Leading the Way at GTA: Executive VP Tom Wirth shares his story and his approach to growing a thriving team

Tom Wirth knows that building a thriving company culture starts with empowering employees to grow and giving them the right tools to succeed. His dedication to supporting his team isn’t just professional—it’s personal. Tom’s journey with GTA began over three decades ago as a summer intern, and today he proudly serves as Executive Vice President for the Mid-Atlantic region. His story is a testament to the power of mentorship and the incredible potential within every career path.

From Lab Intern to Leadership: Tom’s Journey at GTA

Following in the footsteps of his father, who founded the company in 1985, Tom was just 16 years old when he started as a lab intern at GTA, helping conduct concrete and soil sample testing. When he turned 18 and was able to advance to construction site testing, his experience in the field inspired him to pursue the path further, so he enrolled at the Virginia Military Institute, earning an undergraduate degree in civil engineering.

Throughout his time at VMI, Tom continued interning at GTA during the summer and following graduation, he enlisted in the army where he served for four years. Then, when it came time for his next career move, he was ready to return to GTA as a full-time engineer. At that point, the company was growing rapidly, and Tom still recalls the excitement of seeing the business expand.

“When I was an intern, we were still a young company, and all the space we worked in was rented. It was a flex space that had room for a concrete and soil lab in the back and some offices in the front,” he says. “And while I was in the army, GTA built their first building. It was no longer rented. It was our building, and now we had a place to call home.”

Similarly, Tom’s role at GTA continued to grow and evolve. After coming on as a staff engineer in 2002, he worked his way up to project engineer and from there, a senior engineer position. Eventually, he became an associate of the company, and in 2013, a partner. Looking back on his trajectory, Tom credits the mentorship of his supervisors and the company’s encouragement to keep leveling up. Whether it was getting his professional engineering license or pursuing a master’s degree, he says the support he received was unwavering.

“There was never a time where they said, no, you can’t do that,” he explains. “If there’s anything I wanted to seek out, there was never a no. There were always opportunities.”
Today, in his role as Executive Vice President, Tom makes a point to continue the company’s legacy of helping other engineers on their path.

“Over the years, I have really come to love supporting people, bringing other people along with me, teaching them, and providing that mentorship so they can advance in their career,” Tom says. “Seeing guys that I helped get to where they are now is probably the best part of my job.”

The GTA Blueprint: Building Tomorrow’s Leaders Today

Looking ahead as GTA continues to grow, Tom emphasizes that there’s never been a better time to be part of the team. Since 1985, the business has expanded to include over 500 employees at 22 offices throughout the U.S., and Tom is more driven than ever to ensure that the company is prepared for future expansion. To him, this process is all about developing the next generation of engineers, helping them build not only their technical abilities but their management and leadership skills. 

He also emphasizes that GTA gives team members of all levels the opportunity to explore multiple aspects of the industry. Through early experience in the field as part of a construction group or in the testing lab, new employees gain exposure to other groups specializing in natural resources, environmental, or geotechnical engineering, which often helps them discover what they’re passionate about and what path they’d like to pursue. This process is encouraged at GTA and further supported by company benefits like paid training and incentives for attaining additional certifications.

Tom believes in GTA’s company culture and commitment to its employees so much that he’s even continued the family tradition and brought his daughter Natalie on board as a summer accounting intern at the firm this year.

“It’s pretty cool to know that we have a third-generation employee now working at the company,” he shares. “That we’ve been around and we’ve been successful long enough to let that happen, I’m pretty proud of that.”

For new or aspiring engineers looking to join the GTA team, Tom notes that the company isn’t always looking for extensive experience as much as a good work ethic and a willingness to learn. He adds that some of the company’s most successful team members have started right out of college or even, like himself, as interns. 

“When they want and desire that growth, and they take that initiative to seek that out, then we continue to nurture that,” Tom says. “If they have that work ethic, then that’s all I need because I can turn them into good engineers and good leaders.”

Ready to Join Team GTA?

If you’re an engineer looking to advance your career at a growth-oriented firm, GTA is actively seeking new talent and we’d love to hear from you! Learn more by visiting our careers page at: https://geo-technology-associates.breezy.hr/