Student Housing Business Article: “Georgia Tech Residence Uplifts College Experience Off Campus”

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SSOE’s Laura Morton, AIA, NCARB, Senior Architect, recently authored a Student Housing Business article where she details how the COVID-19 pandemic changed the landscape of student housing. As students enjoyed the freedom and comfort of living in a variety of housing options while enrolled in college coursework, a unique new project at Georgia Tech in Atlanta was taking flight. Georgia Tech, with help from SSOE’s designers, incorporated a furnished apartment complex for students directly adjacent to campus yet apart from the university system, reflecting desirable student housing ideals.

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Consulting-Specifying Engineer Article: “Benefits of Data and Visualization in a Construction Project”

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SSOE’s VDC Technical Leader Evan Collier, CM-BIM, recently authored a Consulting-Specifying Engineer article where he focuses on the challenges the AEC industry faces, particularly with requests for information (RFIs) and internal communication. He also discusses how data and visualization can help improve communication, even in large projects.

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Food Engineering Magazine 46th Annual Plant Construction Survey: “Pandemic Issues on the Wane, but Labor, Inflation and Equipment Availability Slow Projects”

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SSOE’s Business Leader Greg Verhoff, LEED AP; Senior Project Manager Telly Davis; Department Manager Mike Vetter, PE, PMP; and Senior Project Manager Ed Gerken, PMP, LEED AP, were recently featured in this Food Engineering Magazine article. Based on the publication’s annual survey, this year’s article discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic had lasting effects on the food and beverage supply chain. Author Wayne Labs also dives into trends the industry is seeing as well as the top issues clients face.

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SSOE Group Announces Employee Certifications for Fourth Quarter of Planning Year 2023

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TOLEDO, Ohio, October 17, 2023 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), an internationally ranked architecture and engineering firm, announced today that 13 of its employees earned professional certifications during the fourth quarter of SSOE’s 2023 planning year. Attainment of professional licensures and certifications is strongly encouraged at SSOE. The company covers the expense of preparation classes and exam fees as well as provides paid time off to take the exam. As an added incentive, once an employee has passed an exam, they are awarded a recognition bonus. ­­­­

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SSOE Vice President Betsy Hurner Presents at Zweig Group’s 2023 M&A Next Symposium

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TOLEDO, Ohio, September 14, 2023 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), an internationally ranked architecture and engineering firm, announced that Betsy Hurner, Vice President of Corporate Development, recently spoke at the Zweig Group’s 2023 M&A Next Symposium held on September 12-13, 2023 at the Omni PGA Frisco Resort in Frisco, Texas. Read more

LIDARNews: “Lessons in Quality Construction and Engineering”

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SSOE was recently featured in a LIDARNews article on how the company utilizes Cintoo Cloud to host and manage their point cloud data. Cintoo allows SSOE’s point cloud files to be easily uploaded into a compressed 3D mesh format to provide collaboration with anyone, anywhere, satisfying their corporate goals of agility and collaboration.

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Food Engineering: “45th Annual Plant Construction Survey”

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In part three of Food Engineering’s annual survey, SSOE’s Jens Ebert, Vice President and Division Manager, Food and Consumer Products, joins fellow AEC experts to weigh in on what’s trending and why. In this year’s article, we learn that—much like in other industries—supply chain issues are wreaking havoc on food and beverage companies. The survey reflects these issues highlighting three main concerns directly caused by supply chain woes.

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Plant Engineering: “Optimizing Equipment Scanning”

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In this Plant Engineering article, SSOE’s Mark LaBell talks laser scanning and how leveraging it enhances productivity and provides multiple benefits for project owners.

Now a “must-have” technology for manufacturing design and construction, the latest scanning technology is especially useful when existing as-built drawings are not available or are outdated—but trust us, the benefits don’t stop there. Read more

SSOE Group Announces Employee Licensures and Certifications for Third Quarter of Planning Year 2023

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TOLEDO, Ohio, July 26, 2023 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), an internationally ranked architecture and engineering firm, announced today that 18 of its employees earned professional certifications during the third quarter of SSOE’s 2023 planning year. Attainment of professional licensures and certifications is strongly encouraged at SSOE. The company covers the expense of preparation classes and exam fees as well as provides paid time off to take the exam. As an added incentive, once an employee has passed an exam, they are awarded a recognition bonus. ­­­­ ­­­­

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SSOE Group’s Vincent Lafitte Installed as National Vice President of the Society for Design Administration

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ATLANTA, Georgia, June 23, 2023 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), an internationally ranked architecture and engineering firm, is proud to announce that our HR Analyst, Vincent Lafitte, was installed as National Vice President for the Society for Design Administration (SDA), at its annual business meeting held recently in Tampa, Florida. SDA is an international organization that enhances the professional development and personal growth of those in the design profession.

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SSOE announces the 2008 Founders Award Recipients

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At SSOE’s December Shareholders’ Meeting, the first annual Alfred H. Samborn Founder’s Awards were presented to 14 SSOE employees from 3 separate project teams.

These awards recognize individuals who exemplify the principles on which Mr. Samborn built the firm — quality, client service, and entrepreneurship. Read more

SSOE Group Providing Architecture and Engineering Services for Ascend Elements’ Georgia-Based Brownfield Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Facility

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Facility to Become North America’s Largest Battery Recycling Operation

COVINGTON, Georgia, September 21, 2022 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), an internationally ranked firm with decades of experience delivering projects in the Southeast U.S., is providing architecture, engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning services for Ascend Elements’ 154,000 SF commercial-scale, lithium-ion battery recycling facility. Ascend Elements, a vertically integrated battery recycling and engineered materials company, is investing $43 million into its new Covington, Georgia facility, strategically located near several electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing hubs and lithium-ion battery producers. Read more

Newsworthy:

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SSOE has appeared in the news quite a bit lately. Here are a few of the places you can find us. Visit www.ssoe.com/news for links to these articles.

ENR

In her article, “Modeling Pathfinders Impatient to Have a Much Fuller Digital Toolbox” Nadine Post discusses some of the challenges of BIM and highlights how SSOE’s size has helped it overcome some of these challenges.

Food Engineering Magazine

This article highlights Pearl City Food Port, an SSOE-designed project in India that enables food manufacturers to gain faster, easier access to the Asian consumer market.

Food Manufacturing Magazine

In this recent article, “Conducting Excellent Energy Audits,” SSOE Senior Project Manager Dan Messinger discusses strategies for saving costs and conserving water and energy that apply across multiple industries.

PE Magazine

In this piece, SSOE Senior Vice-President, Vince DiPofi, PE, explores the politically charged issues surrounding biofuels and how these issues impact the professional engineer’s call to adhere to the principles of sustainable development.

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Announcing 25%+ Growth and Over 200 New Hires in 2007

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SSOE has had substantial revenue growth, posting upwards of 25 percent each of the last three years. Despite the struggles of the nation’s industrial base and unemployment rates on the rise, we have continued to excel.

Here is the low down:

  • 25% revenue increase for 2007
  • Nearly 20% projected increase for 200
  • Over 200 new employees hired since January 2007, a 20% increase in staff
  • 93% employee retention rate, which is 18% higher than the national average
  • 85% client retention rate
  • Opened 8 new offices around the world in the past 3 years, including offices on the east coast, mid-west, west coast and one in the Far East!
  • Our Shanghai, China office has grown to be our 3rd largest office
  • Yearly technology upgrades, including $4.5M in 2007

Thank you to our clients and staff that helped make this possible!

Go to the SSOE press release page to view the announcement in its entirety.

In the News…

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SSOE Adds Fourth Ohio Office

The opening of our new Columbus, Ohio office brings the total of SSOE locations to 19. Under the leadership of Scott Hathaway, we plan to grow this location to serve many of SSOE’s markets and key clients.

Our tremendous growth—we’ve doubled our revenue and staff since 2004—is due to many factors. One key fact is that we’ve built a solid reputation among clients in the nation’s fast-growing markets: healthcare, alternative energy, science and technology, and retail.

Telling Fact from Fiction in Healthcare Design

SSOE will be presenting Urban Legends of Healthcare Design on Tuesday, March 10 from 9:30 am to 10:45 am at the 2009 International Conference and Exhibition on Health Facility Planning, Design, and ConstructionTM (PDC), in Phoenix, Arizona.

SSOE will take a close look at several popular design strategies and the clinical motivations that lead to their use. Citing specific case study examples, he’ll present research evidence to support, or debunk, the myth on which the design intention is based. He’ll distinguish between design fact and design fiction, and discuss just exactly where, when and HOW design makes the critical difference.

You can register for the conference online at www.ashe.org/ashe/pdc/index.html.

Preparing for Mother Nature’s Dark Side

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Most of us prefer to believe that a natural disaster will always target some other building. Statistically that’s true, leading many businesses to be nonchalant about being adequately prepared. SSOE has found in helping clients recover from disasters that taking precautions to avoid damage is neither hugely expensive nor time consuming. It’s more a matter of doing it. When measured against the brutal cost of repair, lost productivity, and rebuilding, it’s wise to have a plan.

This article shares some specific suggestions that can protect your people and your assets in case of a flood.

Develop a disaster plan that covers both what to do at the time a disaster strikes and recovery procedures. Update it regularly and after any alterations to the structure. Finally, conduct periodic training and tests.

The plan should include who will respond to the disaster and how; a protocol for notifying employees whether to report for work; and options that will allow employees to work remotely until repairs are complete. If your staff has a team of critical personnel, develop a plan for getting them to the facility even if the roads impassable.

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Evaluating Suppliers: Part Three – Building the Right Team

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This is the continuation of our series on the characteristics of “A-Team” suppliers—a series intended to help you evaluate your own suppliers. In this issue we talk about their ability to build the right team.

A good supplier must be driven by the client’s interest and a desire to deliver optimum project performance by building the right team for the job. For any supplier, a prerequisite to building the right team is acknowledging that sometimes there are experts outside of their firm who are the best people for the job.

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Procurement: An Art and a Science

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Reviewing specifications, preparing and analyzing bid packages, negotiating contracts, handling purchase orders and more. This is the “science” of procurement. It demands a broad skill set and stringent attention to detail. The “art” of procurement is acquired mostly through experience. It is the knowledge of what to watch for in every step of the process to consistently get the best value on the right equipment and avoid costly mistakes. It is knowing how to make the most of relationships with suppliers. Seasoned procurement professionals more than pay for themselves whether they are part of an in-house department or hired on a per-project basis. Read more

Evaluating Suppliers: Part One

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There are scores of ways to evaluate the performance of your suppliers – from detailed rating systems to casual debriefings with your internal team.

Based on our own clients’ feedback, we’ve compiled a set of the qualities that distinguish a competent supplier from an “A-Team” supplier — one that adds significant value to the project.

In this issue, we’ll illustrate how one of these characteristics: “the ability to challenge assumptions,” resulted in huge savings for our client. Look for examples of other A-Team characteristics in future Dimensions.

  • Ability to challenge assumptions.
  • The right people with the right set of skills.
  • Understand your process in detail.
  • Use sophisticated tools.
  • Invite input.
  • Expend extra effort where it counts.
  • Ability to think creatively.

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In Praise of the Innovative Enterprise

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“This is a phenomenal enterprise,” began Ohio Governor Bob Taft at a press conference at SSOE’s headquarters on July 18. “There is more work getting done here more quietly then anyplace in the entire state of Ohio. What this company does is incredible and it is a great success story. [SSOE] is a company that is investing and growing and expanding here and has an impact world wide. In fact, just this year I was very proud to present SSOE an “E” Award for Excellence in Exporting for the second time. They come with me on my trade missions. They are operating in China and Europe; they are operating in Mexico. They are truly a global enterprise.”

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New and Expanding Offices

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  • SSOE recently opened a new office in Chicago, Illinois. This office will serve local clients as well as act as a resource pool for the recruitment of national talent.
  • SSOE is also expanding three existing locations – Cincinnati, Ohio; Midland, Michigan; and Toledo, Ohio. The Cincinnati office will be adding staff and square footage to accommodate additional professional horsepower. Midland will also be expanding their office and doubling the current number of workstations in the coming months to make way for additional staff. Last but not least, the Toledo office has added over 120 jobs this past year, and relocated corporate staff to make room for additional operations.

A Number of Ways SSOE Is Growing

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SSOE is growing as the result of a strategic effort to improve the level of service we offer you. Our growth is deliberate. Bigger isn’t always better, but in this case it is. We are building our network of experts, expanding our geographic reach, and growing the technological tools we have at our disposal.

The evidence? According to Engineering News Record magazine, SSOE is one of the fastest growing design firms in terms of revenue. In fact, our revenue is up by 20% in the last 12 months alone. It doesn’t stop there; in that same period, we added 5 new locations across the country to our 10 existing worldwide locations (read more about our new locations in the next story). We also ensured that our technology is growing along with us by using cutting edge tools to get your projects done more quickly, more cost-effectively, and more accurately (see page 5 for details). To make sure we have the bench strength and expertise you deserve, we increased our staff by more than 35% in the past 3 years

A Number of Ways SSOE is Growing
  • The cell phone market offers a glimpse into the challenges of tapping the increased buying power of China.
  • Due to strong brand recognition and established product lines, global companies such as Nokia, Motorola, and Samsung held about 90% of the cell phone market in China in 2000. However, as use of cell phones grew, the global brands were not as effective at advertising and supplying in rural areas. By 2004, domestic firms had gained about half the market.
  • The shift was temporary, however. Focusing on high performance and multiple function models (such as phones with cameras and MP3 players), multinational brands regained market share and now account for about 70% of cell phone sales.
  • source: “The People’s Republic of China: A Fragmented Landscape” published by: Research International.

 

SSOE Group Announces Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion and Intent to Hire DEI Leader

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TOLEDO, Ohio, October 1, 2021 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global project delivery firm for architecture, engineering, and construction management, is excited to publicly announce the firm’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Statement, which SSOE rolled out internally in September.
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Oh, the Places We’ll Go

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Next time you see us it might be in your local grocery store instead of the job site. We’ve decided it’s not enough to hop on a plane to come visit. We want to be a member of the community.

As part of our growth strategy, you will now find SSOE offices in St. Paul, Minnesota; Midland, Michigan; Washington DC; and Shanghai, China (see story on page 2). Our St. Paul office, led by David Smith, P.E., is a prime example of how our growth promotes your growth. One of the clients this office serves is Freedom Fuels in nearby Mason City, Iowa. Due to growing energy costs and environmental concerns, this emerging business in the biodiesel market stands at the brink of tremendous growth. Our creative project approach, including partners who help with financing and experts who help with process development, are making this investor’s dream a reality (read more on page 3). In addition, St. Paul serves local clients like Northshore Mining, a client and industry experiencing tremendous growth due to China’s increasing demand for iron (see page 2 for how we’re helping mining companies grow their operations safely).

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A Piece of the Pie = Peace of Mind

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In addition to adding to our capabilities with nationally recognized talent such as Ed Royzman, we are also taking significant strides to maintain the experts we already have. SSOE understands we’ll only experience continued growth by nurturing and adding to the brightest professionals in the industry. To ensure we’re retaining the best, SSOE is expanding the reach of our ownership structure. This structure will add seven principals (see sidebar for a list of our new principals) and give more than 15% of our regular, full-time employees a chance to own a piece of the pie.

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Carolina Here We Come

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SSOE is adding another new office location to its roster – number 16. This time it’s in the prestigious Research Triangle Park area of Durham, North Carolina. With 50 completed projects in the North Carolina area in the last five years and more underway, SSOE already has impacted the area’s economy. Under the leadership of Meredith Mayes, PE, SSOE will formalize its presence to better contribute to the growth of the Carolina region particularly in the pharmaceutical, education, biofuels, and science and technology sectors.

“The wealth of intellectual and creative talent in the Triangle area and surrounding regions will be a tremendous asset to SSOE,” said Mayes. “Our focus on innovation and access to some of the most advanced design technology in the world will give SSOE’s new professionals uninhibited freedom to reach their goals and achieve success.” Mayes herself has more than 18 years of design/engineering experience, and an extensive pharmaceutical background, which includes work with multi-national companies such as Eli Lilly, Merck, Novartis and Schering-Plough.

SSOE recently signed a contract with the EPA to perform master planning services for various EPA facilities around the country, including the Durham area. Providing the EPA with space planning for future and existing laboratories, SSOE is helping the organization increase energy efficiency, improve security and make its facilities more environmentally friendly. Other local SSOE projects include biofuels and fuel cell technology work with Clemson University and the University of South Carolina.

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Evaluating Suppliers: Part Two – Creative Thinking

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In the last issue of Dimensions we introduced the characteristics of an “A-Team” supplier and focused on their ability to challenge assumptions. This is the second part of the series, in which we discuss the ability of a supplier to think creatively.

Textbook solutions are fine for textbook projects. But if you need something out of the ordinary or if you’re looking for better-than-average results, an A-Team supplier will think creatively to help you accomplish your goals.

Before offering creative perspectives, a supplier should dig deep to find out as much as possible about a project, even when the parameters seem straightforward.

A client in the glass industry engaged SSOE to do preliminary work on a project where the solution was predetermined – build a new batch plant at a cost of millions of dollars.

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SSOE Group Adopts New Mission Statement as Firm Approaches its 73rd Anniversary

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TOLEDO, Ohio, August 6, 2021 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global project delivery firm for architecture, engineering, and construction management, announced today that it will be updating the firm’s mission statement to focus on client value and advancement of the AEC industry as it approaches its 73rd anniversary on August 8th. Read more

SSOE Announces New Rankings from Engineering News-Record Magazine

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Firm Named to Five Top 10 Spots

TOLEDO, Ohio, July 6, 2021 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global project delivery firm for architecture, engineering, and construction management, is proud to announce their annual Engineering News-Record (ENR) rankings, which were published in the 2021 ENR Top 500 Design Firms Sourcebook. ENR serves as one of the leading engineering and construction news publications. This list provides market analysis and rankings of the largest U.S.-based AEC firms according to revenue for design services performed in 2020.

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TRC’s SMARTCenter Project Receives Honor Award at ACEC Ohio 2021 Engineering Excellence Awards Celebration

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Photo Credit: Transportation Research Center

TOLEDO, Ohio, July 2, 2021 – SSOE Group, a global project delivery firm for architecture, engineering, and construction management, is proud to announce their role on Transportation Research Center’s (TRC) new Smart Mobility Advanced Research & Test Center (SMARTCenter) project, which recently received an Honor Award at the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Ohio 2021 Engineering Excellence Awards Celebration.

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SSOE Group Receives High Praise from Dow for Quality on Multi-Year Program Services

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MIDLAND, Michigan, June 22, 2021 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global project delivery firm for architecture, engineering, and construction management, has received high praise from Dow (NYSE: Dow) in regards to services provided on the Lab / Office Multi-Year Program at their Michigan Corporate Facilities for the Dow Project Management Organization (PMO).

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SSOE Group Announces Employee Licensures and Certifications for Second Quarter of Planning Year 2021

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TOLEDO, Ohio, April 7, 2021 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global project delivery firm for architecture, engineering, and construction management, announced today that 12 of its employees earned professional certifications during the second quarter of SSOE’s 2021 planning year. Attainment of professional licensures and certifications is strongly encouraged at SSOE. The company covers the expense of preparation classes and exam fees as well as provides paid time off to take the exam. As an added incentive, once an employee has passed an exam, they are awarded a recognition bonus.­­­­

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SSOE Group Announces Employee Licensures and Certifications for First Quarter of Planning Year 2021

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TOLEDO, Ohio, January 11, 2021 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global project delivery firm for architecture, engineering, and construction management, announced today that eight of its employees earned professional certifications during the first quarter of SSOE’s 2021 planning year. Attainment of professional licensures and certifications is strongly encouraged at SSOE. In fact, the company covers the expense of preparation classes and exam fees as well as provides paid time off to take the exam. As an added incentive, once an employee has passed an exam, they are awarded a recognition bonus.­­­­

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SSOE Group Announces Employee Registrations and Certifications for Third Quarter of Planning Year 2018

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TOLEDO, Ohio, July 24, 2018 – SSOE Group (www.www.ssoe.com), a global project delivery firm for architecture, engineering, and construction management, announced today that two of its employees earned professional registrations and ­­­four employees earned professional certifications during the third quarter of SSOE’s 2018 planning year. Attainment of professional licensures and certifications is strongly encouraged at SSOE. In fact, the company covers the expense of preparation classes and exam fees as well as provides paid time off to take the exam. As an added incentive, once an employee has passed an exam, they are awarded a recognition bonus.­­­­

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SSOE Announces New Rankings from Engineering News-Record Magazine

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Firm Named to Four Top 10 Spots

TOLEDO, Ohio, July 11, 2018 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global project delivery firm for architecture, engineering, and construction management is proud to announce their annual Engineering News-Record (ENR) rankings.

The rankings were published in the 2018 ENR Top 500 Design Firms Sourcebook. ENR serves as one of the leading engineering and construction news publications. This list provides market analysis and rankings of the largest U.S.-based AEC firms according to revenue for design services performed in 2017.

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Area Development Magazine Article: “When Is Bargain Commercial Real Estate a Steal?”

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SSOE Group’s Bob McCain discusses how to tell if you’re getting a steal when it comes to commercial real estate purchases and how to tell when bargain prices are too good to be true. Read more

NBC affiliate WNWO story “SSOE shines light on solar power, environment”

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In his Green Report, reporter Michael Schlesinger highlights SSOE’s efforts in alternative energy. SSOE’s Jerry Carter, Business Leader of Sustainable and Renewable Solutions; Tim Bolbach, PE, Master Engineer; and Glen Blohm, CFM, Facility Manager are interviewed. Read more

SSOE Announces New Rankings from Building Design+Construction and ENR Magazine

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TOLEDO, Ohio, October 9, 2017 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global project delivery firm for architecture, engineering, and construction management is proud to announce their annual Building Design+Construction (BD+C) and Engineering News Record (ENR) rankings.

The following rankings were published in the 2017 Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firms Sourcebook. ENR serves as one of the leading engineering and construction news publications and has included SSOE in its Top 500 lists since 1965. This list provides market analysis and rankings of the largest U.S.-based AEC firms according to revenue for design services performed in 2016. Read more

Please Join SSOE by Giving to Southern Tornadoes and Storms – Red Cross Disaster Relief

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TOLEDO, Ohio, January 31, 2017 — We are saddened by the loss of life and destruction of property created by the devastating tornadoes and storms that recently ripped through portions of the Southeast United States. At least 60 tornadoes ripped through Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, and surrounding states in a single weekend, taking the lives of at least 20 individuals. Dozens struck in darkness overnight and affected over 1,100 homes – reducing many to rubble. The destruction is so severe that some neighborhoods are just beginning cleanup efforts. Read more

Give to Louisiana Floods – Disaster Relief

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We are saddened by the loss of life and destruction of property created by the devastating flooding in Louisiana. This disaster has taken the lives of at least 13 individuals, while damaging more than 40,000 homes. Currently, more than 7,000 people remained in Red Cross and community shelters and thousands more are without power in hot, humid conditions. Read more

Give to West Virginia Floods – Disaster Relief

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We are saddened by the loss of life and destruction of property created by the devastating derecho storm and subsequent flooding in West Virginia over the past weeks. This disaster has taken the lives of more than 20 people, while destroying homes and infrastructure along the way. A state of emergency has been declared in 44 counties. Thousands of residences are still without power, gas service, and even water. Read more

The 22nd Century Committee Announces Public / Private Collaborative to Revitalize Downtown Toledo

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TOLEDO, Ohio, May 27, 2015 –Today, community and business leaders and the City of Toledo announced the formation of the 22nd Century Committee, which is intended to provide catalytic leadership and strategic direction on the renaissance and revitalization of Toledo’s downtown urban core. Read more

McConnell of SSOE Group Receives IEEE Engineer of the Year Award

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TOLEDO, Ohio, February 10, 2015 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm is proud to announce that Ed McConnell, PE, Master Engineer and Senior Associate was named Engineer of the Year by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Toledo Section.

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Toledo Area Middle School Students to Show Their Math Prowess at MATHCOUNTS® Competition

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TOLEDO, Ohio, February 4, 2015 –The Toledo Society of Professional Engineers will hold its annual MATHCOUNTS® competition for students from 18 middle schools on Saturday, February 7, 2015. Over 160 students will be competing to advance to the state and national level contests.

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SSOE Group Earns CHC Wellness Culture of Health Award

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TOLEDO, Ohio, January 29, 2015 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm, was honored this month with the Culture of Health Award by CHC Wellness, an onsite corporate and community provider of health and wellness programs. This award recognizes leadership in raising the level of engagement among employees by creating a culture of health that encourages, supports, and rewards healthy living. SSOE was selected for setting a standard for wellness within their community, displaying a top-down effort that has positively impacted the lives of their employees, and for dedicating considerable efforts to expand participation in their wellness programs.
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SSOE Group Announces Employee Registrations and Certifications for First Quarter of Planning Year 2015

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TOLEDO, Ohio, January 9, 2015 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm, announced today that 2 employees earned professional registrations and 5 employees earned professional certifications during the first quarter of SSOE’s 2015 planning year. Attainment of professional licensure is strongly encouraged at SSOE. In fact, the company covers the expense of preparation classes and exam fees as well as providing paid time off to take the exam. As an added incentive, once a staff member has passed an exam, they are awarded a recognition bonus.

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SSOE Named to 11 Top 10 Spots in ENR and BD+C’s 2014 Rankings

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TOLEDO, Ohio, December 26, 2014 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm announced today it has been named to 11 Top 10 spots in Engineering News-Record (ENR) and Building Design + Construction 2014 rankings. Both premier publications cover the AEC industry and base their rankings on annual revenue.

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SSOE World Headquarters Earns EPA’s ENERGY STAR® Certification for Superior Energy Efficiency

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TOLEDO, Ohio, October 15, 2014 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm, announced today that its World Headquarters building at 1001 Madison Avenue in Toledo, Ohio, has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR certification. This certification signifies that the building performs in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency and meets strict energy efficiency performance levels set by the EPA.

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Hurner Promoted to Marketing Business Leader and Senior Associate

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Toledo, Ohio, February 16, 2012 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), an international engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm, announces the promotion of Betsy Hurner to Marketing Business Leader, Senior Associate.

Betsy started her marketing career at SSOE nearly 12 years ago as a marketing intern through an internship she received through The University of Toledo. Betsy has held positions of increasing responsibility from her days as an intern including Operations Marketing Coordinator for the Industrial Process Team, Corporate Marketing Coordinator, and most recently Corporate Marketing Manager.

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SSOE Group’s Midland Office Celebrates Five Successful Years

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Midland, Michigan, October 28, 2011 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), an international engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm, is proud to celebrate the five year anniversary of its Midland, Michigan office.

SSOE introduced the Midland office in early 2006 to support Midland’s regional chemical companies. The 2,500 SF office had an initial staff of only 3. However, after growing its resources to 18 later that year, an expansion was necessary. The following October SSOE’s Midland office nearly doubled its size to 4,400 SF. As SSOE’s backlog and resources continued to expand and was given the opportunity to obtain substantial adjacent space within the building, they again expanded in August 2007 to 6,750 SF. Read more

SSOE Group Announces the Appointment of Four New Principals

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Toledo, Ohio, October 14, 2011 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), an international engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm, announced today that four Senior Associates have been named Principals, effective January 1, 2012. SSOE’s Board of Directors named Mike Duffey, Julie Dolan Goare, Chris O’Connor, and Dan Vining principal owners of SSOE. Read more

SSOE Group Relocates and Expands Its Nashville Office

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Nashville, Tennessee, June 21, 2011 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), an international engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm announced today that it is relocating and expanding its Nashville, Tennessee office. The new office will allow SSOE to grow staff at that location by nearly 30%.

Bob McCain, PE, SSOE’s Vice President and Principal Division Manager said “This space is needed due to the tremendous growth in investments within the Southeast region and SSOE’s involvement with those projects. This has created several new positions in the Nashville office. Many of these positions have already been filled, however, we still have several openings. In fact, we are already discussing plans for additional space within the new building”. The new office is located at 320 Seven Springs Way, Suite 350 in Brentwood. Read more

Give to Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Relief Fund

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We are saddened by the loss of life and destruction created by the earthquake in Japan and tsunami throughout the Pacific on March 11, 2011. We share the shock and grief of those who were affected by this disaster, and also share the desire to help. The immediate response by the American Red Cross and its partners to provide relief efforts is commendable and SSOE is contributing to assist their vital work. Please join SSOE Group and our employees in helping the survivors who have lost their homes and loved ones. Please give today by visiting the Red Cross website. Your gift to the American Red Cross will support emergency relief efforts to help those affected. Assistance provided by the American Red Cross may include sending relief supplies, mobilizing relief workers and providing financial resources.

Click here to give via American Red Cross.

SSOE Group Proud to Announce Employee Registrations and Certifications for First Quarter 2011

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TOLEDO, Ohio, January 26, 2011– SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), an international engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm, announced today that two employees have earned registrations and two have earned certifications during the first quarter of their 2011 planning year. Attainment of professional licenses are strongly encouraged at SSOE. In fact, the company covers the expense of preparation classes and exam fees as well as providing paid time off to take the exam. Also, as an added incentive, once a staff member has passed an exam, they receive a recognition bonus.

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SSOE Group Recognized for Designing the Right Balance

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TOLEDO, Ohio, December 01, 2010– Despite high stress and anxiety levels that often accompany uncertain economic conditions, SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com) has managed to help its employees in living less stressful lives. In an awards ceremony on November 19th, the Ohio Psychological Association (OPA) named SSOE one of four psychologically healthy workplaces.

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SSOE Group Selects Two New Outside Directors to Board

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TOLEDO, Ohio, October 14, 2010 — SSOE Group, an international engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm, announced today the selection of two new outside directors to its board. Both individuals will begin their term at SSOE’s Board organizational meeting on December 2, 2010 and will succeed current outside board directors Tom Brady and Leslie Green.

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SSOE Group Announces New International Roles: Continues to Grow International Business Despite Economic Climate

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October 14, 2010, Toledo, Ohio – SSOE Group, a global engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm announced expanded roles for key staff as it plans for continued international growth despite the turbulent economic climate. Currently SSOE has 19 offices domestically and two in China, in Shanghai and Beijing. As international opportunities continue to increase and become a larger part of SSOE’s growth strategy the firm plans to open two additional offices in China, two in India, and two in Canada in 2011. Currently SSOE’s international business comprises 8% of total revenue. By 2015 the firm projects that 25% of their total revenue will be generated internationally, increasing to 33% by 2020. According to Tony Damon, CEO and President of SSOE, “Expansion of our business globally is one of the key drivers of our growth strategy including driving growth here in the U.S. to service the growing international marketplace.”

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SSOE Group Creates New Position to Focus on Construction and Program Management

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TOLEDO, Ohio, October 11, 2010 – SSOE Group (https://www.ssoe.com/), an international engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm, is proud to announce Dan Vining’s new role as the General Manager of SSOE’s Construction and Program Management company. This new role highlights SSOE’s increased focus on providing clients a full range of project services including construction and program management in addition to planning and design.

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SSOE Group Names Rossler as New Principal

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TOLEDO, Ohio, October 8, 2010 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), an international engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm, announced today that Greg Rossler, Division Manager, has been named Principal, bringing the total number to 22.

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SSOE Group, international EPCM firm, Awarded National Export Achievement Award from the U.S. Department of Commerce

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TOLEDO, Ohio, October 6, 2010 – U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) visited SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), an international engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) firm, yesterday to present the firm with an Export Achievement Certificate from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

According to Brown, “When it comes to exports, most people think about the manufacturing of goods—which is critical to Ohio’s economic health. But we can’t afford to overlook the export of services, which is exactly SSOE specializes in—and why they’ve been recognized as a model for exporters.”

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SSOE Group Named Large Exporter of the Year by Ohio Governor

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September 23, 2010, Toledo, Ohio– SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global EPCM firm, was recognized for its success in the global marketplace by Ohio Governor Ted Strickland and Ohio Department of Development Director Lisa Patt-McDaniel at a luncheon held in Columbus yesterday. SSOE was named the “Large Exporter of the Year.” In total, 20 Ohio companies were presented with the Governor’s Excellence in Exporting Award (“E”Award). This is SSOE’s third time being an “E” award recipient; they also received this honor in 2002 as well as 2006. The Governor’s Excellence in Exporting Award annually recognizes Ohio companies that have increased sales and Ohio-based employment as a result of export activity, or have implemented a strategy to expand international sales.

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SSOE Group Ranked Second Largest Food Processing Design Firm in U.S.

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July 29, 2010 -SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), an international engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm, announced today it has been ranked the second largest food processing design firm in the United States by Engineering News Record (ENR), the industry’s premier news publication. The new ranking reflects an increase of two spots over 2009. For five years running, SSOE has generated the largest revenue increase of any food design firm, and in the last three years, no other firms have advanced in the Top Food Processing Design Firms ranking.

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Golf Outing to Honor Memory of SSOE Intern and University of Toledo College of Engineering Student Frank Forde Allen

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TOLEDO, Ohio, July 28, 2010 – SSOE Group, an international engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm, will hold its second annual golf outing on September 18 at Heather Downs County Club (3910 Heatherdowns Blvd, Toledo, OH) to honor the memory of an electrical engineering intern, Frank Forde Allen. Allen was a Co-Op student interning at SSOE when he was killed in a noontime motorcycle accident while on his way to meet his SSOE co-workers. A native of Willoughby, Ohio, Allen was 23 years old when he died. The Allen family was posthumously presented with Frank’s Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, from The University of Toledo, in December, 2008.

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SSOE Group mourns the passing of Scott Williams, a structural designer in their Midland, Michigan office

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Scott Williams, 46, a structural designer based in SSOE’s Midland office, lost his battle with cancer on July 25. While Scott would have celebrated his five-year anniversary with SSOE this year, his career with SSOE is far greater than the past five years. Scott was originally hired in the Flint, MI location in 1985. He worked in Flint until the office closed in 1996, at which time he transferred tothe Troy, MI location. Scott worked in Troy until 1998, when he left to pursue a position with RC Engineering and Management Services. In 1999, Scott’s and SSOE’s paths crossed again when he came back to work with the SSOE team through ITS. He rejoined SSOE as a full-time employee in September 2005.

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Give to Northwest Ohio Tornado Relief

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We are saddened by the loss of life and destruction of property wrought by the devastating tornado in Northwest Ohio over the previous weekend. Thankfully, all SSOE employees, offices, and project locations in the area escaped unharmed. We share the shock and grief of those who were touched by this tornado, and also share the desire to help. The immediate response by the American Red Cross and its partners to provide relief efforts is commendable and SSOE is contributing to assist their vital work. Please join SSOE Group and our employees in helping the survivors who have lost their homes and loved ones. Please give today by visiting the Red Cross website. You can give now to support relief efforts for a disastrous situation that is still unfolding. Your gift to the American Red Cross will support emergency relief efforts to help those affected by these storms. Assistance provided by the American Red Cross may include sending relief supplies, mobilizing relief workers and providing financial resources. Click here to give via American Red Cross.

Give to Southeastern U.S. Storm and Flood Relief

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We are saddened by the loss of life and destruction of property wrought by the devastating storms and subsequent flooding in the Southeastern U.S. over the previous weekend. Thankfully, all SSOE employees, offices, and project locations in the area escaped unharmed. Read more

SSOE Group Proud to Announce Employee Registrations and Certifications for Second Quarter

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TOLEDO, Ohio, April 8, 2010 – SSOE Group, one of the nation’s leading EPCM firms, announced today that four employees have earned certifications and four have earned registrations during the second quarter of their 2010 planning year.

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SSOE Group to Connect with Ohio Gas Companies During Two Day Technical Conference March 25 & 26 in Columbus, Ohio

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TOLEDO, OH, March 08, 2010 – SSOE Group’s Pipeline and Terminals experts will exhibit at the Ohio Gas Association Technical Seminar on March 25 and 26, 2010 at the Marriot Columbus Northwest in Dublin, Ohio. This conference brings natural gas transmission and distribution companies from Ohio together in one forum to discuss current issues and trends.

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SSOE Group’s Russ Kinner Receives IEEE Award

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Phoenix, Arizona,March 05, 2010 – Russ Kinner of SSOE Group, a global architecture, engineering, and construction management firm, was recently awarded a Special Chair Award for Section Support by the Phoenix Section of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, Inc. (IEEE). The award was presented to Russ during the organization’s annual awards banquet held on February 13, 2010 in Phoenix, AZ. This award recognizes individuals or organizations for activities that support the goals of the Section, such as public service. The award also recognizes current section officers for their contributions for advancement of the section. In making the announcement, IEEE cited Russ’s outstanding support of the Phoenix section’s publicity efforts, which helped bolster the organization’s work in advancing technology, as well as contributions to the profession and the community.

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SSOE Group to Host Largest “Engineer for a Day” Program in the Area

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TOLEDO, Ohio, February 16, 2010 – Approximately forty-five students from three area high schools will get hands-on experience from a team of SSOE engineers when they spend part of their day at SSOE’s Toledo headquarters for the “Engineer for a Day,” Program. The program is a part of the 2010 Toledo Engineer Week’s agenda and will be held on February 17, 2010 from1:00 until 4:00 PM.

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SSOE’s Michelle Mack Earns Registered Architect License

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TOLEDO, Ohio, January 20, 2010 – SSOE Group, one of the nation’s leading EPCM firms, announced that Michelle Mack, RA, NCARB, recently earned her architectural license. Mack, an Architect in SSOE’s Facilities group, has more than 6 years of professional design experience. Her project experience includes schematics, design / development, construction documentation, shop drawing review, and lead designer for clients such as Toyota, Marathon Oil, and Volkswagen. Mack received her Bachelor’s of Science and Master’s of Architecture Degrees from the University of Michigan.

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SSOE Group Names 2010 Board of Directors

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TOLEDO, Ohio, January 18, 2010 – The shareholders of SSOE Group, a global EPCM firm, recently announced the 2010 Board of Directors. Dave Sipes, PE, Senior Vice President of Industrial Process was re-elected to his position on the board. Continuing in their terms will be, SSOE senior management:

• Tony Damon, AIA, LEED AP – CEO
• Bob Howell – COO and Chairman of the Board
• Craig H. Bowie, PE – Senior Vice President, Industrial Facilities
• Dave Verner, AIA – Senior Vice President, Life Sciences
• Vince DiPofi, PE – Senior Vice President,Director of Business Development

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SSOE Group Introduces New Name, Principals, and Logo

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TOLEDO, Ohio, November 05, 2009 – SSOE Group CEO Tony Damon announced today that SSOE’s name will officially become SSOE Group. “The name change, as well as the EPCM designation allows the company a greater opportunity to represent its full range of design, construction, and program management services to the markets we serve,” said Damon.

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SSOE Ranked by Inc. Magazine Among Fastest Growing Private Firms in the U.S

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TOLEDO, OHIO October 7, 2009 – SSOE, one of the largest architectural / engineering and construction management firms, announced today it was recently ranked by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing private companies in the U.S. This ranking was based on revenue figures from 2005 to 2008.

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SSOE’s Sustainable Design Work Recognized by Top Industry Publications

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TOLEDO, Ohio, July 30, 2009 —SSOE’s (www.ssoe.com) growth in the green building sector has been recognized in recently released rankings from industry publications, Building Design+Construction (BD+C),and Engineering News Record, (ENR) announced CEO Tony Damon. Damon, who recently received his LEED® accreditation from the U.S. Green Building Council, applauded SSOE’s top spot in the rankings. “An integral part of SSOE’s mission is to build our portfolio of green projects,” Damon said. “We have done this by establishing a strong corporate philosophy that reflects our green building and LEED initiatives. Our commitment to green initiatives is evidenced in these rankings.”

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SSOE Doubles Number of LEED Accredited Professionals over Last Four Months

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TOLEDO, Ohio, July 24, 2009 – Since March 2009, SSOE has added 40 employees to its list of LEED® Accredited Professionals (LEED AP’s). That brings the number to 75 SSOE architects, engineers, managers and interior designers who have fulfilled the requirements issued by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). SSOE’s CEO Tony Damon, who was among the 40 new LEED AP’s, called the additions “proof positive” of SSOE’s ongoing commitment to implementing sustainable practices in every aspect of the Architectural and Engineering industries. “SSOE encourages its professionals to earn their LEED accreditation as a reflection of their desire to stay ahead of the curve in the evolution of green building practices,” Damon said.

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“Giants 300” Survey Confirms SSOE’s Commitment to BIM Technology

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TOLEDO, Ohio, July 22, 2009–SSOE, (www.ssoe.com ) a global EPCM firm, has been named ninth among the top 170 Building Information Modeling (BIM) Adapters by Building Design + Construction (BD+C) magazine. This is the first annual BIM ranking for BD+C, one of the A/E industry’s long established publications. The ranking was part of the magazine’s “2009 Giants 300 Survey.” Read more

New Rankings Put SSOE in Top Tier of Multiple Design Sectors

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TOLEDO, Ohio, July 13, 2009 – SSOE, Inc., a global EPCM firm, showed strong growth in a number of different sectors according to recently released rankings. The rankings were released by Engineering News Record (ENR), Architecture News Record and Building Design and Construction (BD+C) magazines and reflect domestic and international standings. All three publications are regarded as reliable sources for changes and trends in the A/E industry.

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SSOE Group Awarded Chinese Design License; License Enables SSOE to Expand Scope of Services within China

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TOLEDO, Ohio, JUNE 26, 2009-SSOE Group took a significant step forward when the EPCM firm was awarded its Chinese design license from the Chinese government. The license allows SSOEto directly perform architectural and engineering detailed design services for its clients within China.

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SSOE Named Among Top Design Firms in the Nation

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APRIL 27, 2009, TOLEDO, OHIO – SSOE, Inc. one of the nation’s largest architecture and engineering firms, has been named to top spots in recently released 2009 national rankings. The lists were issued by three independent national trade publications: Engineering News Record (ENR), Modern Healthcare, and Commercial Construction Magazine.

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Alfred H. Samborn, Founder of SSOE Passes Away at the Age of 91

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Toledo, OH, March 19, 2009 – SSOE, one of the nation’s largest architecture and engineering firms, is mourning the passing of its founding father, Alfred H. Samborn. Mr. Samborn died this morning at 4:30 am CST in Glenview, IL, at the age of 91.

Born in Toledo April 30, 1917, Mr .Samborn earned a civil engineering degree from The University of Toledo in 1939 and completed graduate study at Case School of Applied Science in Cleveland. He started his career as a structural engineer for a Detroit firm in 1941. During WW II, he enlisted in the military service and was part of the V7 Program as an apprentice seaman, advancing to the rank of lieutenant in the Civil Engineering Corps (Seabees) of the United States Naval Reserve. Read more

SSOE Named Among Top Forty Fastest Growing Architectural, Engineering and Environmental Consulting Firms

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TOLEDO, Ohio, January 29, 2008 – SSOE, a global architectural and engineering firm, has been ranked as a “Hot Firm” and one of the fastest-growing architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting firms by management consulting and research firm ZweigWhite. The Zweig Letter “Hot Firm” List is issued annually. SSOE has made the list for two years, moving from 136 in 2007 to 40 in 2008. Read more