FAYETTEVILLE, AR — Northwest Arkansas-based Garver Project Engineers Brandon Durden, PE, and Chris Maestri, PE, were selected for this year’s class of the ACEC Arkansas Emerging Leaders Program.

“I look forward to the opportunities that this program will unlock,” Maestri said. “As an Arkansas native, I see it as an opportunity not only to better know my home state, but to meet the other engineers who I’ll work with in shaping it for the generations to come.”

In being selected for the program, Durden and Maestri join a number of Garver employees who have gone on to leadership roles at the firm. These include Director of AssetMax Keith Tencleve, Transportation Team Leader Todd Mueller, Delta Region Aviation Leader Blake Roberson, Transportation Project Manager Joel Skinner, and Project Manager Rusty Tate.

“As a younger engineer, our focus is on building competence and completing the project tasks of the day,” Durden said. “As we develop, we begin to desire a more complete understanding of the life cycle of projects and the business of consulting. I am grateful to ACEC Arkansas and Garver for making an investment that provides us with exposure to risk and business management, along with opportunities to develop our communication skills.”

Durden, based in Garver’s Fayetteville office, is a Project Engineer on the Transportation Team, specializing in the design of bridges and other roadway structures.

Maestri, based in Garver’s Rogers office, is a Project Engineer on Garver’s Aviation Team, working with airports across the state on design, evaluation, and maintenance of airfield pavements.