News & Insights
2024 Year in Review
Reflecting on another year of progress and impact.

As we close out 2024 and approach our 50th anniversary, we celebrate the milestones, insights, and actions that shaped our industry and left a lasting impact—from pioneering innovative solutions to expanding our reach and empowering our team. This year truly exemplified what it means to be engineered for impact.

Headlines
This year’s news highlights illustrate how we’re growing stronger, setting new standards, and making an impact where it matters most.
- Ranked #39 on ENR’s 2024 Top 500 Design Firms list
- Accelerated growth with minority investment from Blackstone
- Welcomed seven mergers, further expanding our capabilities and sector reach and amplifying our impact
- Announced as an EPC Partner in Rockwell Automation’s PartnerNetwork
- Joined forces with Blackstone Career Pathways to empower untapped talent
- Awarded ENR MidAtlantic 2024 Design Firm of the Year
- Launched inaugural Impact Report

Insights
2024 was a year of redefining resource efficiency, finding smarter ways to build, and driving sustainability across industries. Our top articles showcase innovative strategies that are shaping a better future.
- A building owner’s guide to electrification of existing systems
- Building smarter: a deep dive into energy modeling benefits
- Enhancing performance through building envelope consulting and testing
- Water usage effectiveness in data centers
- Energy planning for food and beverage manufacturers
- Robotics and aseptic manufacturing in pharmaceuticals
- Navigating complexity: asset management for federal agencies
- Key design trends in K-12 for 2025
- Options for decarbonizing hospitals
- Design strategies for sustainable arts venues

Industry leadership
Our team members are driving progress in critical market sectors, sharing their expertise, and implementing solutions that make an impact at every level.
- Duc Bui shared the latest in hospital resilience and the role of microgrids at the 2024 Healthcare Project Delivery Conference in San Diego.
- David Morales and Karoline Derse spoke on BIM for digital twins at the National Institute of Building Sciences Innovation Series.
- Darren Draper and Stephen Shanks presented on commissioning for owners and building codes at CxEnergy 2024.
- Dave Jennings and Steve Carroll shared insider perspectives on cybersecurity for building automation on the Industrial Cybersecurity Pulse podcast.
- Patrick Giardina, Rick Humphries, and Andrea Sojda presented a webinar for the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) on P3 opportunities for federal energy/sustainability projects.
- Allen Koester presented on “Realizing Our Bold Sustainability Ambition” with Kevin Conkright of AstraZeneca at the 2024 ISPE Annual Meeting & Expo.
- Justin Kestner presented “Large Catastrophic Claims for Public School Districts” at the PLRB Large Loss Conference.
- Adam Benjey joined an expert panel at Rockwell’s Automation Fair for their New Capacity Summit.
Signature projects
From transformative robotics to future-focused campuses, these projects reflect our clients’ bold visions and our commitment to bringing them to life.
- Armor 1: revolutionizing Mississippi River revetment with the world’s largest mobile robot
- Cheese production process upgrades to improve manufacturing time, costs, and sustainability
- Industrial construction management services for new soybean processing plant
- Hyperscale data center design to meet AI demands
- Wake Tech East’s future-forward campus
- FRCE first-of-its-kind partnership for the Department of the Navy
- Rochester, MN: Leading the Way in Urban Geothermal Energy
- Structural design for Toronto SCITHub, the world’s first fully digitally integrated building
Capturing our impact
Videos
Through their voices and stories, our team members highlight what makes our culture, expertise, and impact stand out.
Our Spotlight series dives into our team members’ passion, drive, and impact—both in their work and beyond.
- Julie Bolding: Revitalizing Historic Structures
- Darren Dickenson: Energizing College Campuses
- John Glenski: Driving Automation and Digital Forward
- Hannah Starr: Establishing a Support System
- Munjal Sanghavi: Finding Purpose in Industrial Sustainability
Hear more from the team behind our impact: Explore team member profiles.
In our Insights series, see how we’re leading progress with cutting-edge technology and innovative practices that shape industries and communities.
Growth and recognition
2024 performance
Salas O’Brien’s strong and steady performance creates opportunities for our team, delivers value for employee-owners, and strengthens solutions for clients. We remain focused on making a positive impact on our world.
Financial
- 47% year-over-year net revenue increase
- 8% year-over-year organic growth
- 54% increase in post-bonus EBITDA
- $540M year-end backlog (12-months labor equivalent)
Company
- 3,800+ team members
- 90% team members are employee-owners
- 7 completed mergers
- 91% team member retention
- 16 new office locations
- #39 ENR Top 500 Design Firm
Projects
- 4,600 clients served
- 17,300 average annual projects
- $20B annual construction value
- +74 Client Net Promoter Score™
Celebrating 50 years of impact in 2025
Looking ahead
We’re proud to celebrate a legacy built on innovation, meaningful relationships, and a shared passion for building a better world. To our team members, clients, and partners—thank you for being an essential part of our journey. Here’s to shaping the future together!