AKS Engineering & Forestry, LLC (AKS), recently completed the company’s entrance into the Central Oregon market through a merger with Bend-based DevTech Engineering. The office will be led by with former DevTech owner, Chris Chambers, PE, and Brian Wilkinson, PE. The merger became effective January 1, 2018.
AKS and DevTech decided to merge when mutual clients were asking for additional resources in Bend. The two firms began to talk and found additional similarities in clients, services, and project work. Both firms provide civil engineering and surveying to a mixture of private development clients, including Pahlisch Homes. AKS adds more capabilities and services to the Bend area with land use planners, certified arborists, forest engineers, natural resource specialists, water resource engineers, and landscape architects. DevTech’s staff of 7 full-time employees will bring AKS’ total employee count to 190. AKS Principal Alex Hurley commented that “Both companies share the same commitment to developing long-term relationships with clients. Combining our resources made sense because it will enhance the level of service we can provide to our Bend clients.” The new office will build upon the existing clients of AKS, DevTech, and Brian Wilkinson. The company will provide services for residential, industrial, commercial, resorts, recreation, education, streets, and public works projects.
Chris Chambers, PE, the owner and president of DevTech, began the firm in early 2008. Focused on civil engineering for mostly private development clients, Chambers grew his office and added land surveying and construction inspection services. His notable recent work in Bend includes Reed Market Road improvements, Bridges at Shadow Glen, NorthWest Crossing Phase 27, Tree Farm, and St. Charles Medical Center (South Bend). Chambers is a registered Professional Engineer in Oregon with 22 years of land development engineering experience, 21 of those years in Central Oregon. He has a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Oregon Institute of Technology.
Simultaneously, AKS has been actively growing the firm’s work for public agencies. AKS holds over 30 active on-call contracts in Oregon and SW Washington for other public agencies and has a significant portfolio of streets, water, stormwater, wastewater, and other infrastructure related projects for municipalities. To develop this portion of the business in Bend, AKS hired Brian Wilkinson who previously managed the Bend office of HDR Engineering.
Wilkinson also comes to AKS with a history of working with local municipalities, including the City of Bend, and will help run the new AKS office. Wilkinson commented “AKS is a perfect fit for the Central Oregon market. Our common-sense approach, local knowledge, and deep bench of resources is exactly what our clients need to deliver quality projects on time.” Wilkinson’s 18-year background is broad and includes both private development and major public works projects. His most notable work in Bend includes the Colorado Avenue Trail Undercrossing, South Awbrey Butte Drainage Study; Bend Surface Water Project, Bend SE Sewer Interceptor, and work on major roadway corridor improvements. Prior to moving to Bend, he managed the design of large planned communities and public works projects throughout the Pacific Northwest. Wilkinson has a B.S. in Civil Engineering and Forest Engineering from Oregon State University and is a registered professional engineer in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.
The new AKS office is located at 3052 NW Merchant Way, Suite 100, Bend, OR 97703, until a permanent location can be found. Wilkinson and Chambers can be reached at their new office number of (541) 317-8429.