After supporting hundreds of projects across the Southeast U.S. throughout the past two decades, Burns & McDonnell is expanding operations in the Atlanta metro. The 100 percent employee-owned global engineering, architecture, construction, environmental and consulting firm will hire its 100th employee-owner in Atlanta before the end of 2017 and plans to grow its workforce by 25 to 30 percent in 2018.

"With the complex regulatory and infrastructure challenges our clients and communities face, there is a great need for quick, comprehensive engineering, architecture and construction services," says Oko Buckle, Burns & McDonnell principal and general manager of the firm's Atlanta and Orlando offices. "We're focused on expanding our team so we can provide even more sustainable solutions to our clients."

Backed by an international team of more than 5,700, the firm's Southeastern offices support the region with a wide range of services, from water, wastewater, power generation, transmission infrastructure, environmental and business technology to aviation and industrial facilities. The office has successfully managed nearly $160 million in projects with clients in a variety of markets such as Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, McCain Foods, Boeing, Monsanto Company, Duke Energy, Southern Company, City of Madison, Georgia and Fulton County, Georgia. The firm is currently ranked No. 1 in Power by Engineering News-Record (ENR) and named an Alpharetta Business of Excellence by the City of Alpharetta for the third consecutive year.

Burns & McDonnell also ranks No. 16 among Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For and has been recognized by more than 20 publications as a best place to work across the country, including the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Buckle says the foundation of its award-winning company culture is employee ownership.

"Employee ownership drives everything we do, our growth and our employee engagement," says Buckle. "This ownership culture allows us to attract and retain the most innovative, entrepreneurial and client-focused professionals in our industry. Our commitment to our clients is that we have the best team that will work the hardest on their behalf."