Search form Search HOME WHO WE ARE WHAT WE DO PROJECT EXPERTISE CAREERS LOCATIONS NEWS CONTACT US I'M INTERESTED IN Murray Wilson speaking at Kansas Wesleyan University Previous Pause Next 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s Who we are History History 1930s In 1932, Bob Paulette and Murray Wilson formed Paulette & Wilson with offices in Salina and Topeka, Kansas. The majority of their work was involved with design of dams and lakes for the Kansas Fish and Game Commission, and also public works improvements for Kansas’s municipalities. At Bob Paulette's death in 1941, the firm’s name was changed to Wilson & Company, Engineers & Architects. 1940s Wilson & Company was asked to determine the geographical center of the United States, which was found to be near Lebanon, Kansas. World War II created a demand for the design of military air bases, and Wilson & Company rapidly expanded as it was awarded projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Kansas. 1950s A by-product of the Korean conflict was a series of projects including joint-venture responsibility for the design of McConnell Air Force Base at Wichita, Kansas; the rehabilitation of Schilling Air Force Base at Salina, Kansas; and Walker Air Force Base at Roswell, New Mexico. In 1954, Wilson & Company was awarded design and construction management responsibilities for the Kansas Turnpike from Wichita south to the Kansas-Oklahoma border, fostering another growth phase. This project included design of more than 100 bridges. The Wilson & Company Chemical and Testing laboratory started operations in 1955 to provide specialized, accurate and timely analytical information. Wilson & Company’s capabilities expanded into the design and operation of a pilot waste treatment project for Boeing Airplane Company in Wichita, Kansas. 1960s The Interstate highway program and LBJ’s “Great Society” improvement plan meant increased work for our engineers, city planners, and federal grant writers. Major projects included Ft. Riley, 60 SAC Air Force bases and dozens of flood control dams. (A small company airplane helped a growing staff cover a large territory). In April of 1963, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia called upon Wilson & Company to design and build more than 200 miles of highways and 130 bridges. The overseas affiliate of Wilson-Murrow won the design-build project that continued into the 1970s. 1970s The clean water act and its grant program caused a boom in wastewater treatment facilities in this decade. The highway program continued in Saudi Arabia, which expanded to over 1900 miles. The area surveyed to complete these projects was approximately 350,000 square miles, or roughly 40% of Saudi Arabia. 1980s Wilson & Company survived, and eventually thrived, during this decade’s recession, opening offices in Colorado Springs and Phoenix. Wilson Laboratories, the first commercial laboratory certified in Kansas, grew into a major operation. The growth of Survey and Mapping services and several large wastewater plan projects maintained our position as a strong company as we prepared to enter the 1990s. 1990s Wilson & Company pursued a steady strategy for growth. Many railroad project opportunities were announced from various Latin American countries due to railroad privatizations, spurring Wilson & Company’s interest in expanding its services south of the United States border. Wilson & Company became involved in Latin American projects focused on railroads and other forms of transportation, environmental services including water and wastewater, and industrial development, notably including the reconstruction of the Panama Canal Railway, which officially reopened service in November 2001. Wilson & Company continues to serve Latin America via its wholly-owned subsidiary, Wilson & Company Latin America LLC. 2000s The 2000’s continued to test and prove Wilson & Company’s resiliency. With change accelerating at a faster pace, Wilson & Company embraced a new corporate structure, explored new delivery methods, and entered into new markets. Wilson & Company also embraced alternative delivery methods such as design-build, CM/GC, and EPC. By teaming with client-owners, contractors, and other consultants, we explored innovative ways to deliver projects faster, with lower cost, and higher quality. We continued to enter new markets and offer new services disciplines including acquiring Western Air Maps and creating Wilson Railway Inc. (Providing expertise to class I railroads and for public projects). Wilson & Company’s geographic reach extended throughout the West, Midwest, and Southeast. The summer of 2012 was the milestone for Wilson & Company to celebrate its 80th anniversary. 2010s The first decade of the 21st Century came to a close, and the firm has not only survived the economic downturn, but has shored up core areas of expertise, maintained a strong team of professionals, and built a healthy backlog in its diversity of clients and market sectors. After significant external discussions with clients, and internal surveys and discussions, we renewed our commitment to Higher Relationships, which are our principles and foundation of our excellent service delivery, ethics, and integrity. Higher Relationships describes who we are. Our business is all about relationships, and when we’re at our best, we do it better than anyone else. In the mid-decade, we are focused on our core capabilities in the market sectors of highway and interstate transportation, municipal, education, private, tribal, and federal market sectors. We anticipate significant growth in many other market sectors, and have developed strategic relationships with key clients in targeted areas. With a firm grasp of who we are and what we do well, the future of Wilson & Company is bright, and we’re focused on delivering excellent service to clients who expect the best. Since 1932. It's kind of a big deal. In 2017 we're celebrating 85 years of serving clients. We wonder if Murray could have imagined what the world would be like in the 21st century. when he penned these words in 1959: "I am confident that there is assembled here an aggregate of brainpower that is unexcelled... and to help provide an outlet for {the} versatility and ingenuity....." Then again, he probably could anticipate what lay ahead.... "We shall have change whether we want it or not. Whether it turns out to be progress depends on how we use those changes that appear to be inevitable, and toward what end we guide the changes as they develop." Murray A. Wilson, PE, "Change or Progress?" in The American Engineer, June 1962. SITEMAP About Us Board Leadership History Human Resources Safety Sustainability What We Do Careers Contact Us Locations News Client Workshops Privacy Policy Alternative Delivery Architecture Construction Management Energy Environmental Federal Land Development Survey Mechanical & Electrical Planning Public Works Railroad Transportation Tribal Water Resources Copyright © Wilson & Company, Inc., Engineers & Architects / Corporate Headquarters Reproduction for commercial use in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.