When John Kelly, P.E., founded Kelly Design Group (KDG), he had $30,000 in the bank and one client.

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Through hard work, talent and a bit of good fortune, John grew the company significantly, providing structural engineering services. Within a year, he quit his day job and devoted 100 percent of his time to his business.

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Since then, John has become a well-known and respected engineer. He earned his reputation by providing value-engineered designs for homebuilders, architects and commercial developers throughout Nevada, California and Arizona.

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John describes value engineering as “a mindset,” a way of doing business that provides the project’s necessary functions at a lower construction cost.

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“Value engineering saves the builder money due to less material and lower labor costs,” John said. “And saves money throughout the life of the project by infusing higher-quality results. It’s something I believe is an important approach that sets us apart.”

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In addition to residential engineering, he provides structural design for commercial, hospitality, retail and industrial clients and conducts forensic investigations. His strength is developing wood-framed structural design solutions for single-family production and multifamily homebuilders.

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“That is our bread and butter,” John said. “It’s what we’re best at.”

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John approaches residential engineering and drafting with a unique perspective, much like a homebuilder approaches building a home. He believes this production line approach provides an accurate, consistent product in a quicker time frame.

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“This approach is different from most offices and has helped us deliver a higher-quality product faster,” John said. “Balancing the technical and the pragmatic side of construction to produce documents that homebuilders and contractors can easily read, understand and build is the key to our success.”

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Working with residential homebuilders, John prides himself on his knowledge and understanding of the construction industry, having built homes in different capacities while attending school.

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“I’m not afraid to get my shoes dirty,” John said. “I love going to job sites. I’ve been known to pull nails and measure them. Having the right connector, installed per the manufacturer, is important.”

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Some of KDG’s clients include Richmond American Homes, Lennar Homes, AMH Development, Blue Heron, Taylor Morrison, Toll Brothers, Inc., Woodside Homes and The Ritz-Carlton Luxury Hotels & Resorts.

Though he has been successful, structural engineering wasn’t John’s first career choice. Growing up as a Navy brat, he wanted to be a fighter pilot, but his eyesight prevented him from pursuing it. After graduating from high school early, he enrolled in the electrical engineering program at the University of California San Diego (UCSD).

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“I graduated from high school at 17,” John said. “My grades allowed me to participate in an accelerated program for gifted students through grade school and high school. I thought I was smart, but when I entered UCSD, I had to learn how to study again. It was a tough school, but it helped me learn how to learn, and taught me study discipline. It helped me get where I am today.”

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After a year, he switched to the structural engineering program.

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“I gravitated toward structural engineering because I was always building things as a kid,” John said. “I can look at something and tell you the volume or look at two-dimensional images and see a three-dimensional image in my head quickly. It’s what I’m good at.”

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In 1989, he graduated from UCSD with a degree in structural engineering and went to work for EXL Engineers, a small engineering firm in Orange County, California. He spent the next five years working strictly on commercial projects, designing hospitals and school buildings.

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He then worked for BORM Associates, Inc., a fullservice engineering firm based in Irvine, California.

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“They were interested in my cold-formed steel experience,” John said. “We were some of the first engineers to use screws to attach plywood to light-gauge steel, for lateral bracing of homes.”

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After working at BORM for about a year, he was asked to open its first satellite office in Las Vegas. He was on a trajectory to become a partner in the firm.

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“I jumped at the chance,” said John, who moved to Las Vegas in 1995. “I was a young man in my 30s and thought it would be a fun opportunity.”

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Little did he know that his life was about to change radically. On a Friday night before Memorial Day in May 1999, John went to his friend’s place on the Colorado River for a weekend getaway.

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The night he arrived, he took a quick spin on his four-wheeler and hit a fallen tree at high speed. He was discovered five hours later and rushed to the hospital. He broke 28 bones and underwent several reconstructive surgeries.

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Surviving the near-death accident was a turning point in John’s life. It changed his outlook and instilled in him the tenacity to start his own business.

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“It changed things,” John said. “While waiting to heal, I thought a lot about what I wanted to do with my life.”

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Now, with a small but talented staff, KDG celebrates 25 years of business. Having become an integral part of the Las Vegas housing market, he’s witnessed the valley undergo significant change and growth.

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“When I came here, there wasn’t much south of the airport,” John said. “Most people like to measure their chronology in Las Vegas with hotels that were under construction when they relocated. I believe the Luxor was under construction and Treasure Island had just finished.”

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Looking back, he has navigated KDG through some pivotal moments in the city’s history, surviving economic uncertainty following the 9/11 terrorist attack, the 2008 recession, and the recent challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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“Every three or four years, some economic crisis happens,” John said. “But we’ve weathered the storms. We’re still here. We’re still standing tall!”

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