What John A. Martin & Associates does

John A. Martin & Associates (JAMA) is a private, employee-owned structural engineering firm founded in 1953 and headquartered in Los Angeles. The firm provides a comprehensive suite of structural engineering services centered on six practice areas: structural engineering design, seismic evaluations and retrofits, computational design, design-build delivery, construction services, and forensic engineering. JAMA serves institutional clients across education (USC, University of Arizona, Caltech, CSUN, LAUSD), healthcare (Kaiser Permanente), aviation (LAX), cultural institutions (Natural History Museum of LA County, Perot Museum, Walt Disney Concert Hall), and government entities. The firm operates from offices in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Oakland, Arizona, and Seattle following its 2025 consolidation of Martin, White & Griffis and acquisition of Studio Engineers.

The firm's technical platform is built on a foundation of seven decades of project experience, supplemented by an in-house structural modeling tool called Fenix, which enables custom diaphragm analysis for Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) lateral systems. JAMA is recognized for pioneering first-of-kind engineering work, including the first high-rise steel moment frame seismic retrofit using ASCE 41 in the City of Los Angeles (LUMEN West LA) and the first use of CLT as part of a lateral force-resisting system prior to formal code adoption (The Edes Building). The firm's project portfolio includes award-winning sustainable facilities (USC Ginsburg Hall, Caltech Linde + Robinson, Perot Museum), complex aviation infrastructure (LAX Vertical Circulation Cores, 181,000 SF), and adaptive reuse of historic structures (Memphis Pyramid, Natural History Museum 1913 Building).

JAMA operates as a project-based professional services consultancy, generating revenue through structural engineering fees typically structured as a percentage of construction cost or fixed-fee engagements. The firm is employee-owned with no external private equity or venture capital backing, and pursues an enterprise field sales motion through direct engagement with institutional owners, developers, and government entities via RFQ/RFP processes and qualifications-based selection. Geographic expansion in 2025 — merger with Martin, White & Griffis (Arizona), acquisition of Studio Engineers (Santa Barbara), and a new Seattle office — together with the appointment of the firm's first CFO, signal a deliberate shift from a single-region practice to a multi-state platform.

Name

John A. Martin & Associates

Legal name

John A. Martin & Associates

Website

https://johnmartin.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

John A. Martin & Associates is an employee-owned structural engineering firm founded in 1953, serving institutional clients in education, healthcare, aviation, and cultural sectors across California, Arizona, and Washington with design, seismic retrofit, and computational engineering services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Structural Engineering Services

NAICS

Engineering Services (54133), Engineering Services (541330), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Construction Engineering & Constructability Consulting (BPAHAIAN)

Keywords

• Structural engineering design
• Seismic evaluation retrofit
• Mass timber CLT engineering
• Computational structural analysis
• Design-build construction services

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Structural Engineering Consulting Services: Professional services revenue generated through structural engineering design, analysis, and consulting on construction projects. Services include new construction design, seismic evaluations and retrofits, forensic engineering, construction services, and computational design. Revenue is project-based, typically billed as a percentage of construction cost or fixed fee per engagement.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

John A. Martin & Associates is a structural engineering consultancy providing design of new structures, seismic evaluations and retrofits (including ASCE 41), computational design via the proprietary Fenix modeling tool, design-build delivery, construction administration, and forensic engineering. Services are delivered as project-based professional engagements for institutional owners, developers, K-12 districts, healthcare systems, aviation authorities, and cultural institutions across California, Arizona, and Washington.

Product overview

John A. Martin & Associates (JAMA) is a structural engineering firm providing a comprehensive suite of services centered on structural engineering. The core offerings include structural engineering design, seismic evaluations and retrofits, computational design using proprietary tools like Fenix, design-build delivery, construction services, and forensic engineering. JAMA serves diverse sectors including aviation, education, cultural institutions, science and technology facilities, healthcare, commercial buildings, and sports/recreation. The firm is known for innovative approaches including mass timber/CLT design, high-rise seismic retrofits, and sustainable building solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Structural Engineering Core structural engineering design services covering new construction design, structural analysis, and engineering solutions that enable complex architectural visions for institutional, commercial, cultural, and infrastructure projects.
• Seismic Evaluations and Retrofits Seismic evaluation and retrofit services that assess and strengthen existing buildings against earthquake forces, including ASCE 41 Tier 3 linear dynamic procedures for complex high-rise and historic structures.
• Computational Design Advanced computational design services using the proprietary in-house Fenix structural modeling tool for custom diaphragm analysis, structural modeling, and complex structural simulations including CLT and mass timber systems.
• Design-Build Design-build project delivery services partnering with contractors and architects for integrated project delivery, with recognition from the Design-Build Institute of America for projects such as LAUSD Venice High School.
• Construction Services Construction administration and observation services provided during the construction phase of projects to ensure structural design intent is executed properly in the field.
• Forensic Engineering Forensic engineering services to investigate structural failures, assess damage, and provide expert opinions and testimony for litigation and insurance matters.

Quantifiable outcome

• First high-rise steel moment frame building seismically retrofitted using ASCE 41 in the City of Los Angeles (LUMEN West LA)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Studio Engineers (Santa Barbara)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2025Studio Engineers, a respected structural engineering firm based in Santa Barbara, joined John A. Martin & Associates after two decades of close collaboration. The firm brings local expertise and established client relationships in the Santa Barbara region, expanding JAMA's California presence.
• Martin, White & GriffiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 June 2025After more than 50 years of collaboration as an affiliate office (since 1973), Martin, White & Griffis has formally united with John A. Martin & Associates. The Arizona-based firm, led by Principals Tom Griffis, SE, Warren White, SE, and Andy Dileo, SE, continues operations under combined leadership. The merger extends JAMA's geographic presence in Arizona while honoring shared legacy and values around technically sound, design-forward engineering.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Arup: Global engineering consultancy with a substantial structural engineering practice serving institutional, cultural, and transportation clients. Comparable to JAMA in delivering complex high-profile structural design, though much larger and broader in scope.
• Buro Happold: Global engineering consultancy with structural engineering practice serving cultural, education, and sports clients. Comparable to JAMA on high-design cultural and institutional projects, though much broader in scope and geography.
• Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM): Integrated architecture, engineering, and urban design firm with structural engineering as a core discipline. Comparable to JAMA in delivering landmark cultural and institutional projects with deep structural expertise, though architectural practice is the primary brand.

Direct peers

• KPFF Consulting Engineers: Structural and civil engineering firm with deep Pacific Northwest presence (founded in Seattle) and California offices. Directly comparable to JAMA in seismic expertise, institutional client base, and mid-size professional services structure.
• Degenkolb Engineers: San Francisco-based structural engineering firm specializing in seismic design and retrofit of healthcare, education, and civic buildings. Closely comparable to JAMA in seismic retrofit expertise and California institutional market focus.
• Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA): Seattle-headquartered structural and civil engineering firm with strong high-rise, seismic, and complex institutional project portfolio. Comparable to JAMA in technical sophistication and Pacific Coast institutional client work.
• Tipping Structural Engineers: Bay Area structural engineering firm known for seismic innovation, performance-based design, and tall building expertise. Comparable niche specialization in seismic and innovative structural design, serving similar California institutional clients.
• Walter P Moore: National structural engineering and diagnostics firm with strong seismic retrofit, healthcare, and sports/civic portfolio. Comparable to JAMA in technical specialization and institutional client focus, with broader geographic reach.
• Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH): National engineering firm specializing in structural design, building enclosure, and forensic engineering. Comparable to JAMA in forensic engineering practice and structural design for complex institutional projects.
• Thornton Tomasetti: International structural engineering firm with strong seismic, forensics, and tall-building practices. Comparable technical capabilities to JAMA with significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/john-a.-martin-&-associates

Compliance12 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 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 John A. Martin & Associates