May is Michael Baker International’s Founding Month. Over the past 84 years, our firm has established a strong tradition of Making a Difference, and we have evolved and grown to ensure we make an even greater impact for future generations. As part of our Founding Month celebrations, we caught up with each of the Presidents of our five distinct Verticals - Infrastructure, Design-Build Services, Federal Programs and Services, Consulting and Technology Solutions (CTS) and Sustainable and Resilient Solutions (SRS) – to discuss Michael Baker’s past, present and future.
First up, we have Dan Kieny, President, Consulting and Technology Solutions for Michael Baker International. In this role, Dan focuses on technology differentiation and innovation to support growth initiatives, identifies and incubates technologies and maximizes opportunities with consulting and technology-based solutions.
Michael Baker: What is a significant change that you’ve seen at Michael Baker during your career here?
Dan Kieny: At Michael Baker, we are a Wolf Pack of one. While our 4,000 employees may sit across diverse Practices in more than 85 offices, we all work toward the same goal – solving complex infrastructure challenges for our clients.
Since joining Michael Baker in 2020, I have seen increased collaboration between Regions and Practices. Our offices and teams are thinking about enterprise outcomes that outweigh local needs. This means we are bringing together the best team to address the needs of our clients, no matter where our experts are located geographically or the Practice they report to.
Additionally, our Practices span all key areas of infrastructure. Our team has added value to our clients by introducing the bigger Michael Baker to them and highlighting the services we have in-house that can help them achieve their objectives. This allows for greater cohesion and streamlining of activities as we work toward solutions that Make a Difference.
Michael Baker: What is an important trend happening in our industry where Michael Baker can have a major impact in the future?
Dan Kieny: Increasingly, engineering companies are investing in technology and even buying technology companies to evolve their business models, generate new revenue streams and gain an advantage in the market.
Michael Baker has built its legacy on a diverse culture of innovation, and as technology evolves, so do we. As we look at trends, data collection and management approaches will define the future of the engineering business. Data will inform everything we do for our clients – which includes engineering, modeling, investment prioritization, operational support, maintenance, re-design, Digital Twins and more.
We will continue to utilize multi-use data – like geographic information systems (GIS) addressing, which Michael Baker has a rich history in – that can move between Public Safety markets and Infrastructure clients with projects within our Transportation and Planning Practices.
Michael Baker: What advice do you have for our fellow Wolf Pack members as we continue to write new chapters in our company’s legacy of excellence?
Dan Kieny: Collaboration has enabled our success for 84 years and will continue to push us into the future. Our employees should build knowledge communities by interacting with their coworkers on best and innovative practices and identifying new ways of working that leverage the best available technologies, while also setting a standard for others to follow.
In other words – build something great and share it with others.
Michael Baker: What are the biggest opportunities for Michael Baker this year?
Dan Kieny: We have a great opportunity to hire additional staff that will complement our already stellar talent pool. These new members of our Wolf Pack will work with our Practices to support us to Evolve, Grow and Improve as we deliver exceptional solutions to our clients.
Michael Baker: ‘What’s Next’ for your vertical?
Dan Kieny: In relation to DATAMARK, Michael Baker’s public safety GIS team, we know that seconds matter in emergency situations. While we have made great strides in GIS mapping, for most facilities, indoor mapping data is either unavailable or completely outdated.
So, ‘what’s next’ is that we are working with clients to prioritize the creation and accessibility of indoor maps, ultimately ensuring safer facilities. DATAMARK’s indoor mapping solution provides users with a secure platform to create, manage and view highly accurate indoor data with tools to facilitate effective exit planning, easy access to emergency assets and improved incident response.
Michael Baker: Tell us about a “Making a Difference Moment” that exemplifies how our Wolf Pack is Making a Difference for our company, our clients and/or our communities.
Dan Kieny: Allegany County, Maryland, selected DATAMARK to provide indoor mapping services and solutions designed to increase situational awareness and public safety indoors. This work has put indoor maps for more than 25 critical infrastructure facilities into the hands of 9-1-1 call takers and first responders. It is an example of how we continue to revolutionize public safety and affirm our commitment to ensuring safety in the communities we serve.
