Personifying the dedicated career servant, Laird started as a laboratory assistant and paving inspector and rose to become chief of construction for the Michigan Department of State highways (1924-1968). He worked in a wide variety of engineering assignments, contributing many improvements in design and construction specification. He was personally responsible for developing an improved concrete pavement joint and invented the split casting for drainage castings, advances that reduced costs and contributed to better highways nationwide. After retirement from the Department, he became the first engineer-manager of the Michigan Concrete Paving Association, guiding its efforts to improve the quality of concrete pavement and broaden its market in the industry.