Technologists, Inc. (Ti)

Background

At the Society of Afghan Engineers (SAE), we have valued our historical relationship with Technologists, Inc. (Ti), a U.S.-based engineering, management, and construction firm. Ti has maintained a connection in our shared mission to rebuild Afghanistan’s infrastructure and develop its human capital. Our history of engagement was built on a foundation of shared leadership, joint capacity-building initiatives, and a dedication to the future of our homeland.

Shared Leadership and Deep Organizational Ties

The connection between SAE and Technologists, Inc. is rooted in our shared people and leadership. Ti was founded in 1999 by Mr. Sayed “Aziz” Azimi, a member of our Society, who serves as the company’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Under his leadership, Ti has grown into one of the most successful and well-respected contractors operating in Afghanistan.

Furthermore, our very own Mr. Malik Mortaza, who is one of the founding members and the first President of SAE, has served as the Vice President of Afghanistan Operations for Technologists, Inc.. The overlap of our professional networks has extended to other key Ti personnel as well, including Mr. Farhad Azizi, who functions as Ti’s Design Director in Afghanistan and also serves as the VP-Architecture for our sister organization, the Society of Afghan Architects and Engineers (SAAE). Mr. Daud Mohmand, an active member of both SAE and SAAE, has also served as Chief Architect for Ti. This strong overlap in our ranks has helped ensure that Ti’s corporate objectives have closely aligned with our Society’s core engineering ethics and reconstruction goals.

Collaborative Capacity Building and Training

One of the significant intersections of our work with Technologists, Inc. has been in the realm of professional training and capacity building for Afghanistan’s engineering sector. We have held the view that introducing higher standards of development is critical to Afghanistan’s social and infrastructural progress.

To this end, Ti has provided extensive technical support to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (MoH&UD) to assist with construction code adoption. In a shining example of our history of engagement, Ti has organized and hosted a series of training workshops for engineering and architecture professors from Kabul University and Kabul Polytechnic University. This intensive course focused on the life safety and nonstructural plan review requirements of the International Building Code (IBC).

Our SAE members and Ti leadership have taken a hands-on approach to this initiative. The workshops were instructed by experts including Mr. Malik Mortaza, Ti’s Chief Architect Mr. Daud Mohmand, and Ti’s Design Director Mr. Ralph J. Bouza. By training university faculty who go on to educate the next generation of Afghan engineers, our combined efforts with Ti have created a lasting, multiplier effect on the nation’s technical capacity.

Rebuilding Afghanistan’s Infrastructure

We take immense pride in the tangible reconstruction work that our members have accomplished through Technologists, Inc. Since entering Afghanistan in 2004, Ti has completed more than 80 large-scale projects and 1,500 smaller projects, including critical horizontal and vertical structures.

Some of Ti’s notable contributions to the country’s development include:

• Industrial Parks and Facilities: Ti designed and built three industrial parks for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), including the Bagrami Industrial Park, and was the first builder in Afghanistan to implement ADA design features for sidewalks and infrastructure.
• National Highways: Ti has been instrumental in road rehabilitation, including the construction of the Kunduz-Khulm National Highway, a modern roadway designed to cut travel time, reduce shipping costs, and improve public safety.
• Water and Wastewater Systems: Ti has designed and built vital water infrastructure, including micro-hydropower dams, wastewater treatment plants, and sewage infrastructure for dozens of facilities across the country.
• Urban Planning: In 2012, Ti was the only Afghan-owned construction company to be shortlisted alongside international firms for the prestigious development plan of Phase 1 of Kabul New City, Deh Sabz.

A Shared Vision for the Future

Beyond pouring concrete and laying asphalt, SAE and Ti have shared a profound commitment to human capital. Ti was a pioneer in introducing modern construction technology, worker-safety procedures, and project management training to local project sites in Afghanistan. Furthermore, Ti has been a leader in expanding employment opportunities for Afghan women in non-traditional fields such as engineering, construction, and management.

Hundreds of professionals who gained their footing at Technologists, Inc. have gone on to launch their own firms or assume senior roles in the government and private sectors, continuously building upon the strong foundations needed for a modern Afghanistan.

Through our working relationship, the Society of Afghan Engineers and Technologists, Inc. have shared an optimism for a stable, peaceful, and technically advanced Afghanistan. Together, we have demonstrated that when Afghan professionals pool their talents and resources, the impact on our homeland is profound and enduring.