Northern California-Based Engineering Consulting Firm, LACO Associates, is now Native Owned

Ukiah, CA – March 31st, 2023 – LACO Associates is proud to announce that we have become a Native Owned firm. LACO has been working with and supporting Tribal communities for nearly 35 years and is expanding that commitment with our ownership structure.

Rod Wilburn, Chairman of the Board, is now the firm’s majority owner. Mr. Wilburn is a registered member of the Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians and has been with the LACO team for over seven years. Rod brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to LACO and our clients as both a professional engineer (PE) and a Juris Doctor with a Master of Legal Studies degree.

Rod has met the qualifications for licensure as a professional engineer in Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, and Minnesota. In addition, he is obtaining licensure in Washington, Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Hawaii. This commitment to expanded licensure will allow LACO to support a broader client community beyond our Northern California roots.

Rod is joined in ownership of LACO Associates by Mike Nelson, a long-standing owner and Board member at LACO. Mike has been with LACO for over 16 years and has been president since 2016. Rod and Mike are both graduates of Cal Poly Humboldt in Arcata, California. They are deeply committed to supporting rural economic growth, community development, tribal governments, housing, and associated infrastructure through quality technical services.
As a Native Owned full-service consulting firm and Certified California Small Business, LACO is unique in that we have both a broad perspective of our client’s needs and a small firm’s flexibility and responsiveness. In addition, we have the resources to address project concerns, from complex engineering, environmental impacts, and permitting issues to geotechnical engineering challenges. This broad perspective is fundamental to our ability to provide quality technical support for various project types as a trusted advisor to our clients.

To learn more about how LACO has an ever-growing impact on the tribal communities, check out our Tribal Communities page.