The Georgia Society of Professional Engineers has named Thomas & Hutton’s President and CEO, Samuel McCachern, PE, Engineer of the Year for Private Practice.  This award, given by the state’s leading organization of engineering professionals, honors licensed engineers who have made outstanding contributions to the engineering profession, the public welfare, and/or humankind. McCachern was honored at the 2015 Georgia Engineers Week Awards Gala, which took place at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center in Atlanta on February 28.

McCachern began his career with Savannah’s first private civil engineering company, Thomas & Hutton (T&H), in 1985 upon graduating from North Carolina State University with a B.S. in civil engineering.  Starting as a young graduate engineer, his roles, with increasing responsibility, included design engineer for projects on Daufuskie Island, project manager for Sun City Hilton Head, and client manager for Crescent Resources and the Branigar Organization.  Through the years, McCachern’s hard work and motivation provided him opportunities to climb the ranks at T&H. His management roles included all of the corporate positions and he currently sits on the board of directors and serves as President and CEO. 

McCachern is responsible for the company’s strategic plan, which has led to the diversification of services and expansion into new markets.  Under McCachern’s leadership, the firm (established in 1946) maintains a high level of state-of-the-art technology for production, communication, and innovation.  Understanding the importance of retention and listening to the needs of his employees, McCachern helped develop Thomas & Hutton University, which puts an emphasis on extensive training and skill development for staff.  As a single father raising his son, McCachern believes that families come first and knows the value of flexible scheduling for his staff. 

The firm continues to grow under McCachern’s leadership, Jim Collins, T&H’s Senior Vice President/Regional Director, states, “I consider Sam to be a leader in our profession from both a technical and managerial standpoint.  During the recent economic downturn, it was Sam’s steady foresight and management ability that allowed Thomas & Hutton to not only persevere as one of the largest civil engineering firms in the state of Georgia, but to add two regional offices in South Carolina.” McCachern states, “Our staff grew by almost twenty percent last year, and we are looking for additional talented people.  We have a lot of fun with our clients, work, and employees.  It is a good time to be an engineering consultant in the Southeastern United States.”  

McCachern is not only a leader in the engineering community, but also an active and integral member of many local organizations including: Isle of Hope United Methodist Church, Rotary Club of Savannah, United Way of the Coastal Empire, Savannah Technical Institute Foundation, Georgia Southern CEIT Corporate Advisory Board, and the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce.

A sense of community is an essential part of Thomas & Hutton.  The company makes it a priority to donate to local organizations and employees are fully supported in their endeavors to give back to the community.  In her recommendation letter to GSPE, Savannah Mayor Edna Jackson wrote, “[McCachern] and his firm represent the epitome of how the community and a company can work together for the benefit of all people.”

McCachern has one son, a college sophomore.