About CESI Civil-Geotechnical-Surveying
CESI Civil-Geotechnical-Surveying is a multi-disciplined design and consulting firm specializing in civil engineering, geotechnical engineering, and professional surveying.
CESI was established in 1978. For 45 years CESI has provided due diligence, design, and construction support services for residential, industrial, and institutional projects throughout the Charlotte region, across North Carolina, and in neighboring states. We at CESI strive to provide quality professional services for our clients, from project conception to completion, that seek to minimize change orders and preserve the integrity of the construction budget.
CESI’s offices are located just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina, but with easy access to project sites across the Southeast.
The CESI team is made up of experienced professionals with many years accumulated experience not only in the technical aspects of plan design and approval, but also the practical aspects of construction means and methods required for project development. Clients have found our deep familiarity with construction useful for both greenfield development, and for large-scale site-and-building redevelopment projects, as well.
Our Team and Culture
CESI is a 100% employee-owned company that has a great team of welcoming and experienced individuals. We take work-life balance seriously and have a welcoming, laid-back environment where employees can thrive. CESI is looking to add team-oriented, professional individuals to its wonderful work culture.
Our Dedication to Nonprofits
CESI is very supportive of Cabarrus County and the surrounding area. It is part of our mission to help nonprofits and charities that are giving back to the community. Here are some of the organizations we serve.
United Way
Cabarrus Economic Development
NC Wildlife Federation
Boys & Girls Club of Cabarrus County
Central NC Council of Boys Scouts
Cabarrus County Education Foundation/Leadership Academy
Rowan Cabarrus Community College Foundation
Habitat for Humanity Cabarrus County
Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce
Big Brothers Big Sisters
American Red Cross
YMCA of Greater Charlotte
NC Society of Surveying
Cabarrus Arts Council
The Salvation Army
45 Years of Excellence
CESI, a privately held corporation, was established in 1978 by Albert D. Frieze, Jr., PLS, and K. Gary Simmons, PE/PLS.
Initially focused on boundary and construction surveying, we have grown to become a 70+ person firm offering land surveying, civil engineering, geotechnical engineering, and construction material testing across the Southeast.
The Executive Team
With over a century of combined experience, CESI prides itself of having an industry leading team of experts.
JIM CRADDOCK, PLS
President
As President of CESI, Jim oversees the activities of 50 professional and technical personnel. He joined CESI in 1986, and today he is responsible for leading the firm and focusing on corporate operation, client relationships, employee engagement and business development.
Jim is a Professional Land Surveyor in 5 eastern states and brings over 45 years of experience to our team. He has been elected by the membership of the North Carolina Society of Surveyors (NCSS) as our state’s delegate to the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS). He is an active member of Cabarrus Rotary and serves on the Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
“Our team provides quality professional services to our clients from project inception to completion. We are there when you need us.”
JAY EAVES, PE
Executive Vice President | Vice President of Geotechnical Engineering
Mr. Eaves received his license in 2002 and joined CESI 2006. He manages the environmental due diligence, geotechnical engineering, and construction materials testing for our firm and oversees daily operations of materials testing and geotechnical engineering staff, performs field evaluations and inspections, and reviews all field reports and test data. His experience with CESI includes residential, institutional, commercial, municipal, and industrial projects. These project scopes include geotechnical investigation, environmental assessments, subgrade evaluation, laboratory testing of the soils, field density testing of mass earth fill, utility trench backfill, foundations, reinforced concrete and masonry, structural steel, asphalt, and concrete paving.
DAVID HAYWOOD, PLS
Secretary | Vice President of Surveying
Mr. Haywood joined CESI in 1997 and has served in many capacities since then. He initially worked in the field leading survey teams performing all types of location, construction, and control surveys, but then transitioned to office support providing computation and mapping expertise to support numerous field crews. Prior to becoming Project Manager for CESI, Mr. Haywood spent several years providing close surveying and technical support on selected projects for our engineering team. Mr. Haywood received his PLS in 2009 and is a professional and business leader for CESI. His project experience includes providing services for public clients on projects such as the NCDOT Route Locations Contract, USACE - Wilmington District, Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point, the Cherokee National Forest, and numerous private and industrial clients.
SUSAN HATHCOCK, CPA
Controller
Mrs. Hathcock joined CESI in 1999 as a CPA. She handles all accounting functions including payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and all banking transactions. She also manages employee benefits such as securing insurance providers, analyzing options, and implementing changes. Mrs. Hathcock is also responsible for responses to Request for Qualifications.
LUKE PARKS
Treasurer | CMT Operations Manager
Mr. Parks joined CESI in 2007 and advanced quickly in the Surveying Division. Two years later, he transferred to the Geotechnical Division to assist in construction materials testing (CMT). Currently, Mr. Parks is the CMT Field Operations Manager and is the lead contact for construction testing and inspections. Mr. Parks manages a team of inspectors and technicians to provide clients with the personal and professional touch required to keep projects on schedule and moving forward. Mr. Parks and his team have the unmatched ability to meet the most demanding of deadlines and they manage each project, whether large or small, with great attention to detail.
CESI takes pride in their community. Many members of the CESI team serve in community organizations such as the Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Concord Rotary Club, the Concord Downtown Development Corporation, the Cabarrus Arts Council, the Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA, and the Carolina Thread Trail, among many others.