George F. Young acquired by Nashville-based company 

One of St. Petersburg’s oldest businesses has a new owner.

Engineering, surveying and consulting company George F. Young, Inc. was purchased by Nashville-based Smith Seckman Reid, Inc. Oct. 1 for an undisclosed amount. 

Operating in the Tampa Bay area since 1919, George F. Young has worked on projects such as the University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus, Tropicana Field, the St. Pete Pier and Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.  

Smith Seckman Reid provides engineering, design, consulting and planning services around the country. 

“Smith Seckman Reid had the right cultural fit,” said George F. Young president Bill Kent. “They are interested in being a generational firm. It’s important to us that we found a partner that appreciated our people, long-term clients and brand.” 

Additionally, partnering with Smith Seckman Reid is a strategic opportunity to expand the firm’s work geographically, Kent said. While George F. Young currently serves Florida, Alabama and the Caribbean basin, Smith Seckman Reid has a presence in states such as Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio and Illinois, among others. 

The St. Petersburg company will be hiring additional staff. 

One of the key factors that played a role in the acquisition is that Smith Seckman Reid is also employee-owned. “This was important to us,” Kent said. “We think that’s how you deliver great service to customers.” 

When team members are taken care of, they will be more willing to deliver their best work, he explained. George F. Young staff will be able to participate in Smith Seckman Reid’s employee stock ownership plan. 

The company will continue to be headquartered in St. Petersburg and retain the same management and project teams.

It will be relocating its main office at 299 Dr. MLK Jr. Street N. to a building located at 830 Central Avenue at the end of the year. George F. Young has six other locations in Florida as well as an office in Birmingham, Alabama. 

Kent will continue to serve as president of the company.  

“This is more than an acquisition – it’s a joining of cultures rooted in integrity, collaboration and a shared commitment to making a positive difference through our work,” said Smith Seckman Reid CEO and president Susan Osterberg in a prepared statement.

“This partnership reinforces our vision of SSR as a generational firm – one that grows with purpose, delivers lasting impact and creates meaningful opportunities for our employee-owners and the communities we serve.”