Who We Are
Our Vision
Our vision is to be a trusted engineering partner known for creating practical, buildable, and long-lasting development solutions. We strive to combine technical excellence, real-world constructability, and thoughtful design to support sustainable growth across the communities we serve.
We aim to elevate the land development process by embracing innovation, strengthening client relationships, and delivering projects that balance function, value, and environmental responsibility—whether shaping a single commercial site or an entire residential community.
Chris Thompson, Owner/CEO
Chris joined StrongRock in January 2024 as Director of Civil Engineering and became Managing Partner the following year after seeing the company’s potential and the strength of its team. Originally from the suburbs of Philadelphia, Chris has called North Carolina home since 1995, and is a proud NC State alumni, earning both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Civil Engineering. As a licensed Professional Engineer in North Carolina, he spent over 16 years in the telecommunications industry, working his way from engineering intern to director and leading efforts to launch two new office locations. At StrongRock, his focus is on building client trust through value engineering, constructible designs, and responsive service. He brings a genuine enthusiasm for seeing projects come to life and takes pride in fostering a workplace where employees are supported and motivated to grow. Outside of work, Chris and his wife Ashley stay busy cheering on their three kids in sports and enjoying the outdoors whenever they can.
Meet Strongrock
Jim Ashley
Director of Planning & Design
With nearly 30 years of experience in land development and landscape architecture, Jim Ashley has led complex projects from planning and proposal development through design, regulatory approvals, and implementation. He is particularly skilled at bridging the disciplines of Landscape Architecture and Civil Engineering, helping clients navigate complex development challenges while streamlining project delivery.
Jim is passionate about mentoring emerging professionals, fostering strong team cultures, and advancing sustainable, community-centered design solutions. His expertise includes land development strategy, client and project leadership, stormwater planning concepts, regulatory approvals, and multidisciplinary coordination.
John Best
Director of Engineering
John is the Director of Engineering at Strongrock, bringing over 15 years of hands-on engineering and construction management experience to the land development industry. A North Carolina native and NC State graduate, he spent the first phase of his career in telecom engineering, where he built extensive field experience managing complex infrastructure projects. Since transitioning to land development in 2022, John has applied his practical problem-solving skills and real-world construction management background to lead successful development projects from concept to completion.
Tom Taylor
Project Manager / Civil Engineer
Tom joined Strongrock in Spring of 2024, bringing four years of local land development experience and six years of civil engineering experience to the company. Tom is from New Jersey, where he graduated from Rowan University in 2018 with a Civil Engineering degree. Tom is a registered EIT and pursuing a PE license in 2026. New Jersey is also where Tom met his wife, and they married in 2023. Tom lives in the Durham area, where he enjoys playing golf, hiking, watching sports, volunteering at church, and spending time with their dog Banks.
Our Team
