Civil Engineering Adjunct Faculty Member Named One of NWA Business Journal's '40 under 40'

Rick Green

Welcher receiving the Early Career Alumni Award from John English, dean of the College of Engineering.

Civil engineering adjunct faculty member, Richard Welcher was recently recognized as one of Northwest Arkansas Business Journal's "40 Under 40." Welcher serves as vice president and chief operations officer of Tatum-Smith Engineers Inc., as well as serving the department of civil engineering as an instructor, student mentor, and faculty consultant.

In 2014 the University of Arkansas presented Welcher with the College of Engineering Early-Career Distinguished Alumni Award. He is licensed as a professional engineer in 38 states.

He graduated from the U of A with a civil engineering degree in 1999, which he says greatly set the trajectory for his career. "I've worked in numerous places with engineers that attended small specialty schools, as well as big name engineering schools, but I had already had broader exposure because of U of A programs."

Welcher attributes his greatest accomplishment to completing his graduate degree in 2004, while working full-time at Grubbs, Hoskyn, Barton & Wyatt, and all the while raising a family of five with his wife, Christi.

He began teaching at the U of A to fill a need one semester, but then just continued on from there. Welcher said he and Kevin Hall, head of the department of civil engineering, had always discussed partnering academia with professional work, and this was the perfect opportunity. Welcher told the NWA Business Journal that teaching had turned him into a better engineer, and students who challenge him to find the 'why' continue to further his skills.

Welcher's work ethic and accomplishments fuel his success, but he believes his desire to see others succeed is what sets him apart. In his academic and professional roles, Welcher strives to treat the people he works with equally, identifying their strengths and challenging them to expand their skills.