Tepa Companies Celebrates 20 Years in Business
Over the past year, the Tepa Companies have celebrated an incredible milestone: 20 years of business and the successful completion of thousands of projects. To commemorate the occasion, employees came together for a company-wide celebration, looking back over the years and relating the Tepa story. Our Kansas City employees marked the 20th anniversary with an office luncheon, and all company employees received a commemorative gift, including a Tepa Companies challenge coin. The coin recognizes the Tepa milestone and the contributions of all our past and present employees.
Established in 2005, Tepa grew from small teams across the country focused on federal environmental contracting into what it is today: a suite of companies providing services across engineering and environment, technology, industrial, and construction sectors supporting projects nationwide.
In the early days, employees wore multiple hats, worked with limited resources, and jumped headfirst into any opportunity to move the company forward. Jennifer Ludwig captured it best: “In those early days, no job was too big or too small. We answered phones, cleaned toilets, and did whatever it took to get the job done,” Jenn said. “When someone finally got a hold of a project, it was a big deal. With so few of us, everybody kicked in to help.”
Through the late 2000s and 2010s, Tepa expanded steadily across the country, starting with environmental work and small-scale construction services projects, with most revenue initially coming through 8(a) contracting. However, Tepa management had a more ambitious goal, and the company set out to compete head-to-head in the industry. Within a few years, the results spoke for themselves. Steve Hvizdzak, a Tepa pioneer and former CEO who now serves as Senior Vice President of Strategic Corporate Initiatives, said proudly, “Eighty-some percent of our work is competitively won” and “We can compete against anybody.”
Today, 20 years into its story, the Tepa Companies impact spans to military installations, federal facilities, and communities nationwide. The company has strengthened infrastructure; supported national defense; modernized government systems; completed environmental cleanup and restoration; and delivered geospatial, industrial, and technical solutions. Most importantly, Tepa has created careers and opportunities for hundreds of employees while supporting our owning tribe, the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, in building long-term economic sustainability.
Today, over 20 years since Tepa’s founding, the Tepa Companies continue to evolve and grow in the construction, engineering and environmental, industrial, and technology markets. We celebrate this milestone and look forward to the next 20 years.
