Barge Design Solutions Announces Leadership Transition, Carrie Stokes Appointed Chief Executive Officer

CEO Bob Higgins To Step Down Effective February 28, 2025

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Barge Design Solutions (Barge), an engineering and architecture firm with diverse in-house multidisciplinary practice areas, today announced that Carrie Stokes, Chief of Staff, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer. Bob Higgins will be stepping down as CEO effective February 28, 2025. Higgins will stay on as Chairman of the Board and remain focused on key client engagements and the firm's innovation strategy.

Higgins joined Barge as an intern in 1996 and was appointed President and CEO in 2009. Under his leadership, the firm achieved growth in Georgia and Florida, successfully expanding into competitive markets that had been strategic priorities for years. Barge also transformed its operations, building a culture of collaboration across teams, and more than tripled its revenue, a remarkable milestone for an employee-owned company. Additionally, Higgins spearheaded a strategic collaboration with Vanderbilt University, leading to the creation of "Generative AI for Leaders," the first course on the Coursera platform that speaks to an executive audience about Generative AI. 

"It has been an honor and privilege of a lifetime to have spent my professional career at Barge. For nearly 30 years, I've witnessed firsthand the unparalleled impact that Barge has had on communities across the country," shares Higgins. "It is with great pride that I now have the opportunity to welcome Carrie Stokes as Barge's CEO and I'm confident in her abilities and determination to uphold Barge's values and usher us all into its next chapter."

Stokes began her career at Barge as an intern and steadily rose through the ranks, holding several leadership positions over the last 28 years. As the firm's inaugural Chief of Staff, she spearheaded the creation and execution of strategic initiatives to address national infrastructure opportunities while cultivating the workforce and culture to support this vision. A member of the board of directors since 2015, Stokes has been recognized as a Woman of Influence by the Nashville Business Journal.

"It's been a privilege to work with Bob for nearly three decades. His contributions to Barge have been transformative and are unmatched in impact. I look forward to continuing to build upon the exceptional foundation he has helped establish," shares Stokes. "Barge is poised for continued growth and success, and I'm honored to lead the company into its next phase ensuring our contributions are meaningful and lasting for the people and places we serve."

With extensive experience across all areas of the organization, including leading the firm's largest division, Stokes played a pivotal role in developing Barge's five-year strategic growth plan and is committed to its purposeful execution. As she steps into the CEO role, her primary focus will be on preparing the staff and the firm for sustained growth by strengthening enterprise systems and expanding leadership development opportunities, while also nurturing innovation and enhancing the employee-owned culture.

Carrie will commence her role as CEO on March 1, 2025.

For more information about Barge, please visit www.bargedesign.com.

About Barge Design Solutions 
Barge Design Solutions, Inc., is an engineering and architecture firm focused on improving the lives of its people, clients, and communities. With diverse, in-house, multidisciplinary practice areas, the 600-person employee-owned company serves clients nationwide from multiple U.S. locations. Barge is ranked No. 167 on Engineering News-Record's (ENR) 2024 Top 500 Design Firms list and is a certified Great Place to Work®. Learn more at bargedesign.com and stay connected on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and X.

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SOURCE Barge Design Solutions