ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The HFW Companies (HFW), an expanding professional services firm in the architecture and engineering (A-E) industry, has entered into a new strategic growth partnership with Kuo & Associates (KUO), a civil engineering and surveying firm serving Houston and Southeast Texas since 1985.
KUO represents the eighth A-E firm to join HFW’s growing national network of HFW Partner firms since HFW’s inception in 2020. KUO is the latest to become part of HFW’s long-term vision to build a preeminent network of A-E legacy partners across a national footprint that provides a gateway to accelerated growth and leverages its partners’ collaborative expertise, according to Michael Hein, AIA, chief executive officer of HFW.
“We’re excited that KUO has joined us as one of our HFW Partner firms,” Hein said. “Over the years, KUO has built a strong and reputable legacy as a go-to civil engineering and surveying firm all over Houston and the surrounding areas, positioning itself for even greater potential growth ahead. As the most populous region in Texas – and one of the 10 most populous regions in the country, Houston continues to demonstrate a tremendous need for new infrastructure and a great opportunity for KUO. We’re looking forward to providing additional support to KUO ahead as it meets that growing need.”
KUO, which employs 35 professionals, provides civil engineering services across Southeast Texas, with a focus on water resource management, transportation, site development, and land surveying. The firm’s principals said they are looking forward to leveraging HFW’s expertise, as well as the bench depth of the growing portfolio of HFW Partner firms across the country.
“As we work to strengthen our infrastructure design position in the market, we’ve been looking for a growth partner, and HFW is the right partner,” said Shaheen Chowdhury, PE, president of KUO and an employee of KUO for the past 31 years. “We can see a lot of synergies with HFW and the other partner firms, and we’re looking forward to collaborating in ways that will strengthen us across our operations and allow us to take advantage of the growth opportunities ahead here in Houston.”
KUO joins the ranks of a growing portfolio of A-E firms that now includes eight HFW Partner firms with locations in Las Vegas; Kansas City; Chicago; Des Moines and Waterloo, Iowa; Charleston, Hilton Head, and the Midlands of South Carolina; Augusta, Georgia; Austin, Texas; and multiple locations in Florida.
All are part of what Hein describes as HFW’s “House of Brands” concept. That is, a network of growth-oriented A-E firms sharing best practices, economies of scale, unique areas of expertise, and business development opportunities, while continuing to build their own legacy brands in their own regions and beyond.
Chowdhury said he is looking forward to the collaboration with HFW and other partner firms.
“We always have delivered quality work, with strong resumes, and good client relationships,” Chowdhury said. “I can’t wait, though, to see what we can do in this fast-growing region with additional resources and other strategic support from HFW and our new HFW Partners.”
For more information about Kuo & Associates and the new partnership with The HFW Companies, please contact Shaheen Chowdhury, PE, president, at 713.975.8769.
About The HFW Companies
Based in St. Louis, HFW is an A-E industry professional services company investing in architecture and engineering firms that serve metropolitan and infrastructure markets and are open to aligning with partners for growth. Its portfolio of partner firms, grounded in technical excellence, solve the most critical problems facing the built environment, improving communities through creative design, engineering, and planning. For more information, please visit: www.hfwcompanies.com
