Executives: Abe Adewale, 36, is chief executive officer
and one of the two principals. A native of Lagos, Nigeria, he graduated from
Clark Atlanta University with a degree in physics. He received a bachelor's
degree in civil engineering from Georgia Tech University and an MBA from
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. He worked for the Illinois
Department of Transportation (IDOT) for 10 years before opening his own firm
in 1994.
Nicole Adewale, 34, is the other principal. She met her
husband while they both worked for IDOT. A native of St. Louis, she also has
a civil engineering degree from Georgia Tech and was with IDOT for seven
years. She is director of marketing and manages all of the firm's planning
projects and specification reviews. She also has served as a councilwoman in
Black Jack.
Dave Dobkowski, 44, is director of engineering. He joined
the firm in 2001. Dobkowski has a bachelor's in civil engineering from the
University of Missouri-Rolla and master's in civil engineering and an MBA
from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.
Aaron Hutson, 31, is director of surveying. He joined the
firm in 1999 as survey manager. Raymond Bailey, 46, is construction services
manager.
Company history: The Adewales made their decision to open
ABNA Engineering in 1994 when they saw the commitment the area was making to
improving its infrastructure. They both had gained experience working on
infrastructure while with the Illinois Department of Transportation.
"We used the money we had saved — every nickel — to start
the company," Abe Adewale said.
They began by performing surveying and civil engineering
for local architects on churches and community projects, such as strip
malls. Abe and Nicole would perform the field surveys themselves, then Abe
would draw it up through the night until he had the construction drawings
finished. "We would work until 2 or 3 in the morning. We would take the
children with us and they would sleep on the floor while we were working,"
Abe Adewale said.
"We got a huge break in 1997 when we got a contract from
MSD for work in Breckenridge Hills. It was a $3 million construction project
and we were the prime contractor on the project. We finished it in record
time and won an award from MSD for the project."
ABNA has worked on two to three MSD projects a year since
then, and by 1998, the firm had grown to 13 people and increased to 44 in
the next four years.
In 1996, the company received a Community Development
Block Grant for infrastructure assessments for three Metro East communities.
ABNA has qualified for certification as a minority-owned firm and the
designation has helped the firm, but Adewale said doing quality work and
gaining a reputation from that work is the best way to secure more business.
ABNA moved into a building at the corner of Euclid and
Delmar boulevards in the city's Central West End in 1996 and moved from the
second to fourth floor to occupy 5,000 square feet. Before the end of this
year, the firm plans to take over 2,000 more feet on that floor. In addition
to its headquarters, the firm has three other project offices in the area.
Revenue: ABNA has grown from $50,000 in 1998 to $3.5
million in 2002. Adewale predicts revenue to double in the next two years.
Professional services: James Klein and Pamela Dotson at
Union Planters Bank handle the banking; Ben Williams and Helton Reed are the
firm's legal representatives; Stewart Mueller is the company's accountant;
marketing and public relations are done internally.
The future: Adewale wants to expand into other markets
and hopes to have an office in Chicago before the end of the year to put the
firm in position to obtain work for expansion of Chicago O'Hare
International Airport. Atlanta, which is planning a major rehab of its sewer
network, would be the next target for expansion, Adewale said.
