Primera Celebrates 10 Years of Growth Under Erin Inman’s Ownership & Leadership

May 22, 2026

This Spring marks a meaningful milestone for Primera as we celebrate 10 years since our President & CEO, Erin Inman, purchased the firm and began a new chapter in our story.

In 2016, Erin acquired Primera from its retiring co-founders, Michael DeSantiago and Pedro Cevallos-Candau, setting a clear vision for growth while preserving the values that have always defined the firm. Over the past decade, her leadership has guided Primera through a period of steady expansion, new opportunities, and continued investment in our people.

Since the transition, Primera has grown into a national firm with a diverse team of engineers, designers, consultants, and professionals supporting clients across the Buildings, Transportation, Utilities, and Business Consulting spaces. The company has expanded its geographic reach, opened new offices, and strengthened our service offering, all while remaining grounded in the mission & values Michael & Pedro instilled from the beginning: people-focused, knowledge seeking, relationship-rooted collaborators delivering an exceptional client experience.

Along the way, Primera has reached milestones that reflect both growth and purpose. We launched the Primera Foundation to support communities, introduced open-book management to our team, established employee ownership through an ESOP, and successfully completed our first acquisition. We expanded into new markets and welcomed team members across the country, building a stronger and more connected organization. Under Erin’s leadership, Primera has grown to 375 employees working from 25 states and 7 offices.

To recognize this milestone, Primera recently hosted a celebration with employees at our Chicago headquarters. The gathering provided an opportunity to reflect on the past 10 years and celebrate the people who have contributed to our continued success. Original co-founder Michael DeSantiago joined the celebration and reinforced his belief that he and Pedro made the right decision after watching Erin’s transformation of the firm over the past 10 years.

As Primera looks ahead, the focus remains on the same principles that have guided the firm for nearly four decades: putting people first, building strong partnerships, and delivering thoughtful, high-quality work for clients and communities.

Ten years is an important milestone, but the work continues. Primera looks forward to building on this momentum and continuing to grow with our clients, partners, and employees in the years ahead.

Thank you to everyone that’s been part of this incredible chapter.