David Packard

David Packard’s journey in life has been shaped by tenacity, ingenuity, and a lifelong fascination with how things are built. Born in Alpena, Michigan, David spent his early years moving throughout the Midwest, from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to Grand Island, Nebraska, where he graduated from high school. He later attended college in Lincoln, Nebraska at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Studies. For graduate school, he studied at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis earning a Master’s in Architecture before ultimately settling in Omaha. Inspired by his father, a construction inspector, David developed an appreciation for the building process at an early age. What began as studies in civil engineering quickly shifted when he encountered architecture students carrying project drawings through campus. Captivated by the blend of imagination and technical problem-solving, he changed majors and never looked back.

Over the course of a distinguished thirty-seven-year career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, David built a legacy grounded in leadership, service, and design excellence. His early experience included a brief tenure as a Historical Architect with the National Park Service followed by several years of private practice. David is also a SAME Fellow since 1985, and served as the committee chair for the Architectural Practice Community of Interest in 2018 and 2019. He was the 2018 recipient of the SAME Urbahn Medal for contributions to the architectural profession.

Outside of work, David’s interests are as wide-ranging as his creativity. He enjoys mountain biking, golfing, flyfishing, photography, watercolor painting, cooking, vintage auto racing, model railroading, music, travel, and mentoring high school students interested in engineering and architecture.