Skip to content
Since 1981

Like many great businesses, SWCA has humble beginnings.

From an empty closet in Flagstaff to a global leader in environmental consultation, see how SWCA has grown.

Photo of Steven W. Carothers

1981

A Man, a Plan, and a Closet

In 1980, Dr. Steven W. Carothers (the “SWC” in SWCA) was working as Curator of Biology at the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff when the museum suffered budget cuts and eliminated his department. Not wanting to leave clients hanging, Steve got permission to complete outstanding projects, including extensive research on the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park. Steve needed an office, and his friend John Running, a renowned photographer, offered him an empty closet in a corner of his studio on San Francisco Street. From that tiny space, Steve’s client list grew.
Previous SWCA Logo

1984

Steven W. Carothers & Associates becomes SWCA, Inc.

By 1984, with several employees in Flagstaff (having moved from the closet to a stand-alone office on Humphreys Street), Steve decided to incorporate his fledgling business as SWCA, Inc. Environmental Consultants. Later that same year, a Tucson office was opened and several additional staff were hired. While the Flagstaff office continued to work on federal projects, the Tucson office was more oriented towards private sector work, primarily biological studies for land development clients.
Archaeologist

1988

Introducing Cultural Resources

By 1988, SWCA had grown to approximately 20 employees. While we were offering a suite of natural resource consulting services, we continued to subcontract cultural resources work to other firms. Later that year, the opportunity presented itself when the Museum of Northern Arizona terminated its archaeology program. SWCA quickly hired archaeologists from that program (and others).

Becoming Employee-Owned

SWCA’s reputation was now firmly established throughout the Southwest. By 1991, we expanded to offices in Albuquerque, Austin, and Salt Lake City; and we recorded $5 million in annual revenue – 10 times the revenue we earned just five years before. The client base continued to expand to include projects across California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas, and Utah necessitating office openings in those states. In 1998, SWCA began the transition to employee ownership, and by the year 2000, we were 100 percent employee-owned.

2001

Acquisition of RMW Paleo Associates

RMW Paleo Associates – a paleontology and cultural resources firm in Mission Viejo, CA – was acquired, establishing SWCA’s first office in California.

2001

Adopting a New Logo and Tagline

As the company grew, we modernized the look of our logo and added the tagline that we still use today:
Sound Science. Creative Solutions.

2004

Acquisition of Fishman Environmental Services

Looking to expand into Portland, SWCA acquired the well-established firm of Fishman Environmental Services.

2008

Acquisition of Morro Group

In 2008, SWCA acquired the San Luis Obispo-based Morro Group, specializing in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance.

2008

Acquisition of PHRI

Having already taken on projects in the Pacific, SWCA solidified our presence by acquiring the Guam arm of PHRI, a cultural resources consulting firm based in Hawaii.

2009

Acquisition of Environmental Performance Group

In 2009, SWCA acquired Environmental Performance Group, which allowed SWCA to offer sustainability services.

2014

Acquisition of Turnstone Consulting

SWCA expanded our West Coast presence in 2014 with the acquisition of Turnstone Consulting, an environmental planning firm in San Francisco.

2016

Acquisition of NEE

In 2016, SWCA acquired NEE Inc., in Amherst, Massachusetts, expanding our operations to the Northeast for the first time and growing our services to include ecological design, soft engineering, and landscape architecture.

2018

Joseph J. Fluder, III Selected as CEO

In February 2018, with the retirement of John Thomas, the board of directors selected Joseph J. Fluder, III, then Vice President and COO, to become SWCA's CEO. Joseph joined SWCA in 2003 as a water resources and GIS specialist in the Albuquerque office. He’s held a variety of technical, client-focused, and leadership positions throughout his time and remains engaged with clients, business development, and project execution to this day.

2019

Expanding in Massachusetts

SWCA further expanded in the Northeast with the addition of a Greater Boston office, allowing SWCA to better support our eastern New England clients and continue to attract talent from a wider geography.

2019

Acquisition of REAP

In 2019, SWCA expanded our presence in the Carolinas by acquiring REAP, a renewable energy and historic preservation firm. This acquisition expanded our capabilities in renewable energy and cultural resources, and allowed the company to better serve clients throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

2021

Acquisition of Sycamore Environmental

Adding further depth and breadth to our expertise and services, SWCA acquired Sycamore Environmental Consultants in Sacramento, California.

2021

Acquisition of Onsite Environmental Consulting

As SWCA expanded into the Southeast, we brought more environmental experts into reach for our clients across the country with the acquisition Onsite Environmental Consulting in Jacksonville, Florida.

Planet, People, and Partnerships

SWCA introduced a new Sustainability Framework and we continue to pursue a positive environmental and social impact for our employees, clients, and communities through sustainability, inclusion & diversity efforts, and strategic partnerships with diverse subcontractors.

2022

Adding Spill Response and NRDA Services

SWCA’s presence and service offerings in the Mid-Atlantic expanded significantly with the addition of an established group of environmental consulting professionals in the Philadelphia area who have worked together for more than 20 years and bring more than 200 years of combined Strategic Response Management and Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) experience.

2023

Acquisition of Terra Verde Environmental Consulting

Early in 2023, SWCA acquired Terra Verde Environmental Consulting, a well-respected firm based in San Luis Obispo, California. This acquisition expanded our central California footprint and natural resource services including biological surveys and monitoring, ecological scent-detection dogs, habitat restoration, and environmental training, permitting, and compliance.

2023

Acquisition of ALO Advisors

In 2023, SWCA acquired ALO Advisors LLC, an international management consulting firm focused on sustainability advisory services for clients across a wide range of industries. This acquisition strengthened our position as a strategic advisor and expands our presence globally. Together, we provide end-to-end, full lifecycle support to our clients from strategy to science to implementation.

2024

Acquisition of River Design Group

SWCA expanded our restoration expertise in 2024 with the acquisition of River Design Group (RDG), a leading ecosystem and river restoration firm. This milestone bolstered our technical capabilities in stream, river, and wetland restoration, dam removal, fish passage, watershed assessments, remote sensing, and land surveying across the western U.S.

What's next for SWCA?

We've built our name and reputation by delivering Sound Science and Creative Solutions to our clients around the world. As we look ahead to continued growth in key markets and geographies, we keep our eyes trained on our North Star — to be the best workplace and global leader addressing sustainability, environmental, and social challenges.

We can't wait for you to see what tomorrow has in store for SWCA.

See How We Can Address Your Needs

Our Website uses cookies. Cookies are small text files held on your computer that help us understand how you use our Website. Our cookies do not store any personal information about you, and you can delete and block cookies via your browser settings at any time. By clicking “Ok” you agree to accept our use of cookies. Learn more by reviewing our privacy policy.