Vice President of Projects, Pickering Associates, Inc.
By Jean Hardiman
Zac Campbell, vice president of projects for Pickering Associates, Inc. in Parkersburg, WV, applies the same pride and determination to his work today that he applied on the baseball field as a student athlete for Fairmont State University.
“When training for baseball, always in the back of my head was the image of being on that mound with my parents in the stands,” he says. “I could not let them down because of all the sacrifices they made for me when I was growing up. I had to put every ounce I had into being the best I could be.”
Growing up in Moundsville, WV, baseball was life for Campbell, who dreamed of being a professional athlete. He and his two brothers were active in sports, and their parents—their mother, a school secretary, and their father, a coal miner who worked the midnight shift for 30 years—always made sure the boys made it to the ball fields on time. Campbell’s favorite childhood memory is that of his father, who, despite not getting home until 10 a.m. every day, never said no when Campbell asked him to toss the ball with him.
“No matter how tired he was, he never told me no,” says Campbell. “Now that I have two daughters, I can only hope to live up to what my dad inspired in me.”
After high school, Campbell enrolled at Fairmont State University, where he studied electrical engineering and technology while pitching and serving as team captain for the Fighting Falcons’ baseball team. At the urging of his father, he spent the summer of his sophomore year doing manual labor at a coal preparation facility, an experience that inspired him to continue his studies. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in 2008 and went on to earn his master’s degree in engineering management from Marshall University. His first job was as a junior engineer in Accident, MD, and he joined Pickering Associates as an electrical engineer in 2008.
While many people have played a hand in helping Campbell build a successful career, the impact of two mentors in particular stands out: John Zoller and Chip Pickering.
“John was my mentor when I started at Pickering,” says Campbell. “I have always struggled with patience and attention to detail, but he brought the best out in me in that aspect. Chip has taught me what it means to be a true leader—not by achievement or accolade but rather by the impact you have on people.”
Following Pickering’s example of community service, Campbell volunteers his time and talent in many capacities. He is active with his church, Stout Memorial United Methodist Church, where he serves as the director of Sunday school, a Vacation Bible School volunteer and worship leader, and he is a Parkersburg Area Jaycee member, where he serves on the scholarship committee. Campbell is also involved with the Chamber of Commerce of the Mid-Ohio Valley, where he is a team member for the annual Taste of Parkersburg event, and he is a volunteer speaker for Fairmont State University’s recruitment tour, a classroom volunteer at Williamstown Elementary School, a youth baseball camp volunteer and a volunteer with the Parkersburg Area Men’s Clothing Closet.
His passion for giving back didn’t start with his mentor, though. It started with his and his wife’s personal experience with Children’s Home Society of West Virginia (CHSWV), through which they adopted their two daughters.
“The people associated with that organization are so caring, and they did so much for my family that I could never truly repay them,” he says. “My wife and I want to do as much as we possibly can for them.”
As a result, the Campbells started an annual food drive for which they plan, facilitate and gather donations for CHSWV’s Parkersburg Food Pantry. They involve their daughters, Taylor and Parker, ages 6 and 2, as much as possible in an effort to instill in them the importance of caring for their community.
Campbell points to his family as both his biggest motivation and his proudest accomplishment. “At the end of the day, getting the hugs and kisses and the ‘I love you, Daddy’ means more to me than anything,” he says.
