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Historic black-and-white photo of the founding Sain Engineering Associates team, highlighting the company’s early beginnings

Our Legacy

The Sain Legacy

Steve Sain founded Sain Engineering Associates, Inc. (SEA) in 1988 with aspirations for an engineering firm to have a better balance among priorities to sustain growth and increase profitability by providing a balanced approach for exceptional customer service, efficient business management practices and most importantly, employee fulfillment. His approach provides a legacy and firm foundation for streamlining priorities into three equally important “Must Do” operating principles.

Serving our Clients
Fulfilling our People
Managing our Business

Steve Sain, founder of Sain Engineering Associates, in a modern office setting, symbolizing the company’s leadership and ongo

Why is this so special? All principles are equally treated with balanced and mutual respect. Today, Steve’s vision is a reality and he is proud to have established a culture and premier engineering firm with a team recognized by the “U.S. Small Business Administration” and “Inc.” magazines. As a result, Steve is confident that the team he has built and the legacy he developed for SEA will take this 100% employee owned business into the next 30 years of continued growth.

Steve is finally enjoying his retirement on the beautiful Lake Martin in Jacksons Gap, Alabama with his lovely wife, Elena and Dog, Price.

"I believe trust is fundamental to success, and integrity is fundamental to trust. Trust is often difficult to earn, and is always easy to lose. There's never a right time to do the wrong thing, and there's never a wrong time to do the right thing. By applying relentless integrity to balancing our key operating principles, SEA will always remain resilient and focused on what makes us successful from the perspective of our clients, employees and shareholders. SEA is poised with an incredible team to lead my legacy into the future with its talent and dedication. I couldn't be more proud or inspired." 

Steve Sain

Historical Timeline 

1988
Steve Sain Begins Sain Engineering Associates, Inc.

1992
SEA officially Incorporated as a sub-chapter S corporation
Sain named Top 40 under 40 by Birmingham Business Journal

1994
Sain named International Energy Engineer of the Year by AEE
Co-Instructors for Army Corps of Engineers for Trained Energy Managers
SEA selected for first Federal Energy Project – Birmingham Air National Guard

1995
Sain Named Birmingham Engineer of the Year
Sain co-authors DoD Energy Managers Handbook
Selected to perform Energy Studies for Army and Air Force

1997
SEA delivers first nationwide Army Energy Savings Performance Contract
Millard Carr joins SEA, former DoD Energy Program Manager from Pentagon
Sain co-instructs Certified Energy Manager (CEM) Exam Prep Seminars

2001
SEA Signs first REM Contract at Ft. Bragg
SEA earns first GSA schedule Contract for Energy Management Services
SEA expands overseas for Army

2005
Sain inducted into the AEE Hall of Fame

2006
Sain is Prime Contractor for Navy Energy Audits

SEA named Air Force Space Command prime for REM services
Sain delivers key-note at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center Earth Day Celebration

2007
SEA hosts first annual conference

2009
SEA Expands Beyond Federal to Private Markets
Named Prime for Energy Audits for Navy and Marine Corps facilities worldwide

2011
First of three years named Fastest Growing Company List by Inc. Magazine
SEA named by U.S. Small Business Administration as Emerging Engineer Business

2012
SEA qualifies as employee owned business

2013
SEA Becomes Employee-Owned Company
SEA named 79th largest privately held company in Birmingham

2014
Mike Mills named President of SEA – Steve Sain becomes CEO

2015
SEA Ranked 7th Engineering Firm in Birmingham

2016
SEA acquires General Contractor License in Alabama
Brenda Phillips named President and COO of SEA

2018
SEA Named Contractor on U.S. Marine Corps Energy Program
SEA Launches expeditionary REMs (eREMS) throughout Middle East for U.S. Army Central Command

2019
Director of Engineering, Jason Brooks, Named AEE Engineer of the Year
SEA named Prime Contract Partner for Marine Corps worldwide Resource Manager Program

2020
SEA Named ASHRAE Innovation and Technology Award Winner
SEA launches first Board of Directors – Steve Sain as Chairman
SEA is 100% Employee Owned Business


 

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