Long gone are the days of buttoned up white shirts and pocket protectors for this new generation of engineers and Gainesville’s own, Campbell Spellicy, is leading the way as they redefine the industry and how to best serve customers and their community.
Campbell Spellicy is a full-service firm with expertise in mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering. Art Campbell founded this firm in 2001, and was ahead of his times in thinking beyond math equations and scales, but truly prioritizing how to make life better for the people who rely on their services. In 2016, Kevin Spellicy took over the reins as President and truly picked up where Art left off.
“Art was the prototype for how our company runs today. We’ve systemized the path he laid out by being intentional in how we look at projects, who we hire and the importance we place on bettering the community around us,” says Spellicy.
Since 2016, Campbell Spellicy became even more involved with the local Gainesville area, joining the Greater Gainesville Chamber of Commerce as an active member and even winning the Chamber’s 2018 Small Company of the Year Award. Through programs like Leadership Gainesville, Spellicy was exposed and introduced even further to local community members and partners, which has formed the foundation for the company’s extensive community involvement today. Spellicy currently serves as president of the Leadership Gainesville Alumni Association, is a board member for Grace Marketplace, and is a member of the United Way’s Community Investment Council, all resulting from relationships developed during Leadership Gainesville and Chamber events.
Campbell Spellicy’s projects can be found across the expanse of Florida from Tallahassee to Miami with a large focus in Gainesville, Florida, where the company is headquartered. Clients include the University of Florida, Alachua County School Board and other government agencies, healthcare, real estate and commercial projects.
In 2020, as Covid bore down on the building and construction industry, many of the traditional clients Campbell Spellicy relied on had restricted or limited budgets. Like most clouds, there was a silver lining.
“There was a 6 month period at the beginning of the pandemic where most budgets were frozen and a lot of active projects were halted,” explains Spellicy. “We realized at that point, we needed to keep moving forward. It forced us to look beyond our typical client base and diversify our work. We’ve become a stronger company and better engineers because of it.”
This year celebrates the one-year anniversary of Campbell Spellicy’s new office, located in Markets West off Tower Road. This office lends itself more to a show room than a traditional office space. Each room boasts complex and efficient systems that can help educate architects and customers on what’s available for their own projects. Different HVAC systems, unique lighting options and state of the art plumbing solutions are showcased throughout the office. This distinctive office space is home to Campbell Spellicy’s eight full time employees plus interns. And these employees are what this company is all about.
Spellicy says his main focus is being intentional in who he hires. “We know we’re not just looking for a great engineer. We’re looking for a great engineer who can also communicate well and align with our culture. We are broadening the idea of what engineering is, which makes our talent pool more diverse and exciting. Our company needs people who are dedicated to not just coming up with solutions, but being able to express those solutions to our clients so they understand the value we can bring and how their lives and businesses will improve with our partnership.”
Something else employees have to be on board with is having a spirit of service and be ready to have some fun. The company’s mission of leveraging engineering to better the community isn’t just for clients. It’s for the community at large. Campbell Spellicy knows their base skillset can help make the community thrive so they use it to volunteer monthly with organizations like The Ronald McDonald House, Humane Society, Boys & Girls Club, Grace Marketplace and Re-Build.
“Volunteering is not just a marketing effort for our organization, it’s a fundamental part of our business and who we are as people,” says Spellicy. “When we plan our budgets for the year, we know ahead of time how much we’re giving back to the community regardless of how the rest of our financials unfold. That is something we will never compromise.”
And, you can’t underestimate the importance of a little fun in the office place. Most Friday afternoons, you’ll find the Campbell Spellicy employees enjoying lawn games, board games or a team outing. In the continued theme of being intentional, this isn’t just to attract new talent.
“Having fun together is surprisingly compounding,” notes Spellicy. “Playing games and laughing is how we stay strong as a team. It strengthens our bond. So, when we’re in the weeds on a big project, or pushed against a deadline, it helps us to pull together and get it done because we rely on each other and care about each other.”
The future is bright for Campbell Spellicy and there is nothing but exponential growth that lies ahead. Clients have grown in quantity and diversity over the past several years and employee growth will continue to follow. According to Spellicy, the company is expecting a 50% growth in 2022 and even more in the coming years. While Gainesville is home to Campbell Spellicy, they will be looking to expand to new markets and broaden their impact beyond Alachua County, as well.
“Our core values include advocacy, humility, growth, positivity and service,” explains Spellicy. While we know the landscape of our industry and those around us can change over the years, we will continue to place an emphasis on these 5 pillars of who we are as a company and who we are as people. And, that is how we will continue to move forward.”
