1956
Our Beginning
John E. Olsson Professional Engineering opens for business in Lincoln, Nebraska's Sharp Building. The company's first project is a plat of a cemetery for J. Township in Seward County for a fee of $56.

1956
Our Beginning
John E. Olsson Professional Engineering opens for business in Lincoln, Nebraska's Sharp Building. The company's first project is a plat of a cemetery for J. Township in Seward County for a fee of $56.

1970 2018
1970
The Early Years

John E. Olsson & Associates is formed, and the firm has eight employees who manage 90 projects.

1970
The Early Years
John E. Olsson & Associates is formed, and the firm has eight employees who manage 90 projects.

1970

1976 1956
1976
A New Era

Carl Bodensteiner is named president of Olsson Associates.

1976
A New Era
Carl Bodensteiner is named president of Olsson Associates.

1976

1984 1970
1984
A Time of Growth

Electrical and mechanical engineering services are added, and the firm grew to 47 employees who manage 419 projects.

1984
A Time of Growth
Electrical and mechanical engineering services are added, and the firm grew to 47 employees who manage 419 projects.

1984

1990 1976
1990
New
Leadership

Roger Severin takes over as president.

1990
New Leadership
Roger Severin takes over as president.

1990

1997 1984
1997
Major Projects

The Antelope Valley MIS project is won in Lincoln, marking the firm's largest project to date.

1997
Major Projects
The Antelope Valley MIS project is won in Lincoln, marking the firm's largest project to date.

1997

2009 1990
2009
A New Leader

Brad Strittmatter is named president of Olsson Associates.

2009
A New Era Begins
Brad Strittmatter is named president of Olsson Associates.

2009

2011 1997
2011
Helping Communities

An F-5 tornado hits Joplin, Missouri, in May. An Olsson team helped with the design of the temporary hospital facilities and with the replacement hospital as well.

2011
Helping Communities
An F-5 tornado hits Joplin, Missouri, in May. An Olsson team helped with the design of the temporary hospital facilities and with the replacement hospital as well.

2011

2014 2009
2014
New Place to Call Home

Corporate headquarters in Lincoln relocates to a new building in the West Haymarket.

2014
New Place to Call Home
Corporate headquarters in Lincoln relocates to a new building in the West Haymarket.

2014

2018 2011
2018
We are Olsson

Olsson Associates becomes Olsson.

2018
We are Olsson
Olsson Associates becomes Olsson.

2018

Back to Start

1956 2014

Our

History

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 expertise. Olsson, Burroughs & Thomsen merges with Clark & Enersen Architects in 1962 to form Enersen, Olsson, Burroughs & Thomsen. The firm now has 30 employees 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 eight employees who manage 90 projects. The firm teamed with Black & Veatch on the Theresa Street wastewater treatment plant project in Lincoln, Nebraska.

1973

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

1984

Olsson opens an office in Grand Island, Nebraska. Electrical and mechanical engineering services are added, and the firm grows to 47 employees who manage 419 projects.

1990

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

1996

For the first time, Olsson is listed on Engineering News Record's Top 500 design firms.

1997-

2000

Olsson Associates opens offices in Omaha, Nebraska; Kansas City, Missouri; Phoenix, Arizona; and Denver, Colorado. By 2000, Olsson employs 271 people and handles 973 projects.

2002

University of Nebraska-Lincoln's College of Engineering and Technology recognizes Olsson with the Distinguished Corporate Service Award for its service to the college.

2006

Olsson celebrates its 50th year. Olsson moves to No. 193 on Engineering News-Record's Top 500 and employs more than 600 people. The firm opens offices in Tucson, Arizona, and Hastings, Nebraska.

2008

Offices open in Des Moines, Iowa; Joplin, Missouri; and Chandler, Arizona. Olsson acquires Cordilleran Compliance Services, a Colorado environmental consulting firm specializing in the oil and gas industry and has 40 employees.

2009

In October, Brad Strittmatter is named president. Roger Severin, the firm's chief executive officer, begins to transition out of the firm's day-to-day operations, and focuses on long-term strategic efforts and the pursuit of nontraditional projects for the firm.

2011

Olsson celebrates 55 years in business and has employees in more than 20 offices.

In May, an F-5 tornado hits Joplin, Missouri, and Olsson Associates makes donations of supplies, blood, and cash to help with recovery efforts. Employees are called upon to help Mercy Hospital Systems as a local hospital was destroyed. An Olsson team helps with the design of the temporary hospital facilities and with the replacement hospital as well.

2012

Olsson Associates announces a gift commitment of $260,000 over the next 10 years to support faculty members, students, academic programs, and facilities at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's College of Engineering.

2014

In August, Olsson’s Lincoln office of 200 employees relocates to a new building in the West Haymarket. In November, Olsson acquires Ochsner Hare & Hare, a Kansas City planning and landscape architecture design firm that has 10 employees. Olsson ends the year with 877 employees.

2015

Mr. Olsson passes away on January 28.

In early February, the Olsson Associates Foundation launches with a focused commitment on community, education, and the environment. The Mercy Hospital project in Joplin, Missouri, is selected for Engineering News-Record's 2015 Best Project Award in its ENR Midwest magazine.

2016

The firm celebrates its 60th anniversary.

In June, Olsson acquires Lutjen Inc., a 50-person engineering firm in North Kansas City, Missouri. In July, Olsson acquires Tri-State Engineering, a 15-person engineering firm in Joplin, Missouri. Olsson surpasses 1,000 employees for the first time.

2018

In January, Olsson acquires McGoodwin Williams & Yates, a 30-person engineering firm in Fayetteville, Arkansas, expanding the firm’s footprint to eight states.

Olsson breaks the Top 100 on Engineering News-Record's Top 500 Design Firms national list, coming in at No. 98.

Olsson Associates rebrands itself as Olsson.

2021

In March, Olsson acquires Premier Engineering Corporation, a 34-person engineering firm in Chandler, Arizona.

Olsson has 1,400 employees and performs work from coast to coast.

Our History