- Details
- By Tribal Business News Staff
- Native Contracting
WBK Engineering LLC has been certified as a disadvantaged Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) in the state of Illinois.
The St. Charles, Ill.-based civil engineering firm is owned by Mno-Bmadsen, the non-gaming investment arm of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi.
Acquired in 2019, WBK has more than a quarter-century of civil engineering and related consulting experience including transportation, bridge and structural, municipal, environmental and water resources, planning and development, and construction oversight services.
In addition to DBE status, WBK is certified as a U.S. Small Business section 8(a) small business and is qualified as an Indian Small Business Economic Enterprise. The 8(a) certification has allowed WBK to earn government contracting work with federal agencies including the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Veterans Administration.
The new DBE designation “has been a long time in the making,” according to a statement from Greg Chismark, president of WBK.
“Becoming a DBE in Illinois provides the recognition and opportunities our ownership deserves,” Chismark said. “It has been a key element of our plan to grow and expand since 2016 and our initial partnership with the Pokagon Band. This enables WBK to apply our experience and expertise to more projects and clients improving infrastructure in our region and communities.”
WBK is listed as a DBE in the Illinois United Certification Program (UCP) directory for Illinois Districts 1-9 and NAICS Codes covering engineering, drafting, environmental consulting, and office administrative services.
According to a statement, DBE status will provide WBK with additional opportunities in pursuing planning, transportation, bridges, environmental, and construction oversight projects as a prime consultant or subcontractor in Illinois with Metra, Illinois Tollway, and the Illinois Department of Transportation.
