Wesley Foster, President and CEO, Pacifica Engineering Services

July 2026 — In an interview with Invest:, Wesley Foster, president and CEO of Pacifica Engineering Services, discussed how the firm is using AI, speed, and accuracy to address persistent bottlenecks in development and infrastructure delivery. “Our goal is always to get work out as fast as possible while being as accurate as possible the first time,” Foster said.

What key changes over the past year have had the greatest impact on Pacifica Engineering Services?

I would say quality, along with a greater focus on AI and technology. That has been a big push for the last year, and I think it will continue to be a major priority in the years ahead. For us, the emphasis has really been on how we improve the quality of our work while also using technology to move faster and deliver better outcomes for clients.

What recent initiatives or projects stand out most for the firm?

Internally, one of the biggest initiatives has been the AI platform we created over the last two to three years called PlanCheckPro.ai. It is proprietary software that addresses one of the biggest issues in vertical development, which is the permitting timeline. Interest rates are one challenge, but another major issue is the amount of time it takes for a project to move through review and get approved. That waiting period becomes a real bottleneck for development.

Our platform reviews plans and compresses a process that would typically take six to eight weeks in each cycle into a one-day process using AI. That is something we have invested a significant amount of time, money, and resources into over the last three years. We released it to the state of Florida over the last four months, and we have already had almost 500 users or companies using the platform. We are also preparing to release it nationwide.

What impact do you expect that platform to have on both Pacifica and the broader market?

We’re big on accuracy and speed. That is a core part of how we operate across geotechnical work, material testing, inspections, plan review, and just about everything else we do. Our goal is always to get work out as fast as possible while being as accurate as possible the first time.

From an industry standpoint, the platform gives developers, designers, municipalities, cities, counties, and other stakeholders a way to load a set of plans into the system and receive a faster, more accurate review from the start. It also creates a more consistent review process from day one. That matters because consistency and predictability are just as important as speed. When people know what to expect and can get quality feedback earlier, projects can move forward more efficiently.

How are you approaching talent attraction and workforce development in a highly competitive engineering environment?

This is always a tricky topic, and I would say my approach is different from most of my peers. We have grown between 50% and 80% year over year since day one, so we need people, and we need people quickly. Because of that pace, we have had to think differently about how we build teams and how we sustain growth.

A big part of our strategy is identifying experienced talent and creating an environment that people want to join. At the same time, AI has helped us become much more efficient. We do not need the same amount of headcount that we used to need two years ago to perform the same amount of work, which means we can generate more revenue with the same headcount. That efficiency has been important in a market where talent is limited.

We also believe we have something meaningful to offer from a benefits and culture standpoint. It is one thing to identify talent, but it is another thing entirely to attract people and convince them to come on board. In that regard, I believe our benefits are stronger than most of our peers, and that has helped us compete effectively. Between our approach to recruiting, our efficiency gains from AI, and the value proposition we offer employees, talent has not been our biggest challenge.

What industry trends are you seeing most prominently in Tampa Bay right now?

Healthcare appears to be seeing strong growth, and from the multifamily side, that segment is starting to pick back up as well. Workforce and affordable housing remain important, and there is momentum behind efforts that help move projects ahead more quickly.

The other major trend is infrastructure. That is a very big push on the West Coast of Florida. When I talk about infrastructure, I mean treatment plants, highways, roadways, and bridges. That work is needed because growth is moving toward the West Coast, and the region needs the supporting systems to keep up. We are seeing development shift, and we are also seeing government funding move in that direction from an infrastructure standpoint.

That is one of the reasons we opened a Tampa office. It was not just about placing another location on the map. It was a strategic move to establish a true anchor on the Gulf Coast. We already had a Fort Myers office for several years, but Tampa is a key part of making sure we have a strong presence in that market. We see development moving there, we see infrastructure investment moving there, and we believe there is significant work to be done.

How does Pacifica engage with local stakeholders to align projects with regional priorities?

At this stage, our involvement is more concentrated on working with city staff through plan review and permitting. I would not say we are yet as involved with the broader community in Tampa as we are in some of our more established markets. On the East Coast of Florida and in Southwest Florida, we have a deeper presence, and I think that level of engagement will come over time as our footing in Tampa becomes more established.

Right now, our role is more focused on helping projects move efficiently through technical and regulatory processes. As the office continues to grow and our presence becomes more mature, I would expect our local engagement to become more similar to what we have built in other parts of the state.

What are your key goals and priorities for the next two to three years?

One of the main priorities is continuing to build a true anchor on the West Coast. We are a relatively young firm at seven years old, with a little over 150 employees, and we see the Tampa market becoming one of the strongest growth engines for the company. Our typical goal is a minimum of 50% growth, but based on what we are seeing in Tampa, we believe that market alone can generate 100% to 150% year-over-year growth.

What is especially notable is that we have had to put in very little effort to secure work in Tampa so far. Once we are present in the market and people understand what we do, the work seems to come naturally. That gives us a lot of confidence in the long-term opportunity there.

Our AI platform has expanded our addressable market in a major way. Two years ago, our primary target audience would have been developers and contractors. Now we can also work with architects, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineers, and building departments. That gives us a much broader net and allows us to connect with almost anyone involved in development or construction.

The opportunity now is to create synergy across every project, in some way, shape, or form. Whether the client is on the public side or the private side, whether they are in design, development, engineering, or permitting, we can now play a role. Over the next two to three years, the goal is to keep expanding that reach, keep building our Gulf Coast presence, and continue using technology to differentiate ourselves in a growing market.