Who we are:  Through our God-given talents, education, and experiences, we strive to serve our clients and employees with excellence and an attitude of partnership.

David graduated from Appalachian State University’s Building Science program with a concentration in Architectural Technology and Design. While attending Appalachian State, David was the Project Architect for ASU Design + Build Competition team and Treasurer for the ASU Chapter of American Institute of Architecture Students. He also received his OSHA 10-Hour Safety certification while in school.

David began working for Areté Engineers in the spring of 2018 as a designer/drafter for residential and commercial design projects. During his time with the company, David has worked on deck expansion/remodels, foundation repair plans, minor structural assessments, bridge inspection, full structural residential design, and retaining wall design.

David will soon be attending graduate school to earn his M. Arch. When David is not behind his computer, he can be found focusing on his golf game and hiking through the mountains when it is not raining or snowing in Boone.

Turner began working with Areté Engineers in 2015. During this time, he has prepared plans for various construction/rehabilitation projects including residential and bridge construction, worked as a bridge inspector, developed structural assessment reports, and plays a role in marketing and advertising for Areté. Turner is also the lead fabricator and shop manager for our sister company Areté Structures; where we design, manufacture, and deliver pre-fabricated pedestrian bridges. In 2018, he was responsible for the fabrication of over a dozen FRP (fiber reinforced polymer) pedestrian truss bridges, with lengths ranging from 25-feet all the way to 80-feet, which were then shipped out to various locations throughout the U.S. including a multitude of national and state parks.

Turner graduated from Appalachian State University in 2017 with a B.S. in Construction Management along with a minor in Business. He developed a strong interest in the construction industry while attending Watauga High School, where he gained experience in residential construction, metal fabrication, and worked on various projects under Watauga’s construction program. During high school, he joined Skills USA, a national organization in which students compete against one another in their respected technical fields. Turner was awarded the state championship in Carpentry his senior year and went on to compete at the national level.

In addition to Areté, Turner is a Senior Ski Patroller at Appalachian Ski Mountain where he enjoys skiing and keeping people safe.

Turner lives in Boone, NC.

Jamie came to work at Arete Engineers in 2018 with years of varied administrative and financial experience.

After graduating with a degree in International Business and working for a marketing company, Jamie moved overseas and began working for a non-profit. There,
she did everything from teaching English to developing and running educational and humanitarian programs for children in crisis. Nine years ago, Jamie moved to
Boone with her husband, and began working at a local nonprofit where she managed finances and logistics for mobilizing hundreds of International field staff.

Jamie lives in Boone with her husband and children and enjoys all the beauty and fun this area has to offer.

Designer/Drafter Intern 

Guin is an undergraduate senior at Appalachian State University, pursuing her degree in the Building Science department with a concentration in Architectural Technology and Design. She is currently an intern in the following position as a designer or drafter in Arete.   

In the spring semester of 2020, she was part of Appalachian State University’s IDEXlab (Integrative Design Experience Laboratory) where the program enhanced the study approach to higher education through real-life commission projects in Designs, Build, and connect with clients. In addition, she runs the Social Media platform for the ASU Chapter of the American Institute of Architecture Students. 

Guin will also plan to pursue her M.Arch in graduate school after internship and the following years after gaining an experience of work ethic as a designer/engineer. In addition, as a Gate Scholarship Recipient of 2016, she will be provided with an opportunity to also extend in higher education such as seeking to obtain her doctorate degree in the near future. 

Outside of education and work life, Guin likes to explore different trails and waterfalls in the mountains, in addition to her photographs collections. She also enjoys cooking different culture dishes and learning new things about other cultures through her travels.

Guin’s Currently lives in Stony Point, NC. 

Mason graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2019 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering along with a minor in Mathematics. Mason is pursuing his Graduate degree in structural engineering at NC State University. Mason was an Intern with Areté Engineers in the Summer of 2018 and was hired on Full-Time after graduating in 2019.

Since beginning work with Areté, Mason has performed structural assessments, deck and framing design, heavy timber design, created remodeling plans, and performed NCDOT bridge inspections. Mason also performed design analysis for FRP pedestrian truss bridges for our sister company Areté Structures.

Mason currently lives in Boone, NC. He is an engineering intern and is currently working to become a certified bridge safety inspector. When Mason is not working, he can be found outdoors and snowboarding during the wintertime.

Michael earned a B.S.C.E. from University of Illinois. His specialization was structures and foundations. He started several of his own businesses, and then moved with Annie and their children to semi-rural North Carolina, where he became a Chemistry and Physics teacher, while simultaneously pastoring two small historic churches.

Michael and Annie lived in Raleigh, NC for one year, where he taught a course in Civil Engineering Technology for Wake Tech. Michael and Annie moved to Boone to help start a campus church with friends, and soon met their neighbors, Shawn and Janet, who then invited Michael to do structural engineering assessments on homes, and design projects. He is presently earning his P.E. while doing Arete’s structural assessments. What Michael appreciates most about Arete is the atmosphere of excellence and freedom; serving the public with excellence and providing a needed service to this community.

Michael and his wife Annie have four grown children in their 20’s. They were missionaries and teachers in the Dominican Republic and Haiti for nearly a decade, where they worked in an orphanage, taught and administrated schools, and worked on engineering projects like “Design and build a park-like setting with benches and pavement, and integrated basketball and volleyball courts” – oh, and build all the equipment from scratch with scrap metal available in a small Haitian town! They also met their youngest daughter there, who now loves helping to raise children without parents.