PSMJ Resources, Inc., the world’s leading authority on architecture, engineering, and construction firm management, recently announced 68 exceptional architecture and engineering (A/E) firms made it onto the exclusive 2023 Circle of Excellence list. The Circle of Excellence represents the top 20 percent of participants in PSMJ’s annual A/E Financial Performance Benchmark Survey, based on 13 key performance metrics. This honor demonstrates outstanding performance in areas such as overhead management, productivity, business development, staff growth, and turnover.

The A/E firms that are able to sustain this level of performance year after year represent a level of success that deserves special recognition. As such, the firms that achieve Circle of Excellence status for four of the past five years (including 2023) are recognized with PSMJ’s Platinum Award.

PSMJ’s Circle of Excellence debuted in 2006 and, since then, it is also worth noting that 9 firms have made it into the Circle of Excellence ten (or more) years, including DGR Engineering.

“Making it into the Circle of Excellence for even just one year is quite remarkable. However, delivering this kind of performance year after year speaks volumes about the forward-thinking leadership and sound strategy behind these firms,” states PSMJ President Gregory Hart. “This is about so much more than just growth for growth’s sake. This is about having a lasting impact and about building a firm that can withstand changing economic cycles and so much more.”

About PSMJ: 
For nearly 50 years, PSMJ Resources, Inc. has been recognized as the leading publishing, executive education, and advisory group devoted completely to improving the business performance of A/E/C organizations worldwide. PSMJ’s sought-after expertise covers a range of critical business areas such as project management, financial management, human resources, business development, transition planning, and mergers and acquisitions.

DGR Engineering has recently received two awards of note, one relating to its performance in several key metrics important to the consulting engineering industry, and another that affirms its status as an employer of choice in this region.

For the tenth  year in a row, DGR Engineering has been selected for PSMJ Resources, Inc.’s exclusive “Circle of Excellence” as one of 68 exceptional architecture and engineering firms across the country. DGR Engineering has earned this award every year since 2014.

PSMJ Resources is a management consulting firm for the architecture and engineering industries. Each year PSMJ conducts a survey of firms to highlight those who are successful in areas such as productivity, business development, staff growth, staff turnover, and overhead management. Only 20 percent of this year’s 339 participants were named to The Circle of Excellence list. Participating firms were evaluated by comparing several key performance measurements important to the successful operation of an engineering business against industry benchmarks developed through evaluation of data.

In addition, for the sixth year in a row, DGR Engineering has been recognized with a “Top Workplaces” honor by Iowa Top Workplaces and The Des Moines Register. The honor is based on employee feedback gathered through a third-party anonymous survey. The survey is administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage, LLC and measures multiple culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization, including alignment, execution, and connection, just to name a few.

“We are both humbled and grateful to have been selected for these awards for a number of years,” said Blair Metzger, President of DGR Engineering.  “From both the business operations and employee satisfaction perspectives, our long-term strategy of taking care of our team members, and becoming trusted advisors to our clients by establishing deep and lasting relationships, has paid many dividends, including these awards.”

About PSMJ
For almost 50 years, PSMJ Resources, Inc. has been recognized as the leading publishing, executive education, and advisory group devoted completely to improving the business performance of A/E/C organizations worldwide. PSMJ’s sought-after expertise covers a range of critical business areas such as project management, financial management, human resources, business development, transition planning, and mergers and acquisitions.

AboutEnergage,LLC
Energage is a purpose-driven company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into useful business intelligence and credible employer recognition through Top Workplaces. Built on 17 years of culture research and the results from 27 million employees surveyed across more than 70,000 organizations, Energage delivers the most accurate competitive benchmark available. With access to a unique combination of patented analytic tools and expert guidance, Energage customers lead the competition with an engaged workforce and an opportunity to gain recognition for their people-first approach to culture. For more information or to nominate your organization, visit energage.com or topworkplaces.com.

Justus Poppinga of Brandon, SD has been awarded a DGR Engineering Technician Scholarship. He has received a cash award of $2,000 towards the 2023-2024 academic year in recognition of his academic accomplishments and expectation of achievement in his profession as an engineering technician.

A graduate of Central Lyon High School, Justus is the son of Jeff and Lori Poppinga and attends Southeast Technical College (STC) in Sioux Falls, SD, where he is majoring in Civil Engineering Technology and Land Surveying Science. He is a member of the STC Civil Engineering Technology and Land Surveying Science Student Organization. He carries a 3.59 cumulative grade point average.

The DGR Engineering Technician scholarship is awarded to an applicant who is enrolled in a construction management, engineering related technician or land surveying technician program within the upper Midwest, and has a minimum 3.0 composite collegiate or high school GPA.  Preference was considered for those in a civil, electrical, environmental or agricultural engineering technician field. DGR Engineering has created this scholarship to promote and advance the engineering profession in this region.

Congratulations to Luke Rasmussen of Rock Rapids, the winner of a $2,000 DGR Engineering Scholarship. He is a junior electrical engineering major at South Dakota State University and has worked as an intern in our Rock Rapids office for two summers. Presenting the award are Jarrod Luze, Miriam Martens and Blair Metzger.

DGR Engineering awards scholarships annually to applicants who have completed 45 semester credit hours by June 1 of the current year in an accredited undergraduate engineering or land surveying degree program and have a minimum 3.0 composite collegiate GPA. The scholarships were created to promote and advance the engineering profession in this region.

Congratulations to Cody Kramer of George, IA, who was awarded a 2023-2024 DGR Engineering Scholarship. Cody is a junior engineering major at South Dakota State University. We were fortunate to have him working with us as an intern in our Rock Rapids Water Services Department this summer. Presenting the award are Blair Metzger, Miriam Martens, Sam Johnson and Jarrod Luze.

The $2,000 scholarships are awarded annually to applicants who have completed 45 semester credit hours by June 1 of the current year in an accredited undergraduate engineering or land surveying degree program and have a minimum 3.0 composite collegiate GPA. The scholarships were created to promote and advance the engineering profession in this region.