Our Team

Joe Waggoner

Joe Waggoner founded the full-service firm in 1976 with a singular purpose of helping municipalities, cities, states and regions identify needs, envision solutions and deliver results. Through this dedication, experience and expertise, Waggoner has helped society by advancing high-impact, transformational projects that foster economic vitality, building consensus and sustaining future generations.

Early in his career, Joe thought he might take over the family farm since he loves the country and farming. He transformed that passion to work the land into the founding of Waggoner Engineering, where he cultivated leading-edge urban solutions, planning and economic development that has budded into a major engineering firm with multiple offices across the Southeast, more than 100 employees and dozens of business partnerships.

With visionary leadership, the firm has blossomed over the past three decades into a full-service engineering, mapping, economic development and project management firm that discovers innovative infrastructure solutions. Offering a full array of strategic services, in addition to traditional civil engineering design, Waggoner has been recognized as the No. 1 Top Design Firm in Mississippi, and as one of the Top 25 Design Firms in the Southeast.

Those early seeds of farm life have yielded a thriving firm that provides life-enhancing services to millions across the state, region and country.

Emad Al-Turk

For over 30 years, Emad served as a principal-in-charge, project manager, and senior project manager of the planning, design and construction review and management of numerous infrastructure projects for a total value of over $2 billion, both domestically and internationally. Emad has an entrepreneurial spirit and has served in executive and senior-level positions for the last twenty years. He has also served on a number of boards of directors of business and non-profit organizations. Emad enjoys the development of strategic direction of firms that allow businesses to grow and diversify. 

Emad is also passionate about advocating for world peace and security through education, cultural exchange, and trade. That is one of the reasons he co-founded the International Museum of Muslim Cultures in Jackson, Mississippi which is the first Islamic History and Culture Museum in the US with the goal of educating the American public about Islamic history and culture. Our hope is that our efforts will contribute to reducing tension, bigotry, wars, and conflicts and will lead to a more balanced and fair relationship between America and the Muslim world that is based on mutual respect, tolerance and understanding.

Ryan Herndon

Ryan joined Waggoner Engineering in 2018, bringing over 20 years of experience in project management of new construction, in dealing with water wells, water treatment, tanks, and water line in Mississippi and Louisiana.

Early in Ryan’s career, he went to work in the family business that served water utility needs for municipal, community, and Industrial clients for over 60 years. Ryan started at the very bottom of the business learning all aspects and earning the appreciation of hard work, and firsthand knowledge and experience of the business. He began managing and operating the company in 2005 after a change in ownership and performed that role until joining Waggoner. 

Ryan is passionate and will be diligent about finding solutions and supporting municipalities, counties, and communities to ensure the best possible outcomes of projects that will best serve their needs for many years to come.

Tracy Huffman

Diligence, creativity, and a passion for finding solutions all describe Tracy Huffman’s work as Vice President of Operations. In his work with regional infrastructure development, Tracy doesn’t shy away from challenges when there’s no apparent solution he rolls up his sleeves and works with clients to create one.

In an era of limited funding for critical infrastructure, Tracy’s clients agree that he explores virtually every option of funding sources from grants to loans, finding creative ways to develop alternative engineering plans when funds are difficult to obtain. Tracy uses his experience to design site developments, water and wastewater infrastructure, master plans, transportation plans and roadways, structural and aviation projects.

When he’s not finding solutions for clients, Tracy enjoys golf and spending time with his family.