MEMBER PROFILE Matt Meyer, Langan Engineering, Well-Suited to Go the Distance Charleston, South Carolina, is a picturesque city of 138,000 along the Cooper River. It is known for many things, including its charming antebellum architecture, excel- lent restaurants and the oft-profiled Cooper River Bridge, a prominent structure in the geo-industry based on the geotechnical challenges its design and construction presented. Another event of geotechnical and historical note was the 6.9-7.3 magnitude earthquake of 1886, which destroyed over 100 buildings and was felt as far away as Ohio. Charleston also happens to be the birthplace of Matt Meyer, P.E., D.GE. At the time of Meyer’s “arrival,” his father, a WWII U.S. Navy veteran who was pursuing a career in the engineering field, was employed at the Charleston shipyard. His mother, admired for, among other things, her entrepreneurial spirit, owned her own public accounting firm. Meyer credits his folk’s model work ethic as setting the tone for his own success-filled life. Based in Miami, Florida, now, he is vice president and principal at the DFI member firm, Langan Engineering and Environmental Services. It Happened This Way As a boy, Meyer was interested in sports and in becoming an accomplished cross- country and long-distance runner. Perhaps the words “running” and “distance” were portents of his future. His 25-year profes- sional life has had him crisscrossing the U.S., taking on responsibility for multiple high-profile projects of every stripe. After graduating from high school, he remained in his beloved Charleston where he attended The Citadel, an engineering- oriented military college much like West Point. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, he then went on to Virginia Tech where he received his master’s. At Virginia Tech he studied under some of the profession’s greats, including Jim Mitchell, Michael Duncan, George Filz, James Martin (himself a Citadel graduate), and Tom Brandon, all of whom he credits with having had a major influence on his own path. Meyer’s fervor for education is evidenced by his serving as an adjunct professor at Florida International Uni- versity, and by his support of the Geo- Institute of ASCE’s Advanced Specialty Certification program. Challenges Aplenty Since joining Langan in 1996, Meyer has played a significant role in over 100 major deep foundation projects throughout the U.S. His work has involved just about every conceivable type of deep foundation application. Among the most notable are the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons in Georgia; the Port of Miami Tunnel in Florida; the Four Seasons Hotel and Tower (the tallest structure in Florida at the time of its construction); the Atlantis Phase II expansions on Paradise Island in the Bahamas; and the iconic guitar- shaped Hard Rock Hotel & Casino buildings in Florida. As one of his colleagues at Langan, Rudy Frizzi, says, “Matt isn’t wed to one foundation type, but is open to the utilization of whatever system is most suited to the project at hand.” This is evidenced by the range of projects in which he has taken a leadership role. While on the subject of leadership, all who have worked with Meyer have described this very trait as that which most typifies his career and his persona. Frizzi notes that, “Matt is an extremely hard- working professional. He leads by example. He is a person that people want to work with. His actions inspire others to achieve.” Matt Meyer and daughter, Samantha, during a Colorado ski trip AUTHOR S. Scot Litke, Hon. D.GE DEEP FOUNDATIONS • MAY/JUNE 2020 • 77
