MENU REQUEST A PROPOSAL 800-856-6374 COMPANY HISTORY AND MILESTONES In 1958, Crombie Service Company (later renamed NorthWest Engineering Service, Inc.) was founded by long-time friends Allen Crombie and Gene Garoutte. They attended the same high school in Eugene, served in WWII, and studied Mechanical Engineering at Oregon State College (now Oregon State University). They were among the first to recognize a radical idea at the time: heating and ventilation had become so complex, engineers were needed “in the trenches”, taking hands-on measurements and making adjustments to ensure systems were properly balanced. As the HVAC industry developed, building designs and mechanical systems became even more sophisticated, and the need for a company that could solve problems and work as an independent advocate for architects, engineers, and contractors became vital. These early principles helped form our unique approach to commissioning and maintaining building system performance. After three decades of building a professional legacy in the Portland area, Al and Gene retired in 1991. Subsequently, NWESI formed an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. As an employee-owned company, the men and women of NWESI have continued to build on a foundation of technical excellence, integrity, and a passion for client service. MILESTONES 1958: Crombie Service Co. is established 1958: Gene Garoutte becomes partner 1960: Crombie Service Co. lands large Lloyd Center construction project – their “big break” 1962: Name changed to Northwest Engineering Service, Inc. 1968: Herb Purtle made a partner 1968: NWESI moves office from downtown Portland to Tigard, a farmhouse on SW 72nd Avenue 1976: Three plenum mixing damper invented by Al, Roy Steege, and others 1978: Three plenum mixing dampers installed on multi-zone unit at Arlington Club 1991: Al & Gene, NWESI’s founders, retire 1996: ESOP completed, with Herb Purtle as the first president 1998: Roy Steege appointed president 2003: Joe Helm appointed president 2010: Air Introduction & Regulation, Inc. purchased, expanding footprint to Eugene 2012: Maiani Construction Services, Inc. purchased, expanding footprint to Spokane 2014: Ro-Bar Technical Services purchased, expanding footprint to Boise 2017: Tom Prevish appointed president “The longer one is acquainted with NWESI it becomes evident they’re a competent group that gets the job done with ingenuity and little assistance. I’ve utilized their talents on numerous small projects for over a decade and found them eager to develop strategies for design solutions that maintain a superior economic balance with quality products.” LOWELL FAUSETTProject Manager, Oregon State University © 2021 Northwest Engineering Service, Inc.800-856-6374 website by kpd + minimize