From clean water and wastewater treatment to stormwater solutions, surveying and landscape architecture, Halff’s local team helps turn complex engineering work into everyday community improvements.

Business Snapshot

Business: Halff
Featured Leader: Brett Tobias, Operations Manager
Industry: Infrastructure Consulting / Engineering
Local Focus: Water, sewer and stormwater projects; surveying; topographic mapping; landscape architecture
Website: Halff.com
Social Media: LinkedIn, Instagram @wearehalff, Facebook

About the Business

A lot of the work Halff does is the kind of work people rely on every day without always thinking about it.

When you turn on the sink, flush a toilet, drive past a drainage project after a heavy rain, or see a public space take shape, there is often a team of engineers, surveyors, planners and technical professionals behind the scenes helping make it possible.

Halff is a full-service infrastructure consulting firm that works across areas including water, wastewater, stormwater, surveying, landscape architecture and broader infrastructure planning. Nationally, the firm has been improving lives and communities since 1950, carrying forward a people-focused approach built around turning ideas into real, working solutions.

Locally, Brett Tobias and the Halff team are focused on the infrastructure that supports quality of life in Mount Dora and the surrounding area, including projects tied to clean water, sewage disposal, stormwater flooding remediation, property boundaries, topographic mapping and community spaces.

The Story Behind the Business

For Brett, the work is both technical and personal.

“I’ve always enjoyed crunching numbers, and love making the math work to solve complex problems,” he said. “Halff’s diversity of services allows me to use those skills across the industry to make my community better for everyone.”

That is a fitting way to describe infrastructure work. It requires math, planning and technical expertise, but the end result is very human. It is about making sure communities can grow responsibly, residents can count on essential services, and public systems can keep up with the needs of the people who live and work here.

Brett also points to a lesson that applies well beyond engineering: business is not just about producing a product. It is about understanding clients, building relationships, helping them meet their needs and becoming a trusted advisor.

That trusted-advisor role is especially important in infrastructure, where projects are often complex, long-term and deeply connected to public health, safety and future growth.

Why Mount Dora

For Brett, Mount Dora is not just a market. It is home.

“I am a nearly life-long Lake County resident and grew up in the Golden Triangle area,” he said. “Simply put, Mount Dora is my home and has been in some capacity for nearly my entire life.”

That local connection matters. Infrastructure decisions are not abstract when they affect the roads, utilities, schools, neighborhoods and public spaces used by your own family, neighbors and community.

It also gives Halff’s local work a deeper purpose. The firm’s broader vision is improving lives and communities by turning ideas into reality, and in Mount Dora, that mission is happening in a place Brett has known for nearly his entire life.

The Work They Do

Halff’s local team works in several areas that are essential to a growing community.

That includes water, sewer and stormwater-related projects that support clean water, wastewater treatment and flood remediation. The team also provides survey services for property boundaries and topographic mapping, along with landscape architecture services that help shape public spaces and community environments.

One major local project currently underway is the City of Mount Dora Wastewater Treatment Plant No. 2 Expansion. According to Brett, the project will increase the plant’s capacity to handle more flow while also improving the level of treatment, which benefits overall water quality for the plant and the surrounding area.

It is the kind of project most people may never see up close, but one that has a direct impact on how a community functions.

“I think most people really don’t have a fundamental understanding of infrastructure,” Brett said. “It is taken for granted that when you turn on the sink, the water runs; when you flush a toilet, that waste ‘goes somewhere.’ I think people simply do not understand the level of time, attention and care that engineers put into the items that most people take for granted every day.”

Community, Chamber & Local Connections

Halff’s connection to the Mount Dora Area Chamber of Commerce has helped the business strengthen its local visibility and build relationships across the business community.

“The Mount Dora Area Chamber of Commerce has provided us with increased visibility in the community, as well as opportunities to meet other local business leaders and to forge relationships within our business community,” Brett said.

That community involvement extends beyond the office as well. Brett and his wife are active in their daughter’s school and education, and this past year he served as PTO president, helping organize fundraisers and student events.

Within the Halff office, team members are also involved in a variety of personal and professional organizations, including Rotary, Lake Leadership, ASCE, FSA, DBIA and others.

What’s Next

As Halff continues its local work, the team is focused not only on today’s projects, but on the larger role infrastructure plays in Mount Dora’s future.

For Brett, success has evolved over time. Earlier in a project or business journey, success can be measured by the “micro” elements: the day-to-day tasks that keep jobs moving and clients supported. As the business grows, the definition expands.

Today, success also means thinking about the “macro” picture: continuously enhancing service to clients, expanding services, creating opportunities for employees to grow, and fulfilling Halff’s vision of improving lives and communities by turning ideas into reality.

Behind the Business — Quick Insights

Why Mount Dora?
For Brett, Mount Dora is home. He is a nearly life-long Lake County resident who grew up in the Golden Triangle area.

What does Halff do?
Halff is a full-service infrastructure consulting firm. Locally, the team works on water, sewer and stormwater projects, as well as surveying, topographic mapping and landscape architecture.

Chamber impact:
The Chamber has helped Halff increase visibility, meet other local business leaders and build stronger relationships within the business community.

Biggest lesson learned:
Business is not just about producing a product. It is about knowing your clients, building relationships, helping meet their needs and becoming a trusted advisor.

Biggest challenge:
Halff’s industry is highly specialized, and qualified talent can be difficult to find. The team’s solution has been to prioritize efficiency in its work.

What’s exciting right now:
The local office is working on the City of Mount Dora Wastewater Treatment Plant No. 2 Expansion, a project designed to increase capacity and improve treatment levels.

How success is defined today:
Success now includes both the day-to-day work and the bigger picture: better service, expanded capabilities, employee growth and improving communities through meaningful infrastructure solutions.

Something people may not know:
A tremendous amount of time, attention and care goes into the infrastructure people use every day without thinking about it.

Advice to other business owners:
Do not undervalue your work. If you are an expert in your field, you deserve to be compensated for the value you bring to your clients.

Learn More

To learn more about Halff and its infrastructure consulting work, visit Halff.com or follow the company on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram at @wearehalff.