Today we celebrate Dan Schaefer’s 30th year of service at F&R! Dan is our Carolinas Regional Vice President.
Dan was born and raised in Rochester, New York. After reading the children’s book Who Built the Highway (Norman Bate, 1953) at an early age, Dan was hooked and knew that somehow, someway, he was going to be involved in construction. He joined F&R’s Raleigh, North Carolina office as a Geotechnical Engineer in 1990. During his early years here he completed his Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from North Carolina State University. In 2001, Dan became the Branch Manager of F&R’s Raleigh office, a position in which he excelled so considerably that in 2015 Dan was promoted to the position of F&R’s Carolina Regional Vice President.
Dan has had a positive impact on many people at F&R over these past 30 years, as evidenced by these words from his colleagues:
“Dan Schaefer has been instrumental in the success of F&R. He leads by example, always conscientious to ensure decisions are made in the best interest of the company as a whole. Everyone has a voice with Dan. He listens equally to input from drillers, technicians, administrative, and engineering staff to ensure all perspectives are considered. He leads our Senior Professional Mentorship Program, further supporting the growth of our technical staff. Dan’s diplomacy, professional abilities, and technical excellence over the last 30 years have shaped the company F&R is today.” ~Sam Proctor, Chief Executive Officer
“While I’ve worked with Dan for only 10 months, it didn’t take long to recognize that he would always keep me on my toes. I love to be challenged, and Dan has proven himself to be up to the task. The superior performance of the Raleigh branch is a testament to Dan’s management skills and drive for success. Congratulations on 30 years, Dan!” Michael W. Matthews, PE, President and Chief Operating Officer
“Dan has been a great mentor over the 14 years that I’ve worked with him. He sets high standards that no one can live up to….I mean, he sets high standards that have taught us to strive for excellence. And this mentality is evident in what we do, how we manage projects and write reports, and how we treat each other. Because of Dan, I feel confident in the quality of services we provide to our clients and the supportive environment that we have in our office, and this helps me sleep well at night. Thank you for your hard work and leadership, and most-importantly for hiring me 14 years ago. Congratulations on 30 years!” ~W. Patrick Alton, P.E., Assistant Branch Manager, Transportation Services Manager
“Dan Schaefer is one of a few outstanding mentors I’ve had the pleasure of working with, he truly is an adviser, guide, confidante, counselor, consultant, and therapist.” ~Alex Robinson, P.E., Branch Manager
“I am grateful to be part of 20 of Dan’s 30 years with F&R. Dan has been the backbone of the Raleigh office and F&R. Dan stood tall as a pillar of strength with unflinching confidence and vigor and steered the way through crises, recessions, and prosperity. Dan has become the epitome of a leader. He always leads by example, is respected by all, followed and imitated by many, and duplicated by no one! The success of the Raleigh office and the Carolinas personify Dan’s capabilities, dedication, and hard work. Dan, congratulations on your 30 year anniversary and wishing you many more years of success. Thank you for all you have done; your accomplishments are aspiring to all!” ~Santhosh K. Mahavadi, P.E., Assistant Branch Manager
“Wow….30 years! Quite the accomplishment! It has been a privilege and honor to work with Dan for my past 26 years here. One of the many fond memories of working with Dan in my early days at F&R is from when Dan was a PE in the corner office and our offices shared a door. Dan was known to bounce a pen off the door into my office if he was on the phone with a client and needed assistance. It was effective communication in 1995. We often laugh about those days long ago, but with technology have progressed to using other means of communication. I have been able to watch Dan grow from a PE in that corner office to Branch Manager to Regional Vice President. Much of the success at F&R-Raleigh can be credited to the leadership and hard work exemplified by Dan. Dan is a dedicated employee at F&R and I wish Dan continued success for years to come. Dan is truly one of the “bestest”! Happy 30th Anniversary Dan!” ~ Paula R. Gibson, Branch Administrator
“I have been with F&R for 20+ years and have known Dan most of that time. We have worked on many projects together from simple pavement investigations to complex cut/fill projects involving multiple commercial buildings and school sites. Over the years we have not only become co-workers, but friends as well. Even with my 40 years of experience in the industry, I have learned quite a bit about solving construction related issues from working with Dan. If not for him, I would not have had the opportunity to come to work in the Raleigh branch 10 years ago. He has demonstrated his leadership year after year by heading one of the most successful branches in the company. If he could use those skills to learn how to hit a golf ball straight, he would be dangerous to deal with!” ~Michael W. Sloan, P.E., Senior Engineer
“Dan, it’s been a pleasure to have worked alongside you for the past 17+ years. I hope I have shared at least a little bit of my knowledge with you. It’s not as much as you’ve shared with me. Congratulations on 30 and may you have many more.” ~Henry Riggs, Maintenance Supervisor
“I remember when I first started working here in 1997, Dan was an engineer stuffed in a back office, and I wasn’t even sure what his role was. The Raleigh office ran like a machine under Ray Whitaker, very smoothly and profitably. When Ray stepped down and Dan took over, he kept at it year after year, working countless hours until he turned the Raleigh office into a well-oiled machine that ran even smoother and more profitable than ever! He continues to work the countless hours and takes a lot of pride in his work and it shows. He has become an irreplaceable mentor to people in not only the Raleigh office, but in the entire company. Congratulations on 30 years of excellence!” ~Derick Racey, Geotechnical Project Manager