J.R. is a leader in the Charlotte office, where he mentors his direct reports and is a key member of a larger 15-person North Carolina water resources team.

He spends his days supporting projects as a designer and project manager, mentoring colleagues, and strengthening connections across the industry.

This article is part of our series highlighting the experiences of VHB professionals across the company. This is J.R.'s story.

7:30 a.m. | An Early Start

My alarm goes off at 4:30 a.m., and I’m at the office by 6:00 or 6:30 a.m. to use the fitness center on our floor. By 7:30 a.m., I’m at my desk and ready to get to work. The early start helps me make the most of the quiet morning hours and still be present with my family at the end of the day.

I begin by reviewing my calendar, priorities, and goals for the day. Then I take advantage of the quiet before the office fills up to focus on project work and prepare for the day ahead.

8:00 a.m. | Hydraulics and Field Data 

Right now, my priority project is in partnership with the City of Asheville. Our project team has been asked to design 22 bridge and culvert replacements or retrofits in Western North Carolina that were damaged by Hurricane Helene. Currently, my team is conducting hydraulic field investigations at each site and gathering the survey data and observations needed to support our modeling efforts, which we will ultimately use for design.

Supporting recovery efforts after Helene has been some of the most meaningful work of my career. I served as the hydraulics project manager for three bridge projects in Western North Carolina, including one already in design when Hurricane Helene impacted the state. While we were expecting a typical review process, everything changed.

A colleague at the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) sent me a photo of the existing bridge, which had been completely disconnected from its end, bent on one side, and barely hanging on the other. 

Due to the damage to the existing structure, NCDOT preferred to alter the proposed alignment and replace the bridge in place. Our NC water resources team quickly pivoted to support this new alignment by delivering an approved hydraulic design in just 19 days—work that often takes nine to 18 months. 

My family and I were fortunate to avoid major impacts from the storm, but many friends, family members, and neighbors across Western North Carolina faced significant damage. Everyone found a way to help. Some cleared debris; others delivered supplies. I was uniquely positioned to help through my work, and I was proud to put that extra effort toward helping communities recover.

9:00 a.m. | Checking in with My Manager 

My team spans Charlotte and Raleigh, so I spend much of my day working with colleagues who aren’t always sitting right next to me. I meet regularly with my manager, Brandon Barham, to discuss weekly priorities and my direct reports' upcoming workload.

Staying connected takes intention. Our hydraulics team meets regularly to discuss workload and project milestones, and I check in routinely with colleagues across disciplines to keep budgets, schedules, and deliverables on track. I also travel to Raleigh whenever opportunities arise to connect with the team in person.

9:45 a.m. | Time with the Managing Director 

Our Managing Director, John Muth, and I meet regularly on Charlotte office items. John challenges me to explore areas outside of my comfort zone and often seems to identify my potential before I do.

John is one of several people who have helped shape my career at VHB. A lot of what we talk about is where this office is headed. Our Raleigh office has a strong history of attracting talent from NC State, and I want to help build that same kind of relationship with UNC Charlotte. It’s personal, because I’m a Niner. I want 49ers to know VHB and join us.

10:15 a.m. | Fifteen Minutes on the Calendar 

The investment people like John have made in my career is something I try to pay forward. I encourage my team and Charlotte colleagues to block time on my calendar for anything we need to talk through. Several times a week, one of those 15-minute meetings pops up.

I see myself as a partner to my early career colleagues. My door is always open, and I want to help them grow and succeed in the direction they choose.

11:00 a.m. | Working Across Disciplines 

The best work I do at VHB often happens with colleagues in the room. The Western North Carolina structures are a great example. I may be the hydraulics point person, but I recognize the valuable role every discipline plays on every project.

Our best tool is collaboration. We should all have depth of knowledge in our specific areas of practice, but being able to see a project through other disciplines’ eyes is invaluable. My focus is multidisciplinary: keeping roadway, structures, utility, and all project aspects in mind when managing or designing the hydraulics for any given project.

That same multidisciplinary approach has been critical on projects like South King Charles Road in Raleigh, where our team delivered corridor safety improvements, confirmed stormwater management standards were met, and coordinated across disciplines to develop a solution that worked for the community. 

12:00 p.m. | Leadership Visit 

President and CEO Bill Ashworth visits each office across the company every year to discuss where our industry is headed and how VHB can continue meeting our clients' evolving needs. Much of the discussion focuses on Charlotte’s continued growth and the opportunities ahead.

I chimed in to discuss how we delivered in Western North Carolina. Our disciplines worked in parallel rather than handing the design off from one team to the next, which let us move very efficiently.

Closer to home, our team is collectively designing improvements to the US-74 corridor and the surrounding infrastructure (U-2509AB). I grew up driving through that area. One day in the near future, I'll watch it change in ways I can see my fingerprints on.

Strong technical skills remain the foundation of the work, but experience brings a different perspective. More and more, I find myself helping clients solve complex problems, navigate uncertainty, and make decisions that move projects forward.

2:00 p.m. | Connecting With Colleagues 

Culture is built through everyday interactions. I try to make time to check in with people, ask how they’re doing, and remember what’s important to them. Whether it's a project challenge, a personal milestone, or a career goal, those conversations help build the relationships that make a team stronger.

When people know they’re valued and supported, they’re more comfortable reaching out for help, sharing ideas, and working through challenges together. That’s the kind of environment I want to help create.

3:00 p.m. | A Few Minutes Outside

In the afternoon, I sometimes take conversations outside to break up the day. I like to gain perspective from colleagues who are active in our industry, which I apply to my work with the American Council of Engineering Companies of North Carolina (ACEC/NC)—my primary outlet for industry involvement beyond my day-to-day work. 

In my first year here, I was encouraged to pursue ACEC/NC’s Future Leaders program, and VHB leaders have supported my involvement ever since. That opportunity led to a two-year term on the junior board and, recently, to co-chairing the legislative committee, where I’ll help shape the organization’s position on legislation affecting the industry.

4:30 p.m. | Heading Home

Around 4:30 p.m., I head home to be the best husband and father I can be. Starting early is what makes that possible.

What has kept me at VHB is the same thing that brought me. I work with technically strong colleagues, and no matter the challenge, someone on the team has encountered something similar and can help find a path forward. I have been given a real opportunity to grow, I am supported in my industry involvement, and I am encouraged to maintain work-life balance.

The advice I would give someone earlier in their career is this: You will likely never have more flexibility to explore and learn than you do right now. Spend it well. Determination will carry you further than you expect, and the willingness to stay with a problem until you get it right compounds over a career.

Learn more about VHB's early career opportunities, or explore all open positions across our footprint to find where you can make an impact.