Company Will Add 150 Employees to Michigan Avenue Office
Mayor Rahm Emanuel joined global engineering and architecture design consulting firm EXP to announce that the company is moving its operational headquarters from the Greater Toronto Area to Chicago. The move will generate 150 new jobs in Chicago and make the company the largest of its type to have its operational headquarters in Illinois.
“With this move, EXP is making a vote of confidence in Chicago’s future while gaining access to the city’s talent and transportation networks – the key ingredients for future growth,” Mayor Emanuel said. “I look forward to continuing to partner with EXP as they build a brighter future right here in the city of Chicago.”
“We believe that Chicago, the heart of the Midwest, is the perfect location for our operational headquarters,” said EXP Chief Operations Officer Mark Dvorak. “There is a reason why other great firms such as Boeing and ADM have moved their operational headquarters to Chicago. The strong talent pool that exists here will undoubtedly help our firm continue to grow and achieve success. In addition, having O’Hare International Airport located at our operational hub allows for easy access to the more than 100 offices we currently have throughout North America.”
The diverse company – which provides building/infrastructure engineering, planning and design capabilities, program and project management, and environmental and sustainability services to clients on a global scale – currently boasts 3,000 employees across 110 offices in North America and abroad, with more than 230 employees in Chicago alone. The relocation of the company’s operational headquarters means that all major decisions, and decision-makers, will be made in and based in Chicago – this includes finance, business development and operations.
With the anticipation of significant growth, the firm is planning a complete renovation of its offices at 205 North Michigan Avenue. EXP will work with local contractors on the $5 million project, which will begin in April and wrap up by the end of 2017. The operational headquarters renovation will make room for an additional 150 employees – positions that the firm plans to fill with local talent. EXP will actively recruit at Chicago-area universities and career fairs for a variety of highly technical jobs, including mechanical/electrical/plumbing/structural/civil engineers, architects and support staff.
EXP has a heritage dating back to 1906, but with its acquisition of Teng & Associates in 2010, it has a history of working in Chicago since 1959. The relocation of its operational headquarters from Canada and the renewal of a 10-year lease means the firm is committed to the city.
The firm has projects that cross the globe and include a variety of Chicago engineering and architecture projects, most notably the Lake Shore Drive Relocation Project, Museum Campus, 35th Street Pedestrian Bridge, 95th Street CTA station, Washington Wabash CTA station, Wacker Drive reconstruction and the South Air Traffic Control Tower at O’Hare International Airport. EXP hopes to bridge Chicago communities through its projects that not only improve the quality of life for those who live here, but also put Chicagoans to work as they are constructed.