Since the firm’s founding in 1972 by two Virginia Tech alumni, Draper Aden Associates’ office in Blacksburg has seen consistent growth. That expansion continues to this day. In 2017 alone, the firm has hired seven new employees in the Blacksburg office.
One of DAA’s newest hires in Blacksburg is Caitlin Arrington, a Human Resources Consultant. She is responsible for a number of functions, including recruitment for the firm’s Blacksburg, Charlottesville, and Northern Virginia offices. Caitlin’s move to the firm was recently included in the Roanoke Times “Names and Changes” column.
Lutheria Smith, SHRM-SCP, Director of Human Resources
Growth isn’t just limited to new employees either. Lutheria Smith, SHRM-SCP, Director of Human Resources, was recently promoted to Vice President as well. She also serves on the firm’s Board of Directors. Based in the firm’s Blacksburg office, Lutheria manages the firm’s human resources functions. She primarily focuses on workforce planning, ensuring that DAA’s people strategy aligns with the firm’s business strategy. Under her leadership, the human resources team focuses on attracting and retaining top talent at DAA necessary to provide unparalleled service and value to the firm’s clients.
The office, which includes 56 team members, is one of the firm’s largest and continues to serve a variety of clients in the New River Valley, Roanoke region, and Southwest Virginia. For example, the firm has worked closely with Virginia Tech on a wide array of projects and helped to transform the campus into the global research university it has become. DAA provided engineering services for Goodwin Hall, a signature research building on campus, and the Turner Street mixed-use development. Recently, DAA was the leading engineer on the new Virginia Tech Indoor Practice Facility, which has enhanced the school’s athletics program. The firm also has worked on economic development sites throughout Southwest Virginia and been an integral player in countless projects in Blacksburg and Roanoke. DAA’s work with the Town of Pulaski on brownfields site assessments and grants has spurred redevelopment and brought significant private investment to the town. These are just a few examples of the breadth of DAA’s lasting, positive impact in the New River Valley and throughout Southwest Virginia.
DAA has grown to become one of the most respected engineering firms in Blacksburg and throughout the Mid-Atlantic. Similar to the past 45 years, the firm is positioned for additional growth in its Blacksburg office for decades to come.
