ACEC/Michigan presents Firm of the Year honors to small and large engineering companies

Lansing, Mich. — The American Council of Engineering Companies of Michigan (ACEC/M) recently presented the 2014 member “Firm of the Year” awards at the Engineering & Surveying Excellence awards ceremony. Both a “large firm” (more than 30 employees) and a “small firm” were recognized. In the large firm category, ACEC member firm Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc., headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, took the honor. The 2014 ACEC small firm of the year was awarded to Great Lakes Engineering Group, LLC, located in Lansing.

This is the highest honor bestowed and the only award program instituted to recognize ACEC/M member firms for their leadership in professional and community service. Recognition is based on actions taken by a member firm to progressively develop its management practices and for assuming leadership roles in community outreach activities and ACEC/M programs that strengthen the profession for all ACEC/M members.

ACEC Large Firm of Year

Hubbell, Roth & Clark (HRC) stands out as being a company that regularly gives back to the community. Employees are involved with many different organizations including: Adopt-A-Highway volunteers, planting trees as part of the Greening of Detroit and partnering with local schools to provide mentorship and learning opportunities to young people. The firm also engages in a variety of activities to positively impact the engineering profession and ACEC. Through leadership involvement with multiple chapters of the American Public Works Association (APWA) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), HRC has been instrumental in raising funds for student scholarships and creating programming for professional development. Firm Principal Wally Alix, P.E., PS serves as the ACEC/Michigan National Director.

“Hubbell, Roth & Clark actively participates in our Legislative Day and provides leadership for our Scholarship and Engineering & Surveying Excellence programs,” said Ron Brenke, P.E., ACEC/Michigan Executive Director. “This firm is well known as a champion in solving engineering challenges for communities across the state.”

Hubbell, Roth & Clark is a multi-disciplined consulting engineering firm offering services to various clients in environmental and infrastructure improvements. Nearly 250 employees dedicate their time and talents to HRC in offices throughout Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee. The firm celebrates 100 years of business this year.

ACEC Small Firm of the Year

Great Lakes Engineering Group (GLEG) specializes in bridge inspection and is one of only three firms in the state to obtain MDOT prequalification for underwater bridge inspection. The firm’s founder and principal, Amy Trahey P.E., was instrumental in obtaining this prequalification, making GLEG the first woman-owned, Michigan-based firm to receive this prequalification. Trahey has served on the ACEC/Michigan Board of Directors since 2009. She was Treasurer for two years and will also become ACEC/Michigan’s first female president in 2015.

GLEG employees hold memberships with ASCE, MSPE and MCA and actively participate in local schools and zoning boards, along with youth baseball teams. GLEG encourages students to pursue careers in engineering through mentoring, internship programs, and job shadowing. Employees serve on the Michigan Technological University Civil and Environmental Advisory Board and routinely support the steel bridge competition.

GLEG Great Lakes Engineering Group, LLC is a woman-owned civil and structural engineering firm dedicated to providing full engineering services to private and public clients primarily in Michigan. The company was founded upon the need for structural engineering services that specialize in the field of bridges.