Published: March 31, 2009 01:55 pm      

Artist’s eye, engineer’s mind

When Kaeko Leitch was a young girl growing up in the suburbs of Tokyo, she used to explore the woods and bring home broken things. She would take them apart and try to fix them.

“I didn’t have dolls. I always had tractors and trains. That’s my nature,” Leitch said.

It’s no wonder that she found her calling as a mechanical and electric engineer. With 10 years of engineering experience and more than a hundred commercial and industrial projects behind her, Leitch formed Kyko Engineering in September.

“You could work under someone for the rest of your life. Before I turned 50, I wanted to do something big,” said Leitch, who is 44 years old.

Leitch shares an office with sister company R.L. Engebretson Architecture, Interiors & Planning in downtown Mankato. Both are part of the RLE Group headquartered in Fargo.

Leitch was hesitant to open an independent firm because start-up costs and liability insurance are high for engineers. With the RLE Group, she has her own company and the support of a larger organization.

Previously Leitch worked for the I&S Group and the Schwickert Company.

A public project

Kyko Engineering’s current project is the remodel of the Ostrander Auditorium in the student union at Minnesota State University. Leitch is the mechanical and electrical engineer on the job and Eric Oleson, principal of R.L. Engebretson, is the architect.

Leitch has worked with Oleson since 1999 when they both worked for KSA Architects in Mankato. She started as an interior designer, but after several months, the firm was in need of an engineer. That’s when Leitch told them she had an engineering degree.

Oleson enjoys working with Leitch because she is a visual person who sees the big picture of the building design as well as the mechanical and electrical detailing.

“It’s helpful because she understands more than the dynamics of heating and cooling. She understands the environment of the space,” Oleson said.

The Ostrander Auditorium is a high-profile project with a tight deadline. MSU wants the construction done this summer and the auditorium ready before school starts.

“It’s a great opportunity because it’s a public place where MSU brings new students and parents, so they want a wow factor,” Leitch said. “It’s a great opportunity to show people what we can do.”

Looks are obviously important, but everything also has to work. Because the acoustics are vital, Leitch is working on a mechanical system that is quiet as well as functional.

“My goal is to bring the design and the mechanical system together. That’s not always easy.”

Leitch has met the challenge before in engineering restaurants, strip malls, hospitals, sports arenas, apartments and other facilities. While Leitch can work into the wee hours of the morning poring over plans, specs and computer drawings to make sure everything adheres to Minnesota building code, she also works well with clients.

“She keeps the clients’ interest in mind and heart. Our overall goal is to exceed our clients’ expectations,” Oleson said.

Leitch is a hands-on engineer. When she explores a building site, she climbs into the attic and crawls into tunnels. Good thing she’s not afraid of bugs. Back in Japan she collected bugs for a hobby.

When Leitch works on building plans, she works with a few technicians to design the HVAC system, plumbing and electrical. It’s detailed work, where she maps out every wire, outlet, duct and pipe, specifying the size of all components and calculating the costs.

Leitch is also LEED accredited, which means she knows green building practices. Making buildings efficient in their use of energy and water is standard practice for Leitch.

After the plans go to the client, Leitch works on changes as construction approaches. During construction, she offers construction administration services, which means acting as a problem solver. Upon completion, Leitch follows up with the building until all the kinks are worked out.

Coming to Mankato

Leitch’s journey from Tokyo to Mankato was not a direct flight. Leitch was an only child whose father was an artist — a painter. In 1983 after Leitch graduated from high school, she and her parents moved to New York City because her dad’s dream was to have a showing there.

Leitch was studying graphic design at the Pratt Institute in New York City when her grandmother died and her parents had to return to Japan. Leitch stayed in America.

To support herself, Leitch worked at a Japanese brokerage firm and met her husband who was also working on Wall Street. Her husband didn’t like the corruption of Wall Street and he decided to teach college.

So in 1988, they packed up their old car and drove straight through to the University of Illinois. In 1996, her husband got a professor post at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter. Initially Leitch stayed home with her two children, but in 1999 she returned to work.

Like her journey to Mankato, Leitch’s career has not been a direct flight either, but her creative and artistic side has complemented her mathematical and scientific side. Like her father, she paints in an abstract and modern style. In fact, she took apart one of her paintings to design her business cards and stationery and won a graphic design award.

Yet Leitch’s business plan is direct and straightforward — line up projects and get the jobs done right. She is working to build relationships and a reputation as an honest and competent engineer. Moving forward, her goal is to have employees of her own.

“The big challenge is balancing between expanding and making a profit,” Leitch said.