Robert Kimball started his engineering firm in 1953 as a one-man shop, with the support of about $800 and a used car.
Today, he’s the chairman and chief executive officer of L. Robert Kimball & Associates, a 450-employee design and engineering services firm in Ebensberg. The full-service firm offers all services in architecture and engineering, building systems, civil and environmental services, mapping sciences, telecommunications and technology, transportation services and design-build. It operates 13 offices in 11 locations, including Pittsburgh and Moon Township, and does business in 32 states.
Kimball financed his business with the help of nearly $2 million in SBA-backed loans between 1973 and 1981. Those loans were used primarily to increase his staff and purchase state-of-the-art technology.
The company has won numerous awards, including a recent one in honor of Earth Day 2000 from the American Institute of Architects, in recognition of its design of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s new regional office building, currently under construction in Ebensburg. The building was one of 10 nationwide selected for designs that protect and enhance the environment.
Ray Marano
