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As it marks its 40th anniversary this year, PBS Engineering and Environmental is celebrating several achievements, including a leadership transition that set the firm鈥檚 succession plan into motion, the launch of its Belonging and Equity (BE) Program, and the addition of several new employees and services.

Brian Stanford, who joined the firm as an industrial hygiene technician after responding to a newspaper ad for the position in 1992, became president and CEO of PBS in January 2021. Mark Leece, PE, who started with PBS as a principal environmental engineer in 2013, was named chief operating officer. Jennifer Porter began her career at PBS working part time 30 years ago and was named chief financial officer.

鈥淚, very proudly, will be the first woman in a C-suite position at PBS,鈥� Porter said in the January 2021 announcement. 鈥淚n my time at the firm, I have seen us work through difficult economic times as well as times of rapid expansion. But throughout it all, we鈥檝e retained our small-company culture.鈥�

The C-suite transitions also made the way for promotions within the firm鈥檚 technical and administrative divisions, including the elevation of Gregory P. Jellison, PE, located in the Vancouver, Washington office to Engineering Department manager, and Jason Mattox, PE, located in the Richland, Washington office to Survey Department manager.

鈥淎s you can imagine, one sees a lot of changes over 27 years 鈥� expansions, acquisitions and changes in leadership,鈥� said Guy Neal, PE, retired firm president. 鈥淒espite these changes, one thing has remained consistent and it鈥檚 a continuous source of pride for me. PBS has always strived to put people first. It has been the foundation of every corporate decision, has given us sustaining power during challenging economic times, and will be what ushers us into the next era of success.鈥�

The firm鈥檚 BE Program, which focuses on fostering diversity within PBS and the A/E industry at large, encompasses the company鈥檚 implementation of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion focus committees and regular education sessions. Affinity focus groups, such as its Women at PBS Affinity Group and the Prism Group for its LGBTQIA+ members, allow employees to connect and elevate initiatives. Ally groups support and uplift the voices reflected in its affinity groups.

鈥淭hrough this, we invest and create programs and initiatives that help create a culture where everyone鈥檚 voice is valued and ensure our processes are fair,鈥� Stanford said.

Founded in Portland in 1982, PBS has grown to 280 employees in eight locations in Oregon and Washington. Engineering News Record ranked PBS among its Top 500 Design Firms in 2021. Its core services areas include civil, geotechnical, transportation and traffic engineering as well as environmental, industrial hygiene, planning, surveying and natural resource consulting for public and private clients. It recently added services that include structural engineering, construction management and public involvement. The company recently extended its land surveying reach by establishing a team of surveyors based out of the Portland office.