Dewberry taps new COO, division presidents

Fairfax County-based engineering, architecture and construction firm Dewberry is making several changes to its executive leadership.

Dewberry announced Thursday that Darren Conner has been named the firm’s chief operating officer, overseeing business development and strategic planning for the firm’s 60 offices. He will also align the company’s management program to serve new and existing clients.

Connor was most recently president of Dewberry Engineers, the firm’s engineering practice. He has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Virginia Tech and an associate’s degree in pre-engineering from Danville Community College.

The new president of Dewberry Engineers is Dave Maxwell, who will oversee operations and growth for more than 10 operating units. In the role, he will provide services to customers in the community facilities, education, energy, health and wellness, industrial, justice, real estate and commercial development, telecommunications, transportation and water market segments.

Before being promoted, Maxwell was the operating unit manager for Dewberry’s Southeast and mid-Atlantic operations. Maxwell has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Virginia.

Dewberry named Dave Mahoney the president of its program delivery practice. He will oversee the firm’s program delivery functions and associated risk management teams. He also is the market segment leader for the firm’s transportation and alternative project delivery practices. Mahoney has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from South Dakota State University.

Phil Thiel has been named president of the firm’s consulting division, supporting the firm’s federal clients and contracts. According to his LinkedIn account, he has overseen Dewberry’s federal, geospatial and technology practice for the past 24 years, and he will continue with his geospatial and technology leadership responsibilities in the new position.

Thiel will also support the firm’s newly acquired One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services Plus contract, awarded by the U.S. General Services Administration, including staff augmentation.

Thiel has two bachelor’s degrees from Brenau University in Georgia, one in business administration and another in fire protection. He is a member of ESRI’s Partner Advisory Council, the National Geospatial Advisory Council, the Society of American Military Engineers and U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He is on the board of directors of the Management Association for Private Photogrammetric Surveyors. Thiel is also co-founder of the National States Geographic Information Council.

“I am confident these four tenured leaders will help strengthen, grow and advance the future of Dewberry,” Dewberry CEO Donald E. Stone Jr. said in a statement. “As an organization, we are constantly evolving to make sure we’re responsive to the complex changes that this industry presents, and making these appointments to our senior leadership team is a natural evolution of those changes.”

Dewberry, which was established in 1956 in Danville, reported $683.12 million in revenue in 2024. It has more than 60 locations nationwide and more than 2,500 employees.