineering Department capable of handling the challenge."

Dr. Steffen joined the W. P. Hickman Company in January of 2008 and holds a PhD in Structural Engineering as well as a Masters degree in Civil Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He has led the company in enhancing its custom design and manufacturing capabilities. Steffen is also the chairman of the industry technical task force responsible for evolving the ANSI-SPRI ES-1 Wind Design Standard which is included in the International Building Code.

"Architects often look for stamped drawings, calculations or letters from a Professional Engineer to ensure that a custom design will perform properly on a building," explains Steffen. "At Hickman, we have the engineering capabilities to both design and test a roof edge in-house to ensure that it will withstand the design wind loads it will encounter once installed. Providing a PE stamp gives additional credibility to what we do every day at Hickman."

W.P. Hickman is a family owned business with over 60 years of experience in the metal roof edging industry. ES-1 Classified by Underwriters Laboratories Inc.® and FM rated, Hickman products offer superior protection against wind and water infiltration and are backed by one of the best warranties in the business. W.P. Hickman, "The Leading Edge Since 1945." For more information on W.P. Hickman or any of its products visit its website at www.wph.com or call 1.800.892.9173.