Before he was Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff at ANS, Michael Ferrara was a structural engineer solving complex design challenges. That technical foundation still defines how he thinks, how he leads, and how he approaches growth.
Michael Ferrara’s engineering mindset is driving growth at ANS
When Mike joined ANS, the company was primarily a geotechnical firm. With a background in structural engineering and as a licensed Professional Engineer, he immediately recognized an opportunity. Geotechnical engineering naturally pairs with structural, civil, and electrical disciplines across the full project life cycle. If ANS could bring those services together under one roof, it could deliver stronger, more integrated value to clients.
Rather than simply identifying the opportunity, he stepped in to help build it.
Laying the First Layer
Mike’s early focus was straightforward but ambitious: strengthen the company’s technical capabilities. He built the Structural Engineering division from the ground up, hiring and mentoring team members, establishing standards, developing internal processes, and defining how projects would be delivered.
But building a department required more than technical oversight. He became deeply involved in business operations, scoping and pricing work, client communication, contract considerations, and ensuring delivery models built long-term trust. In many ways, this phase of his career marked the shift from engineer to operator.
He was no longer only designing structures. He was designing how a discipline functioned within a growing firm.
Seeing Engineering as Strategy
As the Structural division matured, so did Mike’s perspective. He has always been drawn to the broader business impact of engineering. While engineering fees may not vary dramatically between firms, execution does.
Speed. Efficiency. Optimization. Designs that reduce construction costs and mitigate risk.
For Mike, engineering becomes most powerful when it directly improves outcomes for the client. When a design decision saves meaningful time or money, it moves beyond calculations and becomes a true competitive advantage.
“I’ve always been most interested in the value an engineering consultant can provide beyond just the services fee,” he says. “When strong design decisions, efficiency, and engineering optimization save our clients time or money, and we build real partnerships based on trust and responsiveness, that’s what matters most to me.”
That mindset has been put into practice on one of the largest and most complex renewable energy projects in the region: a multi-hundred-megawatt solar development in the Midwest. Over nearly two years, the work has required continuous coordination with construction crews, with designs validated and refined in real time. The scale and complexity have demanded adaptability, precision, and strong cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Just as importantly, the experience has strengthened the organization itself. Lessons learned from work of this magnitude continue to influence how ANS approaches risk, communication, and execution across the company.
Expanding the Scope of Leadership
As ANS grew, Mike’s role expanded with it.
What began as leading a technical discipline evolved into influencing how the broader organization operates. Today, as EVP and Chief of Staff, he works directly with the CEO and Executive Leadership Team to drive strategy, align operations, mentor leaders, and guide disciplined growth across the company.
The progression feels natural. He understands projects because he has delivered them. He understands risk because he has designed through it. He understands clients because he has sat across the table from them.
Now, he applies that same engineering mindset at the enterprise level.
Decisions are structured. Growth is intentional. Systems are built with long-term stability in mind.
Having previously worked within larger corporations, Mike appreciates strong processes and clear accountability. At ANS, he sees the opportunity to implement what works while improving what does not, especially when it comes to the employee experience. Growth is not left to chance. It is approached with the same rigor as a structural design.
Scaling Without Silos
In a rapidly expanding company, silos can become a risk factor. Mike emphasizes cross-functional alignment, ensuring that engineering, marketing, operations, and Learning, Development, and Innovation remain connected.
That philosophy mirrors the integrated engineering model he helped establish years ago. When disciplines collaborate early and consistently, outcomes improve. The same principle applies at the organizational level. The stronger the alignment, the stronger the structure.
Life Beyond the Blueprint
Outside of work, Mike leads a full and energetic life. He and his wife are raising three young boys, which means structure at home looks a little different than it does in the office. About a year ago, Mike and his family relocated to Columbus as his role at ANS expanded, and they quickly dove into the community. That has meant meeting new people, making friends, and getting to know the neighborhoods, schools, parks, and other attractions that now shape their day-to-day life.
Whether it is weekends at the park, school activities, or settling into the rhythms of a new city, the move has reinforced the importance of building community and putting down roots, something Mike values both personally and professionally.
From Engineer to Architect of Growth
Mike’s journey at ANS is a story of deliberate progression.
He began by building technical capability.
Next, he established operational structure.
Now, he shapes enterprise strategy.
At every stage, the through line has been the application of strong engineering thinking, scaled for impact.
He helped lay the structural foundation of the company and now designs the framework that supports its ongoing growth.
