Robert J. McDermott

Robert J. McDermott is the President of Huitt-Zollars, Inc., a professional services design firm based in Texas, which provides architectural and engineering services for both public and private projects. He earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering from UConn in 1977, an M.S. in Structural Engineering from Lehigh University in 1981, and an MBA from the Keller Graduate School of Management in 2005.

Prior to becoming the firm’s President, Mr. McDermott served Huitt-Zollars as Executive Vice President and was responsible for firm-wide operations and overseeing 19 offices in eight states and three international locations. He also served as Senior Vice President and Office Manager of the Albuquerque office from 1997-2001, and Vice President from 1991-1997.

Throughout his career, Mr. McDermott built a vast and impressive portfolio, including serving as Structural Design Leader and Project Manager for the DART Light Rail North Central Corridor twin-bored tunnels under the North Central Expressway in Dallas, Texas.

Mr. McDermott’s professional affiliations include the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Texas Society of Professional Engineers, the American Consulting Engineers Council, and the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce.  He currently serves on the Board of the Catholic Charities of Dallas where he was board chair from 2013-2016. He also volunteers at Methodist Dallas Hospital and the Dallas County Jail.