Ghafari Expands Leadership Team with Industry Veteran Todd Lackey

DEARBORN, MI – Global architecture and engineering firm Ghafari Associates (Ghafari) is pleased to announce that structural engineering veteran Todd Lackey has joined its team as Vice President. Lackey brings more than 30 years of industry experience spanning structural steel fabrication, detailing, engineering, project delivery, client development, and leadership, with deep expertise in the automotive, industrial, and advanced manufacturing sectors.

Lackey joins Ghafari after more than two decades with Ruby + Associates, where he most recently served as Associate Principal and led complex projects, strategic client relationships, and business development initiatives. His career began on the fabrication side of the structural steel industry before progressing into engineering, project management, and organizational leadership. That breadth of experience has shaped a practical, constructability-driven approach centered on understanding how decisions made during design ultimately affect fabrication, construction, schedule, cost, and overall project success.

Throughout his career, Lackey has championed an integrated approach to structural steel delivery that connects engineering, connection design, detailing, fabrication, and construction. His approach emphasizes early collaboration, constructability, model-based coordination, and fabrication-ready information to improve quality, reduce rework, and accelerate project delivery.

Lackey is an active industry speaker, having presented at the Lean Construction Institute, NASCC: The Steel Conference, and the Advanced Manufacturing Facility Construction Conference on topics focused on lean project delivery, structural steel integration, constructability, and collaboration.

In his new role, Lackey will support Ghafari's continued growth in structural engineering and advanced project delivery, working across disciplines to strengthen client relationships, mentor project teams, and advance integrated structural steel delivery capabilities.

“We are excited to welcome Todd to the Ghafari team,” says Kouhaila (Ki) Hammer, Ghafari’s President + CEO. “His comprehensive knowledge of structural steel and proven client leadership make him a fantastic addition as we continue to elevate our capabilities.”