They say there's strength in numbers -- and we couldn't agree more! Especially when you have the right people in your corner.
We're proud of our geographic growth, thanks in large part to the firms who have joined our team. They've strengthened our experiences, diversified our perspective and added more members to this tight-knit community of engineers.
We're here today because of where they started then -- here's to the histories that make our story!
Merger date: April 1, 2013
Founded in 1984 by Raj Sahai and Jack Laws, Structural Design Engineers (SDE) was already close to three decades deep into the San Francisco market when it joined forces with DCI Engineers in 2014. By then, SDE was providing engineering design solutions for large office buildings and other projects throughout the Bay Area.
In the beginning though, like most firms starting out, the work reflected its designer—small but impactful—as SDE’s handful of staff plugged away on single-family homes and smaller-scale offices and apartment buildings.
Steve Lepisto would join SDE in 1989, making the staff total 15. By the time the firm reached 25 engineers and drafters on the payroll, SDE was producing some big-name projects in northern California, from retrofit work on universities and on the San Francisco Ferry Building to public work and spaces, including the Moscone Convention Center with long-time partner Gensler where Raj came up with, and later patented, a truss frame lateral force resisting system.
Merger date: June 20, 2017
Founded in 1990 by Tom Beaudette, BCE Structural (BCE) grew at a steady pace to become the largest structural engineering firm in Montana. Shortly after that, Richard Newman became a joint shareholder where he held that position for over a decade. In 2002, Matt Schmidt joined as a shareholder and company manager; and as the company expanded, it was apparent there was a need for greater management. As such, Matt Hubbard, Chris Schlegel and Jami Lorenz joined company management and ownership in 2007.
With offices in Missoula, Bozeman, Kalispell and Billings, BCE had 40 staff members and an impressive portfolio under its belt when joining DCI in 2017. That work has included numerous high-profile projects not only in Montana but also regionally.
Over a 10-year period, BCE led the charge on extensive upgrades to the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone National Park. The work was completed substantially in the winter as the Inn remained open during the main visitor season in the warmer months. The structure was completely rehabilitated to last another 100 years. The Inn’s location is one the highest snow and seismic load regions in the “lower 48” with vertical loads in excess of 300-PSF and over 250 tremors per year.
Other notable projects include the Visitor Center at Grand Teton National Park, renovation projects at every major national park in the western US, LEED Platinum projects, and substantially all of the structural needs for the University of Montana, Montana State University and the Montana Tech University campuses. Additionally, BCE was the go-to structural engineer for nearly every medical campus in western Montana as well as some notable eastern Montana campuses.
BCE’s work followed a mantra of community service. No project was too small or beneath their efforts. This led to a “Jack of all trades” attitude of hard work and humility.
Operating under the same ideal that client connection is just as important as the deliverable, BCE has demonstrated a down-to-earth realness that can only be found in the humble, hardworking and hard-playing spirit of Montanans. The BCE way has always been to put in the work so you can get out and play, as staff often enjoy that Big Sky when off the clock – even gathering together offsite for ski and rafting trips.
Merger date: February 1, 2022
Founded in 1999 by Robert MacIntosh, MacIntosh Engineering (MAC) was already a household name in the AEC world of the mid-Atlantic when they joined DCI in early 2022. Their shared values of providing outstanding service for their clients while deepening professional and personal relationships is what drew DCI to Bob and his business partner, Steven Krumenacker – along with the 27 engineering, drafting and admin professionals in their Wayne, Pennsylvania and Wilmington, Delaware offices.
Their evolution since the late nineties has included an expanded portfolio of historic retrofits, higher education designs and healthcare facilities. And while that growth has meant change, this tight-knit group remains close with their clients and their fellow colleagues as their traditions of summer outings, happy hours and group gatherings remain strong today.
