David Vernellis

David made a name for himself at SmithGroup as a talented structural engineer and project manager for many high-profile corporate, academic and government buildings. Now he applies that experience as director of operations for the Southwest Region, overseeing project coordination, design and management. "As I began to learn more about the A/E industry, I realized I enjoyed business and management as well as engineering," says David. He took to heart the advice, "Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Push beyond your comfort zone to succeed." As a vice president, David notes, "I feed the team information that allows the project to succeed, then trust in their abilities and allow them free range to do their job." Maybe it’s his Italian roots; David says he’s inspired by Renaissance artists. "Especially Da Vinci, since he is often described as an ‘artist-engineer.’ I love engineering, but I still strive to gain the artistic wisdom that many in this firm possess."