08/22/2025
SE3, LLC is excited to announce the transition to the second generation of ownership from our founder, Vernal Stewart, to our new President and CEO, Raymond Kumapley, PE.
Raymond Kumapley is the President and CEO of SE3, LLC, bringing over two decades of experience in the professional engineering industry. He has led local, state, and federally funded municipal and transportation projects, with expertise spanning project-level planning, design, and construction through to large-scale DOT and tollway corridor master planning. His experience includes corridor management of interstate systems across the Chicagoland region, as well as technical standards and manual reviews for multiple transportation agencies.
Ray is actively involved in professional organizations such as the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois (ACEC-IL), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), where he has served as both a member and committee chair. His passion for entrepreneurship was shaped early in life by his late father, a professor of geotechnical engineering and founder of a successful consulting firm. Watching his father balance academic leadership with building a thriving business inspired Ray’s own pursuit of business ownership. Today, he applies the values of resilience, adaptability, and dedication he learned from his father to lead SE3 with vision and purpose, and he is a proud graduate of the University of Science and Technology in Ghana, West Africa, and Purdue University.
Vernal Stewart, Emeritus CEO, served as the founding Chief Executive Officer and President of SE3, LLC from 2004 through the summer of 2025. Vern founded SE3 after 30 years of managing complex projects in the Chicago and Greater Kansas City Metropolitan areas. SE3’s principles are rooted in Mr. Stewart’s lifetime in the construction industry, which began with his family’s business, Masonry Builders Inc., founded in 1949. Mr. Stewart founded and operated the Engineered Polymers Company in the heart of Kansas City, employing over 80 people for 19 years. His established leadership spanning several decades within the minority business community in Chicago, Dallas, and Kansas City exemplifies his recognition as a highly talented business leader in Missouri and the surrounding region. Mr. Stewart’s primary career focus has been providing core management services for major U.S. clients, supporting the design and construction of significant infrastructure projects. His value isn’t just in the services he provides but in the fantastic friendships he builds with every client. Mr. Stewart is a board member of the City of Lafayette and contributes to the Diversity Committee of ACEC Missouri. His commitment extends to participating in COMTO KC and actively participating in the Transportation Committee.
