This summer, we’re proud to celebrate two important milestones: 40 years of serving our clients and communities, and 20 years as an employee-owned company.
Since BL Companies was founded in 1986, we’ve grown from a small Connecticut-based firm into a multidisciplinary organization with nearly 400 employee owners across 18 offices in 13 states. Throughout that growth, our commitment has remained the same: delivering quality solutions, building strong relationships, and helping our clients achieve their goals.
Our transition to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) in 2006 marked a significant chapter in our history. As an employee-owned company, every member of our team has a personal stake in our success, creating a culture of accountability, collaboration, and shared purpose that directly benefits the clients and partners we serve.
Over the years, we’ve been honored with numerous industry recognitions, including the ESOP Association New England Chapter’s 2025 Company of the Year award, Zweig Group’s 2026 Best Firms to Work For, and placements on Engineering News-Record’s Top 500 Design Firms and the Real Leaders Top Impact Companies lists. These achievements reflect the dedication of our employee owners and the trust our clients and partners place in us every day.
As we celebrate these milestones, we’re also looking ahead. Following the retirement of President and CEO Carolyn Stanworth at the end of 2026, Derek Kohl, PE, Vice President of Operations, and Julia O’Brien, Vice President of Operations and General Counsel, will lead the company as co-presidents, continuing to build on BL’s strong foundation and vision for the future.
We’re grateful to our clients, business partners, and employee owners who have been part of our journey over the past four decades. We look forward to continuing to grow, innovate, and deliver exceptional results together in the years ahead.