August 21, 2024
The firm strategically hires leadership to facilitate expansion in the south.

Houston, Texas – Design and consulting firm WSB announced today the strategic hiring of Michael Hodgkinson. Based out of the firm’s Houston office, Hodgkinson joins WSB as director of survey operations.

Hodgkinson has a strong background in the industry with over 30 years of experience in survey. His close relationships with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and other industry leaders are valuable to the firm as it continues to grow nationally.

“Michael was selected for this position for a variety of reasons,” said Brad Oswald, director of survey. “He comes to WSB with a wealth of industry knowledge, and his relationships in the region will help us expand our service offerings throughout the state. I’m really excited to watch our division thrive under Michael’s leadership.”

This is the first time the firm will offer survey services of this scale in Texas, and Hodgkinson will be instrumental in its growth. In his position, Hodgkinson will oversee survey operations and business development throughout the state. He will primarily focus on building the firm’s team in Texas and expanding into new market spaces, such as municipal, renewables and energy markets, in the south and southeast regions.  

“I see potential for growth at WSB, both internally and nationally,” said Hodgkinson. “I am passionate about building and strengthening operations. I look forward to applying my experience in my new role to support the firm.”

Strengthening the firm’s Texas presence will support national expansion. After doubling in size through two acquisitions in the past year, the firm has increased its service offerings and reach across the United States.

August 15, 2024

Each year, the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal gathers information on firm’s based in the Twin Cities and creates a Fast 50 List. The List is a ranking of companies that have shown significant growth over a period of time. It was recently announced that WSB is an honoree on the List, making it one of the fastest-growing private companies in the Twin Cities.

The awards program will take place on Thursday, October 24, at U.S. Bank Stadium. This is when official placements on the List will be announced. An alphabetical list of 2024 honorees can be found at MSPBJ.

August 13, 2024
Brian Hotovy’s financial expertise well-positions the design and consulting firm as it continues to establish a national brand.  

Minneapolis, Minn. – Fast-growing firm WSB today announced the strategic hiring of Brian Hotovy. Hotovy joins the firm as controller and is based out of headquarters in Minneapolis.

As a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with over 20 years of progressive experience leading accounting and finance teams, and over 10 years specifically in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry, Hotovy is an asset to the firm and well-prepared to support rapid growth.

“Brian is well-established, and his experience working in accounting and finance in the AEC industry is extremely valuable,” said James Bainbridge, chief financial officer. “His knowledge and guidance will help shape WSB as we expand both organically and through acquisitions. I look forward to the future of this firm with Brian on our team.”

Hotovy’s hiring enables the firm’s growth and scale. In this role, he will focus on consolidated reporting and developing the firm’s financial processes to support continued growth. His expertise and industry experience supports the firm’s growing footprint.

“The culture at WSB is outstanding, and I’m excited to provide insight as we continue building a presence from coast-to-coast,” said Hotovy. “I look forward to the continued development of our accounting division and am eager to position our staff and clients for success. The sky is the limit.”

WSB acquired two firms in the last year, doubling in size. The firm continues to offer over 50 complementary services to clients across the United States to build what’s next in infrastructure— the places, spaces and systems that support our lives.

August 8, 2024
WSB is investing in the future of traffic control technology.

Minneapolis, Minn – WSB, a forward-thinking design and consulting firm, announced today
their partnership with European company GoodVision. This partnership is more than two teams joining together, rather, it signifies the join t effort of advancing the traffic industry.

WSB and GoodVision have been cooperating since 2021 in the traffic modeling domain.

WSB’s use of technology in their services has made the firm a leader in the Architecture,
Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. Over the next three years, WSB will invest in
GoodVision as well as traffic analytics project efforts, support and education. In turn,
GoodVision will focus on enhancing these solutions, implementations and support. This
partnership propels the industry forward even more.

“A partnership between WSB and GoodVision aims at creating a powerful technology and
implementer collaboration in North America,” said Daniel Stofan, GoodVision CEO. “Both
companies are heavily investing in the improvement of the traffic industry and aim to excel by
implementing Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions to address current traffic analytics needs with
local traffic expertise and support.”

This partnership is leading the traffic industry, implementing AI to address current needs in the
areas of traffic analysis, transportation safety and active traffic management. Deliverables
include turnkey traffic solutions to support clients, ITS solutions, preventing congestion and
increased safety. WSB’s staff of subject matter experts can use the data and insights provided
by these solutions to create a tailored consulting service for each client. This joint effort is
shaping the future of traffic monitoring and analytics.

“Not only does this innovative technology progress the industry, but it also creates safer and
more efficient communities,” said Gordon McPhee, Vice President of Digital Solutions. “Using
AI, this service provides instant detection of roadway incidents with automated responses. This
increases overall safety and builds a safer community.”

Additionally, this service improves productivity and cost savings through real time automation.
By implementing this system, clients reduce the heavy workload for their staff and create a
more efficient work environment.

WSB and GoodVision are committed to serving communities around the world. This partnership and technology-driven service make that possible. Together, WSB and GoodVision will provide clients with the opportunity to implement traffic monitoring and data analytics into their practices, furthering the advancement of the industry and building safer communities.

August 2, 2024

WSB was recently awarded Special Achievement in GIS (Geographic Information Systems) at the 2024 Esri User Conference. This award is given to users around the world recognizing outstanding work with GIS technology. WSB was recognized for its work as a consultant supporting renewable energy organizations with implementing Esri GIS technology.

Esri is the global market leader in GIS software, location intelligence and mapping. The firm is honored to have received this prestigious award.

July 23, 2024
The firm welcomes Michael Kervin to survey division as a strategic hire.

Denver, Colo. – Design and consulting firm WSB today announced Michael Kervin has joined as director of survey operations. Based out of the Denver office, Kervin oversees survey operations in the Colorado region.

Kervin has 33 years of industry experience, making him an asset to WSB. His strong background in survey and engineering, general land development and transportation projects will support the firm as it continues to expand.

“I’m excited to put my experience and expertise to use at WSB,” said Kervin. “I admire the empowerment the firm has given to their staff to strive for greatness. I already have strong connections with the majority of the survey team, and I’m eager to collaborate on projects.”

In this role, Kervin will foster growth in the Colorado survey market. He manages the survey division and coordinates with the transportation and land development teams. He will support WSB by integrating the survey division with design teams, ensuring the firm can provide the best services for existing and future clients.

“Michael’s experience, contacts and knowledge are all reasons he was the perfect candidate for this position,” said Brad Oswald, director of survey. “He and his team have done remarkable work in land development and commercial construction staking. His leadership and support will help produce growth within our firm.”

The firm is establishing itself as a national brand, and continued growth in the survey division will strengthen this expansion. WSB has recently acquired two firms, nearly doubling in size in the last year. Expanded leadership teams across all regions will support this growth.

July 12, 2024

The Zweig Group is the leading research, publishing and advisory services resource for the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. Each year, the organization offers an awards program that specifically recognizes outstanding work within the AEC industry throughout North America.

WSB was recently honored with five awards from the Zweig Group for 2024 Marketing Excellence. Entries are judged by a team of marketing professionals and evaluated based upon overall creativity, messaging, results achieved by the campaign, and level of design.

1^st Place in Brochure Design | Digital Lifecycle Brochure

WSB is a forward-thinking firm, and we value our innovative approach with advanced project delivery. The firm uses technology to remain a leader in the industry, and this is reflected in our marketing efforts.

Recently, WSB created an improved digital sales tool about the Digital Lifecycle. Our efforts to design an interactive presentation that uniquely caters to each audience was recognized by the Zweig Group and received first place in Brochure Design.

2^nd Place in Brochure Design | New Firm Overview

The WSB 2024 firm overview brochure is designed as a presentation folder that accommodates division collateral, one-pagers and additional marketing materials.

It also includes a cutout for holding a business card. This innovative folder can serve as a standalone piece or a leave behind. We received second place from the Zweig Group for this timeless and contemporary brochure presentation.

2^nd Place in Internal Newsletters | 2023 Year in Review

Since 2009, WSB has published our annual Year In Review. This publication recaps the previous year and is distributed at our firm’s annual celebration. The goal is simple – to tell the story of WSB to our staff. In recent years, we have grown significantly both in staff size and geography. The stories of how we are building what is next in infrastructure across the country are important for our staff to hear.

The Year in Review helps us reconnect to our mission and reminds us of what we work together towards. It received second place in Internal Newsletters.

2^nd Place in External Newsletters | Nov/Dec 2023 Newsletter

Twice a year, WSB publishes an external newsletter. For over 10 years, WSB has mailed a newsletter highlighting projects, innovations, techniques, and news. We feel there is still value in a well-done printed piece. Issuing a newsletter helps us tell our WSB story in a broader way than digital marketing.

This newsletter focused on the work we have done across the country and our growth as a firm. It received second place from the Zweig Group for External Newsletters.

3^rd Place in Advertising | MSHSL State Tournaments Advertising

We know that the future is what we make of it, and we value the bright minds of the next generation. This is why we chose to advertise in environments where the next great engineers are as a Minnesota State High School Sponsor.

00:15-second commercials ran during the live web-streaming of the 2024 Girls’ & Boys’ State Hockey and Basketball, as well as rotational courtside signage during the basketball tournaments. We received third place in Advertising.

To read more about the awards and view a full list of winners, please visit Marketing Excellence Award (zweiggroup.com)

July 10, 2024

Jacksonville, FL. – WSB, the fast-growing design and consulting firm, today announced the strategic hiring of Rob Mizell. Mizell has joined WSB as vice president of transportation and will support the firm while establishing its national presence and growing the transportation division in Florida.

Mizell has over 30 years of industry experience in both the private and public sector in northeast and central Florida. His background makes him well equipped to lead the division to new heights in Florida.

“Rob has an impressive reputation, and his experience and leadership in the industry speaks for itself,” said Jon Chiglo, chief operating officer. “Our mindsets and values aligned regarding advancing technology in the industry and introducing clients to our innovative approaches. He’s a fantastic fit for our firm, and with his leadership we will see growth in our transportation services.”

Based in the firm’s Jacksonville office, Mizell will oversee the transportation division in Florida. Rob will build staff and client relationships throughout the state, continue to advance infrastructure by introducing southeast clients to technology strategies and provide support for overall growth. His background and knowledge will help position WSB as a powerhouse firm in the area.

“I was initially drawn to WSB because of its aggressive growth strategy,” said Mizell. “I am extremely impressed with the colleagues I have met and the advanced strategies the firm applies to its projects. WSB has a wide variety of services and innovative techniques to better support communities and clients. I am eager to further develop our footprint in Florida and establish WSB as a go-to firm.”

WSB joined the southeast market in February 2024 through the acquisition of AE Engineering Inc., a high-growth transportation infrastructure engineering firm based in Jacksonville, Florida. WSB has nearly doubled staff in the last year and provides services across the United States.

June 6, 2024

The firm has chosen to relocate to the new office space for improved efficiency.

Minneapolis, Minn. – Design and consulting firm WSB announced today the relocation of their St. Cloud office. The firm is building a national presence and making each office a welcoming space is included in that plan.

The firm’s new St. Cloud office is located at 3051 2nd Street South, Suite 103 and includes 3,998 square feet.

“The St. Cloud office is an integral part of WSB,” said Kyle Klasen, vice president of surveys. “We have had a building in the area since 1998, and we are excited to relocate to a new facility. We look forward to settling into the new space and continuing to build relationships in the area.”

St. Cloud hosts one of the seven Minnesota offices and has helped create the strong foundation WSB has with its Midwest clients and communities.

“Our top priority is making sure we find and create spaces where our staff will thrive and we can best support the community,” said Bret Weiss, president and CEO. “We are looking forward to a future in a new space with resources that reflect our values and brand for staff and clients. This relocation is a testament that we are continuing to invest in St. Cloud.”

With two recent acquisitions, the firm has grown significantly. Expanding its coast-to-coast client base and office locations has been a major focus for the firm. National development has been at the forefront, but the firm continues to prioritize the needs of each region. WSB looks forward to the future of the St. Cloud office in its new location.