Dewberry, a privately-held professional services firm, has named Neal Wright, PE, PMP, F. SAME, F. ASCE, vice president, Department of Defense (DOD) market segment leader, and office principal for the firm’s Virginia Beach, Virginia, office. In his new role, Wright will spearhead an initiative to develop and implement a national strategy for delivering services to the U.S. Department of Defense engineering agencies including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Naval Facilities Engineering Command, and other Air Force, Coast Guard, and DOD agencies.

With more than 30 years’ experience, Wright has gained broad leadership experience as a commissioned officer in USACE, chief engineer for a major commercial port, and senior business development executive in two Engineering News-Record Top 50 Firms. In his last assignment as deputy commander of the Baltimore District of USACE he was responsible for BRAC moves closing to Fort Ritchie, Maryland, and moving functions to Fort Detrick, Maryland. Subsequent to serving as chief engineer of the Virginia Port Authority, he co-authored the ASCE manual Application of GIS Technologies in Port Facilities and Operations Management.

Wright earned a master’s degree in civil engineering from North Carolina State University and a bachelor’s degree in environmental planning from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He retired from the U.S. Army as a Lieutenant colonel after 22 years of service. Wright is a registered professional engineer in Maryland and Virginia. He is a member of the Army Engineer Association, American Society of Civil Engineers (Fellow), National Society of Professional Engineers, Project Management Institute, and the Society of American Military Engineers (Fellow), as well as Tau Beta Pi and Chi Epsilon civil engineering honor societies.