2025’s 30 Under 30 EC&M Electrical All Stars: Dylan Bui
Dylan Bui, PE
Job Title: AVP, Electrical Engineer and Associate Vice President
Company: Salas O’Brien
Location: Tustin, Calif.
Age: 29
Years on the Job: 7
Interests: Reading science fiction, keeping up with space technology development and tweaking his smart home deployment
As the son of an electrical engineer, Dylan Bui was inspired to follow in his father’s footsteps. Talented in math and physics, he knew he was destined to study engineering or programming. Once he got to college, he discovered the engineering classes were both interesting and fulfilling, making the decision an easy one.
“It is truly gratifying to design systems that people can count on every single day,” he said.
Born and raised in Orange County, Calif., he graduated from the University of California-San Diego with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering with a focus on power engineering. He also took classes in renewable energy and microgrid technology, which became important for his work.
The registered professional electrical engineer was recently promoted to associate vice president. In this role, he is responsible for managing multiple projects, handling BIM support, and developing the DC platform. His company designs medical office buildings and hospitals with DC lighting instead of running conduit, which has led to cost savings in the millions of dollars for clients. He also meets with his team to ensure the projects are running smoothly, and he answers any questions.
“My favorite part is being able to work side-by-side every day with my team, figuring out answers to complex questions and providing input to help grow and learn,” he said.
He says technology has helped his company to improve efficiency tremendously. For example, he is working with a coworker on developing a custom software add-in that can increase collaboration between disciplines.
“What once took us weeks now only takes us a day or two at most — with even less manpower required,” he said. “AI is here to stay, and companies that do not adapt or integrate some form of automation or assistive intelligence will fall behind very quickly.”
Down the road, he sees himself as a vice president or a managing principal in charge of hundreds of employees. “To keep up with the high demand, I would ensure that I am leading the company in innovation and technology, keeping us at the cutting edge of development,” he said.