Black & Veatch history

The company’s strong ties with government work began in 1917, as the United States Government War Department asked Black & Veatch to supervise construction of military training camps during World War I.

1922 — Expands offices in the Kansas City Mutual Building at the corner 13th and Oak streets in downtown Kansas City.

1928 — Starts a $10 million project constructing 250 miles of road in Kansas City and Jackson County.

In 1935 the firm was able to move to a larger office in Kansas City's Country Club Plaza, considered to be the first suburban shopping center in the country.

In 1946 Black & Veatch created its Federal Division to handle these projects.

Following Black's death in 1949, Veatch kept the firm's name and carried on as sole owner.

In 1956 the growing firm designed and managed the construction of its new headquarters in Kansas City.

In 1963 the firm expanded the building to 53,000 square feet by adding a third floor.

N.T. Veatch announced his retirement in 1972.

Before Veatch retired from the company in 1973, and passed away two years later, he saw the company grow to more than 1,200 professionals, with projects spanning the globe.

1975 — Opens a new, six-story, 276,000-square-foot building in Overland Park that later becomes its headquarters.

In 1977 it acquired Trotter-Yoder & Associates, a consulting engineering firm located in San Francisco, California, that would become the basis for Black & Veatch's West Coast division.

The first, in 1982, was Moore Gardner & Associates, which became Black & Veatch's Asheboro, North Carolina, office.

1983 — Assistant Managing Partner John “Jack” Robinson becomes managing partner when his brother, Tom, retires.

In 1985, the company acquired the Pritchard Corporation, which helped Black & Veatch enter the gas, oil and chemicals field and gain major energy companies as clients.

Through acquisitions and organic growth, the company grew to 35 offices in the United States by 1990 and was also expanding in other parts of the world.

1992 — Jack Robinson retires and P.J. “Jim” Adam, then head of the energy group, becomes managing partner.

Overall, revenues grew to $985 million in 1994.

Following a reorganization in 1996, Black & Veatch defined its major businesses as power, infrastructure, process, and buildings.

In 2005, the company made three acquisitions – R.J. Rudden Associates, Lukens Energy Group and Fortegra – doubling the size of its management consulting business.

The company acquired the water business of MJ Gleeson in 2006, more than doubling the size of Black & Veatch’s UK water operations and further strengthening its construction expertise.

In 2007, the acquisition of Richard Connor Riley & Associates enabled Black & Veatch’s telecommunications business to grow exponentially to its industry leadership position in digital infrastructure.

2008 — Begins work on 4,800-megawatt coal-fired Kusile Power Station near Witbank, South Africa.

In 2009, Black & Veatch acquired Ariston Consulting, an SAP systems integrator.

2010 — Acquires Denver-based smart grid company Enspira Solutions.

2013 — Names Steve Edwards chairman and CEO, succeeding Rodman.

As the company celebrated its centennial in 2015, it has much to honor from its past and a world of opportunity in the decade to come.