Olathe-based Terracon expands in Upper Midwest

Acquisition mode

Terracon Consultants Inc. has acquired a pair of soils testing and materials laboratories, one in Vernon Hills, Ill., and one in Green Bay, Wisc.

They were previously owned by AECOM, a Los Angeles-based engineering and architectural consulting firm. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Olathe-based Terracon, which provides enginnering services, said it will retain three employees working in those offices. Terracon said the acquisition allows it to expand its services in the region, which includes offices in Milwaukee, Chicago, and Naperville, Ill.

Employee-owned Terracon has more than 3,500 employees in 150 offices in 42 states.

Coca-Cola scholar

Cooper Yerby, a senior at Olathe North High School, has been awarded a $20,000 college scholarship from the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. Yerby was selected from a group of nearly 103,000 initial applicants. The scholarship is one of the largest corporate-sponsored, achievement-based programs in the United States.

Lawrence water bonds

Moody’s Investors Service has assigned an Aa2 rating to the city of Lawrence’s $90.7 million in water and sewage system revenue bonds. Moody’s said the rating represents the system’s stability, which is partly provided by its largest customer, the University of Kansas. The rating service said its investment grade also reflects the water and sewage system’s “solid financial oprations and a history of annual rate increases that supports the ongoing capital improvement plan.”

The Star

This story was originally published April 14, 2015 at 2:00 AM with the headline "Olathe-based Terracon expands in Upper Midwest."