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TRANSACTIONS LJA ACQUIRES PARAGON AND EXPANDS ENGINEERING SERVICES IN GEORGIA LJA Engineering, Inc. has acquired Paragon Consulting Group, a corporation based in Griffin, Georgia and a respected engineering consulting firm specializing in the private, government, and corporate sectors. Paragon’s team of professional engineers, planners, and landscape architects focuses on water resources and transportation projects. “Paragon has a deep commitment to their region which directly aligns with LJA’s philosophy of being active and involved in the communities we serve,” says Scott McDonald, P.E., vice president, LJA Engineering. Paragon has been instrumental in the economic development of several municipalities, helping to analyze sites for industrial prospects for development authorities throughout central Georgia. For example, assisting Caterpillar to locate their generator production facility in Griffin, Georgia demonstrates Paragon’s attention to sustainable local development.
Brian Upson, P.E., who will stay on with LJA as president of Paragon, founded the firm in 2003 to bring a uniquely qualified, full-service engineering and consulting firm to the market. He has carefully and thoughtfully built Paragon into a team of consultative experts in high demand by government and private sector clients of all types and sizes. “Paragon’s reputation in their local industry made this relationship a great fit with LJA and our commitment to expanding throughout the Southeastern U.S. We are excited to call them employee-owners. LJA’s growth benefits our clients and all of their project needs with full-service, in- house capabilities in the areas where we live and work,” says James Ross, president and CEO of LJA Engineering. LJA and Paragon’s combined strength brings more than 300 services and 1,350 personnel to Paragon’s core offerings of wastewater services, master land planning, drinking water services, airport and roadway, grant writing
services, construction management, permitting, and recycled water services. Paragon’s south-Atlanta location will become LJA’s 39th office and expands LJA’s total Southern U.S. presence in Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, and South Carolina to more than 50 employee- owners in the region. LJA is an employee-owned company, offering full-service planning, engineering, surveying, and construction management to public and private sector clients within nine comprehensive sectors: public infrastructure, transportation, land development, energy services, rail services, surveying, flood control and drainage, CEI, and environmental and coastal. As a well-established, multidisciplinary firm, Paragon Consulting Group has a reputation for providing comprehensive engineering, project management, planning and land development consulting services that exceed client expectations.
A TRUE ROLE MODEL, from page 7
received the Jerry Allen Courage in Leadership Award. “Nathelyne treats her staff with a lot of respect,” he says. “She invests in people of color to advance them in our industry, an area that is severely lacking, and is continuing to work hard and show how important leadership is in our industry, regardless of who you are. I am so proud that she has been recognized by our industry for her extraordinary accomplishments.” Kennedy accepted the prestigious award in Denver, Colorado, during Zweig Group’s 2021 ElevateAEC Conference & Awards Gala.
Nathelyne Kennedy accepting Zweig Group’s Jerry Allen Courage in Leadership Award at the 2021 ElevateAEC Conference & Awards Gala.
JERRY ALLEN COURAGE IN LEADERSHIP AWARD The Jerry Allen Courage in Leadership Award is given each year to someone working in an AEC firm who has made tremendous impacts on their company through courageous leadership. Winners have overcome obstacles to advance their firm to a new level of success. Nominees can be in any role and come from firms of all sizes and types. Awards will be conferred at Zweig Group’s 2022 Elevate AEC Conference & Awards Gala. The deadline for nominations is June 30. Click here to learn more!
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THE ZWEIG LETTER JUNE 13, 2022, ISSUE 1444
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