Today we’d like to introduce you to Barry Vance.
Hi Barry, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born and raised in West Central Florida, and from a young age I was always outdoors either fishing, spending time on the water, or in the woods. That gave me a real appreciation for Florida’s natural resources early on, and looking back, it’s what shaped my passion for conservation and habitat restoration. I always knew I wanted to work on the water and in the woods somehow.
What’s interesting is that I remember being talked out of an environmental career path at a high school career fair. I was told it would be too hard to get into and that I’d never go anywhere with it. That stuck with me for a while, but after a few years I realized this was still the path I wanted to take. Once I made that decision, I got intentional about it. I chose a field-science-based degree program and made sure to get hands-on experience before graduating.
I graduated on a Friday and started at Water & Air Research the very next Monday, and I’ve been here ever since. I started as a Technician and worked my way up over the years to President and CEO. It’s been a meaningful journey, especially because I’ve had the chance to grow alongside a company with such a long history of important environmental work.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a completely smooth road. One of the earliest challenges was simply finding my way back to the path I knew I wanted. Being discouraged from pursuing environmental work when I was younger made me question it for a while, and it took some time to realize I needed to trust that instinct and go after it anyway.
From there, like most careers worth having, it took a lot of hard work and patience. Environmental consulting can be demanding, and starting at the ground level means learning through experience, hard work, and taking on more responsibility over time. Later, the challenges shifted from technical growth to leadership by helping guide people, culture, and the long-term direction of the company. But those challenges have also been some of the most rewarding parts of the journey.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Water & Air Research, Inc. is a multidisciplinary environmental engineering and consulting firm made up of engineers, geologists, biologists, environmental scientists, and planners. We work with both public and private clients throughout Florida and across the United States. The company was founded in Gainesville in 1970, and we recently celebrated our 55-year anniversary, which is something we’re really proud of.
Our work covers a wide range of environmental services, and we’re especially well known for our expertise in water quality matters. More broadly, we help clients understand environmental constraints, solve problems, and move projects forward responsibly. What sets Water & Air apart is our commitment to objective, science-based guidance, not cutting corners and doing it the right way. We’ve built our reputation on being thorough, honest, and committed to environmental stewardship, even when the answers are not always the easiest ones for a client to hear. Being employee-owned also creates a strong sense of pride and accountability across our team. More than anything, I’d want readers to know that Water & Air is built on expertise, integrity, trusted relationships, and a genuine commitment to responsibly managing natural resources.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Something people might not realize is that while they may know me today as President and CEO, I actually started at Water & Air as a Technician and worked my way up over the years. That experience shaped the way I lead because it gave me a real appreciation for the work at every level and all the aspects of a successful team.
For me, this work has always been rooted in something more personal. I grew up fishing and spending as much time outdoors as I could, so environmental responsibility has never felt like just a professional aspect to me. It’s always been tied to how I was raised, what I care about, and how I think about protecting Florida’s natural resources for future generations.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.waterandair.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WaterAndAirResearch
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/water-&-air-research/
