A&E Design

What A&E Design does

A&E + SMA Design is an integrated architecture and multidisciplinary design firm headquartered in Billings, Montana, formed in 2024 through the merger of A&E Design (founded 1973) and SMA Architecture + Design. The firm delivers six core service lines under one unified practice: architecture, brand development, environmental graphic design, historic preservation, interior design, and landscape architecture. It serves clients across six markets — commercial/corporate, education (K-12 and higher education), healthcare, hospitality, military, and residential — with named project work spanning Kampgrounds of America corporate headquarters, Montana State University's 150,000 SF Hyalite Hall, the 131,000 SF Shodair Children's Hospital, First Security Bank Missoula's CLT/LEED Silver-targeted headquarters, Rocky Vista University's College of Veterinary Medicine, and the Helena Public Schools $283M bond program.

The firm employs 51–100 staff across five operational Montana offices (Billings, Bozeman, Helena, Kalispell, Missoula) with a sixth Great Falls location announced. Core technology consists of standard BIM/CAD tools used across project delivery, with notable structural application of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) in sustainability-targeted projects. Revenue is generated exclusively through project-based professional design fees scoped per engagement, with no public pricing and no self-serve or e-commerce motion; client acquisition is sales-led, relying on direct relationships, community presence, award-driven credibility (Architectural Record Top 300, ENR Top Design Firm, Zweig Hot Firm, three consecutive years of Zweig Best Firm to Work For), and project referrals.

The combined firm is privately held as a partnership of equals between legacy leadership from both organizations, with four executive leaders — CEO Dusty Eaton, COO Tim Meldrum, CDO Brad Doll, and CXO Jason Davis — overseeing a broader team of 12+ functional directors across design, operations, IT, HR, marketing, and construction management. There is no external institutional investment, parent company, or public listing. Geographic reach spans Montana and the broader Mountain West, with documented project work extending into Wyoming and Utah.

Name

A&E Design

Legal name

A&E + SMA Design

Website

https://ae.design

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

A&E + SMA Design is an integrated architecture and multidisciplinary design firm serving commercial, education, healthcare, hospitality, military, and residential clients across Montana and the Mountain West, delivered through six service disciplines from five Montana offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architecture and Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Architecture design services
• Interior design firm
• Historic preservation architecture
• Environmental graphic design
• Landscape architecture services

Headquarters

HQ city

Billings

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Design Services: A&E + SMA Design generates revenue through professional fees for architecture, interior design, historic preservation, environmental graphic design, brand development, and landscape architecture services. Projects span commercial, education, healthcare, hospitality, residential, and military markets. Revenue is project-based, with fees derived from scope, complexity, and duration of engagements. Additional services include construction project management, procurement, and art consulting.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

A&E + SMA Design is an integrated architecture and design firm delivering professional services across architecture, interior design, historic preservation, environmental graphic design, brand development, and landscape architecture. The firm serves commercial, education, healthcare, hospitality, military, and residential clients through a sales-led B2B model, with fees derived from project scope, complexity, and duration. It operates five offices across Montana with a sixth Great Falls location forthcoming.

Product overview

A&E + SMA Design is an integrated architecture and design firm offering a comprehensive portfolio of design services. The firm operates as a unified service practice combining six core disciplines: Architecture Services (covering commercial, healthcare, historic preservation, hospitality, education, residential, and military sectors); Brand Development & Graphic Design (naming, identity, logo, print/digital collateral, advertising, and web design); Environmental Graphic Design (signage, wayfinding, ADA compliance, interpretive displays, and experiential graphics); Historic Preservation (adaptive reuse, restoration, documentation, and preservation planning); Interior Design (art curation, branded environments, FF&E, and materiality strategy); and Landscape Architecture (parks, recreation, sustainable design, and public spaces). These services are delivered as an integrated multidisciplinary practice rather than as separate product modules, with teams collaborating across disciplines to deliver comprehensive design solutions for each project.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Services Full-service architectural design spanning commercial, healthcare, historic preservation, hospitality, K-12 & higher education, residential, and military sectors. Combines strategic planning, technical expertise, and design thinking to create resilient, adaptable spaces for organizational and institutional clients across Montana and the Mountain West.
• Brand Development & Graphic Design Integrated brand experience services including naming, vision and strategy, identity development, logo development, brand guidelines, print and digital collateral, advertising, and website design, helping clients establish cohesive brand presence across all touchpoints.
• Environmental Graphic Design Environmental graphic design (also referred to as experiential design) integrating signage, graphics, and brand expressions into architectural spaces. Services include architectural signage, interpretive signage, wayfinding systems, ADA compliance, events and tradeshow displays, comprehensive sign plans, master sign plans, and retail/POP displays.
• Historic Preservation Historic preservation architecture covering adaptive reuse and rehabilitation, brownfield and disaster sites, historical documentation and reports, preservation planning and design guidelines, preservation training and guidance, and restoration work, with specialization in national park sites, civic landmarks, and neighborhood icons.
• Interior Design Fully integrated interior design services including art and accessories curation, experiential and branded interior design, furniture/fixtures/equipment (FF&E) planning, interior architecture and detailing, interior environment design, and materiality and finish strategy.
• Landscape Architecture Landscape architecture services including parks, playgrounds, and recreation design; roof gardens and on-structure greenspace; public space and plaza design; and sustainable landscape design with native plantings, rainwater harvesting, and low-impact irrigation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Shodair Children's Hospital: 131,000 SF psychiatric hospital serving Montana and the Mountain West, completed 2023
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Preserve MontanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA&E + SMA Design supports Preserve Montana, a nonprofit dedicated to safeguarding Montana's historic places. The firm participated in welcoming the 2026 Preserve Montana Trades Corps cohort and has received the Heritage Keepers Award from Preserve Montana, indicating a long-standing relationship supporting historic preservation workforce development.
• Helena Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA&E + SMA Design serves as the architecture and design partner for Helena Public Schools' $283M bond-funded capital program, including the new Helena High School replacement, Project for Alternative Learning facility, District Kitchen, and future District Athletics & Stadium.
• Rocky Vista UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA&E + SMA Design is the architecture, interior design, environmental graphic design, and landscape architecture firm for Rocky Vista University's College of Veterinary Medicine in Billings — a 59,586 SF facility for veterinary education in Montana and the surrounding region.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• DLR Group: Large integrated design firm combining architecture, engineering, interiors, and planning with strong education and civic practices. Comparable in offering integrated design services but operates at significantly larger scale and national footprint than A&E + SMA.
• HOK: Global integrated architecture, design, and engineering firm with healthcare, education, hospitality, and workplace practices. Comparable only as a broader competitor in the same integrated-design space; substantially larger and more diversified than A&E + SMA.
• Perkins&Will: Global integrated architecture and design firm with healthcare, education, and civic practices. Comparable in offering an integrated multi-discipline approach, but operates at a substantially larger scale and broader geographic footprint than the subject firm.

Direct peers

• CTA Architects Engineers: Multi-discipline architecture and engineering firm based in Billings, Montana, serving the Mountain West with similar education, healthcare, and municipal clients. Direct regional competitor anchored in the same Billings office market as A&E + SMA.
• SmithGroup: Integrated design firm combining architecture, interiors, engineering, and planning with healthcare, education, and workplace practices. Closely comparable to A&E + SMA in providing multidisciplinary design under a unified practice.
• EwingCole: Integrated architecture, interiors, and engineering firm with strong healthcare, education, and cultural-civic practices. Comparable in delivering multiple design disciplines — including EGD and interiors — from a single integrated team.
• Anderson Mason Dale Architects: Mid-sized architecture firm headquartered in Salt Lake City with strong education, healthcare, and civic practices across the Rocky Mountain West. Comparable in scale, multi-office structure, and project mix to A&E + SMA Design.
• JLG Architects: Mid-sized architecture firm with strong K-12 and higher education practices across the Mountain West and Plains states, operating from multiple regional offices. Highly comparable in size, market mix, and education-program focus to A&E + SMA Design.
• Dekker/Perich/Sabatini: Mid-sized integrated architecture, interiors, and planning firm with strong education, healthcare, and civic practices across the Mountain West and Southwest. Comparable in scale, integrated delivery model, and public-sector client mix.
• CannonDesign: Integrated architecture, engineering, and design firm with strong healthcare, education, and science practices. Comparable to A&E + SMA in offering an integrated multi-discipline delivery model across the built environment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/create.impact

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about A&E Design