(Cover Image: In 2022, WBK celebrated the opening of new office space in Battle Creek, Michigan where team members of the planning and site development practice work in support of many projects across the Bodwé Professional Services Group. Having the expanded WBK Engineering office strengthens cohesion under the Bodwé Group and allows for true collaboration on a variety of projects including tribal and federal initiatives.)
St. Charles, IL. — For 25 years, WBK Engineering, a Bodwé Professional Services company, and recently certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) headquartered in St. Charles, has been more than a civil engineering firm to the communities in the Fox River Valley and the Chicagoland region. Founded in 1998, the company has grown to become a trusted partner in providing innovative, sustainable solutions to clients in the public and private sectors.
“In 1998, Kane County was really taking off with both development and government initiatives,” Charles Hanlon, one of WBK’s founding members and current vice president of operations, said. “We saw the opportunity to locate our new business in Kane County to really capture that upcoming work.”
Establishing the firm in St. Charles was a strategic move to compete for work in Kane County, Chicagoland and all of northeast Illinois. One of the first milestone projects was providing technical assistance in writing the first Kane County Stormwater Management Ordinance. The firm’s portfolio began growing to include clients such as City of Elgin, Village of West Dundee, City of Geneva, Carol Stream Park District, DuPage County Stormwater Management. “WBK Engineering has become an extension of the city’s Public Works Department,” Aaron Neal, City of Elgin’s public works director, said.
“I’ve held various titles throughout my time and through all forms of my career WBK has been around and a part of Elgin,” Neal said. “They have always been a right-hand firm for me, and now in my time as director of public works, WBK still stands the test of time as a valued partner for the City of Elgin.”
Over the years WBK continued to grow, expanding its services, and embracing new opportunities. In 2009, the firm acquired another St. Charles civil engineering company that worked in the municipal and transportation markets, including with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). At a time when many firms were forced to change their company structure or close their doors, WBK’s success during this time can be attributed to the company’s commitment to expanding market opportunities and professional growth for employees.
WBK’s commitment to employees and families is what attracted Scott Randall to the company. Randall, a water resources expert and current practice manager who has worked at WBK for nearly 20 years, said the company’s commitment to work-life balance was ahead of its time, with the firm adopting flexible work schedules as early as 2004.
“I know many people in our industry who feel guilty when they have to stay home, or something comes up and they’re scrambling to figure out how things are going to work,” Randall said. “It has never felt that way at WBK. We’ve always been welcoming, understanding, and respectful of each other as professionals and as people.”
The way the people at WBK support and take care of each other extends to their client base. Their ability to maintain longstanding client relationships is a testament to their quality of work as well as their ability to listen and work collaboratively to create long-lasting solutions.
Jamie Lock, chief stormwater engineer for DuPage County Stormwater Management, remembers a recent project WBK was involved in that reflects the company’s aptitude for facing problems head on.
“We recently had a project at our largest flood control facility in Elmhurst, Illinois that included replacing a completely submerged wet well that housed two large stormwater pumps,” Lock said. “When we got in there for the first time since its initial construction, we realized we needed to make some field changes. It was a unique circumstance where other [professionals] were reluctant to provide their expert opinion, but WBK staff didn’t hesitate to dive into the challenge.”
In 2016, WBK saw opportunities to develop a partnership with Mno-Bmadsen, the non-gaming investment enterprise and a wholly owned instrumentality of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, to became one of the only tribally owned civil engineering firms based in Illinois. This partnership aligned environmental stewardship values and goals to expand beyond northeast Illinois boundaries.
Mno-Bmadsen, acquired 100% interest in WBK Engineering in 2019 and WBK continued to expand its portfolio including in the federal and Indigenous market sectors. WBK worked diligently to become certified 8(a) by the Federal Small Business Association as well as Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) certification to leverage tribal sovereignty. WBK received 8(a) certification in 2017 and DBE certification by the state of Illinois in May 2023. Today, WBK is part of the Bodwé Professional Services Group of Mno-Bmadsen, offering services in architecture and engineering as well as contract support services for federal agencies.
Looking ahead, WBK Transportation Practice Manager Yemi Oyewole says DBE certification increases the firm’s visibility as a qualified and attractive subconsultant to prime contractors needing to satisfy contract requirements. Coming to WBK after 17 years at the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and 10 years at URS Corporation, Oyewole has been able to connect his network of prime partners with the team at WBK.
"There’s so much work right now but very few quality engineers,” Oyewole said. “I believe our tribal ownership and DBE certification provide access to a broader range of potential projects and markets, while our quality of work and exceptional service makes us competitive as a trusted engineering firm.”
As WBK celebrates its 25th anniversary, the company looks forward to a future marked by continued growth, innovation and community impact. DBE certification opens up new avenues for collaboration and reinforces WBK's commitment to diversity and equal opportunities in the engineering sector. With a quarter-century of success, WBK Engineering is set to embark on the next chapter of its journey with a steadfast commitment to delivering exceptional services and leaving a lasting impact on the communities and clients the company serves.
About WBK Engineering
WBK Engineering is a team of civil, transportation, and structural engineers, infrastructure specialists, land planners and urban designers, water and environmental scientists, and ecologists. The firm is a Tribally Owned, 8(a), Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), Indian Small Business Economic Enterprise (ISBEE) company, offering sustainable solutions to complex design, engineering, restoration, and maintenance challenges. WBK is part of the Bodwé Professional Services Group of Mno-Bmadsen, the investment enterprise and a wholly owned instrumentality of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi. WBK has been providing civil and transportation engineering services and related environmental consulting to public and private sector clients for more than 25 years.
Learn more at: www.wbkengineering.com
About Bodwé Professional Services
Bodwé is the Professional Services Group of Mno-Bmadsen, the non-gaming investment enterprise and a wholly owned instrumentality of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi. Bodwé Group is comprised of Seven Generations Architecture + Engineering, WBK Engineering, The Steelhead Engineering Company, Blue Star Integrative Studio, Bodwé Technology Solutions and Bodwé Federal Services. Bodwé teams provide architecture, interior design, master planning, environmental consulting, and structural, civil, and MEP engineering design, as well as staffing services. We partner with Indigenous, healthcare, federal and municipal government, community, and private clients across the country.
Learn more at: www.bodwegroup.com
About Mno-Bmadsen
Mno-Bmadsen is a wholly owned instrumentality of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, launched in 2012 and independently managed with the mandate to diversify the Tribe’s business interests, revenue streams, and wealth for future generations. The Mno-Bmadsen Family of Companies is comprised of four actively managed investment portfolios, including Bodwé Professional Services Group, D.A. Dodd Construction Services Group, Mno-DREK Manufacturing Services Group, and Red Tail Properties Commercial Real Estate Services.
