The start of a new year is often cause for celebration, and that is certainly the case for The Thrasher Group. Set to be a hallmark year, 2023 will mark four decades in business for one of the largest privately owned architectural, engineering, and field services consulting firms in the Mid-Atlantic region.

 

Founded as a small-town utility engineering firm back in 1983, today, Thrasher’s capabilities have grown immensely to become a full-service consulting firm working on projects in countless communities across five core markets: Water Resources, Land Development, Energy, Transportation, and Architecture. 

 

“It’s hard to believe that this year will mark 40 years of doing what I love, and that is truly a testament to the people who have worked here over the years” said Woody Thrasher, founder and CEO of the firm. “I step back and look at not only the expansion of services, but the expansion geographically, and am just so proud to have seen our company - and all our employees - enjoy this success.”

 

This milestone is an important one not only for Thrasher and his staff, but for their clients as well. 

 

“This being our fortieth year in business means something to both current and future clients,” said Clayton White, Chief Operations Officer. “It means we’re here to stay. People can trust that we have been doing this type of work in this particular part of the country for four decades now, and we have accrued a wealth of knowledge that is unrivaled in this area.”

 

Knowledge isn’t the only thing The Thrasher Group has accrued over the years, though. The firm’s staff has continually expanded, with new geographic locations added and the number of staff in each office consistently growing. In fact, that growth has led to another 2023 milestone for Thrasher – the consolidation and expansion of its Charleston, West Virginia, office. 

 

“We’ve had a presence in Charleston for 26 years, and in that time we’ve seen a lot of growth and change,” said Heidi Handley, Thrasher’s Director of Marketing and Business Development. “We currently have two separate spaces for our team in Charleston, but with an increase in staff, a recent acquisition, and an expansion of capabilities, it was the right time to upgrade our physical space and bring everyone together.”

 

That project is currently in the fit-out phase, with plans to open doors to the 23,000-square-foot facility in the next few months. 

 

While that work will keep some of The Thrasher Group’s in-house architects busy, the majority of Thrasher’s staff will be working diligently to serve communities across West Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and beyond. 

 

“There has never been a more critical time in our industry,” said Jonathan Carpenter, Water Resources Market Lead for the firm. “With the number of projects our clients have, many of them integral to providing people with basic infrastructure needs like water and sewer service, there has never been a demand for engineering and architectural design services like there is right now.”

 

That demand has led to Thrasher’s ever-expanding portfolio of work and the recent addition of numerous talented Project Managers and other key staff. While currently still hiring for a multitude of positions, Thrasher’s look ahead into 2023 is bright.

 

“Fortunate and enthusiastic – those are the two words I would use to describe my outlook for this year,” remarked Thrasher. “We have a wealth of talented people who come to work here every day and who have spent decades proving that we are here to stay. I look forward to seeing another year of incredible efforts and more opportunities to build up the communities where we live and work.” 

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows The Thrasher Group President and Founder Woody Thrasher, while one of many locals working for the firm, Chad Riley, the vice president of business development, is shown below.