From the time Willis “Jack” Frost started the company as a sole proprietor in Redwood City in 1915, to today, the firm’s emphasis has been to attract and maintain clients by providing planning, engineering, surveying, and construction management services that help shape our communities.

While devastating, the 1906 Earthquake was a catalyst to creating opportunities. Willis ‘Jack’ Frost embraced the prospect by moving to the San Francisco Peninsula in 1910 and opening Jack Frost Surveyors in 1915.

As the Peninsula prospered, Larry Brian joined the firm in 1945. It soon became Frost and Brian and upon Jack Frost’s retirement the firm became Lawrence G. Brian and Company Civil Engineers.

In the 1950s the company growth included three master apprentices: Stan Kangas, Bob Foulk and Gary Wincott. Their talents helped establish the firm as a force in the engineering and surveying field with work at Stanford University. In 1970 the firm became Brian Kangas Foulk and fondly known as BKF.

During the 1980s, BKF began expanding with the addition of BKF’s Bay Area offices, including Oakland, Walnut Creek, and San Jose. In 2020, Greg Hurd became the fifth President and CEO in BKF’s 100+ year history, overseeing the strategic vision and future development of the firm. 

While BKF’s founding leaders have since retired, the firm continues to be a leading consultant and employer in the Western United States. In 2024, BKF partnered with Long Point Capital (LPC), significantly enhancing its resources and expanding leadership capacity.

In 2026, under the vision of BKF leadership team, alongside MNS Engineers’ leadership team, the two firms merged, creating an organization of more than 800 employees across over 20 offices. BKF also partnered with Lotus Water, adding a specialized team of leading engineers and practitioners in water and resiliency.

Together, these strategic moves have strengthened BKF’s position across key West Coast markets, including Transportation, Water, Development, and Government.

In June 2026, Darren Riegler became BKF’s sixth president, leading the firm into its next chapter following ENR West naming BKF the top California Design firm in California. With a focus on clients, people, and strategic growth, he and BKF’s leadership team are positioning the firm to become the premier engineering firm in the Western United States.

Visit our Leadership page or our news feed, below, to learn more about BKF’s leadership.