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About Us

An expedition of invention and caring

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About
Purpose
History
What We’re Made Of
Our People

Reshaping tomorrow one great idea at a time

At Terracon, we’re not just engineers and consultants – we’re explorers on a mission to transform our industry and the world around us.

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180 +

Locations

7,000 +

Employees

100 %

Employee-Owned

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Our purpose

Our purpose statement is ‘Explore beyond the surface,’ which means we aim to create the foundations of a better tomorrow. Through groundbreaking solutions, we turn visionary ideas into tangible realities. 

Our history: milestones on our path of progress

1965
Gerald Olson opens Soil Testing Services of Iowa, Inc.

1965
1974

40 Employees

$965K Revenue

1974
1980

Company becomes Terracon Consultants, Inc and is

100% Employee Owned

1980
1984

80 Employees

$5.4m Revenue

1984
1985

Company reorganizes and forms new parent, The Terracon Companies, Inc., with three wholly-owned operating entities:

  • Terracon Consultants SC, Inc.
  • Terracon Consultants SE, Inc.
  • Terracon Consultants NE, Inc.

Terracon EC, Inc. becomes Terracon Environmental, Inc.

1985
1985

Terracon Consultants Western, Inc.

is established.

1985
1986

Barnett, Stuart & Associates (KS) 

is acquired.

1986
1992

Empire Laboratories (CO) + Desert Earth are acquired.

1992
1993

First

$1 million+

project for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

1993
1993

Bolin is acquired.

1993
1994

250 Employees

$54.1m Revenue

1994
1996

Larry Davidson

becomes the second CEO.
Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP) is formally funded.

1996
1997

HSE Consulting and Sampling (NE) and IMS (AZ)

are acquired.

1997
1997

National Account Program

is established.

1997
1998

HBC Engineering (TX)

is acquired.

1998
1998

All operating companies change their names to

Terracon

Facilities service line added.

1998
1999

Maxxim Environmental (CO) + Mike Hawkins (KS)

are acquired.

1999
2002

David Gaboury becomes CEO.

  • Construction Materials Engineering launches
  • Laboratory Management System (CMELMS) launches

2002
2002

Titan Atlantic Group, Inc. (NC)

is acquired.

2002
2003

Employee Excellence Awards created.

2003
2003

Acquired:

  • KTE Consultants (WI)
  • GAGE Group (SC)
  • Pickett-Jacobs Consultants (TX)
2003
2004

1,600 Employees

$174.2m Revenue

2004
2004

Acquired:

  • Genesis Environmental Consulting (AR)
  • Drash Consulting Engineers (TX)

2004
2005

Terracon changes parent company name to

TSVC, Inc.

2005
2005

Acquired:

  • Quality Control Engineering
  • Zipper Zeman and Associates (WA)
2005
2006

Acquired:

  • Spencer J. Buchanan Associates (TX)
  • Ground Engineering Solutions (SC)
2006
2007

Acquired:

  • H.C. Nutting Company (OH)
  • JGI Eastern (NH)

2007
2008

Acquired:

  • High Plains Drilling (CO)
  • AquaDrill (IA)
  • NTL Engineering & Geoscience (MT) are acquired
2008
2008

Engineering News-Record ranks Terracon #41 – Top 500 Design Firms.

Terracon Foundation created.

2008
2009

Acquired:

  • Redmond (WA)
  • Reliable Environmental Management Services (KS)
  • Gallet & Associates (AL)
  • Aquaterra Engineering (LA)
  • WPC (SC)
  • IAQ Consultants (TX)
2009
2010

National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) ranks Terracon 48th largest majority employee-owned company in the U.S. 

2010
2010

Acquires:

  • ESA Energy Systems Associates (TX)
  • Midwest Testing Laboratory (ND)
  • Stafford Consulting Engineers (NC)
2010
2011

Terracon becomes an Incident and Injury-Free (IIF) company.

2011
2011

Acquired:

  • Geotechnical Engineering Group (CO)
  • H&L Engineering & Testing (TX)
  • Nodarse & Associates (FL)
  • Dressler Consulting Engineers (KS)
2011
2012

Acquired:

  • IHI Environmental (UT)
  • Roseville (CA) Office
  • New York License from Booz Allen (NY)
  • Liesch Associates (MN)
2012
2013

2013 Engineering News-Record ranks Terracon #38 – Top 500 Design Firms.

2013
2013

Acquired:

  • Dunkelberger Engineering & Testing (FL)
  • New England EnviroStrategies (NH)
  • Sphere Environmental Services (FL)
2013
2014

3,500 Employees
$479m Revenue

Engineering News-Record ranks Terracon #35 – Top 500 Design Firms.   

National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) ranks Terracon 45th largest majority employee-owned company in the U.S. 

2014
2014

Acquired:

  • Neil O. Anderson and Associates (CA)
  • RGA Environmental (CA)
  • Steel Inspection Services (SC)
  • International Engineers Group + Rowley International (CA)
2014
2015

Terracon celebrates

50th Anniversary

2015
2015

Acquired:

  • Argus Pacific (WA)
  • AQS Environmental (NE)
  • Grant Drilling (SC)
  • NORCAL Geophysical Consultants (CA)
  • El Paso (TX) Office
  • Vernon Hills (IL) and Green Bay (WI) labs
2015
2016

Acquired:

  • Building Exterior Solutions (TX)
  • ROC Geotechnical Engineers (NY)
  • Mayes Testing Engineers (WA)
  • Geotechnical Consulting & Testing (VA)
  • CHJ Consultants (CA)

2016
2016

Engineering News-Record ranks Terracon #32 – Top 500 Design Firms, #1 Asbestos & Lead Abatement Design

2016
2017

2017 Strategy Plan implemented.

Engineering News-Record ranks Terracon #30 – Top 500 Design Firms.

4,000+ Employees; More than 140 offices serving 50 states. 

2017
2017

Earth Exploration (IN) + Dente Group (NY) + GeoConcepts Engineering (VA) + GeoCapitol Engineering (DC) + Engineered Concepts (NC) acquired.

2017
2018

Gayle Packer

named President.

4,500+ Employees

$748m Revenue

Engineering News-Record ranks Terracon #24 – Top 500 Design Firms.  

2018
2018

St. John- Mittelhauser & Associates (IL)

is acquired.

2018
2019

Gayle Packer becomes CEO.

$800m Revenue

Terracon Foundation launches employee matching gift program.

2019
2019

Acquired:

  • Geotechnical & Environmental Consultants, Inc. (GA)
  • Environmental Services, Inc. (FL)

2019
2020

Acquired Skelly & Loy, Inc. (PA) + Environmental Planning Group, LLC (AZ) + TAM Consultants, Inc. (VA) + Burleson Consulting, Inc. (CA)

2020
2021

Acquired:

  • GET Solutions, Inc. (VA)
  • Sport Environmental Services LLC (TX)
  • Pivvot (MO)

2021
2022

Acquired:

  • Wang Engineering, Inc. (IL)
  • Drilling Engineers Inc. (CO)
2022

Terracon introduces rebranded logo.

2022
2023

Acquired:

  • Pollution Management Inc. (AR)
  • Ferguson Risk Management (GA)
2023
2023

Number of employees =

6,000+

Revenues

$1.1 billion.

2023
2024

Engineering News-Record ranks Terracon

#18

Top 500 Design Firms.

2024
2025

Terracon celebrates its

60th anniversary

2025
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Safety is everything

Safety isn’t a checkpoint — it’s the heart of who we are. Our best-in-class safety metrics prove it.

Safety

We’re committed to:

  • Creating a culture where every team member is a safety champion
  • Caring about every project and person we touch
  • Continually equipping ourselves with employee-led safety training and initiatives
  • Ensuring everyone goes home safely every day
Dive Deeper Into Our Safety Practices
IIF Safety Leadership Workshop | Chattanooga, TN
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Advancing sustainable pathways

Sustainability is essential to everything we do. We aim to improve the world around us — people, planet, and communities — through our client work and how we operate as a responsible company. 

Sustainability
People

Our employees and communities are a focus of our sustainable actions, which tie into how we care for each other, foster inclusion, and value diverse voices and ways of thinking. 

Environment

Following our purpose encourages us to use our curiosity mindset to respond to the sustainability and resiliency challenges at every stage of a project’s lifecycle. We believe our most significant environmental impact comes from the services we provide, and we partner with our clients on solutions to plan, design, and build for a better future. 

Management

Operating sustainably is the responsible thing to do, even when it’s hard. It’s a priority for us and critical to achieving long-term, prosperous growth. As a data-driven company, we measure and report our progress toward sustainability goals and continually evaluate how to improve our work.  

Explore Our Sustainability Initiatives

Examples of how we’re actively shaping a more sustainable and inclusive future include our: 

  • Employee Green Teams and Resource Groups
  • Sustainable and diverse supplier procurement practices to broaden our impact.
  • Foundation Equity Grants
  • Climate Change Business Journal and Environmental Business Journal awards.
DC Metro West Green Team | Earth Day Cleanup
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Designing the course of our industry’s future

Our breakthroughs create efficiencies and propel projects forward, saving resources and helping our clients stay ahead in a rapidly evolving world.

Stage1 Select Site on Compass client portal
Stage1 desktop study on Compass client portal
Pivvot
Pivvot location-intelligence platform
Innovation

Designing the Course for Our Industry’s Future

We’re at the helm of industry innovation using:

  • Data-driven insights that illuminate the entire project lifecycle to deliver projects quickly and more efficiently 
  • Employee-led advancements like Stage1 and Pivvot for site selection and pre-site selection 
  • Cutting-edge solutions such as TARGETID and Pavement Technology solutions
Discover Terracon Innovation
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A constellation of expertise

Together, we form a powerful network ready to meet our clients’ evolving challenges.

Terracon Companies

Acquisitions provide a competitive difference to our clients by: 

  • Expanding our universe of services and knowledge 
  • Opening new horizons for employees’ careers and development 
  • Earning us the title of 2023’s Most Innovative Acquirer by Morrissey Goodale, which recognizes the most accomplished acquirers in the architecture, engineering, and environmental industries
Discover Our Family of Companies
Terracon employees working on a laptop
Employee Ownership

Employee Ownership

At Terracon, leadership isn’t confined to the top. As a 100% employee-owned enterprise, we place a premium on a culture that supports everyone, and we empower each team member to:

  • Invest in our collective direction toward success
  • Think big to formulate new courses for progress
  • Value what it means to be 100% employee-owned and think and act as owners
  • Navigate client relationships with excellence

A professional headshot of Gayle Packer, Chair, President and CEO of Terracon.
Gayle Packer
Chair, President and CEO Terracon

“Employee-ownership means everyone has a voice and a role to play in how our company evolves and innovates to serve our clients and make a difference in our communities. As owners, we care for each other, inspire each other, and create success together.”

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Professional growth and personal fulfillment converge

At Terracon, we can all be ourselves because we foster a culture where employees feel valued, included, and welcome.

Terracon Culture

We are a mosaic of diverse perspectives and inclusive practices, rich with opportunities to expand horizons and recognize contributions. With fairness and respect, we speak up for ourselves and each other, listen and learn to understand one another, and appreciate each other’s talents so we all can do what we do best.

Experience the Terracon Spirit
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Join the Expedition

Ready to embark on a career that pushes boundaries?

Chart Your Course With Terracon

Your team for large-scale success

Our National Accounts Program Offers:
  • A single point of contact to navigate complex projects 
  • Streamlined delivery across multiple projects and services 
  • Cost-effective solutions that span geographical boundaries 
  • Easy access to our national footprint to mobilize resources, connect you with local experts, and meet multiple project requirements
Explore Our National Accounts Program
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Payment Solutions

Flexible payment solutions

We offer adaptable payment options to help keep your projects moving.

Explore Payment Options
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