Shapiro and Associates

Specialty: Regulatory compliance, environmental planning
Principals: Sue Sander, president; Marc Boulé, senior vice president; Mike Wert, head of natural resources group; Richard Butler, head of planning group
Year founded: 1974
Local office: Seattle
2003 revenues: $4 million-$5 million
Projected 2004 revenues: $4 million-$5 million
Largest current projects: Magnolia Bridge replacement, Mile Bridge for the Oregon Department of Transportation; Smith’s Ferry roadway for the Idaho Department of Transportation

Photo courtesy Shapiro and Associates Shapiro is assisting the city of Seattle with the replacement of the Magnolia Bridge.

Like many environmental firms, Shapiro and Associates says business is looking up. The 40-employee firm specializes in environmental impact statements, permitting and feasibility studies. It does about 60 percent public contracts and the remainder private; President Sue Sander said both sides of the business have improved over the past couple of years.

“This has been a good year,” she said. “The private sector’s coming, and the public sector now has funds. It’s reflecting the economy and people being more positive about the Pacific Northwest’s economic outlook.”

Shapiro does projects up and down the West Coast and in Idaho, Montana and Utah.

“We’re a specialist in complex and controversial projects, and we can do them on a very fast track,” said Sander.

The firm’s hottest market is the private arena, especially large mixed-use projects. Though Shapiro is starting to get work in all the sectors it has previously worked in, “The projects tend not to be as large as they have historically,” said Sander.

Sander said the firm doesn’t have any dramatic expansion plans this year but does expect to add key staff in transportation planning and probably some wetlands or fisheries biologists as well.

“I’m pleasantly optimistic compared to this time last year,” she said.

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