On January 1, 2026, California Engineering Company, Inc. celebrated 30 years in business!

When we began, gasoline cost about a dollar a gallon. A new Ford F‑150 cost well under $20,000. Bill Clinton was President of the United States. Email existed, but it was far from the primary way people communicated—most coordination still happened by phone calls, faxes, and in‑person meetings.

Cell phones were carried in bags, CAD systems were limited, GPS was in its infancy, and much of the technology that engineers rely on today simply did not exist. What did exist then, and still matters now, was solid engineering judgment.

Over three decades, we have worked for cities, counties, special districts, developers, and landowners throughout California. During that time, tools and technology have changed dramatically. Expectations have changed. Regulations have changed. But the core responsibility of civil engineers and land surveyors has not.

This post reflects on what those three decades look like from inside a practice that has had to adapt continuously while still relying on experience, judgment, and accountability.

Welcome to our first California Engineering Company (CEC) blog. In 2026, we are celebrating both our 30th year in business and our first year of blogging. Stay tuned for upcoming posts where we will share information and insights into public infrastructure, civil engineering design, land surveying, mapping, and some valuable lessons learned over the past 30 years.

We look forward to sharing what we’ve learned.

— California Engineering Company, Inc.