Careers

Burns & McDonnell Ranks 9th on List of Top 500 Design Firms

May 7, 2020

This year's ranking is the third top-10 distinction in the firm's history.

Burns & McDonnell recently secured the No. 9 spot on the 2020 annual survey of Top 500 Design Firms by Engineering News-Record (ENR) magazine. This year's ranking is the third top-10 distinction in the firm's history.

In response to the growing need to fortify the nation's critical infrastructure, Burns & McDonnell continues to design and build the systems and structures that will keep the United States moving forward. Across the nation, the firm is currently working on nearly 13,000 projects that touch the 16 critical infrastructure categories identified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

"We have always stayed very diversified in our service offerings, so we can quickly pivot to develop unique solutions as our clients' challenges evolve," said Ray Kowalik, chairman and CEO of Burns & McDonnell. "During this tumultuous time, we are making decisions that best protect our families, employees and communities, and we carry that same commitment with our clients. Make our clients successful. These four words have served as the guiding mission of Burns & McDonnell for 122 years. And today, these words seem to have more meaning than ever before.

“We have been in the trenches with our clients for disruptions in the past. We are ready to navigate these challenges together in the coming months — whether that means reprioritizing work, expediting critical projects, or helping to devise contingency plans."

Heightened demand for electrical transmission, distribution, and generation services propelled Burns & McDonnell to a No. 1 ranking in the Power category for the fifth consecutive year.

"The need for reliable, resilient power and communications systems has never been more critical," said John Olander, COO and president of the firm's Transmission & Distribution Group. "Many industries including ours have shifted to remote operations during this pandemic and such work arrangements are sure to influence workforces in the future. The ability to stay powered, online, healthy, and productive is vital to stay connected globally."

Along with its No. 1 ranking in Power, Burns & McDonnell ranks among the top 20 firms in five categories, including: