SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Triad Engineering’s
West Virginia
Legacy
By Samantha Cart
Triad Engineering, an employee-owned, West Virginia-based
firm of engineers, surveyors, scientists and field staff, is a
true Mountain State success story. Since the company was
founded more than 40 years ago in Morgantown, it has grown
from a small geotechnical firm to a multidisciplinary regional
firm with a wealth of resources, technology and offices
throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. The firm’s time-tested
endurance, unique company culture and West Virginia roots
have a celebrated past and a bright future.
A Rich History
What started as a three-man partnership among friends
and fellow West Virginia University (WVU) graduates Lyle
Moulton, Roger Seals and Dennis Chambers in 1975 very
soon blossomed into Triad Engineering. In 1977, the group
took on a fourth partner, Onas Aliff, and in 1979 a fifth,
Larry Nottingham. The firm’s Charleston office opened in
1979, and the company continued to grow.
“In the early years, we were fortunate to have a CEO who
was ambitious and confident we could do pretty much
anything in the civil engineering field,” says Randy Moulton,
Principal Engineer for Triad. “Even though we started as a
simple geotechnical and construction testing firm, many of
our existing clients approached us about doing certain types
of work, and our CEO would say, ‘Sure, we can do that,’ even
if we hadn’t done it before. We would then develop the
capabilities to execute those projects, and before too long,
we were operating a surveying department, doing civil design
work and providing environmental services.”
In 1988, Triad acquired a small firm with offices in
Winchester and Harrisonburg, VA. Moulton took over
management of the Winchester office in 1991, and the
company used that as a springboard to open offices in
Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio. During that
growth, Triad acquired an additional engineering firm in
Maryland. While the company’s footprint continues to
expand, it remains deeply rooted in its West Virginia
foundation.
“With the company’s start in Morgantown and early
expansion into Southern West Virginia, we feel connected
to the people of the state,” says Moulton. “Even with the
production of coal decreasing in recent years, there are
numerous markets we still serve, including energy, residential
and commercial development, manufacturing, education and
transportation. Considering the challenges in West Virginia
associated with geology, topography and environmental
issues, the demand for the quality engineering Triad offers
will continue well into the future, and we’ll stay in West
Virginia to respond to that demand.”
A Dedicated Staff
In 1996, Triad transitioned to an Employee Stock Ownership
Plan, or ESOP, and is now 100 percent employee owned.
This, along with several other unique policies, has created
a strong company culture that inspires employees to give
their very best.
“Knowing I have a stake in the company makes me want
to work harder and see it succeed,” says Staff Geologist
Maria af Rolén. “I saw working for Triad as an opportunity
to learn from its experience and develop as a professional
geologist, and the fact that I get to spend most of my time
working outside on a variety of projects, from drilling into
a coal mine one day and collecting groundwater samples
the next, really suits my adventurous lifestyle and keeps
the job interesting.”
According to af Rolén, the company culture is what sets Triad
apart from other engineering firms—especially since she
gets to bring her dog to work on Friday s. As a young woman
working in a STEM field, she finds it refreshing that Triad
hires women to do jobs traditionally dominated by men.
According to CEO Brad Reynolds, Triad’s environment and
culture is built to mentor and encourage and has created
highly motivated, technically sound and driven employees
who take pride in their work and client relationships.