Entuitive Celebrates 15th Anniversary: 15 Highlights that Shaped Our Firm
- Communications Entuitive
- 10 hours ago
- 9 min read
When Entuitive was founded in 2011, smartphones were not yet mainstream, Instagram was newborn, and TikTok didn’t exist. The last 15 years have witnessed rapid change, and we’re no exception.
Since our inception, Entuitive has evolved and grown into a success story. What started as an engineering company that wanted to operate differently has transformed into a purpose-led, passion-fuelled, multi-disciplinary, award-winning engineering, building envelope, and sustainability & performance firm with a global portfolio.
You only turn 15 once in a lifetime, so our 15th anniversary presents a rare opportunity to look back, celebrate our origins, and consider the pivotal highlights that elevated Entuitive into a leading organization.
Origins of Our One Company Ethos
2010-2011
“All for one, one for all.”
This timeless rallying cry inspired the One Company ethos that CEO Brock Schroeder and Barry Charnish envisioned during the early conversations that shaped Entuitive. A small group of former colleagues aimed to start a new kind of firm, and the famous phrase from Alexandre Dumas’ The Three Musketeers encapsulated their vision.
From the very beginning, we built our model on collective decision making and assembling the best talent for every project. This approach ensured clients would receive consistent, high-quality solutions no matter their location, and employees were given a diverse experience without geographic boundaries. This way of working has fostered an agile, efficient, and innovative culture, positioning us to deliver exceptional results every time.
Engineering By a New Name
2011
The name Entuitive emerged early, at a pivotal moment, when the small group of engineers and advisors were setting out to build something deliberately different in an industry defined by sameness. At the time, the engineering landscape was crowded with firms that looked, sounded, and positioned themselves almost identically - functionally competent, but indistinguishable. The challenge was not simply to name a new firm, but to give it an identity that signaled a fundamentally different way of thinking about engineering and professional services.
Several unconventional options were explored. Names that stood apart from industry norms and provoked curiosity rather than conformity. What ultimately resonated was Entuitive: a name that captured the idea that engineering is not only technical and rigorous, but also deeply intuitive. The name conveys a distinct impression of keen insight, sound judgment, strategic creativity, and human intelligence - qualities rarely claimed so explicitly in the sector, yet essential to doing meaningful, high-impact work.
Engineering Our Culture
2010-2011
Before Entuitive engaged with our first client and project, we had a substantial decision to consider: what kind of company are we building?
Defining our culture involved more than our purpose and philosophy. Choosing how we pursue our purpose and develop our potential would set the tone for how we view our own firm, the public impression we create, and the way we deliver successful projects for clients.
Early on, creativity, collaboration, and a technically advanced approach would emerge as foundational values that remain embedded today. These values, along with our shared mindset, are mutually reinforcing. Being creative requires courage, the willingness to challenge convention, and the desire to discover better solutions, with a practical humility that keeps our ideas grounded in listening and learning.
A collaborative approach is powered by empathy, enabling us to understand diverse perspectives, build trust, and achieve stronger outcomes together. And to be truly advanced, we must pair technical excellence and innovation with the humility to evolve and the courage to lead change responsibly.
Winning Manhattan West
2011
Just three days after Entuitive was founded, we secured a contract for the Manhattan West Platform with Brookfield Properties. We were retained to design the foundations, platform support beams, and develop a structural design for the long-span platform.
The opportunity to collaborate with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Architects and coordinate with Amtrak and the Long Island Railway foreshadowed a future of rich partnerships with outstanding owners, clients, and partners.
Manhattan West Platform also afforded the opportunity to showcase our creativity and innovation on a large scale. To construct this 240-foot-span platform, we utilized post-tensioned precast technology, a solution rarely applied to commercial construction projects.
Punching Above Our Weight
2011-Present
Manhattan West represented the first time we demonstrated our reputation as a young, smaller firm with the confidence to compete against firms of a heavier weight class. That early success set the tone for what has become a consistent pattern ever since.
Our creative, uncompromising approach enabled us to outperform large, multi-disciplinary groups and deliver results that exceed expectations for complex projects, such as:
Punching above our weight in an industry of heavyweight firms was key to cementing our reputation and building our influence in major markets and has been part of our approach since our earliest win.
Growing Our Capabilities, One Discipline at a Time
2012
In 2011, Brock Schroeder and Sean Smith approached Mike Lembke and David Thompson to pitch an idea: expanding Entuitive by adding Building Envelope Services to our portfolio. Our clients had been asking for it, and after working together in previous firms, Brock and Sean knew that Mike and David were the ideal choices to complement existing structural services with building envelope consulting.
On February 20, 2012, Mike and David joined as the 22nd and 23rd employees of Entuitive. This was the day our organization officially transformed into a multidisciplinary firm. Now, our Building Envelope Services team of 43 experts exists in all six Canadian offices.
Mapping Our Growth One City at a Time
2016-2022
Over the years, Entuitive has taken bold steps to set up shop in cities close to where clients most need our services. We added an office in Edmonton in 2016 , Vancouver in 2017, and Ottawa in 2022. These offices supported our commitment to proximity and partnership across multiple metropolitan areas.
Offices in strategic locations like Lethbridge, London, and New York enabled our presence and participation in multiple major projects. These offices contributed to the growth and reputation of Entuitive before we refocused our resources away from these locales.
These expansions weren’t just about geography; they reinforced our vision and refined our culture and identity. We confidently committed to calculated risks, stepping into new markets to ensure the delivery of exceptional service wherever our clients operate.
Changing Lanes and Accelerating Growth
2018
At the pivotal 2018 Corporate Meeting, Michael Meschino and Mike Hillcoat introduced the idea of starting a Transportation Group at Entuitive. Initially, this proposal was met with uncertainty. We were known primarily as a structural engineering consultancy, so the impact of this shift on our core focus was not yet known. Would an expanded scope fundamentally change our identity?
Eight years later, our transportation services have become one of the most successful areas of our business, delivering landmark projects and expanding our capabilities to strengthen our identity instead of diluting our focus. Projects such as the Gardiner Expressway rehabilitation, Port Lands flood protection, Union Station enhancement, and the Nipigon River Bridge bolstered our reputation as a multidisciplinary firm that contributes to the betterment of communities.
From High-rises to Highways: The Acquisition of Brown and Co.
2019
A long-standing relationship between Michael Meschino and Stephen Brown of the firm Brown and Co. paved the way for an acquisition that would fundamentally expand the capabilities of Entuitive. When Michael and Stephen connected, it wasn’t just about growth; it was about possibility.
Brown & Co. brought deep expertise in bridge and transportation engineering, aspects of Entuitive that had yet to be fully realized. Integrating the knowledge and experience of Brown & Co. would be a cornerstone for launching our dedicated transportation team, opening doors to new markets, clients, and opportunities to innovate.
This acquisition added more than a service to our portfolio; it added a new dimension to our identity. We demonstrated that Entuitive is not afraid to evolve, expand, and invest in a better future.
Success Built On Trust and Lasting Relationships
2011-Present
Three days after Entuitive formed, the phone rang with an opportunity to solve a complex problem. The client, Brookfield Properties, knew who to trust with what felt like an unsolvable problem, so they called the new firm with three guys and one computer. This call would result in the Manhattan West platform becoming our first project.
Entuitive’s placemaking, company-defining projects, such as Calgary Central Library, Port Lands Bridges in Toronto, and 550 Washington in NYC, exemplify how our strongest client relationships have been built on trust. These projects provided valuable opportunities to build lasting relationships where we work creatively as partners and demonstrate our consistent availability to support clients with timely solutions to problems.
Building Inclusion by Design
2020
Creating an inclusive workplace doesn’t happen accidentally. Committing to principles of inclusion, diversity, and belonging (IDB) was an intentional choice to evolve our culture and solidify our identity.
Internally, we always knew that Entuitive would be an inclusive environment. However, we realized the importance of externally communicating our commitment. This is why we established four IDB Pillars of Gender Balance, EnPride, EnAble, and Multicultural & Indigenous.
We strive for a workplace environment that empowers our employees’ authentic voice, creates a safe space for dialogue, and celebrates diversity that makes us stronger together. The four IDB pillars show a commitment to building a culture where everyone belongs, where differences are celebrated, and where inclusion drives innovation. At Entuitive, diversity is strength.
Building a Better Future with B Corp Certification
2024
In 2024, Entuitive officially joined B Corp, a global movement of businesses that align with our rigorous standards for social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Recognition as a B Corp company shows proof that our passion extends beyond our projects to encompass environmental and social stewardship of people and our planet. In North America, we’re one of only 24 companies in the industry to earn this designation.
Achieving B Corp certification cemented our role as a purpose-driven company. We proved that engineering excellence and positive Environmental, Social, and Governance outcomes can thrive hand-in-hand. Embedding sustainability and social impact into everything we do further strengthened our purpose-driven culture of accountability and uncompromising performance.
Making the Decision to Grow
2023
After more than a decade of steady success, we recognized that the strategy and processes that propelled our initial expansion would need to change in order to take us into the next phase of our growth. During a shareholder meeting in 2023, the leadership team experienced a poignant, “hands on heart” moment where we made a conscious choice to prioritize growth through a series of new, strategic choices. We would be intentional in what we would pursue and focus on making choices that align with the company we want to become.
We decided to direct our focus and discipline to grow through engaging work that creates value for our people, our clients, and our communities. The strength of our reputation, the quality of our team, and our continuous pursuit of technical excellence and creative solutions enabled an intentional decision to prioritize sustainable growth. These choices will continue to lead us on a path toward our vision for the future of Entuitive.
Staying Ahead of the Curve
2025
‘Advanced’ is one of our core cultural values, signifying our commitment to staying ahead of the curve, including our technical knowledge, industry insight, project experience, and ability to develop creative design solutions that deliver performance advantages. We embrace a digital-first approach, leveraging customized and bespoke software, parametric design, and data-driven modelling to realize quantifiable benefits for our clients.
Our digital acumen has enabled us to perform model-based shop drawing reviews that shorten schedules and increase certainty. In some of our earlier projects, such as the Hudson Yard Platform and the Calgary Central Library, we utilized 3D modelling and simulations to rapidly maximize the value of challenging sites.
Our commitment to being advanced also enhances how we help clients evaluate their options for projects both simple and complicated. Accelerating insight generation with connected, data-enabled processes is fundamental to ‘optioneering’, providing relevant, timely options in pursuit of specific project objectives.
Investing in the Future: Entuitive Launches New Scholarship
2026
In 2026, we’re launching a $10,000 scholarship for structural engineering students enrolled at Canadian universities to celebrate our 15th anniversary. Applications will open in spring 2026 for the fall academic year, giving aspiring engineers an opportunity to pursue their studies with additional financial support.
Now that we’re established as an industry leader, we believe it’s time to invest in the next generation of engineers who will tackle the complex challenges of tomorrow’s built environment. This scholarship reflects our commitment to supporting students who share our values of curiosity, problem-solving, and transcending boundaries.
By contributing to the growth of the engineering community, we aim to develop passionate, innovative thinkers who view engineering as a creative discipline.