ABOUT US

20+

Locations Worldwide

100%

Employee-Owned

1,000+

Employees

Stanley consultants History

1913

1932

1936

1939

1940

1955

1961

1966

1971

1979

1980

1982

1987

1991

2002

2004

2007

2008

2013

2017

2020

2022

2023

Stanley Consultants is Born

Stanley Consultants traces its roots to 1913 when Charles H. Young founded Central States Engineering, a private engineering company in Muscatine, Iowa.

Founder Young Sells Minority Stake to Stanley Brothers

In 1932, when Charles was looking toward retirement, he sold 49 percent of the firm to brothers Max and Art Stanley and the firm was renamed Young and Stanley, Inc.

Young and Stanley Brothers Electrify the Midwest

In 1936, the rural electrician program offered a huge boost to Young and Stanley as the firm played a vital role in designing and managing construction of power lines that brought electricity to the Midwest.

Young Retires and Stanley Engineering Company Emerges

Following Mr. Young’s retirement in 1939, Max Stanley became president and the firm’s name was changed to Stanley Engineering Company.

Stanley Engineering Company’s First Annual Conference

The firm’s Annual Conference was first held in 1939 to allow members to become better acquainted and celebrate service, project and company milestones. Our annual conference celebration continues to this day.

New Company Culture Takes Shape

In the late ‘40s, our employees were designated as “members” to more accurately reflect their value to the company and the collaborative project team philosophy of our work.

Business is Booming

By 1955, the firm had designed more than 65 steam electric and more than 55 diesel electric generating plans for cooperatives and municipalities.

Max Stanley Sets the Standard for the Consulting Industry

With rural electrification, state roads and highways, sanitary systems and running water in demand, Max Stanley pioneered quality service methods. He formulated the company's operations and practices and recorded them in The Consulting Engineer, published in 1961. It became the foremost sourcebook for engineers and others in the consulting industry.

Stanley Engineering Company Becomes Member-Owned

The firm became member-owned in 1961. Today, the majority of company members are shareholders, either through direct ownership or through the Stanley Member Stock Bonus Plan.

The Stanley Engineering Company Becomes Stanley Consultants

In 1966, the firm changed its name to Stanley Consultants to better reflect the multi-disciplined services that involved architects, economists, construction managers and planners.

The Next Generation Steps In

Dick Stanley, Max’s son, joined the firm full time in 1955. In 1971, he followed in his father's footsteps to become president of the company.

Outside Directors Bring New Perspectives

In 1979, outside directors were first elected to the firm’s board of directors in 1979. This practice continues to bring different backgrounds, counsel and an independent perspective to company matters.

Expansion Amidst Downturn

The economic slowdown of the early ‘80s prompted the firm to diversify into different markets and regions through the acquisition of firms in Phoenix and Florida. Since then, we have established offices around the US and around the world to serve our clients.

The Stanley Consultants Charitable Foundation is Established

The Stanley Consultants Charitable Foundation was created in 1982 to serve as a living example of our core values. The foundation has contributed over $1.6 million to charities serving international, national and local causes, as well as distributed scholarships to support students.

Future Company President Joins as an Intern

In 1965, Gregs Thomopulos joined Stanley Consultants as an intern. In 1987, he was elected president.

Celebrating Major Successes Amidst Steep Competition

We have proudly served the Federal government for over 75 years. In 1991, the company was selected over 1,300 firms to design two air bases in Kuwait. We served as program manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for master planning the reconstruction of Iraq and rebuilding the hurricane protection system in New Orleans.

Stanley Consultants Named “Best for Civil Engineers”

Outside sources confirm – Stanley Consultants is a great place to work. In 2002, Civil Engineering News magazine ranked Stanley Consultants as the country’s best employer for civil engineers. For years, AARP consistently ranked the company as one of the best employers for workers over 50.

Cover Story in Prestigious Industry Magazine

In 2004, Stanley Consultants was featured in Engineering News-Record magazine with president and CEO Gregs Thomopulos featured on the cover described as a 21st Century World Citizen.

Making History with a New Company President

Gayle Roberts succeeded Gregs Thomopulos as the company's fifth president in 2007 and became the nation's first female president of a large international engineering firm.

Setting New Standards for Construction Methods

With growing experience in Accelerated Bridge Construction, in 2008 we successfully replaced four bridges in 37 hours for the Utah Department of Transportation, setting a precedent in Utah to use Accelerated Bridge Construction over traditional bridge construction techniques.

Centennial Anniversary and a Renewed Focus on Service

We are committed to serving our communities and using our resources to solve the issues they face. In 2013, we celebrated our 100th anniversary with a year-long focus on community service, giving back to the communities that have long supported us.

New Leadership Charts a Path into the Future

2017 and 2018 were years of leadership transitions. In 2017, Gregs Thomopulos retired from a 52-year career with the company. Gayle Roberts was elected chairman of the board and Kate Harris joined the firm as president and CEO. In 2018, Gayle Roberts announced her retirement, concluding a 35-year career with Stanley Consultants and Kate Harris was elected chair of the board of directors.

Notable Projects and National Accolades

Our passion for innovative solutions to complex engineering challenges has resulted in multiple industry awards. The $95 million Fox River Bridge replacement project garnered multiple awards and articles. In 2020, our design of the unique Muscatine Organic Waste Recycling facility netted several national awards.

Leading the Way to Address Climate Change

Our 2022 acquisition of Resilient Analytics is helping us to deliver on our strategic vision of creating a connected, sustainable and enriched world. Resilient Analytics’ proven data, models and technologies help decision makers predict, mitigate and manage climate change risks that impact the quality of life and the natural and built environment that we live and work in.

Further Expansion and Growth

2022 has been a year of strategic acquisitions. The acquisition of Florida-based Traffic Engineering Data Solutions, Inc. (TEDS) is providing additional talent, capabilities and geographical presence to our Florida clients, and cementing our position as a regional and national transportation leader in planning, engineering, data and intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and solutions.

Looking Forward to Continued Success

From modest beginnings, we have extended our reach worldwide. We have diversified our services and clients, from local to the world market sector. Today, we're ranked among the largest engineering firms in the world with over two dozen offices across the globe. With a focus on energy, water, transportation and the environment, we continue to bring global knowledge, over a century of experience and multi-disciplinary capabilities to serve our private and public clients.

Awards & Recognition

#120

ENR Top 500 Design Firms

#178

ENR Top 225 Int'l Design Firms

View More Award-Winning Projects

STANLEY CONSULTANTS TODAY

Accelerating Innovation. Advancing Excellence.

At Stanley, our passion for excellence and an unwavering commitment to making a difference are at the core of our business. Our team of engineers, scientists, technologists, innovators and professionals are dedicated to pioneering innovative solutions that address today’s needs and tomorrow’s challenges.

Vision

Every project we work on at Stanley Consultants is guided by our purpose of improving lives. Our vision is to create a sustainable, connected and enriched world for all. We do that through putting people first, having a passion for excellence, empowering solutions with technology and a commitment to culture, values and ethics.

Mission

The mission of Stanley Consultants is to remain an enduring energy and infrastructure leader. We embrace the challenges of the future and strive to provide resilient, sustainable solutions built to withstand the test of time. We have a passion for problem solving, using our creativity and innovation to deliver solutions that benefit our clients and communities. We are committed to a culture of engagement, excellence and economic growth.

Values

The core values of Stanley Consultants represent our highest priorities and deepest-held beliefs. We stand for integrity, social responsibility, excellence, mutual success, commitment and employee-ownership.

We Put Our People First

As part of our People First commitment, we live by four cornerstones of culture in all that we do.

Service in Action

As an engineering firm dedicated to improving lives, our team members put that principle into action every day in their local communities. This includes everything from volunteering at schools or adopting a highway to lending skills and talents to local organizations. Our team members contribute their time, talent and financial resources to a myriad of organizations and support the engineering community and many professional organizations. Read more about our commitment.

Stewardship & Sustainability

At Stanley, sustainability and environmental stewardship mean a commitment to meeting the needs of the present without comprising the future. This commitment shapes how we operate as a partner, employer of choice, industry leader and community member. From helping clients build resilient infrastructure to leveraging new technologies and processes that improve efficiency, we are champions for environmental and social responsibility. Learn more about our resiliency and sustainability practices.

Entrepreneurship & Innovation

We have been leaders of positive change for more than a century. From our earliest days of pioneering rural electrification to our industry leading Innovate@Stanley™ program, launched in 2021, we know that innovation is the key to solving the world’s greatest challenges. Explore our innovation program and approach.

Community in Mind

Community is the foundation of our culture. Our dedication to service extends beyond our clients and reaches into the communities where we live and work. Learn more about Stanley’s community engagement efforts.

OUR APPROACH

Engineering What's Next

For more than a century, Stanley has guided its clients through their most complex engineering challenges across commercial, civil infrastructure and industrial markets. These decades of hands-on industry experience have provided us with invaluable insights and best practices that inform our architecture, engineering and strategic advisory services.

Today, we leverage this expertise to deliver future-ready solutions that support clients through their entire project lifecycle, from initial concept to closeout and long-term asset management strategies. Our approach centers on the long-term operational and capital investment goals of our clients and integrates business intelligence, operational excellence and adaptive planning to create sustained value. This comprehensive approach includes master planning, resiliency planning, asset management, augmented design, clean tech, smart systems and advanced analytics.

Whether it’s enhancing the resilience of civil infrastructure or implementing clean technology to meet growing energy transition needs, we are more than design and engineering consultants. We’re your partner for the future.

SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESS

Supplier Diversity Commitment Statement

Small Business Registry

Since 1913, Stanley Consultants has been committed to improving lives by providing the best experience to our clients and delivering projects with valuable results. Offering subcontracting and sub-consulting opportunities to small, diverse businesses is key to this commitment. These firms provide skilled, experienced and specialized knowledge to the work we do for our clients, including the U.S. Federal Government. The goals of our supplier diversity commitment are to:

Fulfill the socioeconomic mission of Supplier Diversity and Small Business Programs.
Add value to the company and our clients by utilizing a diverse base of subconsultants and suppliers.

In support of this statement, Stanley Consultants has Small Business and Subcontracting Representatives that support our business by increasing the utilization of small and diverse business categories via outreach, recruitment, development and mentoring.

Kate Harris

President, CEO and Chair of the Board

Stanley Consultants

Meet The Team

About Stanley Consultants

An Industry-Leading Global Consulting Engineering Firm

20+