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Visionary. Franceschini is executing Stantec’s ambitious growth plan but at his own pace. (Photo by John Ulan, Epic Photography Inc. )

FEATURE/COVER

At recent investor analyst conferences to which Stantec Inc. officials have been invited–along with their competitors, publicly traded and better known U.S. engineers and contractors–CEO Tony Franceschini still finds himself seated in the back of the room.

Even with years of consistent revenue growth, market expansion, profitability and stock price increase, Edmonton-based Stantec is still not perceived as a prime-time player in global design and investor circles. That is about to change. With Stantec’s biggest acquisition yet, of Irvine, Calif.-based The Keith Cos., and its new U.S. stock listing both set to close in August, the enlarged firm should catapult to a front-row seat at the next analyst dog-and-pony-show.

NEWS

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By then, Stantec will have revenue well in excess of $500 million, enough to move from No. 43 on this year’s list of Top International Design Firms, to within the Top 20. It will have close to 5,000 employees in North America and the Caribbean, expertise or dominance in markets ranging from wastewater treatment engineering to architecture to master planning and about 4 million new shares for sale on the U.S. market.