Work Here, Grow Here: One Year with Dan Richter

There’s something to be said for knowing what you want out of your career and going after it. For Project Engineer Dan Richter, that meant making a deliberate move to a firm where doing things the right way isn’t just encouraged — it’s expected. One year in, he’s already racking up experiences that are shaping the kind of engineer he’s becoming.

Finding the Right Fit

Dan has always known the kind of engineer he wanted to be. He came to Lamp Rynearson with a clear sense of purpose: find a firm where professional standards run deep and where the work he puts in today lays a strong foundation for the career he’s building for tomorrow.

“Lamp checked both of those boxes from the minute I sat down for the interview,” Dan says.

That kind of clarity early in the process matters. It signals a culture, and for Dan, it was exactly what he was looking for.

A Project That Changed the Game

Ask Dan about his favorite project from the past year, and he doesn’t hesitate: Cavan – Maple Woods.

It was his first real dive into residential development, with his role centered on utility design. But what made it stand out wasn’t just the work itself — it was how much he grew through it.

“I learned more in a month on Cavan – Maple Woods than I had in the 3+ years since I graduated,” he says. “It was very rewarding when we finally got all the puzzle pieces put together.”

That’s the kind of project experience that sticks with you. The complexity, the collaboration, the satisfaction of watching a design come together after working through every challenge — it’s what engineers remember.

Getting Out of the Office

Some of the best moments in this work happen in the field. For Dan, one memory stands out above the rest: getting out of the office to watch the Dykes Branch extension get installed off Ward Parkway.

“It was a neat experience,” he says simply — and sometimes that’s exactly the right way to put it. There’s something grounding about seeing the work you’ve contributed to become something real and tangible in the community around you.

What’s Next

Dan isn’t slowing down. In the near term, he’s deep in preparation for his P.E. exam, a milestone that will mark the next major step in his engineering career. It’s the kind of goal that takes focus and dedication, and it’s clear he’s approaching it the same way he approaches his projects: seriously and with purpose.

Beyond the Office

When Dan isn’t designing utilities or studying for his P.E., you might find him at his kitchen table surrounded by baseball cards. Thousands of them.

He has complete sets from 2000 through 2017 — roughly 11,000 cards in total — and he’ll be the first to tell you that the monetary value isn’t really the point.

“It’s fun remembering old names and going down rabbit holes,” he says, “even when 95% of the cards aren’t worth more than the penny sleeves I put them in.”

It’s a hobby that rewards patience, curiosity, and a love of the details. Honestly, not a bad set of traits for an engineer, either.

Congratulations on one year, Dan. Here’s to many more puzzles put together, more field visits, and — very soon — those three letters after your name.