Shiels Obletz Johnsen

What Shiels Obletz Johnsen does

Shiels Obletz Johnsen, Inc. (SOJ) is a privately held project management consultancy founded in 1984 in Portland, Oregon, by Roger Shiels and Douglas Obletz. The firm operates from headquarters in Portland (421 SW Sixth Avenue, Suite 750) and a regional office in Seattle (1109 First Avenue, Suite 330), serving public agencies, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and private-sector developers across the Pacific Northwest. SOJ's core offering is comprehensive project management consultancy, spanning feasibility analysis, financial planning, entitlements management, community relations, sustainability program management (LEED), and oversight of design and construction through completion.

The firm's service portfolio is organized around seven categories: Civic Projects Management (courthouses, fire stations, libraries), Commercial & Industrial Project Management (corporate headquarters such as Columbia Sportswear and Les Schwab), Education Facilities Project Management (Seattle Public Schools BEX IV levy totaling $350M+; Reed College), Housing & Mixed-Use Development Management, Non-Profit Facilities Project Management (Mercy Corps $37M LEED Platinum HQ; Pike Place Market), Transportation Projects Management (Portland Streetcar, Seattle Streetcar, Banfield Light Rail, TriMet Portland Transit Mall), and Urban Planning & Development Feasibility. Add-on specializations include LEED/sustainability advisory, entitlements coordination, and community/stakeholder relations.

SOJ is a professional services firm that generates revenue through negotiated, project-based fees (not standard pricing). Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales via direct engagement with public agencies, non-profits, and private developers, driven primarily by reputation, long-standing relationships, and responses to public RFPs rather than active marketing. The firm is 69% women- and minority-owned and holds COBID certification as a Minority Business Enterprise in Oregon. There is no technology platform, software product, or AI capability described; technology is not applicable to the business model. SOJ is also affiliated with Sockeye Development, LLC, a real estate development entity managed by SOJ principals that pursues turnkey mixed-use and residential developments. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Shiels Obletz Johnsen

Legal name

Shiels Obletz Johnsen, Inc.

Website

https://shielsobletzjohnsen.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Shiels Obletz Johnsen is a Pacific Northwest project management consultancy providing owner's-representation and program management for public agencies, non-profits, and private developers on complex urban development, transportation, civic, and education projects. Founded in 1984 and based in Portland with a Seattle office.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction & Real Estate Project Management Consulting

NAICS

Engineering Services (54133), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413), Management Consulting Services (54161), Engineering Services (541330)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Construction Program Management (Multi-site/Portfolio) (IMAFAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Project Management & Owner’s Rep Services for School Capital Projects (EDAEABAN)

Keywords

• Project management consulting
• Urban development services
• Civic project management
• Construction project oversight
• Real estate development consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Project Management Consulting Services: The firm generates revenue through professional services fees for project management of large-scale urban development, construction, and transportation projects. Revenue is earned through client engagements on a project-by-project basis, serving government agencies, non-profits, and private sector clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Shiels Obletz Johnsen is a project management consultancy that delivers comprehensive project management services for large-scale urban development projects. Services span feasibility analyses, financial planning, entitlements management, community relations, and design/construction oversight for civic, transportation, commercial, educational, non-profit, and mixed-use developments. The firm serves government agencies, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and private sector developers across the Pacific Northwest.

Product overview

Shiels Obletz Johnsen (SOJ) is a project management consultancy offering a unified suite of professional services for large-scale urban development. The core offering is comprehensive project management consultancy spanning feasibility analysis through construction completion. Service categories include Civic Projects Management, Commercial & Industrial Project Management, Education Facilities Project Management, Housing & Mixed-Use Development Management, Non-Profit Facilities Project Management, Transportation Projects Management, and Urban Planning & Development Feasibility. Add-on specialized services include Sustainability Program Management, Entitlements Management, and Community Relations Services. The firm serves public agencies, non-profits, and private clients across the Pacific Northwest.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Project Management Consultancy Services Comprehensive project management consultancy for large-scale urban development projects, including feasibility analyses, financial planning, entitlements management, community relations, and design/construction oversight. For public agencies, non-profits, educational institutions, and private developers.
• Civic Projects Management Management of public-sector projects including courthouses, city halls, fire stations, libraries, transit facilities, and public safety centers for government clients.
• Transportation Projects Management Management of light rail, streetcar, transit mall, and transportation infrastructure projects including Portland Streetcar, Seattle Streetcar, and Banfield Light Rail.
• Education Facilities Project Management Project management for K-12 schools, universities, and educational facilities including Seattle Public Schools projects and college campus developments.
• Non-Profit Facilities Project Management Project management for non-profit organizations including shelters, aquariums, theaters, and social service facilities such as Mercy Corps World Headquarters and Oregon Food Bank.
• Commercial & Industrial Project Management Project management for corporate headquarters, distribution centers, and commercial developments for private sector clients including Columbia Sportswear and Les Schwab.
• Housing & Mixed-Use Development Management Management of mixed-income housing, mixed-use developments, and residential projects including affordable housing and market-rate apartments.
• Sustainability Program Management Sustainability consulting and program management to achieve LEED certification and green building standards for projects.

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and strategic.

• City of Seattle Department of TransportationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLong-standing partnership with City of Seattle DOT on major transportation and civic projects including King Street Station renovation, Seattle Streetcar, and Seattle Central Waterfront.
• Portland Streetcar, Inc.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNon-profit sponsor organization for Portland Streetcar. SOJ provided executive management and operational oversight for Portland Streetcar, serving as Executive Director and managing design, construction and operations.
• TriMetcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership with TriMet on Portland Transit Mall Revitalization, Banfield Light Rail, and various transit-oriented development projects across the Portland metropolitan area.
• Mercy CorpscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProject management for Mercy Corps World Headquarters - a $37M, 82,000 SF mission-based headquarters combining historic restoration with new construction, achieving LEED Platinum certification.
• Pike Place Market Preservation and Development AuthoritycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOngoing partnership on Pike Place Market preservation projects including major renovations and MarketFront development.
• City of TukwilacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerComprehensive partnership on Tukwila Public Safety Plan including Justice Center, Fire Stations 51 & 52, and Public Works facility - $135M+ in public safety infrastructure.
• Oak View GroupmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProject management for Climate Pledge Arena - $1B world first zero carbon arena, home to Seattle Kraken NHL team.
• Multnomah CountycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLong-term partnership on multiple county projects including East County Courthouse, Health Department Headquarters, libraries, and shelters.
• Seattle Public SchoolscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership on multiple BEX IV levy school projects including Mercer Middle School, Cascadia Elementary, Robert Eagle Staff Middle School, Ingraham High School, and others totaling over $350M.
• Sockeye Development, LLCstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated development firm managed by SOJ principals Douglas Obletz and Carter MacNichol. Pursues private and turn-key development opportunities, known for Belmont Dairy, Hollywood Bookmark, and Museum Place developments.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• JLL Project and Development Services: Global real estate services firm with a large project and development services practice acting as owner's rep on corporate, civic, and institutional capital projects. Comparable to SOJ on HQ, mixed-use, and civic pursuits, though as a much larger diversified incumbent.
• Turner & Townsend: Global program, project, and cost management consultancy serving real estate and infrastructure clients. Comparable to SOJ as an owner's-rep / project management firm on complex public and private capital projects, though at vastly greater scale and geographic reach.
• AECOM (Construction Management / Program Management): Global infrastructure consulting firm with extensive program/construction management practice serving transit, civic, and education clients. Competes with SOJ for large public-sector capital programs in the Pacific Northwest, though as a much larger diversified incumbent.

Emerging players

• Pinnacle Consulting Group: Western U.S. owner's representation and project management firm serving public agencies and developers on civic, education, and mixed-use projects. Comparable to SOJ in scope of services and customer segments, though at smaller scale.

Direct peers

• Anser Advisory: Owner's representation and program management firm focused on public-sector and institutional clients (K-12, higher education, civic). Direct peer to SOJ in providing PM-as-owner's-rep services for schools, courthouses, and government facilities.
• Heery International (CBRE): Project and construction management consultancy (now part of CBRE) specializing in public-sector, education, and healthcare capital programs. Closely comparable to SOJ in delivering PM-as-owner's-rep services on K-12, higher-ed, and civic facilities.
• Cordoba Corporation: California-based program/construction management and owner's-rep firm serving public agencies on transportation, education, and civic infrastructure. Comparable to SOJ for public-sector capital program management in the Western U.S.
• Hill International: Project management and construction claims consultancy serving public agencies, developers, and infrastructure owners. Closely comparable to SOJ in delivering owner's-rep services on large civic and transportation projects, including on West Coast transit and civic portfolios.

Others

• Lease Crutcher Lewis: Pacific Northwest construction manager/general contractor frequently working alongside SOJ on the same civic and healthcare projects (e.g., Multnomah County). Not a direct PM consultancy competitor but a closely adjacent delivery partner in the regional ecosystem.

Regional players

• Murray Company (Murray Smith) / Owner's Rep Firms: Oregon-based engineering and owner's-rep firm serving Pacific Northwest public agencies on water, civic, and infrastructure projects. Regional peer comparable to SOJ in delivering owner's-rep services to Oregon and Washington municipalities.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/shielsobletzjohnsen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shiels-obletz-johnsen
• Instagraminstagram.com/shielsobletzjohnsen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Shiels Obletz Johnsen