Civil Engineering Entrepreneur of the Year Award Goes to Malcolm McLaren

“Mal is not only a leader in the office, but he is also an engineering pioneer. Since founding the firm in his basement in 1977, his entrepreneurial spirit quickly propelled McLaren Engineering Group to the forefront of the AEC industry,” says McLaren President, Jeremy Billig, PE. “His vision has enabled us to provide an unparalleled line of quality services for well over 15,000 projects and make positive impacts on communities worldwide. This award is a true testament of Mal’s career and is well-deserved.”

This prestigious honor bestowed by the ASCE Committee recognizes entrepreneurs who create successful private-sector organizations that employ civil engineers and expand the civil engineering horizon.

In the early days, Mal was a driving force behind the concept of the “engineer-as-diver” profession, combining his passion for recreational diving with his skills as a professional engineer to offer underwater investigative services. Since then, his out-of-the-box thinking, passion for innovation, and technical excellence has quickly launched an ever-growing engineering empire that has expanded to 10 key markets and 11 offices worldwide.

“I started McLaren Engineering Group when I was 25 years old with a slide rule in one hand and a shovel in the other,” said McLaren. “Four decades later, I’m proud to say that the firm has developed beyond my expectations and we continue that trajectory of growth by adding more iconic projects to our portfolio and strategically expanding our service line offerings with some of the top talent in the industry. The entrepreneurial basis for our success is the ability to recognize opportunities, and act on them. I am very pleased that this spirit has been captured by our next generation of leaders at McLaren.”

Throughout his career, Malcolm McLaren has led the design and engineering of some of the world’s most important bridges, structures, waterfront developments, and entertainment venues. Highlights include a pair of 100-foot tall animatronic Cranes in Sentosa Bay, Singapore, comprehensive work on 95 percent of New York City’s ferry landings, development of the famous MECU Pier 6 Pavilion in Baltimore, and a feasibility study on an urban aerial ropeway gondola that seeks to revolutionize transit in Albany, NY. A pioneer in delivering bridge construction by the Design-Build method, Mal led the firm in the first DB bridge project in New York State.

“This is certainly a career milestone,” McLaren continued. “I am proud to have my accomplishments recognized and even prouder to help guide the next generation of engineers as we continue to take McLaren Engineering Group to new heights.”

Today, the firm is a staple in built environments across the country with an expert staff of nearly 250, diverse well-tailored services, and in-house state-of-the-art capabilities that span structures, civil, marine, entertainment, bridges, forensics, facades, geotechnical, construction engineering, and surveying.