Merrill Field Airport Improvements:
Rehabilitate Primary Access Road Project.
Left to right:
Erik Jordt
Mark Swenson
Rick Opsahl
Erin Falldorf

his year HDL Engineering Consultants is celebrating a historic milestone—its 20-year anniversary. The longevity of the Alaska-based firm is a testament to its focus on offering creative solutions with quality, integrity, teamwork, respect, and positivity. HDL provides government and private-sector entities with civil, geotechnical, and transportation engineering, environmental services, surveying, planning, and material testing. “Our clients come to us with problems; we develop solutions that fit their budget and meet their objectives,” says Principal Engineer and General Manager Mark Swenson.

HDL has built a strong reputation for providing extremely responsive and excellent service. Consequently, the multi-discipline engineering firm has maintained a consistent client base. “We are proud to say that we still serve many of the same clients that we did when we first started,” Swenson says.

HDL goes above and beyond for its clients. It works with clients as a team to understand the problem and devise a solution that will meet their needs in the long run. “They have to live with and operate the systems we design after the project ends,” Swenson says. “We take that seriously and try to design something that’s durable and results in decreased maintenance costs.”

The diligence HDL pours into its work reflects a deep appreciation for customer relationships. “Our clients are our friends. They’re people that we see around town,” Swenson explains. Additionally, HDL cares deeply about its projects. “We work a lot with rural communities that often have limited capacity to fund future improvements,” he says. “So they may only get one opportunity to construct a new facility or improve an existing system—we don’t take that lightly.”

Averaging seventy-five employees in its Anchorage and Matanuska-Susitna offices, HDL maintains a team of experienced engineers, land surveyors, environmental scientists, administrative staff, and engineering technicians. These employees are the key to HDL’s success. Swenson explains: “We hire people who care. We empower them to follow their passions and support them along the way.”

To remain competitive, HDL keeps in front of the technology that facilitates its surveying, material testing, design, and drafting work. While the company has transitioned from its original ownership structure, it maintains the same values of its founders—Scott Hattenburg and Lorie Dilley, who launched the firm in 2000—and Dennis Linnell, who joined in 2002. “We have used our values as a foundation to grow and service new clients and markets,” Swenson says. “Our principals are working principals who are involved at the project level, ensuring these values are instilled in the work we provide.”

HDL provides responsible infrastructure solutions by engaging clients, empowering employees, and exceeding expectations. The company’s vision is to make Alaska better, be the preferred firm for clients, and provide a great place to work. Given its solid clients base and Best Firms to Work For awards, HDL is doing just that—and looking toward the future. Swenson says, “We have provided exceptional engineering service for the past twenty years, and we are excited to continue doing the same in the future.”