Our Team

W. Carlton Finch, PE

Carlton is a principal and founding member of Finch & Associates, specializing in structural, geostructural and construction engineering fields. Apart from his technical focus, Carlton is responsible for developing and implementing the strategic goals of Finch & Associates and its various service lines.  A Raleigh native, Carlton holds a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from North Carolina State University. He has led projects ranging from single or multi-story office and mixed-use buildings to historic preservation and adaptive reuse projects up to 300,000 square feet in size. Carlton has designed excavation shoring structures of all sizes to depths exceeding 55 feet, and has designed thousands of linear feet of tunnel, microtunnel, and other trenchless crossings. Throughout his career, Carlton has had the pleasure of working with a variety of clients including architects and developers on building projects, contractors on deferred designs or temporary structures facilitating construction, municipalities on design-build contracts, and other engineering firms as a consultant on specialized aspects of a project. Drawing on his decades of diverse expertise, Carlton has established a reputation for producing creative solutions to unique problems to ensure the success of the projects he is involved in. In his free time, Carlton enjoys spending time outdoors hunting, fishing, or simply being at the coast with his family. He and his wife, Frances, have two sons.

John F. “Jay” Watson, PE

Jay is a professional engineer and founding partner, focusing in the civil engineering field. In addition to leading the civil engineering service line, Jay serves in business development and operational roles. He leverages the experience and talent of the Finch & Associates staff to deliver successful projects for the firm’s clients every day.

After spending the beginning of his career focusing on land development, including working on one of the largest planned developments in Wake County, he transitioned to working in the field of hydraulics. First, as a consultant in support of FEMA’s map modernization program and then performing hydraulic analysis and design associated with transportation projects throughout North Carolina. During a decade-long engagement consulting for NCDOT projects, Jay led the hydraulic design efforts for some of the largest roadway projects in the state’s history. Now as a principal at Finch & Associates, Jay brings his broad range of experience and expertise to ensure each client’s project is a success, from inception to completion. Born and raised in Raleigh, Jay earned his Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from North Carolina State University. Outside of work, Jay enjoys getting outside and away from the computer with his wife and two children. You can find him hiking in the mountains, boating or paddleboarding at the coast, or simply knocking around his yard.

James “Jay” Ditenhafer, PLS

Jay is a founding partner and Professional Land Surveyor with more than 30 years of experience in commercial and residential surveying. He leads all geomatics operations for Finch & Associates, ensuring the firm leverages the latest geospatial technology to deliver efficient, high-accuracy results for clients.

Jay began his career in the field as a survey rodman, ultimately translating that hands-on foundation into decades of managing skilled field crews. His comprehensive expertise spans land title research, boundary and topographic mapping, construction layout computations, and project administration. From complex control surveys and structural deformation monitoring to hydrographic and ALTA/NSPS land title surveys, clients rely on Jay and his team for their meticulous attention to detail and reliability.

Outside of work, Jay enjoys spending time with his wife and three children. An avid outdoorsman, he can often be found hiking, tending to his garden, or stargazing with his telescope.