T&M Associates celebrates six decades of growth

The basics:

• T&M Associates marks 60th anniversary and national expansion
• Firm grows to 375+ professionals across five core markets
• Focus on AI, innovation and workforce development
• Strong demand driven by aging infrastructure and projects

T&M Associates is marking its 60th anniversary in 2026 at a pivotal moment for both the firm and the broader engineering industry, highlighting a legacy of steady growth, strong culture and expanding national reach while also navigating workforce challenges and rapid technological change. The milestone also coincides with a personal one for President and CEO Gary Dahms, who also celebrates his own 40-year tenure with the company this year.

Founded in 1966 as a small, seven-person operation, Middletown-based T&M has grown into a firm of more than 375 professionals serving clients nationwide across five core markets: buildings and facilities, community and land development, environmental, transportation and water.

Over six decades, the company has built a reputation for long-term client relationships, consistent project delivery and a strong internal culture, all while evolving to meet changing infrastructure needs.

“This milestone is a testament to the dedication of our employees, the loyalty of our clients, and the strength of our values,” Dahms said in a March 19 news release about the milestone. “As we honor our past, we’re equally focused on shaping the future — delivering sustainable solutions, strengthening communities, and continuing to push innovation forward.”

The anniversary comes on the heels of T&M completing its latest five-year strategic plan. Dahms says the roadmap largely met its goals despite early disruption from the pandemic.

“2025 was the final year of our vision 2025 strategic plan. We ended the five-year plan in ‘25 pretty much on target for the goals that we set from 2020, which is a great success,” Dahms told NJBIZ during a recent interview. “And like any five-year plan, it was not linear, as we had first laid out. Actually, the first year was a little flat because of COVID, and then we made up the ground over the last four years. So, we finished strong.”

Biggest challenges?

Even before that plan concluded, the firm had already begun preparing for its next phase of growth. “We don’t wait until 2026 to figure out what our 2030 strategic plan is going to be. So, we started thinking about that early in 2025. What’s the next version of T&M going to look like? And actually put in place some organizational changes, not dramatic. But changes to set us up for 2030 and beyond,” Dahms explained. “So, 2025 was a sort of a prelude to have the changes in place, so that when we got to 2026 and our new strategic plan, we were all set to go.”

As the firm looks ahead, one of the most pressing challenges remains talent. Dahms pointed to a growing shortage of engineers that affects not only T&M, but the industry as a whole.

“The challenges of last year are going to be the challenges, I think, for the next couple years; not only at T&M, but in the industry,” Dahms continued. “And that’s finding enough engineers, enough talent to do the work. There is a very significant and widespread shortage of engineering talent coming out of schools everywhere – here, and actually, internationally.”

That shortage collides with a surge in infrastructure demand, particularly in key sectors such as transportation, water and environmental services. “Because there’s so much work out there on the infrastructure – and the advances that keep coming with broadband and electric needs and all that,” he added. “Trying to keep up is going to be difficult. And the industry – we love that.”

No shortage of projects

At the same time, those market conditions also drive growth opportunities.

“A lot of transportation-related projects, water and wastewater. When I say water resources, that’s both potable water and wastewater. Another very active and growing market,” he said.

Dahms noted that in areas such as the Northeast, along with Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, a lot of infrastructure is beyond its useful life. “The water and wastewater market is very hot. And then both independent, and also tied to both of those, the environmental market. When I say independent, there are a lot of just solely environmental projects out there that are driving our business,” he continued. “Anytime you do a road or bridge, anytime you do a water plant or sewage treatment plant, there are tangent environmental concerns with that.

“The environmental market also is probably the fastest growing in terms of T&M in our five-year plan that we just talked about, followed by transportation and then followed by buildings and facilities – is another growing market,” he said. “But that’s, again, industry wide. And I think we’ve set ourselves up – back to what we did last year – to be focused on those five markets [and that] is very closely aligned with where the industry is going and where the projects are.

“So, we’re in a really good, strong position for the next five years.”

Focus on innovation, AI

To help address workforce constraints and improve efficiency, T&M is increasingly focused on innovation and the use of artificial intelligence. “AI is definitely going to be able to help that situation. It’s not going to replace people, per se, but it’s certainly going to help make some tasks more efficient. It’s going to help people maybe shift in their role of doing the work and overseeing the work, or using AI to do the work,” Dahms said. “And that’s all stuff that – from starting at the schools, the colleges, how they can train and educate students coming out. And then, how do we use that to deliver the projects that clients want?”

The firm has formalized that focus through a dedicated innovation vertical that now extends beyond internal operations. “One of the things we created was an innovation and technology vertical in our company, and interesting enough, it started out as primarily focused on making sure internally we were staying current with innovation and technology, but it has evolved. We’re actually providing some of our clients technology and innovation solutions to their work,” he said.

At the same time, T&M is investing in workforce development through partnerships with schools such as the New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers University, as well as scholarship programs and continuing education support for employees.

“We partner with NJIT. If our employees go to NJIT, there’s a discount, and therefore they can get more education for a lower price. And it should, one, help NJIT bring students in and, two, allow us to provide more educational support for our employees,” Dahms said.

Going it alone

A defining element of the firm’s strategy is its decision to remain independent in an industry increasingly shaped by mergers and acquisitions. “We always have been, and continue to want to be, and going to be, a legacy firm,” Dahms said. “There is a lot of movement in the industry of bigger firms buying smaller firms. There is a lot of private equity out there investing in firms, one, because we’re a good investment.

“But we have made the conscious decision, to continue to be a legacy firm. And being a legacy firm – that drives a lot of our strategic planning,” Dahms explained. “Let’s get slow, steady growth. Let’s get profitable growth so we can reinvest in our company, reinvest in our employees, reinvest in the deliverables to our clients.”

That approach is closely tied to the company’s culture, which Dahms said has been a significant factor in its longevity and employee retention. “Our culture is a very strong, positive culture. That’s evidenced by being voted by our employees as a best place to work, I think, every region where we have a major office. So that culture permeates throughout the company, and that’s one of the reasons I’ve been here for 40 years,” he said. “When I joined the company, I could sense it, I believe in it. And I believe by leading with that kind of culture initiative, that culture built inside, is what’s going to perpetuate the company.”

Why ‘T&M’?

Richard Thornton Noble and Richard Mott Schulz founded the firm. Since both felt that, using their middle names, Thornton and Mott, sounded like a law firm, they shortened the name to T&M Associates.

Over time, T&M has expanded beyond its New Jersey roots to become a national firm, now working in roughly 40 states while maintaining a strong local presence. “We are truly a national firm and a mid-sized firm,” Dahms said. “For the next five to 10 years, I don’t see a lot of growth outside of the five we’re in. But I do see growth geographically, planting more flags in other places where the markets are hot.”

The firm’s long-term impact is also reflected in its community engagement efforts, including the creation of the T&M Associates Foundation, which grew out of its 50th anniversary.

“We had a committee come up with 50 ways of giving, doing something every week for the whole year. That turned into over 90 events,” Dahms explained. “It was so embraced by the employees. They had so many great ideas on how to give back to our communities – that planted the seed of, we should be doing this every year in a more structured way, which then resulted in the foundation being formed about five years ago.

“And here we are, five years into our foundation, and it’s become a very important part of T&M, helps define our culture, helps strategically give back to our communities – along with driving our mission and vision,” he continued. “I think going forward, that’s going to be even a bigger role. Our STEM scholarships come out of the foundation.

Looking back, looking ahead

As T&M looks toward its next decade, Dahms expects continued and subsequent demand driven by aging infrastructure and evolving technology. “I think we’ve got an endless supply of work out in front of us,” said Dahms. “That’s not a bad thing. That’s actually a good thing. That means we’re using. It needs to be upgraded and capacity added. So, I think the future is bright for T&M and for the engineering world.”

Reflecting on both the firm’s 60-year milestone and his own four decades with the company, Dahms emphasized the broader impact of T&M’s work.

“When I look back on the improvements we have made to communities, quality of life improvements to communities. You can look at Superstorm Sandy as an example. We were involved with that, with all our Bayshore towns,” said Dahms. “The improvements that we have made on the quality of life of our communities and our employees in terms of career progression – very, very proud of what we’ve done. When I look back on the opportunities that have opened up here at T&M for people to grow in their careers, to have a great career and contribute.

“It’s very, very rewarding. And when I look back to when I was given the opportunity – and I’m thankful for that – that’s what I want to pass along as I move on.”

’60 years of impact’

Ultimately, he said, the firm’s mission has remained consistent throughout its history.

“60 years of impact is what our tagline is for 60 years. And I think that sums it up. It’s 60 years of positive impact on thousand of employees that have come through T&M,” said Dahms. “We’re 400 now. But I think we’re up to employee number 2,000. So, there’s been a lot of positive impact.”

Take a look back at T&M’s 60 years:

He pointed to long-standing partnerships and clients. “When I look back at 60 years ago, six or seven of the original clients that we had then are still clients today,” said Dahms. “So that tells you, one, we’ve had a long relationship and I’ve seen a lot of positive change with them. And then, all of our new clients, and what we’re doing to help improve them and their constituents; whether they’re people who live in the community, or they’re companies that have employees that are recipients of some of our designs and some of our improvements.

“Looking back, we have to be very proud. One, of being around for 60 years, because that says something in itself. And two, being very viable and looking forward to the organization going forward. We’ve got a good future in front of us. So, we should all be very proud of who we are and what we are – and where we’re going.”

Goal keepers

As the conversation closed and he reflected on the milestone, Dahms noted how the company’s main tagline is “Your goals, our mission.”

“When we came up with that, there was always the debate – who comes first, the clients or the employees – in a professional service firm,” Dahms explained. “And that tagline applies to both. When we look back, your goals are our mission. As our employees, your goals, career aspirations, career growth/progression, that’s our mission as a company.

“And the same thing with our clients, whatever their goals are, it’s our mission to deliver on those goals,” he continued. “So, I think that speaks very highly as to who we are – and what we are.”