Wallace Group
Wallace Group is a 100% employee-owned, multi-disciplinary civil engineering and design firm serving California Central Coast municipalities, water districts, and private developers across water resources, transportation, surveying, and landscape architecture.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersSan Luis Obispo, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Wallace Group does
Wallace Group is a multi-disciplinary civil engineering, design, surveying, and planning firm headquartered in San Luis Obispo, California, with additional offices in Santa Barbara and Salinas. Founded in 1984 as a one-person home-based practice by John L. Wallace, the firm has grown into a 100% employee-owned (ESOP) consultancy operating seven integrated service lines: Water Resources (wastewater, desalination, recycled water, stormwater), Civil and Transportation Engineering, Construction Management, Landscape Architecture, Mechanical Engineering, Surveying/GIS, and Public Works Administration and Permitting. The firm's customer base is anchored in California municipal and county public agencies, with a secondary private segment serving residential and commercial developers, wineries, hospitality operators, and educational institutions such as Cal Poly.
The firm generates revenue through professional services fees billed on a project basis — fixed fee, time-and-materials, or cost-plus structures negotiated via RFP, competitive procurement, or long-term partnership agreements with public sector clients. Its go-to-market is relationship-based, regional, and field-driven: principals and directors cultivate direct relationships with municipal public works departments, community services districts, and water districts across California's Central Coast, supported by industry presentations, community involvement, and a project portfolio website. Notable technical capabilities include design-build of packaged membrane bioreactor wastewater reclamation, desalination plant rehabilitation, multi-lane roundabout and interchange design, and large-scale undergrounding programs — demonstrated by project outcomes such as producing 300 acre-feet of additional water annually and reducing intersection vehicular delay by more than 75%.
Wallace Group's operating model is distinguished by its 100% employee-ownership structure, long tenure of its PE-credentialed leadership team (CEO/President Brad Brechwald since 2008, CFO Thomas Zehnder since 2004, COO Kari Wagner since 2000), and a deliberate focus on Central Coast communities across San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Monterey, and surrounding counties. The firm does not pursue national scale, external capital, or M&A-driven growth; instead, it compounds via service-line expansion within its geography, grant funding facilitation for clients (over $30 million secured across five counties), and repeat engagements on multi-phase municipal programs. Pricing is project-specific and not publicly disclosed, reflecting the bespoke nature of professional engineering services.
Wallace Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wallace Group
- Legal name
- Wallace Group
- Website
- https://wallacegroup.us
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Wallace Group is a 100% employee-owned, multi-disciplinary civil engineering and design firm serving California Central Coast municipalities, water districts, and private developers across water resources, transportation, surveying, and landscape architecture.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wallace Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Civil Engineering Services
- NAICS
- Engineering Services (541330), Engineering Services (54133), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413), Landscape Architectural Services (54132)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Construction Management (Agency/Owner’s Rep) (IMAFAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Construction Program Management (Multi-site/Portfolio) (IMAFAAAF), Construction Management & Delivery (EPCM/CMAR/Design-Build Oversight) (EUANALAE)
Keywords
Where Wallace Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Luis Obispo
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Wallace Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Professional Engineering and Design Services: Wallace Group generates revenue through fees for professional engineering, design, surveying, construction management, and landscape architecture services. Projects are typically billed on a fee-per-project basis for government and private sector clients, with services including planning, design, construction management, and inspection.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Wallace Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wallace Group is a multi-disciplinary engineering, design, surveying, and planning firm that delivers integrated professional services across seven core service lines: Water Resources, Civil & Transportation Engineering, Construction Management, Landscape Architecture, Mechanical Engineering, Surveying/GIS, and Public Works Administration and Permitting. Projects span municipal infrastructure, commercial development, educational facilities, and agribusiness across California's Central Coast, from planning and design through construction management and inspection.
Product overview
Wallace Group is a multi-disciplinary engineering, design, surveying, and planning firm offering integrated services as a unified consultancy rather than a modular software product. The firm operates seven core service lines: Water Resources (wastewater treatment, desalination, recycled water, stormwater), Civil & Transportation Engineering (roadways, roundabouts, interchanges), Construction Management (inspection, documentation, project oversight), Landscape Architecture (parks, streetscapes, recreation facilities), Mechanical Engineering (industrial process systems), Surveying/GIS Solutions, and Public Works Administration. Projects span municipal infrastructure, commercial development, and public facilities across California's Central Coast region.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Water Resources Services Comprehensive water resources engineering including wastewater treatment, desalination, water reclamation, stormwater management, and recycled water systems for municipal and industrial clients.
Quantifiable outcome
- Secured over $30 million in grant funding for clients across Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz counties
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Wallace Group
Customer profileNamed customers20 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Wallace Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Wallace Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- County of MontereycoreWallace Group partnered with County of Monterey to identify high priority capital improvement projects for the Pajaro community following 2023 winter flooding disaster. The firm researched grant opportunities and successfully secured a $4.07 million USDA Rural Development grant for the Pajaro County Sanitation District.
- HydroSciencecoreCollaborated with HydroScience on design-build of a 0.5 MGD packaged Wastewater Reclamation Facility at Cal Poly using membrane bioreactor technology and UV disinfection.
- GSE ConstructioncoreDesign-build collaboration with GSE Construction on Cal Poly Water Infrastructure Improvements Project (WIIP) for campus water system upgrades supporting projected 15,000 on-campus residents.
- Earth SystemsminorPart of the El Camino Real Downtown Infrastructure Enhancement Plan team providing geotechnical services.
- KTUAminorPart of the El Camino Real Downtown Infrastructure Enhancement Plan team providing streetscaping services.
- Central Coast Transportation ConsultantsminorPart of the El Camino Real Downtown Infrastructure Enhancement Plan team providing electrical design.
- Kittelson & AssociatesminorPart of the El Camino Real Downtown Infrastructure Enhancement Plan team providing traffic review support.
- Maino ConstructioncoreCollaborated on Cal Poly Partners Plaza project transforming the north endzone of Spanos Stadium.
- TenOver StudiocoreDesign team collaboration on Cal Poly Partners Plaza project.
- City of San Luis ObispocorePartnered with City of San Luis Obispo on San Luis Obispo Creek Mid-Higuera Bypass project, helping secure Proposition 1 Grant funding and contributing to Supplemental Environmental Impact Report. The project reduces flooding and restores riparian habitat.
- California Land Surveyors Association (CLSA) Central Coast ChapterminorDirector of Surveying delivered presentation on monitoring vertical movement along State Highway 101 during sewer line jack-and-bore operation.
- Pebble Beach Community Services DistrictcoreWorking closely with PBCSD since 2014 on the long-term undergrounding program for overhead utilities. Between 2014 and 2024, nearly 6 miles completed over 3 phases.
- PG&EcoreCollaborated with PG&E and PBCSD to establish multi-phased approach for undergrounding mainline overhead infrastructure in Pebble Beach Community.
- Phelan Pinon Hills Community Service DistrictminorMultiple projects with the district overseeing around 120 square miles of land in Phelan and Pinon Hills communities, including master planning for community park and civic center.
- Local Schools and Community OrganizationsminorIdentified and coordinated water conservation projects at local schools, Caltrans 101 Corridor, HOA, and community parks to offset Nexus Vespera hotel water usage (approximately 19.3 acre-ft savings per year).
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Wallace Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Psomas: California-headquartered multi-disciplinary engineering, surveying, and construction management firm. Highly comparable to Wallace Group in scale, service mix (civil, water, surveying, GIS), and public-sector orientation on the West Coast.
- Cannon Corp: California-based multi-disciplinary engineering firm offering civil, water resources, surveying, and construction management services. Similar size and municipal client base to Wallace Group, with overlapping Central California presence.
- Dokken Engineering: California civil engineering firm focused on transportation, water resources, and structural design for public agencies. Comparable in municipal focus and California geographic orientation.
- MNS Engineers: California-based civil engineering and construction management firm serving cities, counties, and water districts. Closely comparable to Wallace Group in service portfolio and public-sector client base.
Broad incumbents
- GHD: Global engineering, architecture, and environmental consulting firm with significant California water and civil engineering practices. Competes with Wallace Group on municipal water and infrastructure projects at a larger scale.
- Stantec: Large global engineering consultancy with strong California water, civil, and environmental practices. Represents the national incumbent tier Wallace Group competes against on larger municipal programs.
- AECOM: Global infrastructure consulting firm with substantial California transportation, water, and environmental practices. Competes for major municipal and state infrastructure contracts.
- Kimley-Horn: Large US engineering planning and design consulting firm with California offices serving municipal and developer clients across civil, transportation, water, and land development.
- Michael Baker International: National engineering, planning, and consulting firm with California offices focused on transportation, water, and federal/state infrastructure — competing on larger public-sector programs.
Emerging players
- NV5 Global: Technical engineering and consulting firm with California presence in infrastructure, environmental, and geospatial services. Comparable to Wallace Group in survey/GIS and civil engineering services but pursuing national scale via acquisition.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Wallace Group social profiles
Digital presenceWallace Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wallace Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Wallace Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wallace Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wallace Group
What does Wallace Group do?
Wallace Group is a multi-disciplinary engineering, design, surveying, and planning firm that delivers integrated professional services across seven core service lines: Water Resources, Civil & Transportation Engineering, Construction Management, Landscape Architecture, Mechanical Engineering, Surveying/GIS, and Public Works Administration and Permitting. Projects span municipal infrastructure, commercial development, educational facilities, and agribusiness across California's Central Coast, from planning and design through construction management and inspection.
Is Wallace Group a public or private company?
Wallace Group is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Wallace Group founded?
Wallace Group was founded in 1984. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Wallace Group based?
Wallace Group is headquartered in San Luis Obispo, United States, in the North America region.
How does Wallace Group make money?
One revenue line is on record: professional Engineering and Design Services.
Who are Wallace Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Psomas, Cannon Corp, Dokken Engineering and MNS Engineers. Broad incumbents are GHD, Stantec, AECOM, Kimley-Horn and Michael Baker International. NV5 Global is listed as an emerging player.
Does Wallace Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wallace Group.
What industry is Wallace Group in?
Wallace Group's product category is Civil Engineering Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFAAAC, Construction Management (Agency/Owner’s Rep), with a secondary code of IMAFAAAF, Construction Program Management (Multi-site/Portfolio). Its NAICS code is 541330 and its SIC code is 8711.