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20 YEARS OF TGE

  • Writer: Brian Sielaff, M.S.C.E., P.E., S.E., P. Eng.
    Brian Sielaff, M.S.C.E., P.E., S.E., P. Eng.
  • May 22
  • 8 min read

AT A CROSSROAD

In 2003, Brian J. Sielaff found himself at a crossroad. Working for a structural engineering firm, he recognized a growing demand for engineering services in log and timber projects and, with the blessings of his employer, launched a part-time niche business that he operated on weekends and evenings. Despite the initial success of this part-time endeavor, Brian decided to shelve his side business to open a new office in Boise for another engineering firm. By 2007, feeling unfulfilled and yearning to return to his passion, Brian, with wife Bonnie onboard, took the leap to establish TGE as a full-time venture. In May 2007, just three months before Bonnie gave birth to their fourth child, the couple opened TGE’s doors with a commitment to prioritize relationships over profits. The firm grew quickly and by the end of 2007, TGE had grown from two to five employees with five main clients. And then, the 2008-09 recession hit with a vengeance. Almost overnight, three of those main clients closed their doors.


“Tamarack Grove’s roots in Boise, Idaho were planted in 2003 out of an opportunity to serve a need within the industry and a desire to lead with purpose and do things differently. The firm’s client-centric approach to structural engineering, design, and problem-solving combined with a concentration on building authentic relationships results in a greater experience for clients and our people.” — Brian Sielaff, CEO

THE SUITE SPOT

Almost a year into the recession TGE only had 30 completed projects on the books and the Sielaffs took a hard look at the future. With their office lease expiring, they made the decision to downsize and build an office in their backyard eventually dubbed “Suite B” which became TGE’s new home for the next four years. Despite becoming a staff of two once again, their resilience and dedication paid off when they welcomed their first part-time intern, Doug Hardin, to the 16’ x 24’ Suite B office in 2011. Per plan, Doug worked through the summer, returning to Boise State University to complete his senior year. Although Brian had informed Doug that there was no full-time position for him, he promised to help him secure employment elsewhere. But Doug wasn’t giving up that easily — he wanted to work full time at TGE and wasn’t taking “no” for an answer. With an offer to work for free, Brian and Bonnie were asked by Doug to pray about their final decision. Furthermore, after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in May of 2012, Doug was hired as TGE’s first full-time employee out of the recession.


2003

TGE launched as a part-time heavy timber engineering firm

2007

TGE grows to a full-time firm

2009

Founded Suite B in backyard

2013

Work on ark encounter begins

2014

$1 million dollar revenue firm

THE CALL THAT CHANGED IT ALL

Once Doug was on board, additional hires were made and the growing firm of five could no longer be accommodated in Suite B. With an office that was too small, no printing capabilities located on site, and a decision to be made, the partners reached another critical crossroad. Still smarting from lessons learned during the recession, they had to decide whether to remain in the backyard limited by Suite B’s size, or if they were willing to leave their 30-yard commute behind and find larger office space and hire additional staff to allow growth. While they prayerfully mulled these key decisions, a call, almost as if preordained, would not only help to resolve the nagging questions, but it would also literally change the direction of the firm.


2014

Achieved licensure in all states, Canada, and US territories

2017

Brian Sielaff joins NAHB, Building Systems Council Board of Trustees

2017

Brian Sielaff joins Idaho Department of CEE Advisory

2017

$2 million dollar revenue firm

2020

Doug Hardin becomes first minority principal/partner

2021

Brian Sielaff appointed chairman of The Board of NAHB, BSC, Board of Trustees

2021

Recognized as a Zweig Group "Best Firm to Work for"

2022

$5 Million dollar revenue firm

2022/2023

Wins Zweig Group's "Trifecta Award"

2023

Brian Sielaff joins UICEE Advisory Board as chairman

2023

$300K gifted to University of Idaho creating TGE Structures Lab

2025

Next goal: $7.5 Million dollar revenue firm



THE GENESIS OF A PROJECT

That call was from an architect named Leroy Troyer of The Troyer Group, based out of South Bend, IN. Leroy, also reeling from lack of staff and recession issues, was working to get a fascinating project off the ground: a full-sized exact replica of Noah’s Ark, called The Ark Encounter located in Williamstown, KY. Leroy had been given a short list of structural engineering firms capable of undertaking design for such an engineering challenge, centered around heavy timber engineering. TGE was at the top of the list and had the necessary timber expertise to handle the project. Troyer approached Brian, who was intrigued by the project, and decided it was an opportunity worth exploring. “I conveyed to Leroy that before I could commit to a project of this size, I needed to review the project in its entirety. After two long days reviewing the project, I left with a passion I hadn’t felt in a long while and a new direction for TGE,” he said. TGE was engaged in early 2013 as the design and detail structural engineer of record for the bow and stern portions for the replication of the Ark. This opportunity was a perfect match for TGE’s expertise in heavy timber engineering. The project not only tested the firm’s capabilities but also solidified TGE’s reputation on a national scale. Brian remembered saying, “Immediately our firm had to hire three more engineers, and the decision was made to move out of the backyard Suite B. I remember sitting in the South Bend, IN regional airport making the call to Bonnie and explaining to her that I believe we just got our answer to prayer about moving out of the backyard office and scaling up our business.” With a renewed sense of purpose, Brian started scoping potential office locations close to home. When he found one that he thought was perfect, he walked in the door and asked the owner if they were leasing any space. The owner, looking astonished, told Brian that she was considering downsizing and was working on making the property ready for lease. A deal was struck, and the firm began work on their pivotal Ark project. The three-year Ark project allowed TGE to find their new home, expand their office space, make key hires, and eventually purchase the building outright. “The Ark Encounter was the project of a lifetime and it allowed TGE to grow beyond what we ever envisioned. Leroy’s and the entire project team’s friendships serve as a reminder to Bonnie and me of the value of such relationships,” said Brian.

CHANGE LEADS TO DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY

As the company settled into their new offices, they began searching for the staff who would help them reach their next level of success and by 2017, the firm was ready to make another strategic hire. Once again, they found themselves out of space and facing recruiting challenges in building their talented team. A serendipitous recommendation from a department head at University of Idaho introduced a student who was just finishing a master’s degree. As a Nepali native, Bikash Sigdel, P.E., S.E. required sponsorship to be employed in the United States, a process unfamiliar to the TGE team. Impressed with Bikash, Brian extended an offer of employment. Bikash quickly rose to a leadership position and helped establish a Nepal-based team to support TGE’s operations while also opening the door to the opportunities of international sponsorship with the firm who has since hired seven sponsored professionals.


THE NEPAL CONNECTIONS

The TGE team was looking to decrease turnaround time for their client’s projects so that they could take on more work and meet increasing workload and client demand. After speaking with an engineering colleague in Nepal whose business was struggling, Bikash proposed a unique arrangement: leverage the 12-hour time difference to send drawings to the Nepali team after the TGE team leaves for the day. The next morning drawings are ready and waiting for TGE staff to review, effectively reducing turnaround time from up to a week down to less than 24 hours! This arrangement helped create a Nepali firm and allow them to grow, while providing TGE with key support to share the workload and produce drawings for clients in record time.


EMBRACING CHANGE AND INNOVATION

As a partnership, the Sielaffs had gotten where they were organically, increasing revenue year over year. However, they also knew that they weren’t taking advantage of resources, tools, and guidance that would help them take the next step. In 2018, TGE engaged Jen Newman, after literally running her down, to help refine their strategic direction. With Jen’s guidance, who is now part of Elevate Marketing Advisors, TGE made critical hires, improved their business processes, and rebranded to better reflect their values and client-focused approach. Elevate also assisted with business and leadership transition which has been critical to the firm’s growth. “Jen Newman was critical to the business transition plan. Highlighting the importance of raising up recognized leaders in the firm, she helped Brian delineate future leaders to support him in the firm’s growth, which has been pivotal — we couldn’t have grown otherwise,” said founding partner Bonnie J. Sielaff. Under Elevate’s direction, the firm’s commitment to innovation and relationship-building continued to drive their success, leading to a series of impactful projects and market expansions into the public realm, manufacturing, facilities, and modular markets. Will Workman, P.E., a strategic hire in 2022, was key in assisting with integrating these markets as well as the federal market in which he has extensive experience.
“We always concentrate on getting the right person in the right seat. We couldn’t do any of this without the right people. Culture at TGE is huge, something that I focus on and create and curate it intentionally and purposefully. The journey of where we are at today all started with hiring the best people, letting them do what they do well, trusting them, and getting out of their way. I have always been about hiring the person, not the position. We founded our firm based upon the notion of; Life is About Relationships, internally and externally. With our nationally located client base, we again and again realize that the fortune is in the follow up.” — Brian J. Sielaff, P.E., S.E., P.Eng., CEO

LOOKING FORWARD

Today, future plans include growth, geographical expansion, and nurturing relationships. TGE is dedicated to partnering with companies to help them grow such as KPS Global/Custom Cooler Inc. who benefitted from TGE’s streamlined design process enabling them to complete more jobs in the same amount of time. This new approach decreased turnaround time by 95%. “For other companies turnaround time for document development typically was 2- 3 weeks. We’ve brought that down to 24 hours by honing our client’s in-house design processes and leveraging our Nepal assets, said Bikash. “It’s a win win for us, our client, and our client’s client.” As TGE celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, the firm looked toward the future with ambitious plans aiming to expand their presence in the eastern United States by opening a new office in New Jersey and potentially acquiring smaller firms in Florida and Texas. Their goal is to become a $20 million faith-based firm, providing opportunities for a firm size of 100 by year 2033 with a diverse and talented team spread across multiple locations. With a decades-long journey marked by resilience, innovation, and a steadfast commitment to their core values, as TGE continues to grow and evolve, the firm remains dedicated to building authentic relationships and delivering exceptional engineering solutions. Their story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the importance of staying true to one’s vision, values, and passion.

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