About Our Firm
Starhope Engineering, PLLC was created to serve our communities and its people with the highest quality Civil Engineering services possible. We are proud to call the Wood River Valley our home, and we pair our local knowledge with our depth of experience on each project to help our clients achieve their vision.
Matt Smithman, PE
Principal Engineer
Matt Smithman is a licensed Professional Civil Engineer and founder of Starhope Engineering. He brings more than 12 years of experience in the engineering and construction industry, including time spent managing complex heavy civil work in the field and designing and entitling successful local projects as Engineer of Record. His background gives him a practical understanding of how plans are translated into construction and helps him anticipate challenges early in the planning process. Matt enjoys bringing creative solutions into a collaborative environment and tailoring his work to the needs of each client.
Wes Van Duser, PLS,EIT
Principal Surveyor
Wes Van Duser is a licensed Professional Land Surveyor in Idaho and Wyoming with nine years of experience serving clients across the Mountain West. His work includes complex boundary and PLSS retracement, high-precision construction layout, land-use planning, entitlement support, and a full range of professional surveying services. With a background in engineering and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Wes brings a thoughtful, analytical approach to evaluating technical challenges and interpreting field conditions . Now based in Hailey, he is proud to serve the Wood River Valley with accurate, practical surveying solutions built on clear communication, local understanding, and lasting relationships.