Smith & Boucher History
During five decades of providing superior professional consulting engineering services to the architectural and construction communities in Kansas City and across the country, Smith & Boucher continues to live by the same values as its founders: Be user-friendly, appreciate the client, be accessible and do high-quality work.
Bob Smith and Frank “Chan” Boucher founded the firm in 1967, after graduating from the University of Kansas. Bob had worked at Howard Scott & Kinney, the pioneering Kansas City consulting engineering firm. Chan worked for a local sheet metal contractor. During the early years, the firm held an impressive array of architectural and owner clients: Hollis & Miller, Homer Blessing, Kivett & Myers, Shaughnessy & Associates, Marshall & Brown, AT&T, Rockhurst College, the Veterans Administration, and the State of Missouri, to name a few. Early projects included Hallmark Cards, Crown Center Redevelopment, Corporate Woods, San Antonio River Center, Johnson County Community College and AMC Theatres. These early projects provided for success and started relationships that have survived over the duration of the firm’s history.
By the late ’70s, Smith & Boucher had grown to over 40 employees. In addition, several subsidiaries were formed to take advantage of emerging opportunities in the building industry. Energy Masters Corporation (EMC) was formed to perform energy audits and related improvements which involved partnering with construction contractors. Energy Masters Controls Corporation (EMCC) was formed to market energy management system controls. Engineered Food Services (EFS) provided process equipment design services to the fast-food processing industry. The various companies were reorganized under a holding company named Synergy. During this time, Synergy also bought ownership interests in two mechanical/electrical engineering firms, one in Tulsa, Oklahoma and one in Hawaii.
To facilitate the management of our geographically expanding company, the firm formed Royce Air to operate the two corporate aircraft. Several employees, including Chan, were licensed pilots who had a passion for flying. This led to the development of the Synergy Flying Club, which allowed employees access to the aircraft.
During the 1980s, Smith & Boucher separated from Synergy to focus on MEP services and the core project area of office buildings and particularly high-rises. Smith & Boucher was involved with a large majority of the high-rise projects in downtown Kansas City. The ‘80s also saw diversification of projects in educational, military and healthcare facilities. Smith & Boucher formed an ESOP during this time and allowed the company’s employees to have an ownership stake in the firm.
Through the ’90s, the firm saw additional growth with the Kansas City economy and growth in K-12 education projects. The firm took on major projects such as the restoration and redevelopment of Union Station as well as multiple high-rise projects at Crown Center.
Beginning in the 2000s, the firm’s increasing work on K-12 education, entertainment, retail, multi-family, military, and judicial projects has driven much of the firm’s growth. This expansion in market offerings allowed the firm to create a wide diversity that has benefited our client base and our employees’ personal growth. Additional emphasis on commissioning and energy optimization capabilities has added significantly to the value of Smith & Boucher’s services to our clients.
While maintaining a staff of less than 40 individuals, the firm thrives on its ability to do projects of all sizes and levels of complexity, from small tenant finishes to very large and significant buildings such as the Federal Reserve Bank, Garmin Corporate Headquarters and the Johnson County Courthouse. Whether the project is large or small, Smith & Boucher remains faithful to the core values of our original founders by providing the superior professional services that our clients expect and deserve.
