College of Engineering News • Iowa State University

Surprenant engineering ISG for sizable but sustainable growth

When Ken Surprenant founded his engineering business made up of two people in 1973, no one, including himself, would have expected it to grow to the 200-person business it is today. However, Surprenant passed away in 2011 while the company was still on the rise, only seeing the company’s new headquarters a single time before he passed away.

Surprenant’s son, Chad, has been combining his engineering expertise with his business strengths to turn the firm into a thriving company. After graduating from Iowa State (just as his father did) in 1993 with a degree in civil engineering, Chad remembers meeting with a client who suggested specializing, a meeting he took to heart. The business had been willing to take on any kind of engineering or architectural task, so Chad began to steer the company towards a client-focus. The company now has locations in La Crosse, Des Moines, Faribault and Minneapolis, and works for big-name companies including Kohls.

To read the full story by Mark Fischenich for the Mankato Free Press, click here

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