Zweig Group M&A: Nationwide Engineering Firm KCI Technologies acquires Fort Lauderdale-based Keith & Schnars

Zweig Group, a full-service AEC management consulting firm, represented selling firm Keith & Schnars in its acquisition by Maryland-based KCI Technologies Inc. With the deal, KCI, a multi-discipline engineering firm with offices throughout the United States, adds a firm with expertise in engineering, construction inspection, surveying, landscape architecture, planning and environmental science. K&S, based in Fort Lauderdale, has played an important role in Florida’s growing transportation infrastructure, commercial, residential, recreational, and educational markets. “Florida continues to remain a hot market for M&A, and we congratulate both sides on continued growth in this key region,” said Jamie Claire Kiser, Zweig Group’s CFO and Director of Consulting. K&S was founded in 1972 by Bill Keith and Tom Schnars. Upon the latter’s death in 1983, Tanzer Kalayci and Arnold Ramos joined the 10-person firm and began explosive growth to become Florida’s third largest multi-disciplined engineering firm. As the firm expanded into different engineering and related service lines, its geographic reach spread across the state, and now includes offices in Jacksonville, Orlando, Lehigh Acres and Miami. K&S has a diverse client base that includes the Florida Department of Transportation as well as a host of county, municipal and private organizations. Kalayci’s son Errol spent much of his professional life with K&S and became chief executive officer, following his father’s retirement in 2016. “K&S’s long history, recognized technical expertise and reputation among industry peers are a perfect complement to our existing capabilities and planned geographic growth in Florida,” said KCI CEO and President Nathan J. Beil, PE. “Welcoming their team into KCI serves as both an in-state expansion of our existing construction engineering, communications and surveying service lines as well as a new presence in landscape architecture, planning and transportation design.” Over the years, K&S has worked on some of Florida’s most noteworthy projects, including development of the Sawgrass Mills Mall, the largest outlet and value retail shopping center in the United States, and the Sawgrass Expressway, a 21-mile-long electronic toll-way in Broward County. Their team also conducted more than 10,000 public meetings in support of the I-4 Ultimate Improvement Project in Orlando. More recently, the firm assisted in development of the state’s current landscape specifications and now provides landscape design and/or inspection services for FDOT Districts 1, 4, 6 and 7, and the Florida Turnpike Enterprise. “KCI is a great strategic fit for us based on their corporate culture and similar service lines,” said K&S CEO Errol Kalayci. “Our combined experience and resources will lay the groundwork for a brighter and stronger future for the firm as well as opportunities for professional development and career growth for our team.” ABOUT ZWEIG GROUP Three times on the Inc 500/5000 list, Zweig Group is the leading research, publishing, and consulting resource for architecture, engineering, planning, and environmental consulting firms. With a mission to elevate the industry through improving the business performance of consulting firms in the industry, Zweig Group has on-staff experts in strategy, mergers and acquisitions, business valuation, ownership transition, marketing, business development, market research, financial management, project management, recruiting and executive search. Zweig Group also provides a comprehensive suite of products including newsletters, industry reports, executive training, business conferences and more covering virtually every aspect of firm management. The firm has offices in Dallas, Houston, and Fayetteville and works throughout the U.S and worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.zweiggroup.com or call (800) 466-6275.