Win In an industry seemingly unaffected by the recession, PTS has kept its sights on a busi- ness plan that calls for continuous growth. In six years, the company has outgrown four banks, established an advisory board and employed hundreds of technicians in the power industry. The skyrocketing success of PTS may have caught the industry off guard, but it was not a surprise to those who know Bis- hara and understand what motivates and drives the 46-year-old Egyptian native. “The growth of the company has been spectacular,’’ said James Atkins, retired president of Bell Helicopter and member of the PTS advisory board. ‘He (Bishara) has the technical background that enables him to represent his company with some of the major power users around the country. Td say much of the company’s success is a result of his superior technical skills.” Bishara was one of the top engineering students in Egypt, operating his own business following his graduation from Ain Shams University in Cairo. He hoped to work toward his Ph.D. and teach on the university level, but chances for advancement were slim, As a Christian, Bishara said he believed he would not receive the same opportunities as Muslim students. “As a minority, I was deprived of having the opportunity to be offered a fellowship with the government,” he said. ‘I felt I was denied and would have more opportunities working in the United States. I had no choice but to come here and establish a new life.”” Bishara worked five years before earning enough for an airline ticket to New York. He was allowed to take only $243 with him when finally he had enough money to leave. Because his command of English was limit- ed, there were many anxious moments as the 27-year-old engineer began to consider life in from page 1 ~aforeign country, _ “What if I became sick? How would I tell the doctor what was wrong? In these situa- tions, the human instinct for survival takes over. And you just drive to overcome those obstacles. As long as you don’t lose your goals, you’ll make it,” Bishara said. In America, he initially worked as a pro- ject engineer for Cosentini Associates in New York while attending Polytechnic University. He eamed his master’s of mechanical engi- neering degree in June 1976. Deciding he could make more money practicing engineer- ing than teaching, he went to work as senior ‘engineer for Ebasco Services Inc. and was promoted to lead engineer in 1979. It was while working on a nuclear power plant project in Louisiana in 1984 that Bis- hara decided to branch out on his own. With partner Jack Chapdelaine, Bishara launched PTS and landed Illinois Power Co. as his first client. He worked on a power plant pro- ject in Champagne before relocating PTS to Hurst. The most difficult aspect of the transition from engineer to company president was dealing with the non-technical aspects of business, such as personnel, marketing, financial and legal matters, Bishara said. For that expertise, he has learned to rely on his staff and guidance from friends in the busi- ness community, he said. “You should not be threatened by capable people, contemporaries or subordinates. Rather, you should be wise in selecting capa- ble individuals,” Bishara said. Asa testament to Bishara’s drive, he spent April 1 — the 18th anniversary of his arrival in the U.S. — filling out an application for Who’s Who in Science and Engineering. “Every one of us as a human being has an extreme in his or her own personality,” he said. “When you reach out to that extreme, I believe that it will lead to success... .I always knew I worked hard, but I also had the will and desire to succeed. That is where I get my comfort and satisfé i