Robert Miller - Principal engineer and vice president, Wallace Group & Fluid Resource Management

Principal engineer Robert Miller, 36, established Wallace Group’s Water Resources Department in 1998, just four years after graduating from Cal Poly’s engineering program. It became a central part of the company’s practice and allowed expansion to Baja California, said nominator John Wallace.

Miller also helped form sister company Fluid Resource Management and serves as vice president of both firms.

“Even under the most pressing, controversial or difficult of situations, he remains poised, collected and respectful,” Wallace said.

For six months, Miller worked on the Los Osos Community Services District sewer project at no charge while the district struggled with bankruptcy.

“If we didn’t move forward, all that (previous work) would have been for naught,” Miller said. “It ended up being really worth it.”

He also donates services to other organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity. A Cayucos native, he met his wife of 18 years, Talitha, at Coast Union High School. They now live in Los Osos with their children — Gabe, 10, Andy, 8, and Rachel, 2 — and are active with Los Osos Christian Fellowship and Heartland Christian Academy.