Wightman Announces Leadership Team Changes, New Board of Directors and Officers

Wightman, a multi-disciplinary employee-owned consulting firm, is all about people – including its own. Being all about people requires an environment where staff can grow within the company including into Director and Officer roles. It is with great excitement that Wightman shares recent changes to its leadership team and Board of Directors.

Current Wightman President Matt Davis, PE, LEED AP, will be stepping down from his role in April 2024. Davis has been with the firm for 29 years and will continue in a new role at Wightman after the transition.

His strategic vision guided the firm’s growth from 90 staff members in 3 offices in Michigan to 170 people in 8 offices across Michigan and Indiana. Davis was integral in strengthening the firm’s culture, creating opportunities for career growth, and building cohesive teams within and across departments and markets.

One of his guiding principles has been to care about the things people you care about care about, and his passion for serving clients and community is second to none. Under his leadership, the firm witnessed impressive revenue growth while remaining committed to positively impacting government, commercial, energy, and educational clients and communities throughout the Great Lakes region.

Davis shared, “My grandfather planned his life in seasons, and it’s with that mindset that I plan and live mine. My first 10 years at Wightman focused on being a great engineer, the second 10 focused on serving clients, and this past 10 focused on serving our employees.

“I’m looking forward to defining my role for the next season. I’m grateful for the opportunities our clients and employees provided me and excited to be part of the continued success under the leadership of the new board members and officers,” he said.

Steve Carlisle, PE, of Stevensville, Mich., will begin his chapter as president next April. The Michigan State University graduate has been with Wightman for 26 years, serving the firm in various roles including civil engineer, project manager, Director of Engineering, and currently as Government Market Sector Leader, a position he will continue to hold until next spring.

Due to his upcoming role change, Carlisle decided to not seek re-election as Chairman of the Board of Directors. He has served on the board since 2012, including several terms as chairman over the past decade.

“I am excited to serve as the next president of Wightman, building on the culture and momentum that previous President Tom Deneau and current President Matt Davis have established. I look forward to serving our clients in the Great Lakes region,” Carlisle shared.

Recently, the firm held its annual shareholder meeting and announced its 2023 Board of Directors. This group is confirmed each year and supports Wightman’s leadership, culture, and its staff’s ability to serve clients.

Brian Lieberg, PS, of St. Joseph, Mich., was elected as the new Chairman of the Board, having previously served as Secretary. Lieberg, who has been with the firm for 29 years, is the Director of Survey and Regional Director of the firm’s South Bend office. He brings extensive operations knowledge, a client-centric focus, and attention to detail to the role.

Mary Deneau Nykamp, PE, LEED AP, of Coloma, Mich., continues in her role as treasurer. She serves as a municipal manager in the firm’s civil engineering service area. Her specialties are water and wastewater projects, working with municipal clients, and mentoring staff. She has been with Wightman for 22 years.

Her strengths include bringing perspectives from all areas of the firm, having a vested interest in the future, and representing the next generation of Wightman leaders. Nykamp has a passion for serving clients and putting them first.

Philip A. Doorlag, PE, of Kalamazoo, Mich., previously a trustee, was elected to replace Lieberg as secretary. Doorlag serves Wightman as Regional Director for its Kalamazoo office. His specialties are transportation design, road reconstruction and rehabilitation, and asset management planning. He has been with Wightman for 17 years.

Doorlag’s board member strengths include building trusting relationships by understanding and caring about what is important to our clients and being a valuable advocate for his co-workers and the Kalamazoo region as a whole.

Serving as trustees are Greg Monberg of Michigan City, Ind., and Lee Petcu Jr. of La Porte, Ind.

Monberg, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, ALEP, MBA, serves as Wightman’s Director of Architecture. He has been with the firm for 6 years and brings over 23 years of experience at prior firms to his position. His specialties are educational and architectural design.

A board member since 2017, Monberg brings business and marketing acumen as well as a strong strategic and visionary mindset to the group.

Petcu is a new appointee to the board. He was voted to serve as trustee by the shareholders of the firm and has been with Wightman for 21 years, currently serving as the Energy Market Sector Leader. His specialties in surveying, team building, and business development strengthen the many relationships he has with energy clients.

As a board member, his focus will be furthering collaboration with clients, worksite safety, and firm-wide engagement.

Wightman is committed to continuing to serve as a trusted advisor to its clients and offering original, effective, and practical solutions while giving back to the communities its team members live and work within.