At its core, Riley Engineering was founded to improve people’s lives by ensuring that all have the necessary civil infrastructure to facilitate socioeconomic well-being. Founder and Principal Water Resources Engineer, Dr. Ronson Riley Chee, is from the community of Leupp, Arizona on the Navajo Nation. Growing up on the Navajo Nation, Dr. Chee saw firsthand how socioeconomic hardships stem largely from the lack of basic drinkable (potable) water infrastructure. This motivated Dr. Chee to pursue the field of civil engineering, becoming the first member of the Navajo Nation to earn a Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering. He founded a civil engineering firm in 2017 with a specific mission to improve the quality of life across communities. Riley Engineering is named in honor of Dr. Chee’s maternal grandfather, Riley Jones, and nephew, Riley Honani, to carry on a legacy of excellence, integrity, service, compassion, and hard work.

Our Mission

We engineer and implement solutions to provide society with water infrastructure.

Our Vision

We are the premier engineering firm that ensures people and communities throughout the world have the necessary water infrastructure to thrive and facilitate economic well-being.

Our Core Values

PASSION

Engineering is our passion; we love what we do. Our natural talents and giftings align with the engineering profession. We believe this translates into higher energy, higher performance, more creativity, and high-quality work products.

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10)

EXCELLENCE

We strive to do the best job we can regardless of the size of the project or task at hand. Mediocrity does not cut it.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, …” (Colossians 3:23)

INTEGRITY

We do the right and honest thing. We hold ourselves to a higher standard.

“The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” (Proverbs 11:3)

EDUCATION

We view life as though we are lifelong learners. We desire to learn more and to perfect our craft. We have the heart of a teacher and the mindset of a learner. We want to teach and empower those around us.

“The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out.” (Proverbs 18:15)

BALANCE

We prioritize our faith, our families, then our business. We believe that the proper balance of life and work is the key to our success. Our employees come first then our clients.

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

HUMILITY

We approach our work with a servant mindset; we work as a team to meet the overall company mission and vision. Job titles and hierarchy are secondary. We serve each other in whatever capacity is necessary and is most beneficial to the team.

“Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord, and humility comes before honor.” (Proverbs 15:33)

ADAPTABILITY

We are not set in our ways or overly-focused on our roles. We wear multiple hats when needed and take on the necessary task for the benefit of the team and the client.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

What Makes Us Different

Engineering is Our Calling

At Riley we operate within our natural talents. Our engineers have a natural talent for what we do. We believe we were put on this earth to solve problems and improve the lives of those around us. Our engineers are placed in positions and roles where they have a natural gifting and that allows us to have maximum impact in the world.

“The two most important days of your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why.” – Mark Twain

We Listen

As a client, you understand your needs better than anyone else. We focus on listening and fully understanding your goals first, then we determine how we can help. We do not engage in a project unless we are confident that we are the right team to help.

We Find the Answer

We may not know all the answers, but we will find it. Research is at the core of what we do. We know how to research, and we know how to solve problems. The founder of Riley has a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering and thus, thoroughly understanding the problem and researching solutions are integral to our training and embedded in our design process.

Our Work Ethic

We carry on the teachings of our elders of good old-fashioned hard work. We know how to deliver, and do what it takes to get the job done. We set the bar high for our team and staff.

Certifications & Accreditations

Firm Registered under the Arizona Board of Technical Registration (No. 20565-0)

Certified with the Arizona Unified Certification Program as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) with the following specialties:

  • AZ UCP 2010: Civil Engineering – Building Design
  • AZ UCP 2013: Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) Standards
  • NAICS 541330: Civil Engineering Services
  • NAICS 541340: Computer Aided Design Drafting (CADD) Services
  • NAICS 541690: Hydrology Consulting Services

Certified with the City of Tucson as a Small Business Enterprise with the following specialties:

  • NAICS 541330: Civil Engineering Services
  • NAICS 541340: Computer Aided Design Drafting (CADD) Services
  • NAICS 541690: Hydrology Consulting Services

A+ Rating with the Better Business Bureau

Priority 1 firm with the Navajo Nation Business Regulatory Department (No. 0319-8790).