CDM Smith is celebrating a significant company and industry milestone in 2022—its 75th anniversary. What started as a partnership of three consultants in Cambridge, Massachusetts, more than seven decades ago has grown to a global team of over 5,000 professionals driving a $1.4 billion independent engineering and construction firm that continues its mission to make the world a more resilient place.
In 1947, Thomas Camp left the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to set up a consulting practice with partners Herman Dresser and Jack McKee. They pioneered water treatment technologies that are still used today, advanced approaches in water quality protection and groundwater recharge, and established an enduring culture of ingenuity and a passion for client satisfaction.
Seventy five years later, that pioneering spirit has grown in more ways than one—size, services, expertise and perspectives—and has perpetuated an unwavering passion for making life better. Today, CDM Smith is a complete infrastructure provider focusing its ingenuity and innovative spirit into solving some of the world’s most prominent challenges, such as treating and destroying PFAS, detecting and monitoring viruses in wastewater, helping communities remove lead from their drinking water, maintaining critical transportation infrastructure, and helping clients harness the decision-making power of their data. CDM Smith is currently ranked 25th on Engineering News-Record's 2021 Top 500 Design Firms and 19th on their 2020 Top 200 Environmental Firms list.
In an industry landscape that continues to shift and merge, CDM Smith has proudly maintained its privately held ownership throughout its history. This ownership model has allowed the company to ensure a consistent focus on innovating and delivering excellence for clients while promoting advancement and leadership programs for employees.
CDM Smith Chairman of the Board and CEO Timothy B. Wall reflected on what this anniversary means to him: “When I started as a co-op student in 1991, I knew there was something special about this company. A lot has changed since the beginning, but if you were to go back in time, you would see many common threads: passion for excellence in providing the best solutions for our clients, innovation and creativity, a supportive workplace that empowers everyone as leaders, a culture of caring for our communities, and a united and independent firm paving its own path. I’ve watched so many inspiring careers unfold here and had the opportunity to learn from the smartest people. That’s what makes CDM Smith unique … us! This year, we remember our rich legacy, our people and the impact we’ve made across the world.”
Throughout the year, CDM Smith will reminisce and celebrate with a host of special events held online and in its offices around the world:
- Anniversary gifts and a special message from the CEO for all employees
- Web content (internal and external) to recognize its history and capture events held throughout the year
- Office anniversary parties, trivia contest and other activities for employees to win prizes
- Global screening for the premiere of a 75th anniversary documentary video, featuring imagery and insights from past and present employees
- Eight $7,500 student scholarships – doubling the number and increasing the value by $2,500 each from its traditional scholarship programs.
