Caelen Ball

Caelen is a fourth generation Seattle native whose deep-rooted passion for real estate and urban development began in childhood while accompanying his father on maintenance trips to family rental properties in Ballard and Greenwood. This early exposure to property management ignited his interest in real estate and the built environment. Years later, this came full circle when he helped advise his family to successfully sell a property for $200k above the best offer. This event further convinced him that pursuing real estate as a career was his calling.

Caelen holds a Bachelor of Science from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo’s highly intensive Architectural Engineering (structural emphasis) program and a Master of Science in Civil Engineering (Construction Engineering) from the University of Washington, where he also completed the Runstad Commercial Real Estate Development Certificate and the Heavy Civil Construction Project Management Certificate. Caelen is also a licensed Professional Engineer in Washington and California, and a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

Currently, Caelen works at the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI), where he recently led a transformative, cross-departmental shift to a cloud-based plan review process. His product leadership resulted in a 25% increase in monthly construction permit approvals and a 20% improvement in daily permit throughput. Most notably, this technology shift sped average days to approval for complex construction permit reviews ‘22/’21 YOY by: 75d (days sooner) for zoning (27%); 70d for ordinance (24%); 90d for structural (27%); 120d for land use (32%); 148d for fire (39%). For his work, he earned Bluebeam’s 2022 Business Transformation Award – for companies that successfully use Bluebeam to boost their bottom line and transform how they do business. He has presented this success at leading national conferences, including Bluebeam’s XCON, LIVE! and Accela’s Accelerate Conferences.

Caelen’s career spans over a decade of expertise in construction engineering, project management, and structural design, with experience that includes high-impact roles at Mercer Island’s Development Services Group and Tutor Perini Corporation. His heavy civil work was on the $3.29 billion SR-99 Design-Build Project in Seattle, one of the largest infrastructure projects in WA.

Beyond his professional achievements, Caelen is deeply committed to community engagement. He proudly serves as an At-Large Trustee on the University of Washington Alumni Association Board (2023-2026) and as a board member of the Seattle Finlandia Foundation. He also co-founded Structural Engineering Students for Humanity, a student organization focused on engineering reconnaissance trips to understanding and improving earthquake-resilient building practices in communities recently devastated by earthquakes (Haiti, Nepal, etc.)

Caelen’s long-term goal is to merge his expertise in construction, engineering, permitting and real estate development to create highly valued properties that advance the economic and cultural vitality of the Pacific Northwest. Known for his collaborative leadership, creative problem-solving, and data-driven decision-making, he is a leader eager to expand his professional network and continue driving positive change through the region. He is honored to be accepted into this esteemed program and excited to be a member of the 2024-25 MSRE cohort.