Baker comes to LAN with a storied military career. A recipient of three bronze stars for heroic and meritorious service in combat zones, he was most recently a Colonel in the U.S. Army, with more than 25 years of military service. As a leader in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, he successfully helmed multiple billion-dollar infrastructure programs. At LAN, he will be responsible for federal government, state, and local projects and will be based in the San Antonio office.
“John is a great addition to our company," said Steve Gilbreath, LAN Vice President and Business Group Leader. "With his outstanding credentials, he will help advance our water resources supply and federal practices. Across the state, he will be actively involved in business development and strategic planning for our infrastructure initiatives with public and private organizations. As the lead on designated infrastructure projects, he’ll help us deliver sustainable solutions for communities. He will definitely add depth to our strong team.”
“As part of our leadership team, John will also be able to mentor newer engineers. They are learning from the best,” Gilbreath added.
Prior to joining LAN, the Texas A&M graduate was the Director of Operations for the U.S. Army Installation Management Command. Working with a global workforce, the Colonel managed services and infrastructure for 75 Army bases around the world, providing emergency management, strategic planning, and training support. Baker coordinated large scale military responses, including the historic reception, placement, and housing of more than 30,000 Afghan refugees at Army installations.
In his tenure with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baker served as a District Commander, Executive Director - Civil Works, and Chief Engineer. As USACE’s District Commander in Germany, he presided over an engineering, construction, and real estate program stretching across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Baker has managed multi-billion-dollar construction budgets including LEED-certified and sensitive compartmented information facilities.
In his Washington, D.C. and San Francisco, California assignments, he headed civil works programs for water resources, disaster response, flood reduction, environmental restoration, and sustainable infrastructure.
Baker has been consistently recognized for building highly cohesive teams and excelling in critical situations. In Afghanistan, he led the construction of a $70-million, 3,500-soldier Afghan Army base with more than 100 on-site facilities, a success the Afghan President recognized by personally attending the dedication ceremony.
In addition to his master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Maryland, he has a master’s degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College. Baker is a member of the Society of American Military Engineers and the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. is a full-service consulting firm offering planning, engineering, and program management services. Founded in 1935, LAN has grown from its humble beginnings as a small Houston firm to a national leader in the heavy civil infrastructure engineering industry. A division of LEO A DALY, an international architecture/engineering firm, LAN has access to the expertise of nearly 800 professionals in 31 offices across the country.
