Journey through MSA's history

The earliest drawing on record, a plat of Lachmund's Addition, is signed by MSA founder Herbert Ephraim (H.E.) French.

The surveying and engineering partnership of H. E. French and Helmer C. Amundson is formed. The two referred to themselves as French & Amundson Engineers of Baraboo, WI. Notable projects included work on the Baraboo Wastewater Treatment Facility.

Harold Platt joined Amundson in 1941, and shortly thereafter he was called into service for World War II. After Platt's return, he became Amundson's partner, and the firm was known as Amundson & Platt, Engineers.

The firm reorganizes to become Mid-State Engineering Company. It was also during this period of time that the firm took on its first major transportation project on I 90/94, north of Highway 60.

The principals of Mid-State Engineering decide to merge with Madison Architect Milton Monicken and to incorporate. On July 2, 1962, Mid-State Associates, Inc., was formed.

The first profit-sharing plan was put in place for the firm's 10 full-time employees.

Matt Pinion is elected to the board — and in September, elected president.

At 35 employees and growing, the firm moves into a new office at 1111 8th Street next to Thunderbird Lanes in Baraboo.

The firm opens its first satellite office in Friendship, Wisconsin, to provide surveying services. Between 1980 and 1981, the firm continued to grow up to 42 full-time employees.

President Matt Pinion sought a more permanent solution to accommodate the firm's continued expansion and growth. The firm undertook the design and construction of a new building on South Boulevard in Baraboo, which remains MSA's headquarters today.

The firm purchases its first computer, a Wang 2200 LVP for accounting.

MSA's profit-sharing plan is converted to a 401(k) plan. This also begins a period of geographic growth for the firm throughout the 80s, with satellite offices opening across Wisconsin, including Montello and Mauston.

MSA upgrades its Galena, Illinois, project office to offer a full array of land and recreation development and municipal services. At this point, MSA has also grown to the 13th largest engineering firm in Wisconsin and has entered the CADD era, acquiring its first computer and software for drafting.

MSA acquires Nelson Surveying LTD and opens a surveying office in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.

MSA opens its Rhinelander, Wisconsin, office.

President Matt Pinion spearheads efforts that lead to the creation of the firm's Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). This begins the era of employee ownership at MSA.

Upon Matt Pinion's retirement, Gil Gerdman takes over as MSA's sixth president. The firm had grown to the seventh-largest engineering firm in Wisconsin. Gil was the driver to reorganize the company, bring open book management into practice and drive MSA’s growth both in and outside of Wisconsin.

The firm opens a Madison, Wisconsin, office to better serve municipal and transportation clients in south-central Wisconsin.

Mid-State Associates changes its name to MSA Professional Services, Inc.

MSA acquires RREM Engineering, adding our Duluth, Minnesota, office to the MSA footprint.

MSA opens its Dubuque, Iowa, office and acquires Level One Engineering in Rice Lake, Wisconsin.

Dave Murphy assumes the role of president, beginning a 10-year term.

MSA acquires Gjersvik Consulting, Inc., in Pleasant Hill, Iowa. The office would later move to Ankeny, Iowa, in 2008.

MSA partners with Perry Carrington, Inc., in Marshfield, Wisconsin, and opens MSA's 11th office.

MSA opens its Oakdale, Minnesota, office to serve the Twin Cities area. The firm's Planning + Design Studio also emerges, a group of MSA professionals who focus on community planning.

MSA opens an office in Davenport, Iowa, to serve the Quad Cities market.

MSA opens an office in Hiawatha, Iowa, to serve clients in the Cedar Rapids area. The office would later move to Cedar Rapids.

Jim Owen assumes the role of Chief Executive Officer.

MSA acquires ASD Architects and HDC Engineering in November and gains an office in Champaign, Illinois, to serve clients in Central Illinois, expanding the firm's resume of private development experience.

MSA acquires BDM Engineering, and the firm's Oakdale office merges with its new St. Paul, Minnesota, office.

In May 2013, Gil Hantzsch assumes the role of President/CEO. Gil will go on to lead the company through yet another series of transformational events. Communities of Practice developed and flourished under Gil’s leadership. Additionally, the company continued to grow and expand, acquiring a team of nationally recognized roundabout engineers and award-winning marina, park and waterfront design professionals.

MSA opens an Appleton, Wisconsin, office to serve clients in the Fox Valley region.

MSA becomes the new home of the former Ourston Roundabout Engineering staff, a group of nationally recognized roundabout designers. This addition continues to expand MSA's footprint into Georgia and Texas.

MSA completes the transition to become a 100% employee-owned S-Corporation, another significant milestone in the firm's employee-ownership journey. Later that year, MSA also becomes the new home of Lunde Williams, LLC, to expand marina, park, landscape architecture and waterfront design expertise.

With new growth and expanded capabilities, the firm rebrands to its present-day logo and brand identity.

MSA becomes the new home of Muermann Engineering, LLC, expanding to include new offices in Kiel, Jackson and De Pere, Wisconsin. This acquisition brings together two firms whose professionals have worked alongside one another on more than 700 projects since their partnership began in 1999.

MSA moves its Jackson, Wisconsin, office to Milwaukee's Third Ward and opens a new office in West Bend, Wisconsin. The firm's De Pere office merges with its Appleton office and moves to an expanded office space to accommodate the continued growth in the Fox Valley.

The firm celebrates its 60th anniversary of incorporation, growing to nearly 400 employees across 17 offices.

MSA becomes of the new home of Fredericksen Engineering, Inc., expanding to include a new office in Mequon.

In January 2025, MSA welcomed Nick Wagner as our new CEO. This planned transition maintains MSA’s success in delivering top-tier client service and quality projects to communities across the country. Throughout his career, Nick has demonstrated consistent success through strong client relationships and servant leadership, supporting clients throughout the firm’s footprint and establishing strong professional relationships across the industry.