FIRST TIME ON LIST
HR Green may be a newcomer to the CBJ’s Best of list, but the 105-year-old enterprise that got its start in Cedar Rapids is one of the nation’s longest operating engineering firms. It has grown from a handful of employees to 450 spread across 16 locations nationally, from Chicago and St. Louis to as far as Corona, California.
Led by its two largest business lines, transportation and water management, HR Green also specializes in governmental services, land development, construction engineering and management, and, most recently, helping communities leverage broadband and fiber networks to integrate smart elements into city planning. Its footprint is growing both nationally and here in the Corridor, where recent projects include the Second Street SE reconstruction in Cedar Rapids; design work and program management for the city’s $570 million flood protection project; and redevelopment of the Iowa River Landing in Coralville.
Marketing Director Ellen Swanson said the company’s success comes down to relationships. “We’re in it for the long haul and our clients know that,” she said, adding, “I think we approach things with more of an entrepreneurial kind of spirit where we allow things to evolve in tandem with our clients’ needs.”
– Katharine Carlon
1ST RUNNER UP: Anderson Bogert
2ND RUNNER UP: Design Engineers
