Matthew Newchurch

Hometown

Thibodaux

What I do

President and CEO of DDG, a multidisciplinary professional services firm specializing in engineering, architecture, land surveying, landscape architecture, environmental and regulatory services.

Why I moved away

“Ambition, drive … or, really, just a lack of awareness of all of the phenomenal opportunities that I've now known to come and enjoy since I've been back.”

Why I moved back

“I use the word gravity. There was always something that was kind of pulling me back home. I had great friends, great family … the LSU stuff … fantastic teammates and friends. I had a lot of deep roots here. And so through the course of all that, I said, “Well, let me go back and finish my master’s,” and I came home and visited Mom and Dad. I was actually out with some friends one night, and there was a gentleman at the bar. He said, ‘You're an engineer, right?’ I said, ‘Yes, sir.’ He said, ‘I'd like you to come talk to my boss.’ Coincidentally, right around that time, I reconnected with the young lady who is now my incredible wife and mother of our four children, so that might have had something to do with me staying around a little bit longer than I thought.”