Category: Firm News

G2 Consulting Group (G2) was featured on the Crain’s Detroit Business list of “Largest Engineering Firms in Metro Detroit.”

G2 was ranked #21 based on its number of local engineers, which now stands at 61. The company was cited for having the second-largest increase in its number of engineers in 2024 with an increase of 12 versus the prior year. Crain’s also mentioned G2’s 2,500 projects completed in 2023 as one of the most significant year-over-year increases of any company on the list.

“G2 celebrated its 30th anniversary earlier this year, and I assure you, when the other founding partners, Noel Hargraves-Thomas and Bruce Wilberding, and I started in a basement, we never dreamed of becoming one of the largest and most respected engineering firms in the region,” said Mark Smolinski P.E., G2 principal. “But, after years of hard work and dedicated client service, we’re incredibly proud of the growth we achieved and appreciate this important recognition from Crain’s.”

G2’s work has steadily grown across its service areas of geotechnical, environmental and construction services. The company’s projects cross a variety of industries including infrastructure, commercial and industrial, energy, education, telecom and healthcare to name a few. The company has completed projects in more than 35 states.

“Our philosophy has never changed,” Smolinski said. “We provide practical, value engineering solutions to complex engineering challenges. That’s what our clients expect and demand. While simply being ‘big’ has never been the goal, we believe this recognition is an important validation of G2’s ability to consistently deliver on our promise of Smart. Results. Fast.”

Crain’s subscribers can review the complete “Largest Engineering Firms in Metro Detroit” list here.

G2 Consulting Group has hired Erik K. Ventura, P.E. and promoted Kathryn A. Crow, P.E. to project manager positions.

Ventura joins G2 after spending eight years with Neyer, Tiseo & Hindo, LTD., where he was a senior geotechnical project engineer specializing in deep foundations, slope stability analysis, solar projects, subsurface investigations and site characterization. Ventura’s recent projects included seawalls and dams, solar facilities, public utilities, infrastructure and bridges, including the Gordie Howe International Bridge where he completed geotechnical analysis according to MDOT, AASHTO, LRFD and FHWA methodology.

Previously, Ventura worked with Geoengineers Inc. on projects primarily in the western U.S. He received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Michigan State University and his master’s in geotechnical engineering from University of Michigan. He is currently licensed in both Michigan and Texas.

Crow has more than eight years with G2, primarily in the firm’s fast growing solar department where she oversees laboratory technicians, conducts soil testing and has been active in field testing and design analysis. Involved in nearly 160 solar investigations, Crow regularly assists in foundation design, geotechnical investigations and determinations of soil thermal, electrical and corrosion properties.

Crow received her Bachelor of Science, Environmental Engineering degree from Michigan Technological University and her Master of Science, Civil Engineering from Lawrence Technological University.

“The solar industry continues to grow, but that doesn’t mean it’s not without challenges” said Mark Smolinski, P.E., G2 principal. “These large-scale solar developments have significant environmental and geotechnical needs that require careful consideration and sound geotechnical engineering. Erik and Kathryn are invaluable resources whose in-depth knowledge and solar insights will help G2 deliver Smart. Results. Fast. to our clients.”

“We’re happy to promote from within, especially when we have a person of Kathryn’s caliber on the team. At the same time, we’re always seeking experienced outside talent to join our team and are confident that Erik will be a great asset for a host of geotechnical projects and services.”

G2’s continued growth has presented opportunities for employee advancement throughout the firm. The company emphasizes career development opportunities and launched a proprietary interactive training platform to help prepare its next generation of leaders. In 2023, G2 was named to the Detroit Free Press “Top Workplaces in Michigan” list and to the 2024 Zweig Group’s “Hot Firms List.”

“Smart. Results. Fast.”  Those were the ideas behind G2 Consulting Group when the company was founded 30 years ago. They are still the driving ideas behind the company today.  Be smart. Deliver desired results. Do it on time.

Put another way, G2’s goal is “to deliver responsive geotechnical engineering, environmental consulting and construction services to help clients build better, build smarter and, ultimately, build profits.”

Either way, G2 has succeeded.  For a company founded by three guys in the basement of one of the partners’ homes 30 years ago to a company with offices in three cities – Troy, Ann Arbor and Chicago – and with nearly 150 employees and growing, G2 has surpassed its founders’ dreams. And they got out of that basement in less than a year!

“We’ve stuck with our guiding principles, and it’s worked,” said Mark Smolinski P.E., and one of the three founding partners. “Our philosophy has never changed. We provide practical, value engineering solutions to complex construction engineering problems. That’s what our clients expect, and demand.”

G2 has completed thousands of projects in over 35 states in its 30 years.  The company that began with a focus on telecom infrastructure has expanded into commercial development (mixed use, office, retail and parking), all levels of education (public and private from kindergarten to university), health care, water, power and energy, industrial, and infrastructure including literally thousands of public and private roads, bridges, ports, dams and more.

“We’ve always said that we specialize in ‘everything below the ground,’ so it’s fitting that the company was founded in a basement,” Smolinski said. “What happens below the ground necessarily has an enormous impact on the ultimate success or failure of a project.  A thorough geotechnical investigation of the soil and site conditions that a project is being built on are all critical to a successful project. You can’t shortchange the early project due diligence.”

Smolinski, and his partners – Founding Partners and Principals Noel Hargrave-Thomas P.E. and Bruce Wilberding P.E. – have never been busier than this year with construction projects driven by the federal non-partisan “Build Back Better” program. One of their major ongoing tasks is identifying and training the added talent needed to keep up with the demand. “It’s a good problem to have,” they all agree. “Our focus at G2 has become one of recruiting and retention of great people through a strong corporate culture, great benefits, and career pathing.”

“I’m not sure any of us expected the level of success we’ve achieved when we started G2 30 years ago,” says Smolinski.  “We owe it to our clients who have the confidence in us to give us the work and our teammates who carry it out with an incredible amount of hard work and professionalism.”

G2 has continually invested in new technologies that bring additional efficiency to projects. “Our industry looks a lot different than it did 30 years ago. G2 takes pride in our ability to quickly and seamlessly incorporate the latest equipment and software capabilities to support our engineering talent. Investment in people and technology is how we’ll continue to grow for the next 30!”

“Providing engineering services to complex projects has never been easy but it’s what we love to do and it’s been a great 30 years,” Smolinski said. “We’re all exceptionally grateful for our clients, teammates, partners and suppliers who have helped shape our company.”

G2 Consulting Group is once again included on the Zweig Group’s “Hot Firms” list for 2024.

Each year, Zweig honors the fastest growing architecture, engineering, environmental, planning, construction and related professional services firms. Firms are ranked based on three-year growth in gross revenue, by both percentage and dollar growth. G2, which is consistently included on the list, was ranked #81 of the nationwide firms surveyed.

“The 2024 Hot Firms have outperformed the economy and their competitors and are leading the AEC industry,” said Zweig Group CEO Chad Clinehens. “Their commitment to a strong culture, innovative marketing, and adaptability to change help set them apart as successful, growth-focused firms.”

G2’s work has steadily grown across its service areas of geotechnical, environmental and construction services. The company’s projects cross a variety of industries including infrastructure, commercial and industrial, energy, education, telecom and healthcare to name a few. The company has completed projects in more than 35 states.

“At G2, we believe revenue success follows customer service,” said Mark Smolinski, P.E., G2 principal. “We feel fortunate to have a great team, great partners and great clients who have all helped us to be successful and to consistently deliver on our promise of Smart. Results. Fast.”

Zweig Hot Firm winners will be honored at a black tie gala during the 2024 Elevate AEC Conference & Awards Gala in Tampa Bay, Florida, September 18-19.

Buoyed by Governor Whitmer’s announcement of a planned additional $700 million expenditure in Michigan highway and bridge construction in 2024, the Michigan construction and engineering industry is looking to another strong year. The additional highway investment completes $3.5 billion in road construction projects in the state since 2020 and furthers the Governor’s pledge to “fix the damn roads.”

MDOT Director Brad Wieferich announced his 5-year-plan that includes $4 billion investment in 2024 financial year, which is estimated to support 53,000+ jobs annually by continuing the state’s investment in “the preservation of the transportation system, safe mobility for motorists, and efficient system operations.”

Mark Smolinski P.E. and Principal at Troy-based G2 Consulting Group, believes the industry is ready to get the job done. “Despite some ongoing challenges, there is good news on the construction front. The pandemic-induced wildness in material availability and raw material costs is dissipating and the supply industry is starting to normalize. That means we have access to materials we need to get jobs completed on a timely, predictable basis without the dramatic fluctuations in cost.”

Bernd Ronnisch of Ronnisch Construction Group sees the industry remaining strong, as it has been for more than a decade, with access to capital and talent remaining as key issues. “Each year, more and more seasoned construction veterans are retiring. The younger generation is well educated, but there’s just not as many of them nor do they have the experience of those who are exiting.”

“Capital is still tight and higher interest rates are keeping some people on the sidelines. New creative funding solutions are becoming necessary, especially for the legacy-type projects that have longer-term returns,” Ronnisch said. “We’re still seeing office and spec buildings slow, but other niche projects, like car washes and logistics sites, have been hot helping to make up for the office decline. The industry looks strong in 2024, however, it’s somewhat unprecedented to have 12 consecutive years of growth, so we’re keeping our eyes open for any signs that the other shoe may drop.”

Dan Mitchell of Hubbell, Roth & Clark, mentioned the impact from the recent UAW strike and major infrastructure investment as industry drivers. “Although the automotive labor strike initially caused turmoil and delays, the industry quickly recovered and continued on its ambitious facility expansion and redevelopment. The move to EV production, although slower than originally forecasted, requires significant capital investment in new facilities as well as reconfigurations to current ones.”

“Major infrastructure projects are programmed several years in advance and attract firms from across the U.S. The long lead time makes it difficult to price projects given uncertainty in cost of money, labor and materials,” Mitchell said. “Like everyone in the industry, we’re looking for additional team members, but HRC is careful to only hire the right talent to fill our needs – we don’t want to ‘hire and fire’ but rather carefully build our team.”

Scott Willson, Vice President/Owner at Kimley-Horn of Michigan, Inc. in Southfield, cites the downward shift in the Fed rates and the presidential election as two key events in 2024 that could bring about an uptick in development opportunities for certain industries such as light industrial/manufacturing, E-commerce, and mutli-family. “There’s a lot at stake coming out of 2024 and entering 2025 that can change the development landscape that has been lagging behind last year and into this year. Isolated geographic locations and certain industries, such as Mission Critical, have been immune to the recent downward market trends. We’re anticipating increased access to affordable capital in 2024/25 for our clients which will encourage a lot of new projects that have been waiting in the wings. The question remains is how much of the capital will be considered affordable by the development community depending on the Feds and the election. We should know going into 2025, if not earlier.”

“Mission Critical – data centers – have never been stronger for our business across our firm as new technological developments such as Artificial Intelligence have developed further over the recent few years,” Willson said. “With more established and robust tech infrastructure now in existence across the country, data centers no longer need to be concentrated in specific locations such as Chicago or Northern Virginia, but can spring up almost anywhere, provided sufficient access to power and water. Hence, we see data center construction to remain a big portion of the development community over the next several years.”

Along with infrastructure, the industry insiders agree that utilities, alternative energy (particularly solar), ecommerce logistical sites and K-12 education continue as construction standouts in Michigan. Federal support for fiber and internet deployment, especially to underserved and unserved areas, continues to propel the telecom sector.

“Michigan is in a good place with a number of highway and other major infrastructure projects well underway. The transition to EV’s in the auto world is creating opportunities for large manufacturing plants and R&D facilities. We expect the influx of international companies to continue for many years. Michigan’s construction industry is well poised to meet the current challenges and future opportunities. My expectation is another strong year for our company and our industry,” Smolinski said.

G2 has promoted two long-term employees, Michael G. Dagher, P.E. and Mohamad K. Khalil, to the role of Project Manager.

“At G2, we work hard to identify, cultivate and reward talented employees,” said Mark Smolinski, P.E., G2 principal. “So, it’s especially gratifying to announce the promotions of Michael Dagher and Mohamad Khalil, two highly skilled engineers who have been essential to our success and growth.”

Dagher brings a strong background in geotechnical engineering analyses and design, including soil mechanics, laboratory testing, drilling, construction quality control, pavement engineering and other areas. His strong technological background enables him to effectively leverage the latest software and applications to support complex client projects. Dagher earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth. He is a 2022 graduate of the ACEC/Michigan Emerging Leaders Program.

Khalil has spent 11 years concentrating on geotechnical engineering, construction materials and pavement engineering in both Michigan and his native Australia. His current areas of work includes bridges, concrete and bituminous roadways, tunnel construction, rail corridors, schools, hospitals, earth retention and other commercial and residential buildings. Khalil earned his Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia. He graduated from GBA Emerging Leaders Class 5 in April, 2024.

G2 Consulting has experienced business growth over the past ten years. During that period, the company’s employment has grown from 35 to almost 150 across its three office locations in Troy, Ann Arbor and Chicago. In 2023, G2 was named to the Detroit Free Press “Top Workplaces in Michigan” list and to the 2024 Zweig Group’s “Hot Firms List.”

The firm’s continued growth has presented opportunities for employee advancement throughout the firm. G2 emphasizes career development opportunities and launched a proprietary interactive training platform to help prepare its next generation of leaders.

G2 Consulting Group, LLC (G2) is pleased to announce it has received a strategic investment from The Great River Company, Inc. (GRC).  Through this investment, GRC will partner with G2 leadership to continue the establishment of an engineering services platform with a core focus on geotechnical, environmental and construction engineering.  G2 will continue to operate independently under their own brand and be led by their existing leadership team.  Together, the leadership teams will focus on organic expansion and complimentary add-on acquisitions.

G2 was founded in 1994 to provide geoprofessional engineering services.  Their philosophy is to create lifetime clients who value the expertise and knowledge of the people of G2. Clients represent the infrastructure, K – 12, telecommunications, power and energy, manufacturing, and commercial sectors of the built environment. While the company is entering a new phase of growth, the goal is to continue providing long term clients with Smart. Results. Fast. and our employees with a commitment to an exceptional work environment with personal growth opportunities.

The Great River Company, Inc. (GRC) is a Minneapolis based private investment company backed by business owning families seeking long-term investments across five strategic platforms.  Their investment in G2 reflects the belief the US built environment market will continue to play a strong role in the overall economy for years to come.

G2 is honored to be included on the 2023 Detroit Free Press Top Workplaces in Michigan list.

Top Workplaces rankings are determined based on employee surveys that ask questions about workplace culture, pay, benefits, leadership, and what people like or dislike about their jobs. The survey is distributed by Energage, a Philadelphia-based employee research and culture technology firm that performs Top Workplaces surveys across the country. G2 Consulting Group was listed in the Small Michigan Top Workplaces and was one of just three engineering firms to be included on that list.

“It’s been a challenging few years with the pandemic and disruptions to the supply chain, immediately followed by huge federal, state and municipal infrastructure investment,” said Mark Smolinski, P.E., G2 principal. “It’s hardly been business as usual and that’s what makes us especially proud to be recognized as a Top Workplace. We have a phenomenal team and are gratified that this independent survey reflected the culture, career pathing and compensation packages that G2 provides are helping to make us an employer of choice.”

G2 Consulting Group has experienced business growth over the past ten years. During that period, the company’s employment grew from 35 to 125 across its three office locations.

The company recently developed and launched its Development In G2 (DIG) program, an interactive and transparent platform that consolidates employees’ training, certifications and prior accomplishments. It allows the company to quickly assess the best team members to assign to a particular project, based on the highly specific skills required on the job site. By offering robust training and certification programs, DIG also offers employees a clearer career path, allowing them to pursue their goals in the engineering areas of most interest to them.

G2 Consulting Group (G2) has contracted with the City of Novi as the latest Michigan municipality to join its growing portfolio of “as-needed” engineering contracts.

G2 works with dozens of Michigan cities, townships, counties and state agencies under as-needed engineering contracts that typically have multi-year terms. G2’s services are wide ranging, however are mostly centered on infrastructure where the firm provides environmental and geotechnical engineering and materials testing services on projects including storm water and sewer, roadways, bridges, utilities, dams and more to their municipal partners.

“G2’s mission is delivering ‘Smart. Results. Fast,’” said Mark Smolinski, P.E., principal at G2 Consulting. “We’re able to do that especially well for our ‘as-needed’ partners since we have a relationship in place — we know the people and understand their systems and preferred approaches. We’re ready to immediately jump in if there’s an urgent issue, or we can strategize with clients on the best ways to schedule and implement planned maintenance and improvements. It’s really a win-win.”

Without an as-needed contract, municipalities are left to create unique proposal packages for each project, then review the bids, determine if the supplier is up to the challenge, negotiate price, then educate the supplier on the existing systems — all before the work begins. Even then, there’s no guarantee of satisfaction.

“Municipalities face incredibly tough, complex engineering challenges. Our as-needed contracts are usually the reflection of a longstanding relationship with the client – we’ve proven that we can help their community with innovative solutions through all facets of a project’s lifecycle,” Smolinski said. “As-needed contracts are becoming increasingly commonplace as municipalities better understand the synergies they provide. Trying to find a new partner for each project is a crapshoot, and rarely saves time or money in the long run.”

Smolinski said that G2’s scope of work differs for each locale. Although G2’s individual project profit margins are typically lower compared to a one-off project, the firm benefits from the certainty of work and predictability which helps it manage its business. The efficiencies go both-ways. The client doesn’t have to navigate a cumbersome bid process with unknown suppliers. And, their as-needed contractor, G2, enters each project with a clear understanding of its goals and likely challenges both on the job site itself and in the broader municipal infrastructure ecosystem.

G2 Consulting Group (G2) has developed a comprehensive training platform that will benefit employees, clients and the company itself, and keep it at the forefront of the constantly evolving industry.

G2’s “Development In G2,” or “DIG,” is an interactive and transparent platform that consolidates employees’ training, certifications and prior accomplishments. It allows the company to quickly assess the best personnel to assign to a particular project, based on the highly specific skills required on the job site. By offering robust training and certification programs, DIG also offers employees a clearer career path, allowing them to pursue their goals in the engineering areas of most interest to them.

Today’s construction projects require a range of technical skills including specific concrete certifications, processes for deep foundation inspection, geotechnical investigation procedures, and various other building material evaluations, etc. No single person can do it all.

DIG represents significant investment for G2 and is designed to give clients peace of mind knowing that their projects are being managed by knowledgeable professionals who understand the very latest processes and techniques required for the particular assignment.

“DIG will help G2 as a company by teaching and reinforcing best practices that are critical to keeping our business at the top of our game. It will ensure that our field staff across the country always performs assignments using G2-approved methods, which are purposefully designed and continually scrutinized to ensure we deliver Smart. Results. Fast.,” said Mark Smolinski, P.E., principal at G2.

The DIG system is a conduit between informational resources and the engineers and field staff. It also inventories each team member’s capabilities and certifications, so the company can quickly identify and assign the staff with the most precise and up-to-date qualifications for each client project. Importantly, DIG also reinforces G2’s approved methodology ensuring a consistent approach and seamless results.

DIG will be especially beneficial to G2 employees by making learning opportunities and certifications more frequent and more accessible, and career paths and advancement opportunities more transparent. It will ensure that staff continues to grow in knowledge and understanding of the business as part of their regular routine.

“In order to earn business and keep clients coming back, G2 continually invests in the best equipment to do the most complex jobs. What ‘equipment’ is more important than our own team of professionals leading the work?” Smolinski said. “At the same time, we have to attract and retain talent in a highly competitive job market. We believe the DIG platform will help us to be a better employer by offering tools and resources designed to help employees build their careers and achieve the skills they need to be successful. Simply put, it will make G2 a better company and offer tangible benefits for everyone involved.”

G2 is providing design-build services for five bridges in a $160 million Calhoun County project that will result in 10 miles of the I-94 freeway being rebuilt.

Working with C.A. Hull, Anlaan Corp., and Fishbeck on the Michigan Department of Transportation’s I-94 reconstruction team, G2 Consulting will support the reconstruction of five existing bridges. As part of the effort, G2 is supporting the development of several temporary bridges and crossovers that need to be built to accommodate traffic during construction. Construction has commenced and is scheduled over the next two years.

“The Calhoun County project is a significant piece of the overall I-94 redevelopment effort,” said Jennifer Casey, P.E., project manager at G2 Consulting. “All of these highway/bridge projects are complex and each one offers its own unique set of challenges. The big challenge in this project is to deliver it while also maintaining a focus on regional mobility needs during the construction.”

G2 is approved as an “as needed” provider of geotechnical engineering services for MDOT. The firm has a breadth of recent experience providing various services on similar MDOT projects including I-75 Segment 3 in Oakland County, the Rouge River Bridge over I-75 in Detroit, I-96 Grand River bridge replacement in Lansing, I-696 Reconstruction, and the I-75 / M-43 interchange project to name a few.

“As infrastructure continues to be a focus at the national, state and local level, G2 takes pride in working with high caliber teams on marquee projects like Calhoun County,” said Mark Smolinski, P.E., a principal at G2. “These are incredibly complex projects, but along with C.A. Hull, Anlaan Corp., and Fishbeck, we have the team, the experience and the expertise to anticipate key challenges and address them in an intelligent and efficient way to minimize short-term disruptions while building long-lasting solutions.”

Each year, Zweig Group’s Hot Firms List honors the fastest growing architecture, engineering, environmental, planning, construction and related professional services firms. Firms are ranked based on three-year growth in gross revenue, by both percentage and dollar growth. G2 Consulting Group, which is consistently included on the list, was ranked #86 of the nationwide firms.

“Growth is the ultimate measure of business success and the 2023 Hot Firms are leading the industry,” said Zweig Group CEO Chad Clinehens. “Focusing on culture, investing in marketing, and embracing change are just some of the things these firms are doing to drive growth.”

G2’s work has steadily grown across its service areas of geotechnical, environmental and construction services. G2 is working across many industries including infrastructure, commercial and industrial, energy, education, telecom and healthcare to name a few. The company has completed projects in more than 30 states.

“This list is a reflection of our strong relationships with clients, our people and partners, who have collectively helped us to be successful,” said Mark Smolinski, P.E., G2 principal. “We’re proud of our accomplishments and will continue to work hard every day to deliver Smart. Results. Fast. to our clients.”