I Bet On Myself with Mae C. Whiteside

Cool Soror with Rashan Ali

We are happy to be joined by a Cool Soror of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Mae C. Whiteside is President/CEO of CKL Engineers, LLC. As President/CEO, Mae develops and maintains client relationships for the firm and directs all engineering and planning projects acquired by the organization. Mae is an alumna of Illinois Institute of Technology and graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Civil Engineering in 1999. She is a licensed Civil Engineer in the State of Illinois.

As a grade and high school student, Mae experienced chronic homelessness with her mother. At her mother’s passing, it left her homeless, as a college student. Because of these trying times, Mae gained independence and resilience.

After years of working at different corporations, she knew it was time for change. In 2010, with $10,000 in her pocket, she quit her $75,000 per year job and became a STEM entrepreneur. A risk taker and leader, Mae used this opportunity to position herself to make a major move.

Today, CKL Engineers, LLC is one of Chicago’s leading African American woman owned engineering and management firms. The firm is a winner of the 2018 Engineering Excellence Honor Award for its role in construction management for the overhaul of I-90 Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. Her company’s new role is Construction Manager for the upcoming Pullman Clock Tower and Administration Building Renovation Project, part of a national park by President Obama.

Mae has always been the type of person who believed in her astute intellect and always believed that she could do anything. For this reason, she can profoundly state: “I Bet On Myself.” And because of that, she will win every single time.

Social media: Twitter: @cklengineersllc @maecheri LinkedIn: Mae C. Whiteside www.ckleng.com