Title: Office Manager
Company: Pennoni
Location: Aldie, Virginia, United States
Matthew Lawrence, PE, office manager at Pennoni, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Engineers for dedication, achievements, and leadership in engineering.
With nearly two and a half decades of experience to his credit, Mr. Lawrence has carved out a distinguished career in the fields of land development, water resources, the data center market, the K-12 market, and people management. Currently excelling as an office manager at Pennoni Associates Inc. since 2017 and as a principal engineer at Pennoni since 2015, he leads a team of professionals in delivering high-quality engineering solutions.
Prior to his current roles, Mr. Lawrence was a project manager at BC Consultants from 2002 to 2015, where he oversaw various development projects and ensured their successful completion. He began his career as an environmental engineer at Greenhorne & O’Mara Inc. from 2000 to 2002.
Laying a solid foundation for his future success, Mr. Lawrence pursued an education at Virginia Tech, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 1999. He continued his academic efforts at the same institution, concluding his studies with a master’s degree in civil engineering and water resources in 2000. Following these accomplishments, he became a certified professional engineer.
In addition to his primary vocation, Mr. Lawrence remains affiliated with various organizations related to his areas of expertise. He has maintained his involvement with the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce and served as the past president of the Loudoun Chapter of Northern Virginia Builders in 2023. Outside of his professional commitments, he enjoys coaching softball and girls’ basketball, playing golf, and spending time at the beach.
A standout moment in Mr. Lawrence’s career was his transition from environmental engineering to land development. After completing his undergraduate degree, he began his career as an environmental engineer while pursuing his master’s degree in the same field. Initially, he worked as an environmental engineer for a couple of years before transitioning into land development. He joined a small firm as a project engineer, where he spent around 13 years designing land development sites, working on erosion and sediment control, and handling various technical aspects of land development and water resources.
Later, he moved to Pennoni, where he took up the position of engineering division manager. After serving in that role for a year, he became the office director in Leesburg. In these roles, he progressed into managing projects and budgets, overseeing client outreach, serving as a client point of contact, and managing the financial aspects of the office.
Mr. Lawrence attributes his success to two key strengths: fostering a positive attitude and empowering others. He believes his optimism and ability to motivate individuals set him apart. Additionally, he strategically places people in positions where they can thrive. He also believes that his success is due to being open to opportunities, even those that initially seemed unenjoyable. These challenging jobs allowed him to understand client and project needs better, and being available and willing to help has been crucial to his success.
When giving advice to aspiring professionals, Mr. Lawrence emphasizes the importance of being present and available, highlighting the value of taking time to celebrate successes. Looking ahead, he aims to drive office growth at Pennoni by diversifying its workload and increasing its market presence and share. He envisions himself leading a larger group of people and focusing on personal and professional growth over the next five years.
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