About

Our Story

We can’t talk about our story, or the history of Ruby, without first talking about that of our founder, David Ruby. Dave says that if you grow up in western Pennsylvania (aka “steel country”), only two things are certain: you are a Steelers fan and steel is the material of choice. It is on this backdrop that he began an incredible career.

Upon graduating from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Dave joined American Bridge Division of US Steel and was soon transferred to Chicago during the boom of high-rise construction. As the structural project manager for the John Hancock building, the Sears Tower and the Standard Oil building, he got a first-hand look at how buildings should be designed and erected. Constructability was critical to getting these jobs done, and Dave learned how this approach and philosophy could be used to increase communication, efficiency and safety throughout the construction process.

Fast forward to 1984, when Dave founded Ruby and Associates – a structural engineering firm devoted to serving the construction industry.

Ruby was established to:

• provide answers, not questions.
• approach design as a step along the way, not the final product.
• provide clear, common sense solutions to everyday problems.
• introduce the concept of Constructability to the structural steel industry.
• engage in community and industry activities that enhance the engineering profession.

For over 35 years, Ruby has stayed true to these tenets.

In 2007, Dave began to transition the company to the next generation of leaders, and in 2011, his daughter, Tricia Ruby, took the reins of the firm as President and CEO. Dave transitioned to Chairman and continues to provide technical mentorship to our staff. Today, Ruby is comprised of an incredibly talented group of engineers, from 30-year veterans to new grads from top universities, but our focus remains on the success of our clients.