More than 150 engineers, surveyors, and geospatial professionals will join forces with Woolpert, expanding its transportation and utilities capabilities and global footprint.
PITTSBURGH (July 22, 2025) — Woolpert has acquired Dawood Engineering Inc. (Dawood), an award-winning, 33-year-old infrastructure and geospatial technology firm with presence throughout the Eastern U.S., Europe, and the Middle East. Founded by civil engineer and entrepreneur Bony Dawood, PE, the multidisciplinary engineering company specializes in infrastructure development and geospatial technologies. Dawood is headquartered in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and has a staff of over 150.
Dawood is a lead engineering and surveying consultant on major bridge, highway, and traffic projects for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, Massachusetts Department of Transportation, and municipal entities such as the cities of Philadelphia and Boston. Dawood is also a market leader in the energy and utilities industry, and this experience further diversifies Woolpert’s portfolio in the oil and natural gas, pipeline, electric utility, and alternative energy sectors.
“We are incredibly proud to welcome the Dawood team to Woolpert. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Bony for more than a decade, and I’ve seen the innovative, nimble, and entrepreneurial approach he has taken to building the business,” Woolpert President and CEO Neil Churman said. “I am also thrilled for Woolpert to strengthen our presence in Pennsylvania. Having participated in the Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit in my hometown of Pittsburgh last week, it’s clear that Pennsylvania is going to be a leader in advancing artificial intelligence, data centers, power and energy development, and critical infrastructure—all areas where Woolpert has deep experience supporting our clients. The addition of the Dawood team further builds on our commitment to creating jobs and supporting economic growth in Pennsylvania and beyond.”
Dawood CEO Bony Dawood echoed Churman’s sentiment.
“Throughout our history, we have focused on delivering excellent solutions to our clients, building lasting relationships, and pushing the envelope of our profession,” Dawood said. “Together with Woolpert, we are ideally suited to support the technological and physical infrastructure needed to advance our clients’ objectives. This next chapter, as part of the world’s leading AEG firm, creates an environment where all of our professionals will thrive.”
Dawood’s turnkey surveying, 3D laser scanning, GIS, building information modeling, digital twin, and first-of-its-kind Twin Track building management mobile application also fit well with Woolpert’s geospatial capabilities. Woolpert is a global leader in geospatial services, collecting, processing, and delivering imagery and lidar data from mountaintops to the seafloor for myriad applications worldwide.
Woolpert Infrastructure Sector Leader Bryan Dickerson said the move deepens Woolpert’s technical bench.
“Dawood’s work on projects like the $10 million Riverlands Safety Improvements Project for U.S. routes 322, 11, and 15, and pioneering digital twin initiatives—like the Royal Łazienki Museum in Poland—brings invaluable expertise in complex infrastructure, heritage preservation, and geographic information systems (GIS)-enabled solutions for clients across transportation, energy, utilities, and municipal sectors,” Dickerson said. “This is more than an acquisition—it’s a partnership built on mutual respect, shared values, and complementary strengths. For our clients and our people, it’s a true win‑win.”
The firm will provide a range of geospatial services to support nautical charts, maritime navigation, coastal resource management, and the definition of territorial boundaries.
DAYTON, Ohio (June 19, 2025) — Woolpert has been selected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to provide shoreline mapping services under a $250 million, multiple-award, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract supporting the National Geodetic Survey and its Coastal Mapping Program.
Surveying approximately 95,000 miles of United States coastline, the Coastal Mapping Program’s mission is to produce a seamless, digital database of accurate and consistent national shoreline data to be used for nautical charting, maritime navigation, coastal resource management, and defining territorial boundaries.
Under this contract, Woolpert will deliver a range of geospatial services, including:
Topographic and bathymetric lidar acquisition
Aerial imagery collection
Ground control surveys
Tide and water level monitoring
Geographic cell shoreline cleanup
Data editing, attribution, and compilation
“The work being done under this contract is critical to ensuring the accuracy of U.S. shoreline data, which supports everything from safe navigation to disaster response,” Woolpert Government Solutions Market Director Jeff Lovin said. “We’re proud to continue our longstanding partnership with NOAA and the National Geodetic Survey and contribute to this vital work that safeguards coastal communities and supports national resilience.”
The contract is underway.
Hoyman will lead the firm’s federal growth strategy and expansion throughout the Indo-Pacific region.
DAYTON, Ohio (June 3, 2025) — Director of Pacific Services and Regional Development Jim Hoyman has joined Woolpert to lead the firm’s growth strategy and business operations in the Indo-Pacific. Hoyman, a retired U.S. Army Colonel and licensed engineer, brings 27 years of federal government experience specific to this role. He will be based in Hawaii.
Before joining Woolpert, Hoyman worked for more than two decades and held multiple leadership roles within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. He served as the USACE Honolulu District commander, where he led planning, design, and construction of infrastructure programs in both military and civil works throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Hoyman also served as garrison commander at Fort Gregg-Adams as part of the U.S. Army Installation Management Command, where he helped lead the implementation of geospatial information systems for more effective infrastructure management.
“Pacific Island locations and nations have their own unique infrastructure, security challenges, and opportunities. Hawaii, one of the most remote and beautiful places on earth, is an exceptionally strategic hub for United States’ national security,” Hoyman said. “I’m looking forward to returning to Hawaii, a place and culture my family deeply loves, and finding opportunities for Woolpert’s range of world-class architecture, engineering, and geospatial services to further strengthen, secure, and support the Indo-Pacific region.”
Hoyman will work closely with Woolpert Director of Federal Services Tom Tickner. Tickner joined Woolpert in 2024 to lead the firm’s federal growth strategy and business operations.
“Jim’s decades of experience leading some of the most critical efforts across the Indo-Pacific will provide tremendous value to our stakeholders in the region as we work to deliver a range of design, infrastructure, and geospatial projects and programs,” Tickner said. “We thank him for his service to our country, and we look forward to the unparalleled leadership and experience that he will bring to our teams in the Indo-Pacific.”
DAYTON, Ohio (May 13, 2025) — Woolpert has acquired Bluesky International, the largest aerial survey firm in the United Kingdom and the U.K. government’s supplier of choice for aerial photography and height data. The private, multidisciplinary geospatial solutions firm specializes in aerial imaging, lidar, 3D modeling, vegetation, and renewables mapping. Bluesky is headquartered in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, and has a staff of over 130 across the U.K., Ireland, the United States, and India.
Woolpert is a global leader in geospatial services, collecting and processing imagery and lidar data from mountaintops to the seafloor. With the addition of Bluesky’s fleet of aircraft and sensors, world-class capabilities, and range of innovative data products, Woolpert further expands its industry leadership position across North America, Europe, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific. Woolpert also will be able to leverage Bluesky’s Mapshop, a collection of high-resolution geospatial data and mapping products available for purchase online, to support a range of clients’ infrastructure and planning needs.
“Bluesky was an obvious choice to join the Woolpert family of companies, not just for its dedication to geospatial excellence, but also for its commitment to client satisfaction and workplace culture,” Woolpert President and CEO Neil Churman said. “With the addition of Bluesky to Woolpert’s trans-Atlantic team, together, we’ll be able to offer clients across Europe and North America a truly comprehensive set of geospatial services and products. We are beyond thrilled to embark upon the new opportunities that Bluesky and Woolpert will bring to each other and to our clients.”
Bluesky CEO Rachel Tidmarsh said that the Bluesky team is excited to join Woolpert’s global network of geospatial experts and resources.
“We’re looking forward to being part of a firm that shares our passion and excitement about geospatial data and analysis, and creating an impact for our clients and communities,” Tidmarsh said. “Woolpert’s extensive expertise in all things geospatial, as well as the addition of their architecture and engineering services, opens up a new realm of possibilities for our clients. We couldn’t be more excited about the ability to service our clients as a truly one-stop shop with this world-leading geospatial team.”
Churman added that this acquisition complements the capabilities of Murphy Geospatial, which joined Woolpert in 2024.
“Murphy Geospatial specializes in mobile and indoor mapping, asset monitoring, subsurface engineering, and 3D digital twin development across Ireland, the U.K. and into Europe,” Churman said. “We see a tremendous complement between the Murphy and Bluesky teams.”
SAN DIEGO (May 1, 2025) — The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority has selected Woolpert to implement the Trimble Unity Maintain™ enterprise asset management system for San Diego International Airport (SAN).
Under the contract, Woolpert will provide implementation, configuration, training, maintenance, and technical support services. The system will use the airport’s existing GIS data to improve operational efficiency and asset performance, and support Part 139 Inspection Reporting and Safety Management System best practices.
“We will be significantly streamlining San Diego International Airport’s asset information management by utilizing their existing GIS system to seed Trimble Unity Maintain with the necessary information to support operations and maintenance,” Woolpert Program Director of Technology Services Scott Yates said. “Our approach will align the project delivery with the San Diego International Airport’s enterprise vision for establishing a centralized, integrated and efficient computerized maintenance management system, while ensuring that the building blocks for success—optimized GIS, reduction of systems overlap, simple yet powerful workflows and staff training—are in place.”
Yates added that the contract validates a larger industry trend in asset management recognizing the importance of establishing geospatial-based systems as the asset registries of record for all phases of the asset lifecycle.
“We believe the Trimble and Esri solution is exactly what airports need, and we are thrilled that San Diego shares this outlook,” Woolpert Technology Services Director Jen Kouns said. “We are eager to begin this project, delve into the details and help San Diego International Airport realize this vision.”
DAYTON, Ohio (April 24, 2025) — Woolpert has been ranked as Engineering News-Record’s 39th largest design firm on its annual Top 500 Design Firms List, climbing nearly 100 spots over the last decade. ENR ranks companies performing engineering, architecture, environmental services, and other specialties based on annual revenue in the U.S. and abroad. ENR is widely considered to be the industry’s preeminent trade publication.
In 2024, Woolpert grew in capabilities, staff, global footprint, and revenue. Employees joined Woolpert organically and through strategic acquisitions to expand from 2,000 to more than 2,700 employees across five continents, with annual revenue growing from roughly $400 million in 2023 to more than $650 million in 2024.
The company made three strategic acquisitions in 2024, adding Bermello Ajamil & Partners in January 2024, a full-service architecture and engineering firm that specializes in cruise line and port terminals. In March, Woolpert added Murphy Geospatial, a multidisciplinary geospatial solutions company that mirrors the integrated solutions of Woolpert and has offices in Ireland and the United Kingdom. And in October, Greenbox Architecture joined the firm. The Sydney, Australia-based full-service architecture firm specializes in data center design and complements the U.S. and U.K.-based acquisition of Sheehan Nagle Hartray Architects in 2022.
Woolpert also advanced long-term succession planning, naming Neil Churman president of the company in early 2024 and then CEO in January 2025, succeeding Scott Cattran who led the company since 2015. Cattran now serves as executive chairman of the board of directors.
Churman said that the advancing ENR ranking reflects Woolpert’s commitment to continued global growth and its vision to become the world’s premier architecture, engineering, and geospatial (AEG) firm and one of the world’s best companies.
“The foundation set by our long-term strategic plan has enabled us to solidify our expertise in our core industries, while developing integrated, holistic solutions across AEG specific to the needs of our clients—from assessing low-altitude airspace for advanced air mobility to hydrographic mapping to support safe navigation and port design and so much more,” Churman said. “This year we also created our Global Growth Team to bolster our continued innovation and expansion on a worldwide basis.”
Churman said that this achievement would not be possible without the outstanding staff at Woolpert.
“Business leaders can talk about growth and bottom lines and strategy all day long, but you can’t meet your goals without smart and talented people who can identify opportunities, develop solutions, and successfully execute,” Churman said. “As a team, we have earned eight Great Place to Work certifications and continue to advance our culture firmwide. This is a big reason why we continue to move up in the industry. This ranking is a credit to each member of the Woolpack, and I thank them for their continued dedication and support.”
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 10, 2025) — The U.S. Geological Survey has selected Woolpert to process and delineate elevation-derived hydrography for the state of Tennessee in support of the 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP).
3DHP is the first systematic remapping of U.S. hydrography since the original USGS 1:24,000-scale topographic mapping program was active, which included the National Hydrography Dataset. Maps were produced by USGS at that scale as early as 1904, with revisions made until 2006. 3DHP uses updated, high-accuracy elevation data collected as part of the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP).
Under the task order, Woolpert will process 9,500 square miles of previously collected Quality levels 1 and 2 lidar data, including 23,000 stream miles, to produce new, highly detailed EDH data for the state. Woolpert acquired the original lidar data under multiple USGS contracts between 2015-2022.
“The State of Tennessee is very excited to continue our ongoing partnership with the USGS and Woolpert on the 3D Hydrography Program,” State of Tennessee GIS Services Director Dennis Pederson said. “We have a five-year plan to complete the entire state and appreciate the contributions of all our funding partners at the federal, state, and local levels. This statewide coordination is the cornerstone of the Tennessee Base Mapping Program which provides the GIS community with access to this critical GIS dataset at reduced cost.”
Woolpert Senior Vice President Jeff Lovin said that the new 3DHP data will support the work of a variety of state agencies, including the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and Tennessee Department of Transportation.
“The 3D Hydrography Program significantly improves the level of detail, currency, and content of hydrography data for engineers, natural resource managers, and a variety of other state agencies,” Lovin said. “Once complete, this new data will assist with everything from analyzing surface water and flow patterns to supporting hydrologic and hydraulic modeling—all critical tools for improving Tennessee’s flood-risk management and infrastructure planning efforts.”
The data is expected to be delivered by the end of 2025. This contract is underway.
The longtime sales executive and leader will advance the firm’s global organic growth and major strategic initiatives.
DAYTON, Ohio (April 8, 2025) — Woolpert has hired Chief Growth Officer Aaron Golden to advance its strategic growth plan by expanding into new markets and driving connectivity and collaborative sales globally. Golden, an accomplished sales executive and leader, brings over 20 years of experience helping companies accelerate revenue and market growth through building and supporting high-performing, cross-collaborative global teams.
Aaron Golden
Prior to joining Woolpert, Golden served as senior vice president of global sales at location technology firm TomTom, where he led the enterprise team to overdeliver on expectations and helped the firm achieve sustainable market expansion across the globe.
Working with Woolpert’s leadership team, Golden will focus on expanding Woolpert’s global brand presence and embracing cross-functional collaboration—aligning sales, marketing, and service delivery teams to streamline go-to-market efforts and enhance client support. With the completion of five strategic acquisitions in the last three years, Woolpert entered 2025 with more than 2,700 staff across five continents and an annual revenue of more than $650 million.
“What excites me most about this new opportunity with Woolpert is the chance to contribute to a culture where people are empowered, ideas are appreciated, and there’s a clear vision for sustainable, intentional growth,” Golden said. “I see tremendous potential to build on Woolpert’s strong foundation, accelerate opportunities in emerging markets, and continue developing teams that are dedicated to making a difference.”
Golden noted that Woolpert’s people-first approach aligned with his personal leadership style.
“What stood out right away to me is Woolpert’s commitment to not only delivering excellence, but doing so with integrity, collaboration, and a genuine investment in its employees,” Golden said. “I’m energized by Woolpert’s mission to positively influence communities and industries through innovative solutions, and I look forward to helping foster a growth-minded culture where our teams feel empowered to innovate, lead, and excel.”
Woolpert President and CEO Neil Churman said Golden was selected for this role due to his demonstrated ability to develop and execute multi-year growth strategies, while prioritizing relationships with clients, partners, and colleagues.
“Aaron has a coveted combination of long-term vision and present-day focus, which has enabled him to be an exceptional catalyst for strategic growth and innovative ideas throughout his career,” Churman said. “He brings a cross-functional and collaborative leadership style that ignites solutions and motivates positive change throughout an organization. We’re excited to have him on board.”
The combined industry-leading lidar capabilities and software solutions will help mitigate risk to critical pipeline and utility infrastructure.
DENVER (April 3, 2025) — Woolpert, a premier architecture, engineering, and geospatial (AEG) firm, announced today that it has forged a strategic partnership with Teren, a leader in AI-powered, lidar-enabled environmental intelligence capabilities. This collaboration will advance the collection and application of lidar data for oil and gas infrastructure, providing next-generation geospatial solutions to address these challenges worldwide.
Through this partnership, Woolpert has acquired Teren’s lidar operations and will benefit from Teren’s analytics and software-as-a-service platform, Terevue. Woolpert also hired Teren Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Energy Operations Sam Acheson to provide focused support to key energy clients. Teren will benefit by expanding its geospatial reach globally and building on Woolpert’s established presence in energy, transportation, government, mining, and renewable markets. Both companies will continue to operate independently.
“We pride ourselves on providing easy-to-access, actionable geospatial intelligence for infrastructure and community risk and resilience in real time,” Teren CEO and Founder Tobias Kraft said. “Collaborating with Woolpert accelerates our ability to deliver these insights, allowing organizations to proactively address environmental threats.”
Woolpert President and CEO Neil Churman said: “This partnership with Teren is an ideal way for us to leverage our emerging geospatial technologies to better support our clients’ critical infrastructure. We are also excited to bring Sam and his 25 years of experience and relationships working with the industry’s top oil & gas, utilities, and energy companies to Woolpert. I am looking forward to what our teams can do together.”
About Teren
Founded in 2021, Teren helps businesses and communities manage environmental threats with geospatial intelligence. Combining deep earth and data science, advanced computing, and industry expertise, Teren has crafted a cloud-based software solution, Terevue, that enables users with easy-to-access, actionable geospatial intelligence on infrastructure risk and resilience, in real time. Serving 100+ customers in energy, oil and gas, transportation, renewables, utilities, and forestry and land management across the US and Europe, Teren equips critical infrastructure industries with the customized insights they need to face environmental threats—be it landslides, floods, or wildfire threats—head-on. For more information on Teren: www.teren4d.com. For more information on Terevue: www.teren4d.com/terevue-for-pipeline.
KEY WEST, Fla. (March 25, 2025) — Woolpert and Chance Maritime have partnered to leverage autonomous technology, geospatial expertise, and broad-based staffing to most efficiently collect hydrographic survey data in support of the Florida Seafloor Mapping Initiative and other projects off the coast of Florida.
Woolpert, a leading provider of lidar and sonar bathymetry and hydrographic survey data, was tasked by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to map the seafloor off the coast of Florida to advance coastal resilience and mitigate the impact of hurricanes and flood inundation as part of FSMI. Woolpert enlisted Chance Maritime to mobilize its Mission Capable 29, a 29-foot uncrewed survey vessel, enabling the firms to monitor vessel operations and data collection remotely.
“What is distinctive about the Chance Maritime vessel is that it can securely carry and operate our sensors and highly sensitive equipment, but it also has exceptional power and endurance,” Woolpert Vice President and Maritime Market Director Dave Neff said. “We knew the MC29 could run continuously for more than a week, 24/7, through pretty rough weather, from near shore to about 100 kilometers offshore. This allowed us to collect the most accurate, high-quality data in the least amount of time.”
To monitor the data collection 24 hours a day, Woolpert enlisted a few staff members in locations across multiple time zones to each work in consecutive six- or eight-hour shifts, communicating over Microsoft Teams, to remotely monitor data collection. Chance Maritime had staff in Florida around the clock to monitor the vessel.
“Our team stayed in communication 100% of the time through shift handoffs,” Chance Maritime Chief Technology Officer Michael Scherer said. “Even though there are not people on the water, the skilled cross-disciplinary team monitors the equipment 24/7 from shore without having to get seasick. If the MC29 gets hailed by a nearby vessel, we can answer remotely. By not having to return to shore for crew changes and short weather events, we increase the efficiency of survey operations.”
The MC29 can operate for 20 or more days continuously while delivering kilowatts of continuous power to its onboard sensors. It is compact and can be transported by road via boat trailer, allowing it to be deployed quickly to any site around the country, including after extreme weather events. “The MC29 has the simple logistics of a small survey vessel with the endurance and 24-hour production capabilities of a much larger survey vessel,” said Stuart Chance, Chance Maritime CEO.
Neff added that this streamlined approach enabled Woolpert’s hydrography team to mobilize to other project locations, expanding efficiencies outside the initial project.
“There’s a lot of coastal mapping, dredge spoil surveys, and more that needs to be done to support navigation safety, national security, coastal resilience, disaster mitigation, etc.,” Neff said. “We took this novel approach by combining our advancing resources and technologies with those of Chance Maritime, and it proved successful for all involved. We’re excited to build on this technology partnership to advance our maritime efficiencies while still collecting and delivering the highest quality geospatial data.”
About Chance Maritime
Chance Maritime Technologies provides Ocean Drones as a service with industry leading power and endurance. We specialize in the design, build, operation, lease, and sale of uncrewed boats to commercial, government, and academic clients. Chance Maritime’s team of experts have over 120 years of combined experience in uncrewed design and operations, ensuring quality and precise solutions which meet customer needs. For more information, visit www.chancemaritime.com.