2026 Young Professional of the Year

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Raeanna Thiele, Vice President of Thiele Geotech, Inc., has been selected as one of two recipients of the 2026 American Council of Engineering Companies of Nebraska (ACEC NE) Young Professional of the Year Award. The honor recognizes engineers under the age of 35 who have demonstrated exceptional professional achievement, leadership within the engineering industry, and meaningful community involvement.

As Vice President and a member of Thiele Geotech’s Board of Directors, Thiele plays a critical role in providing strategic leadership for the firm while managing complex geotechnical engineering projects across the region. Her work contributes directly to the continued growth, technical excellence, and long-term success of Thiele Geotech, a Nebraska-based firm known for its expertise in geotechnical, materials, and environmental engineering.

A lifelong Nebraskan, Thiele earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Nebraska and is a graduate of the prestigious Walter Scott, Jr. Scholarship Program at the University of Nebraska Omaha. The program helped shape her strong commitment to leadership, service, and community engagement. Rather than pursuing opportunities elsewhere, Thiele chose to remain in Omaha, where she continues to invest her talents in strengthening both the engineering profession and the local community.

Thiele’s dedication extends well beyond her professional responsibilities. She actively supports and volunteers with numerous organizations and outreach initiatives, including the Omaha Food Bank Canned Food Drive, Wow! That’s Engineering outreach events, ASCE STEM Youth Outreach, Career Rocket, and multiple engineering presentations at the University of Nebraska Omaha and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Through these efforts, she is helping inspire the next generation of engineers while promoting awareness and enthusiasm for STEM careers.

Thiele is a graduate of ACEC Nebraska’s Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) and has served as a mentor for college-age engineering students through ACEC Nebraska’s “Let’s MEET” Program (Mentor Emerging Engineers Together). She has also served as a panelist of Women in Engineering – sharing her experiences and wisdom.

“Raeanna exemplifies the values of leadership, service, and technical excellence that define the ACEC NE Young Professional of the Year Award,” said Robert Lapke, President at Thiele Geotech. “Her impact on our firm, the profession, and the community reflects a deep commitment to engineering as a force for positive change.”

The ACEC NE Young Professional of the Year Award is one of the organization’s highest honors for emerging professionals and highlights individuals who are shaping the future of the engineering industry through innovation, leadership, and service.

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Aaron Buettner

State Director

Aaron Buettner, PE, CVS leads Benesch’s Nebraska structural group, bringing more than 27 years of experience in structural engineering, project management and value engineering to every project he touches. His work spans highway, railroad and pedestrian bridges, and he has delivered public and private projects across the country involving a wide variety of materials and structure types.

Aaron’s technical depth covers the full project lifecycle, from structural design and in-service inspection to forensic evaluation and construction administration. He is proficient in multiple structural design and analysis software platforms and has a keen understanding of load paths and constructability. As a Certified Value Specialist (CVS), Aaron’s Value Engineering work has generated tens of millions of dollars in potential construction cost avoidance for clients ranging from state DOTs to transit agencies.

Notable projects include the Lincoln South Beltway, where his team designed 10 of 21 bridges on the freeway corridor; the N-12 Emergency Bridge Repairs in northeast Nebraska, where biddable plans for three flood-damaged structures were delivered in just three weeks; and the Penny Bridges Replacement in Lincoln, where value planning produced a context-sensitive solution that earned broad community support.

Aaron also serves as a Structures Specialist on Nebraska Task Force 1 (NE-TF1), which is one of 28 FEMA Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) teams located throughout the United States. In this role, he supports the search and rescue mission by assessing damaged structures, recommending structural hazard mitigation within those structures, and monitoring the structure for condition changes during rescue and victim recovery operations. During his tenure with NE-TF1, he has deployed ​on numerous missions within the state of Nebraska and around the nation to assist communities that have been impacted by emergencies or disasters.

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