We are a Community Design Firm…
AWESOME YEARS
COOL, SMART, TALENTED PEOPLE
SHARED PURPOSE
It all started with 3 guys in a garage…
A three-person civil engineering and surveying firm began making its mark on Montana with a single purpose: To Plan and Design Enduring Communities. As the community of Billings grew, so did the firm – hiring more engineers, moving to bigger offices, and eventually, opening branch offices across the region.
With 50 years in our rear view, we have learned a thing or two about the power of a collaborative design team. We saw how communities thrived when a diverse group of design professionals worked with a united vision toward common goals. So, we have evolved into a comprehensive community design firm. Today, our Engineers, Surveyors, Landscape Architects, Urban Planners, Multi-modal Transportation Specialists, and Graphic Designers work together with our partners to make our world a better place. Looking forward, we see so much potential to improve lives through community design, and we will continue to grow to meet the challenge.
Looking back, there have been some bumps in the road and a few mountains to climb to get where we are today. But we see so many more opportunities on the road ahead. This year, Sanderson Stewart proudly celebrates 50 years of serving our communities
…and we’re just getting started!
1961
Bob Sanderson begins working for Jack Mueller and Jim O'Brien at Sage Engineers and Land Planners as a rear chainman on a survey crew.
1965
Jack Mueller starts Mueller Engineering in a converted garage on Grand Avenue. Bob works for Jack during vacations from college. 
1967
Jack calls Bob in Seattle, and Bob returns to work for the growing firm after a stint with the Department of the Navy. 
1969
Engineering, Inc. is incorporated and the firm continues to grow at its new location in the Plaza Office Building at 1629 Avenue D in Billings. 
1971
John Stewart returns to join the firm in his hometown of Billings after six years in Iowa. 
1976
Bob and John complete their purchase of the firm from Jack, and Jack retires. 
1984
Rick Leuthold joins the firm as a construction inspector. 
1985
The growing firm moves to a new office in the Homestead Business Park in Billings, and Dennis Randall joins Engineering, Inc. of Wyoming in Sheridan and moves to the Billings office two years later. 
1988
Michael Sanderson, while still in high school, begins working at Engineering, Inc. as a surveyor. 
2002
Michael, Rick and Dennis purchase the firm from Bob and John, but Bob and John remain with the firm as active project managers and members of the Board of Directors. 
2003
Engineering, Inc. moves to its new office in the TransTech Center and helps pioneer Billings’ new state-of-the-art tech park. 
2005
Engineering, Inc. opens a branch office in Bozeman, Montana. Go Bobcats! 
2009
In its 40th year as a company, the firm introduces its new name, Sanderson Stewart. 
2014
Sanderson Stewart wins the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Dream Big, Small Business of the Year Award. 
2015
Sanderson Stewart opens a branch office in Denver, Colorado. 
2016
John Stewart officially retires from Sanderson Stewart. 
2017
John Tufte, PE, re-joins Sanderson Stewart as a Principal. 
2017
Sanderson Stewart launches a Fort Collins, Colorado branch office. 
2017
Dennis Randall, Principal, retires from Sanderson Stewart after 32 years with the firm. 
2017
Danielle Scharf, PE, PTOE, LEED AP is promoted to Principal. 
2019
50 years in the rear view and we are just getting started! FOLLOW THE LEADER –
ADVENTURES AHEAD!
The leadership team at Sanderson Stewart is filled with visionary people who live the core values that Sanderson Stewart was founded on. They are real people who feel passionately about making their neighbors’ lives better through innovative thinking and sound design principles – sometimes that requires forging a new trail, other times it is a familiar path – but…
the journey is never boring!
MICHAEL SANDERSON, PE, PTOE, LEED AP
President | CEO
When not globetrotting for his side job as International President of ITE, Michael and his black lab, Loki, like to run, fish, and watch his kids play volleyball & baseball. Words to live by: “If everything seems under control, you’re just not going fast enough.” –Mario Andretti
RICK LEUTHOLD, PE, CDP, LEED AP
Chairman | Director of Business Development
Rick is a sunshine and rainbows kind of guy. When not traveling the world with his family and his westie, Duffy, Rick is working to make it a better place. That optimism and vision to see opportunity in every challenge is the reason he chose to become a civil engineer.
DANIELLE SCHARF, PE, PTOE, LEED AP
Principal | Bozeman Region Manager
“Remember to always be yourself. Unless you suck.” Luckily for us, Danielle can very much be herself. As our first-ever female stock holder, PTOE, and mom to 2 kiddos and one doggo, she excels at most things. Especially tailgating at Bobcat football games.
MAC FOGELSONG, PE, LEED AP
COO | Municipal Group Manager
As COO, Mac is keenly interested in making things work. In fact, he lives by the motto of “Fail Forward Fast.” Not that he accepts failure, he just understands the design process and he isn’t scared to kiss a few frogs when needed.
JOHN TUFTE, PE
Principal | Colorado Region Manager
Following in the footsteps of an amazing role model, mentor (& father), Erling Tufte, John always knew he was going to be a Civil Engineer. He started his career at Sanderson Stewart (back when it was called Engineering, Inc.) and – after receiving his masters and more than a little project experience – he is back once again. John, along with his golden retriever, Leo, is now managing the Colorado region for SS and looking forward to a lot more experiences. “Get ‘er done!”
ROBERT SANDERSON, PE, PLS
Board Member | Special Projects
Bob has been the North Star of Sanderson Stewart since the beginning. His earnest, cowboy way of getting things done, along with his strong sense of right and wrong have helped to create a great company. And a really rad ’56 suburban we like to call Old Blue.
TIM PIRTZ, PE
Associate Principal | Chief Design Engineer
Tim loves the outdoors, but not extreme temperatures. That is actually one of the reasons he became a civil engineer. While working on a sweltering construction site one summer, he noticed that the engineer observing from his air-conditioned truck, and he knew that was the job for him. It is also the reason you won’t find him and his lab, Libby, ice fishing anytime soon.
KIRK SPALDING, PE
Associate Principal | DOT Group Manager
Uncertain logging industry futures turned into a boon for the traveling public. It inspired this dyed-in-the-wool outdoorsman to seek a career in transportation engineering. When not designing the most roundabouts in a sequence in the country, Kirk and his golden retriever Carley, can be found hunting and fishing. Fish On!
PAT DAVIES, PE, CDP, LEED AP
Associate Principal| Commercial & Residential Groups Manager
As the manager of our development delivery groups, Pat solves daunting problems every day. But that doesn’t scare him, he likes big challenges. He lives by the motto “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger” and, if you have ever seen him in action at the office or shredding the mountain, you know that he is very strong, indeed.
D.J. CLARK, PE, PTOE
Associate | Community Transportation Studio Manager
Lucky for us and the communities he works in, DJ chose transportation engineering over meteorology in college. Still a tornado chaser at heart, DJ and his dogs Dakota, Mazey, Shandy, and Jasper now enjoy hunting safer things like ducks and geese.
KARI ANDREN
Associate | Director of Marketing | Branding Studio Manager
Inspiration can be found everywhere-Vikings games, the shower, or walking the pups, Poppy & Thor on the beach. Keeping your eyes and mind open encourages more creative solutions, no matter where you are. “Lake hair, don’t care.”
AMY SCHNEIDER, MBA, SHRM-SCP
Associate | Director of Human Resources & Administration
“Work for a cause, not for applause.” It couldn’t sum up Amy’s passion to improve people’s lives better. The clean freak in Amy is compelled to fix all our issues and tidy her house. Works out well for her two pups, Macy and Frankie, too.
DOUG PEZOLDT, PLS, CFeDS
Associate| Senior Professional Land Surveyor | Survey Group Manager
“Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities… because it is the quality which guarantees all others.” – Winston Churchill – is Doug’s favorite quote. It makes sense, because he needs lots of courage to wrangle so many surveyors at one time. When not managing the field crews, you can find Doug & his wife of 30 years cheering for his beloved Texas A&M Aggies.
KATIE KAY, PE
Associate | Senior Engineer | Road Discipline Design Leader
Katie specializes in all things DOT, and is our resident Right of Way guru. Born and raised in Billings, Katie loves spending time with her family on the fairways at Yellowstone Country Club. She is an avid Montana State Bobcats fan and legend has it that even her Koi wear blue & gold on game day.
LAUREN WATERTON, AICP
Associate | Senior Planner | Placemaking Studio Manager
Growing up just outside of Rocky Mountain National Park gave Lauren a unique perspective on the built environment and its integration with nature. She balances her love of outdoor activities and her fascination with the complexities of city growth to create great, active communities. She also balances on a unicycle, but that’s a story for another day.
BRYAN ALEXANDER, PE
Associate | Senior Engineer | Project Manager
Bryan enjoys solving problems and creating lasting memories. Which is why he chose to be an engineer AND a professional photographer. With his family and cat, Baxter, he lives by the saying: “Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn.” No challenge is too daunting. Not even being the crazy cat person in a dog-filled office.
JEFF HEIDNER, PE, CFM
Associate| Senior Project Manager
When Jeff saw how engineering can make people’s lives better on a trip to India, he knew it was the job for him. And since his brother and uncle were already engineers working for Sanderson Stewart, he knew he had a place where he could help to make the world a better place. When he is not saving the world, or helping on the family farm – you can probably find Jeff enjoying his family with a (really, really) good cup of coffee.
MARK HOLLE, CPA
Associate | Director of Finance & Accounting
Mark’s favorite saying is “Nothing is ever easy,” so it makes sense that he is a CPA. It ain’t easy keeping a bunch of inspired designers on track financially. Apparently, golf isn’t easy for him either, but he doesn’t let that stop him from swinging.
GARY OWEN, PE
Associate | Senior Engineer | Project Manager
If you go boating with Gary, you had better be ready to sing some Conway Twitty songs. He isn’t afraid to share his love of “old” country music. Other things he loves include the MSU Bobcats; his yellow lab, Charlie; and math – which is what lead him to his (soon to be) legendary civil engineering career.
WE HAVE A VISION…
of being ridiculously good at what we do without taking ourselves too seriously. We call this vision Ridiculocity and CSTP are the key.
AWARDS + RECOGNITION
We are proud to be recognized as a leader in our industry and beyond. Our innovative business and design practices have created a fun, challenging, and creative work environment that allows our Cool, Smart, Talented Professionals (CSTP) to shine. As partners in the design process, Sanderson Stewart continually looks for ways to make our clients’ projects and experiences ridiculously great.
We have fun, and sometimes receive a little recognition while doing it!
