RPA was founded by Robert (Bob) Peccia in 1978. In 1991, Bob initiated the transition to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) as part of his eventual retirement plan. The first shares of the company were sold to employees in 1995 and by December 2009, RPA became the second 100% employee-owned engineering firm in Montana. Today, we proudly celebrate employee ownership alongside 31 other Montana companies, standing out as one of only 7 employee-owned engineering firms in the state.
In 1982, the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) began recognizing Employee Ownership Week to encourage companies to celebrate being employee-owned. A couple of years later, The ESOP Association (TEA) embraced the idea, recognizing October as Employee Ownership (EO) month across the county. Since then, EO month has gained attention from local press, congressional representatives, and local leaders. In 2013, Governor Steve Bullock officially recognized October as Employee Stock Ownership Month in Montana.
Employee Ownership Month provides an opportunity to recognize our achievements and celebrate what it means to be employee owners. This year is particularly special as we mark 15 years of being 100% employee-owned! As we reach this milestone, it’s a perfect time to reflect on our beginnings and celebrate how far we’ve come as a company and as employee owners.
RPA began over 45 years ago when Montana State University graduate Robert Peccia took a leap of faith to open an engineering firm with just 8 employees, including himself, in a tiny downtown Helena office. Today, we’ve grown to 75 employees across three offices in Helena, Bozeman, and Kalispell. Our diverse team includes engineers, planners, surveyors, designers, technicians, and administrative professionals from across the country, and we’re especially proud to have 47 graduates from Montana colleges and universities on our current staff!
What began as a small firm focused solely on transportation and planning has evolved into a comprehensive provider of Civil Engineering, Land Surveying, Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE), Structures, and GIS services. Our talented staff has successfully tackled projects of all sizes nationwide, proudly serving more than 70 cities and towns, 40 counties, and 20 states. We collaborate seamlessly with other engineering firms across the Mountain-West, handling contracts that range from small municipal projects to large, complex regional initiatives. Last year, our Water/Wastewater group successfully completed the impressive Whitefish Wastewater Treatment project, which utilizes Aerobic Granular Sludge Technology for quick, cost-effective, and cleaner wastewater treatment. As of January 2023, Whitefish boasts one of only four active plants of this type in the U.S.!
As our company has grown in size, so have our technologies and equipment. In the early days, our “fleet” consisted of Bob’s personal Honda and a beat-up Datsun hatchback, affectionately known as the “dustpan.” Fast forward to today, and we have a robust fleet of 21 vehicles, including trucks, SUVs, and hybrids, ensuring we get where we need to go efficiently and safely. Back then, all drafting was done by hand, and “state-of-the-art” meant an IBM programmable typewriter with a changeable font head. We’ve fully embraced technological advancements and now utilize a wide range of survey, testing, traffic, and GIS equipment, enabling us to collect accurate data for our clients, inform critical decisions, ensure compliance with building codes, and deliver exceptional results.
As we celebrate this significant company milestone, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to every member of the RPA family and our valued clients. Your trust and collaboration have been instrumental in our success. Together, let’s continue this journey, embrace new challenges, and reach even greater heights in the years to come!
