Clark Dietz is proud to announce that Chester Kochan, PE, Vice President and Senior Construction Manager in our Oakbrook Terrace office, has been named 2026 Mentor of the Year by ACEC Illinois.
Established in 2022, the ACEC Illinois Mentor of the Year Award highlights individuals across the industry who invest in others, both inside and outside their firms, to strengthen and advance the engineering profession. Recipients are nominated by their peers and selected by a judging panel, with recognition taking place at the annual Engineering Excellence Awards Gala.
Leadership in Action
For Chester, mentorship is not a side effort. It is core to leadership.
“To me, being a mentor means I’m able to assist others in reaching their professional goals quicker and reduce the learning curve, so they become effective and productive members of a team. This benefits everyone, including clients, by ensuring precious public funds are not spent training new team members. An additional benefit is gained by the mentee, who has more time to themselves to better their work-life balance. At the root level, this is leadership in action, bringing a project to a successful outcome while a team takes pride in their participation.”
As a senior construction manager, Chester understands that project success depends on strong teams. By helping emerging professionals grow in technical knowledge, confidence, and decision-making ability, he ensures projects move forward efficiently and responsibly. His approach reflects a deep respect for clients, communities, and the next generation of engineers.
Investing in the Next Generation
Receiving this award is both an honor and a responsibility.
“Being awarded the title of Mentor of the Year shows the industry’s appreciation of mentoring, which will encourage others to help develop the next generation of leaders, mentors, and engineers. I am proud and flattered to have received this award. I will assure ACEC’s faith in me will be far-reaching, and I commit to continuing to be as beneficial as a mentor as I can.”
Chester’s commitment to mentorship aligns with Clark Dietz’s belief that engineering excellence is built on shared knowledge, collaboration, and leadership development. His influence extends beyond individual projects, shaping careers and strengthening the profession as a whole.
