Ed started his career in 1978 at Cater and Parks while participating in the Cooperative education program at the University of Alabama Birmingham. He graduated UAB in 1987 and left Cater and Parks to move to Montgomery and worked at Hattemer, Hornsby, and Bailey for a little over 2 years. He then moved back to Birmingham and worked at UAB’s Architecture and Engineering Department doing Electrical Engineering for approximately 15 years. During that time, he received his Professional Engineering License in the summer of 1998. He moved jobs within the University and became the Telecommunications Engineering Manager in charge of the Outside and Inside Plant physical infrastructure, including all of the copper, fiber, Telecom/Data Rooms, ductbank, and manhole system.