RESPEC Acquires Albertson Engineering, Expanding Structural Engineering Capabilities Across South Dakota and the Mountain West

RESPEC Company, LLC (RESPEC), a multidisciplinary engineering and consulting company based in Rapid City, has officially acquired Albertson Engineering Inc. (AEI), a structural engineering firm with roots across South Dakota and Wyoming, effective September 1, 2025. The move brings together two organizations that have often worked in parallel—each deeply tied to their region, each focused on practical engineering, and each shaped by a people-first culture.

AEI’s team of 20 joins RESPEC’s employee-owned firm, bringing added depth in structural engineering and reinforcing RESPEC’s presence across South Dakota and Wyoming. The acquisition also expands RESPEC’s structural capabilities in Colorado and Minnesota, where the company has an established footprint and ongoing growth.

But this deal isn’t only about adding capabilities. It’s about alignment. “AEI is a perfect fit, technically, culturally, and geographically,” said RESPEC CEO and President Jason Love. “This partnership expands our structural depth and regional presence, but more importantly, it brings in a team that shares our commitment to people, quality, and long-term relationships. That’s what drives everything we do.”

Founded in 1999, AEI has spent the last 25 years quietly shaping the built environment of the Great Plains. Their work spans civic buildings, public art, commercial spaces, and industrial facilities, many of which stand as community landmarks across the Black Hills and beyond. Among them: the Dignity of Earth & Sky sculpture in Chamberlain, South Dakota, The Arc of Dreams in Sioux Falls, and the Ascent Innovation Campus, a downtown Rapid City space that supports entrepreneurs and tech startups. Their focus has always been on practical, buildable designs grounded in local knowledge.

RESPEC, founded in 1969 and now with more than 650 employee-owners across 30+ offices, has taken a similarly grounded approach to growth. In AEI, RESPEC saw a partner whose technical skill was matched by strong client relationships and deep regional trust.

“RESPEC’s values and vision mirror our own,” said Mike Albertson, AEI President. “We’ve spent our careers building a business that takes care of its people and shows up for its clients. This next step lets us do even more of that, backed by the resources of a national firm, while keeping the personal approach we’ve always believed in.”

The two teams are beginning to explore how best to align project delivery and support functions. Clients can expect continuity with the AEI team they know, along with future access to RESPEC’s broader capabilities in civil, environmental, water, mining, and technology services.

“We’re bringing AEI as they are,” said Love. “Respected, experienced, and committed to the regions they serve.”