HISTORY

When an organization starts off right, it possesses the ability to deal with shifting demands in the years to come.

In 1949, George Nolte, Sr., started the firm (a one-man surveying operation) in very limited quarters above a JC Penney department store in downtown Palo Alto, California. He quickly expanded the capabilities of the firm to include civil engineering. He then opened offices in a broader geographic area to provide a higher level of service to our expanding client base. An important part of the philosophy of the firm is to demonstrate leadership in community affairs. The principals foster this philosophy at all levels within the firm. In our 50+ years, we have weathered more than 10 economic recessions, emerging wiser and stronger in each case. We believe in smart growth and continue to expand as the market dictates.

In the '50s, we expanded our services and opened offices in other geographic areas to serve our clients. This defined our Nolte culture: a commitment to focus on the needs of our clients and to be a part of the communities where we work. A congressman at the time recognized the firm as having "built, quite literally, the 'foundation' of Silicon Valley."

In the '60s, we reversed course on a centrally managed project accounting system to one that put control in the hands of our project teams (broadening the role of our project managers and making them the key points of delivery in meeting our clients' needs and expectations). The '70s and early '80s were committed to growth and further diversification of our services and capabilities. We saw a dramatic change in the delivery of infrastructure brought on by environmental policies and constraints on public finances. Again, we evolved ourselves to fit the new paradigm.

A landmark event occurred in the early '80s, when the son, George S. Nolte, Jr., acquired the firm from his father and assumed firm management as president and chief executive officer. During the '90s, we continued to expand our capabilities and worked hard to improve our work processes and technology in order to respond effectively to the fast-paced dynamics of today's world.

By 2008 Nolte had evolved from its core focus on civil infrastructure to a wider business philosophy of going beyond engineering to partner with its clients in the development of solutions. It was then that another milestone in the firm’s history occurred, with the transition of firm leadership to Ken Rudolph. Today, we continue to provide innovative, sustainable solutions that make environmental, economic and social sense.