Peralte-Clark: A People-Centered Approach to Civil Engineering
Founded in 2017 by entrepreneurs Jean-Alix Peralte and John Clark, Peralte-Clark (P-C) was born out of a shared vision to redefine civil engineering by creating a people-centered approach. What began in a small basement office in Inverness, IL, has blossomed into a thriving business, now with two office locations in the Chicago area, a dedicated team of over 36 employees, with fourteen (14) IDOT prequalifications.
A Vision for Entrepreneurship
Both Jean-Alix and John had clear aspirations of business ownership early in their careers. Their paths to entrepreneurship were shaped by their personal experiences, backgrounds, and deep-rooted connections to the civil engineering world.
Jean-Alix Peralte, inspired by his father, developed his interest in engineering at an early age. Growing up in Haiti, where the engineering practice was largely entrepreneurial and large-scale engineering corporations were scarce, Jean-Alix envisioned following a similar business model of leading his own practice one day. After completing his secondary school studies in Haiti, Jean-Alix was encouraged by his mother to study in the United States and pursued his dream by earning a Bachelor of Science in civil/structural engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology. He later expanded his expertise with a Master of Business Administration from the same institution, strengthening his leadership and business acumen. Jean-Alix believes that his dream of being a business owner was delayed by his success in larger corporations. At keys points in his career, Jean-Alix was offered opportunities for advancement that he could not refuse, eventually leading the Midwest business unit for an international corporation – a position that would lead to his meeting with John Clark.
John Clark’s connection to civil engineering runs deep with early memories of riding in the front seat of his grandfather’s dump truck. They were on a mission to Lake County Grading, the gravel pit owned and operated by his grandfather, to pick up sand for his backyard sandbox. His grandfather spent his entire career in the construction industry and was heavily involved in civil engineering projects. Clearly, roadway design and construction were in the family’s DNA. After graduating from the University of Iowa, John started his career at a large global consulting firm before moving to smaller firms specializing in municipal and site development. At the age of 29, he founded his first engineering consulting firm, confirming that entrepreneurship was also in his DNA. It might have been too ambitious to launch his own business so early in his career, but John was of the mindset that “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. It was a challenging time, especially after the 2008 economic downturn, but John’s resilience and lessons learned provided valuable firsthand experience as a business owner. Before founding P-C, John served as Engineering Director for the Midwest Region at an international consulting firm.
A Partnership Based on Shared Values
It was during their time at the international firm that Jean-Alix and John forged their partnership, often discussing their shared dream of starting their own firm. They wanted to create a workplace where people genuinely wanted to work – an environment centered on collaboration, growth, and personal fulfillment.
Finally, in 2017, with the full support of his wife and daughter, Jean-Alix approached John, his colleague of seven years, to take the leap and found Peralte-Clark. John’s family was also very supportive of his career journey. This support for their shared vision along with their complementary skills – Jean-Alix’s business acumen and leadership background, and John’s engineering expertise and entrepreneurial spirit, allowed the fledgling entrepreneurs to make important investments in operations and staff and laid the foundation for a firm built on a shared vision of prioritizing people above all else.
Building a Culture of Growth and Engagement
Since its inception, Peralte-Clark has worked tirelessly to foster a workplace culture that nurtures growth, engagement, and respect for every team member. While the company’s journey is ongoing, the vision is becoming ever clearer: a firm dedicated to rethinking civil engineering by prioritizing people and fostering a culture of growth and engagement where people thrive.
Today, Jean-Alix and John are incredibly proud of what they’ve built and the culture they’ve cultivated at Peralte-Clark. Their shared dedication to improving the civil engineering field and providing meaningful careers for their team has already made a profound impact, and they remain committed to continually refining their vision for the future.
