Forty Under 40: Brahm Driver

Growing up in rural Arkansas, Brahm Driver often helped his father build things. The Oark (Johnson County) native thought he’d be an architect until learning about civil engineering while in college.

“It all kind of clicked,” he said.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Arkansas in 2006. During college, he worked for McClelland Consulting Engineers.

In 2007, he joined Nitsch Engineering in Boston. He became a LEED-accredited professional and worked on multiple LEED-certified projects there. Two years later, he moved back to Arkansas to work for FTN Associates in Little Rock.

Nine years ago, Driver joined Ecological Design Group, and the landscape architecture firm added civil engineering services. He’s the principal civil engineer and civil engineering director.

“I was 29 at the time, decided to take the leap and go for it,” he said. “At the same time, we moved to Northwest Arkansas and started a branch office.”

He’s served as the engineer of record for more than 100 projects in Arkansas, including Osage Park and Coler Mountain Bike Preserve, both in Bentonville, and the Fayetteville Public Library expansion.

Driver also is a managing partner and co-founder of Historic Ozark Properties LLC. It renovated two downtown Rogers properties, including the 14,000-square-foot Rogers Milk Plant building. Ecological Design Group relocated its Northwest Arkansas office there in 2019.

Driver often speaks on the benefits of low-impact development and sustainable stormwater design. He’s a member of Urban Land Institute Northwest Arkansas and is involved in mountain biking and trail running groups in Rogers. He enjoys cooking and co-owns a small farm near Oark.