Engineering Resilience in the Katy Area: RG Miller | DCCM’s Role in Building Its Future

Katy, Texas and the surrounding communities are central in a fast-growing region driven by opportunity, community, and careful planning. Within the community and the larger Houston metro, engineering firm RG Miller | DCCM has played a pivotal role in shaping both the physical and economic landscape. RG Miller | DCCM brings decades of industry experience and a forward-looking mindset to local and regional development. Company President Mark Gehringer also serves on the Katy Area Economic Development Council board.

RG Miller | DCCM’s footprint in the community

Founded in 1966 in Houston, RG Miller | DCCM provides infrastructure solutions for public and private-sector clients and employs a team of professionals with experience in all areas of site and land development, including utility districts, public works, transportation, hydrology, and surveying. While serving greater Houston, the firm is particularly engaged in West Houston and the Katy area, where their work helps lay the literal groundwork for new growth.

Gehringer’s service on the Katy Area EDC board, which started prior to his joining RG Miller | DCCM, reflects a personal and firm commitment not just to engineering solutions but to collaborative regional growth. In his years on the board, Gehringer has served as board treasurer and witnessed first-hand the power of partnerships.

“The purpose of the Katy Area EDC is to bring together people from different industries to collaborate and work together for the betterment of the region,” Gehringer said, noting a spirit of cooperation extends beyond the boardroom. In recent years, the Katy Area EDC’s alignment with the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce has led to a more unified voice for the business community and created a shared momentum. Signature programs, such as the economic forum co-hosted annually by both organizations, demonstrate a synergetic approach to local business.

Developing resiliency in infrastructure

Infrastructure is more than a basic necessity in a community – it’s a strategic tool for resilience, improving quality of life, and recruiting new companies to a region.

“What attracts businesses isn’t just infrastructure in the traditional sense,” Gehringer explained, “but how that infrastructure supports quality of life.”

Flood mitigation, storm preparedness, and efficient transportation networks can be as vital as access to utilities.

“You want to make sure your infrastructure allows a community to bounce back – not just survive but return to normal quickly after an event,” Gehringer added.”

A focus on resiliency is a key theme in modern engineering and especially relevant to fast-growing communities like the Katy area. In Katy alone, the U.S. Census Bureau reported an estimated 20.5% increase in population between 2020 and 2023. Growth isn’t limited to new residents alone – businesses also see the benefits of building and relocating. As the center of the Houston area continues to migrate west, the Katy area is quickly becoming closer and closer to the center. When the added development fills in more open spaces, smart planning becomes critical.

“You can’t just use the blueprints of the past,” Gehringer noted. “It’s about thinking of the bigger picture – how new developments impact existing neighborhoods, drainage systems, and reservoirs. And those thoughts need to happen early in a project’s life.”

A look toward the future

Greater resiliency planning creates stronger communities from one perspective, personal connections and working together on common goals will build a stronger Katy area from another view. As the area expands and becomes more complex, Gehringer believes the Katy Area EDC can also grow and serve as a voice for more communities as a long-term goal. Many points of connection already exist and could be strengthened to increase the region’s influence in a positive manner.

“That’s the beauty of Houston in the larger picture,” Gehringer said. “It has been growing for decades, and it’s very collaborative in how that growth has been happening.”

Gehringer pointed out there is a legitimate desire to improve and build upon existing progress within Katy Area EDC and the community.

“The board, and the members that are on the board care deeply about the area, about the organization, and about the people who live and work in the area,” Gehringer continued. “You have really good people with great backgrounds, and there are people who have been there a decade or more. You have the new and the old, but everybody comes to the table with the idea that they’re supporting the Katy area.”

To learn more about living or working in the Katy area, visit the Katy Area Economic Development Council website or contact us today.