BL Companies Celebrating Its 40th Anniversary, 20 Years as an ESOP

MERIDEN, Conn., Aug. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- BL Companies, an employee-owned, multidisciplinary architecture, engineering, environmental and land surveying firm, is celebrating its 40th anniversary and 20 years as an ESOP company this summer.

"It's wonderful to be able to celebrate four decades of BL Companies, but our last two decades of quality work and consistent growth after becoming an ESOP is what truly stands out," says Carolyn Stanworth, President and CEO of BL Companies. "This is a milestone that every employee owner, no matter how long they've been a part of BL, should be very proud of. The last 20 years have been a true team effort."

BL was founded on Aug. 8, 1986. Stanworth joined the company as chief financial officer in 1999 and became chief operating officer in 2003, helping lead the firm's conversion to an ESOP structure in 2006. She took over as president and CEO in 2010. BL expanded greatly under Stanworth's leadership and now has nearly 400 employee owners in 18 offices across 13 states, and is well positioned and poised for continued growth. Stanworth previously announced that she is retiring at the end of the year.

BL was honored as the 2025 Company of the Year by the ESOP Association's New England Chapter, recognizing the firm's dedication to fostering an employee-ownership culture that drives business success, enhances employee engagement, and strengthens the broader ESOP community. BL also received this honor in 2021.

Additional accolades include being named a 2026 Best Firm to Work For by Zweig Group, the leading provider of management consulting, research and education for the architecture, engineering and construction industry. The firm was recognized among the industry's top workplaces, ranking above the industry standard in both the 200+ employees category (No. 11) and among multidiscipline firms (No. 20) nationwide.

BL Companies was also named to Inc.'s 2025 Best Workplaces list, a national ranking that highlights organizations that "have continually invested in employee development, benefits, and experiences, no matter the obstacles." BL is also consistently listed on the Engineering News-Record list of Top 500 Design Firms in the United States. In 2026, BL was ranked 231st in the nation and the second-highest Connecticut-based company on the annual list. BL also appeared on the Real Leaders Top Impact Companies 2026 list.

VP of Operations Derek Kohl and Julia O'Brien, VP of Operations and General Counsel, have been chosen to lead BL Companies into the next chapter as co-presidents following Stanworth's retirement.

About BL Companies

BL Companies is a 100% employee-owned company providing multidiscipline architectural, engineering, environmental and land surveying services to clients throughout the U.S. BL was recognized as a 2026 Best Firm to Work For by Zweig Group and is consistently listed among the Top 500 Design Firms in the U.S. by Engineering News-Record. BL has nearly 400 employee owners across Connecticut, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Texas. blcompanies.com

Media Contact:
Mike Wollschlager
[email protected]
860-526-1555

SOURCE BL Companies