Specialty: Environmental consulting
President: Molly Adolfson
1999 revenues: $2.3 million
2000 projected: $2.8 million
Location: Seattle
Objective, thorough and credible environmental analyses are the hallmarks of Adolfson Associates, according to president Molly Adolfson.
The most important force in the environmental evaluations business at the moment, however, is the Endangered Species Act.
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"The one thing that's on most people's lips is the listing of the chinook salmon and bull trout -- that's resulted in a flurry of activity over the past year," Adolfson said. "Clients are approaching us to help them formulate a strategy of responding to the listings -- helping them incorporate the ESA into their management of facilities.
"We help them coordinate a number of regional responses, and help them understand the implications of the listings and develop management strategies for moving forward," she added.
The firm also performs biological assessments to determine the presence of endangered species in a particular area. Chinook salmon, she said are just about everywhere in the Puget Sound area.
About 70 percent of Adolfson's work is with public sector clients. Included is helping Sound Transit prepare an environmental assessment to minimize environmental impacts of its facilities, as well as minimizing impacts King County Wastewater division projects have on the area's natural systems.
For the Tacoma-to-Seattle commuter rail, Adolfson coordinated a team of nine firms for the environmental assessment, which has been approved by the Federal Transit Administration.
Adolfson said her staff of 38 consults with municipality staff members on projects such as natural resource management strategies and developing wetlands mitigation plans.
With business strong, she said growth with depend on the region's economy going forward.
"There are a lot of needs for additional infrastructure and a lot of construction going on," she said. "Our struggle is to maintain a growth rate that's manageable for us."