Bob Higgins is President and CEO of Barge Design Solutions. He has been with the firm since 1996 when he started as an intern following graduation from the School of Engineering at Vanderbilt University with a degree in Civil Engineering. Since becoming President and CEO in 2009, Higgins has led the firm through a successful re-organization into core business units and has directed the development and implementation of key technical, project management, and leadership programs.

He is an active member of the community, serving on the boards for the Nashville Downtown Partnership and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, having been named the 2021 Vice Chair for the Chamber. Bob also Chairs the Saint Thomas Health Foundation Board. The Nashville Business Journal has recognized Bob as Engineer of the Year in the Commercial Real Estate Leadership awards and as one of Nashville’s Most Admired CEOs. At the helm of his leadership, Barge has been certified as a Great Place to Work® for four consecutive years and is consistently among Engineering News-Record’s Top Design Firms. Bob is a graduate of Leadership Tennessee, Leadership Nashville, and Leadership Franklin

Higgins sits on the board for the American Council of Engineering Companies - Nashville Chapter and is a member of the National and Tennessee Society of Professional Engineers (TSPE), as well as the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). He has been named as TSPE Nashville Chapter Engineer of the Year. Additionally, Higgins serves on Vanderbilt University’s School of Engineering (VUSE) Board of Visitors. During his time on the VUSE Board, Higgins has helped establish a civil engineering scholarship that is funded through Barge by matching employee contributions, which will lead to a $100,000 endowment and will continue to grow. Passionate about mentoring and equipping the next generation of engineering professionals, Higgins helped establish a new Leadership Professional Engineer (PE) program in Tennessee for mid-level engineers statewide to learn more about the leadership aspects of engineering.