Company News
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — October 29, 2026 — VAA today announced that Brian Utoft, Senior Engineer and Partner at VAA, will become the company’s next Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective January 1, 2027. Jeff Schrock, who has served as CEO for the past 13 years, will focus his experience on clients, business development and strategic growth. […]
VAA is pleased to welcome Mark Sherry as the newest member of its Board of Directors. Sherry becomes the Board’s eighth member and its second independent, external director. Sherry serves as President of Mortenson Development, Inc. and Executive Vice President of M. A. Mortenson Company. Throughout his 39-year career with Mortenson, he has held leadership […]
On July 1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the launch of one of the largest federal funding opportunities the fertilizer industry has seen in years. Through the new Fertilizer Investment & Expansion for Long-Term Domestic Supply (FIELDS) program, USDA will invest $500 million in projects that expand domestic fertilizer manufacturing, strengthen supply chains, and […]
Following the results of multiple employee surveys, VAA is a recipient of the following top workplace awards for 2026: USA Today’s Top Workplaces 2026 as well as a recipient of Cultural Excellence Awards in categories of Compensation & Benefits, Leadership, Purpose & Values, and Work-Life Flexibility Star Tribune’s Minnesota Top Workplaces 2026 Engineering.com Top Workplaces […]
Minneapolis, Minn. (May 22, 2026) – VAA is excited to share news of client success following the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)’s announcement of its FY25 Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) grant award recipients. GROWMARK, The DeLong Co., and Conserv FS, all key stakeholders in the agriculture industry, have been awarded federal funding towards their respective projects following PIDP applications that were submitted in September 2025. $27.32 million […]
Firm’s continued growth leads to larger space for office headquarters. As our multidisciplinary engineering, planning, and design team continues to grow in size and capability, the need for a larger office to house our firm headquarters has followed. VAA is close to finalizing the move to a larger space in the Minneapolis area. This will provide our team more room to meet, collaborate, and help design solutions for our clients and […]
Highlights: Senior Structural Engineer Megan Bryne is promoted to Senior Associate Senior Electrical Engineer Derrick Sundseth is promoted to Associate VAA is excited to announce its promotions for 2026: Senior Structural Engineer Megan Bryne is promoted to Senior Associate and Senior Electrical Engineer Derrick Sundseth is promoted to Associate. While they differentiate in discipline, experiences, and skillset, Bryne and Sundseth have made […]
VAA has tapped F. Robert (Rob) Duerksen, P. Eng, to lead and manage the firm’s growing Canadian operation. The move is an intentional step in VAA’s commitment to better serve clients invested in the exciting growth of many Canadian industries. About Rob Duerksen Duerksen joins VAA with decades of experience in senior construction and design […]
National engineering firm’s new office in New Orleans to serve as regional hub. Plymouth, Minn. (May 22, 2025) – Minnesota-based VAA, a multidisciplinary engineering, planning and design firm, is strengthening its presence in the Lower Mississippi River and Gulf region including the establishment of a new office in New Orleans. With numerous clients already in […]
VAA has received the 2025 Top Workplaces Award and 2025 Top Workplaces Culture Excellence Award(s) for Work-Life Flexibility, Compensation & Benefits, and Leadership. These nationally recognized honors were earned in previous years, demonstrating VAA’s ongoing commitment towards fostering a workplace empowered to do exceptional work while caring for one another and our clients. Winners of […]