AE2S promoted Darrell Casteel, PE, to Chief Operating Officer at the beginning of 2024. He first joined AE2S in 2011 as a Project Manager in the firm’s Bismarck, North Dakota office where he focused on several successful water resources projects. When the Utah-native determined it was time to move his family back home, AE2S challenged Darrell to open an AE2S office near Salt Lake City.
He worked to build a strong presence in Lehi, Utah, and was ultimately promoted to Assistant Operations Manager in 2016 and named Operations Manager in 2017. Darrell consistently demonstrated strong leadership abilities as he worked to build relationships in Utah while effectively supporting projects, clients, and people across several other states. Most recently, he served as the firm’s Operations Director.
“Darrell is a humble leader with a passion for bringing out the best in our team and inspiring others. His dedication, demonstrated leadership skills, and operations experience have prepared him to be successful in the position. I am proud to announce his well-deserved promotion to Chief Operating Officer,” says Grant Meyer, PE, AE2S CEO.
“I’m extremely grateful to AE2S for giving me the opportunity to move back to my home state while trusting me with the opportunity to grow our business in this region. I’m honored and excited to be given this new opportunity to strategically lead our company operations in support of our ongoing growth and success,” says Darrell.
He grew up in Wellsville, Utah, a small town of about 4,000 residents. Darrell attended Utah State University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering with a minor in the German language. Before joining AE2S, Darrell owned and was a lead design engineer of a design/build company that specialized in water distribution.
Outside of work, he stays busy with his closeknit family. Darrell and his wife, Kelly, have eight children ranging in age from three to 26 years of age. His hobbies include skiing, golf, coaching lacrosse, camping, and photography.
“It’s exciting to look back at the growth and success we’ve had as a company over my time here at AE2S. We’ve been successful because of the outstanding people I get to work with on a daily basis, and it’s our people that I intend to stay focused on in my new role.” says Darrell.
