Reed Barton joins Garver as Central and Eastern North Carolina Business Team Leader

Garver continues to invest in the future of water infrastructure across the Southeast with the addition of Reed Barton as Central and Eastern North Carolina Business Team Leader. With two decades of experience in water and wastewater, Barton brings technical expertise and a client-first mindset that will help communities address their most pressing infrastructure challenges.

Barton has built his career planning, designing, and delivering complex water facilities, with a strong track record of meeting project goals on schedule and within budget. His work spans some of the largest water supply projects in North Carolina, where he has served as a trusted advisor and project principal responsible for successful project delivery.

For Barton, success goes beyond project completion. It’s defined by the relationships built along the way, and the impact made in communities.

“What I love to do is work shoulder to shoulder with clients to address the major infrastructure challenges impacting our local communities,” Barton said. “There’s a real camaraderie in being a trusted advisor, bringing a strong team to the table and tackling issues together that directly benefit our communities.”

That collaborative mindset is especially important as municipalities face increasingly complex infrastructure demands. From meeting tighter regulatory requirements to securing funding for major capital improvements, Barton understands the importance of aligning technical solutions with long-term community goals. He brings valuable experience helping clients navigate grants and funding opportunities, recognizing that water and wastewater projects are often among the most significant financial investments a municipality will make.

“Reed brings an exceptional combination of technical expertise, leadership, and a true passion for serving clients,” said East Region Water Director Brian Shannon, PE.  “His experience across North Carolina and his commitment to building strong, collaborative relationships make him a natural fit for our team. We’re excited to have him leading our efforts in central and eastern North Carolina as we continue to grow our impact in the region.”

Throughout his career, Barton has earned recognition as a leader in water supply and treatment, combining technical excellence with a practical understanding of what communities need to thrive. His background includes expanding and modernizing water treatment plants, as well as implementing advanced treatment solutions to address emerging contaminants like PFAS, a growing concern for utilities across the country. Barton has worked with more than a dozen North Carolina utilities on their journey to address PFAS in their drinking water.  

He also brings experience supporting regional collaboration efforts, helping utilities work together through partnerships, mergers, and interlocal agreements to build more resilient systems.

Barton was drawn to Garver in part because of its expertise in these areas, along with its strong team of specialists and commitment to innovation. He is particularly excited about the firm’s approach to design-build delivery, a rapidly growing method for public utilities in North Carolina. With experience contributing to large-scale design-build projects, Barton values the approach for its ability to streamline timelines, enhance collaboration, and deliver greater value to clients. He also sees opportunity in leveraging Garver’s Carolina Water Design Center to further strengthen project outcomes.

In addition, Garver’s employee-owned structure and culture of accountability played a key role in his decision to join the firm.

“Garver has created a model where practitioners can thrive and deliver the best outcomes for their clients,” Barton said. “There’s a strong culture of personal and team commitment that really resonates with me.”

Garver has been actively growing its local offices in the Carolinas since 2022, and Barton’s arrival marks an important step in strengthening those efforts. The state’s rapid growth is placing increased demand on water systems, requiring communities to plan for expansion while also maintaining and rehabilitating existing infrastructure. Barton sees this as an opportunity to provide value-added support to municipalities that need to grow while managing costs.  With his leadership, experience, and focus on partnership, Barton is well positioned to help guide Garver’s continued growth in the Carolinas—building on the firm’s expanding reputation and delivering meaningful, long-term results for the communities it serves.