Olsson History

The Foundation for Success

1956
John E. Olsson establishes John E. Olsson Professional Engineering in Lincoln, Nebraska's Sharp Building, with him as the sole employee. The company's first project is a plat of a cemetery for J. Township in Seward County for a fee of $56. Gross income that first year is $4,000.

1958-1960
Max Burroughs joins the firm in 1958, adding structural and architectural expertise to the service offerings. In 1960, Charles Thomsen joins the firm, adding mechanical and electrical engineering services to the mix. Olsson, Burroughs & Thomsen merges with Clark & Enersen Architects in 1962 to form Enersen, Olsson, Burroughs & Thomsen. The firm now employs 30 and offers architectural, civil, sanitary, mechanical, structural, and municipal engineering services.

1970
Enersen, Olsson, Burroughs & Thomsen's civil and municipal engineering departments leave the group to form John E. Olsson & Associates with 90 projects and eight employees. The new firm establishes headquarters on the 17th floor of the First National Bank Building in downtown Lincoln, Nebraska. The firm teamed with Black & Veatch on the Theresa Street wastewater treatment plant project in Lincoln.

Becoming Olsson Associates

1973
John E. Olsson & Associates becomes Olsson Associates with 22 employees.

1976
Carl Bodensteiner named president.

1980
Corporate headquarters moves to the 6th floor of the NBC Center in downtown Lincoln, Nebraska. Olsson Associates now employs 34.

1984
Olsson Associates opens an office in Grand Island, Nebraska. Electrical and mechanical engineering services are added, and the firm grows to 47 employees and 419 projects. The firm was selected for the Ashland water treatment plant project.

1986
Olsson Associates begins the 4.5-day work week. Both computers are networked.

1990
Roger Severin named president. Another regional office opens in Holdrege, Nebraska. Olsson Associates now employs 75 and services 467 projects.

1994
Olsson Associates' headquarters relocates to 1111 Lincoln Mall in Lincoln, Nebraska, and establishes Olsson Environmental Sciences. The firm boasts 105 employees and 734 projects.

1996
For the first time, Olsson is listed on Engineering News Record's Top 500 design firms. The firm celebrates 40 years with 135 employees and offices in Lincoln, Grand Island, and Holdrege. John E. Olsson is honored with UNL College of Engineering and Technology's Outstanding Alumnus Award.

1997
Olsson Associates opens an office in Omaha, Nebraska. The Antelope Valley MIS project is won in Lincoln, marking the firm's largest project to date.

1998
At 152 employees, Olsson Associates opens an office in Kansas City, Missouri.

Acquisitions and Growth

1999
Olsson opens an office in Phoenix, Arizona. The Kansas City office doubles in size with the acquisition of BES and new staff members. Olsson Associates and Olsson Environmental Sciences open the holding company, OEI, Inc. The firm grows to 214 employees and is recognized as the fastest growing company in the city of Lincoln.

2000
Olsson acquires SEC to start Denver operations. Olsson employs 271 and handles 973 projects.

2001
Olsson opens a Siouxland office in South Sioux City, Nebraska. The Glendale West Area Regional Center project in Arizona is won. The firm establishes an Employee Stock Ownership Program.

2002
UNL's College of Engineering and Technology recognizes Olsson Associates with the Distinguished Corporate Service Award for its service to the college.

2003
Olsson opens a Scottsbluff, Nebraska office and services 1,360 projects firmwide. The firm has 368 employees and 29 teams. Olsson is recognized by CE News as a best place to work.

2004
Olsson opens a Minneapolis-area office and expands to 415 employees. Olsson moves up 40 places on the Engineering News Record's Top 500 to #232.

2006
Olsson Associates celebrates its 50th year. Olsson moves to #193 on Engineering News-Record's Top 500 and employs more than 600. The firm opens offices in Tucson, Arizona, and Hastings, Nebraska.

2007
Olsson has 17 offices, 47 teams, and 700 employees. Offices open in Sarpy County, Nebraska, and Manhattan, Kansas. Chip Corcoran is named chief operating officer, Brad Strittmatter is named executive vice president, and Roger Severin remains CEO/chairman of the Board. 

The firm's practice groups are restructured into nine areas and leaders are selected. In December, Olsson acquired The Acacia Group, a Tucson-based landscape architecture and urban design firm.

2008
Offices open in Des Moines, Iowa; Joplin, Missouri; and Chandler, Arizona. In October, Olsson acquires Stevenson Land Surveying Services in Holdrege, Nebraska. In December, Olsson acquires Cordilleran Compliance Services, a Colorado environmental consulting firm specializing in the oil and gas industry with 40 employees.

2009
In March, Olsson's Omaha office relocates to a new building in Aksarben Village. The firm opens a field office in Olathe, Kansas.

In October, Brad Strittmatter is named president. Olsson's leadership team also includes newly named senior vice presidents: John S. Olsson, Randy Kaster, and Ryan Beckman. Melissa Newton is named senior vice president of business operations. Roger Severin, the firm's chief executive officer, begins to transition out of the firm's day-to-day operations, focusing on long-term strategic efforts and pursuing non-traditional projects for the firm.

2010
In May, Olsson opens an office in Bismarck, North Dakota. In June, Olsson acquires Scott Consulting Engineers (SCE), a Springfield, Mo., firm and its 20 employees. In November, Olsson's Springfield employees move into SCE's building. In December, Lakewood employees move to the Golden office, consolidating Denver metro operations under one roof.

Olsson's big project wins this year include several Kansas City-area transit projects, funded with stimulus program dollars; Fiber to the Home projects in Nebraska; and the West Haymarket infrastructure project around Lincoln's new downtown arena.

2011
Olsson celebrates 55 years in business with 600 employees in more than 20 offices.