Behind the Name of Apex Engineers

When our three founding Principals - Bryce Crady, Clayton Hess, and Theron "Terry" Barton - set out to start their own structural engineering firm, they may not have had the perfect name, logo, and color scheme all picked out. But they did know one thing: they wanted to build a company centered on creative solutions and quality engineering.

When it came to choosing a name, Bryce, Clayton, and Terry didn't want to follow the tradition of simply stringing last names together, constantly adding and subtracting last names as ownership changed. Instead, they wanted something that wasn't based on ego and was bigger than their own names. Something that could evolve, grow, and stand the test of time - long after they'd moved on.

So, where did Apex come from?

Let's rewind to 2003. Back then, people still relied on phone books to find local businesses. So, Bryce, Clayton, and Terry thought they had truly hacked the system when they landed on a name that started with an "A." Boom - right at the front!

In all seriousness, although that may have been a small part of it, that's now the whole story. Brainstorming in their "boardroom" (Clayton's dining room table), the three wanted something that would stick with you, carry weight, and highlight the firm's emphasis on structural engineering.

The definition of Apex is, "the top or highest part of something, especially one forming a point." So, when "Apex" came across their desks (again, Clayton's dining room table), they jumped on the opportunity to utilize the "A" in Apex to resemble two steel beams coming together, a detail that structural engineers design all the time. To push the engineering theme even further, tick marks were added around the word Apex in the logo to echo drafting paper.

And the orange? The burnt orange color was chosen to draw inspiration from the natural rust color that forms on steel beams. Two decades later, here we are! Absolutely rocking our orange.

Looking back, Bryce, Clayton, and Terry should be proud that they have created a place where we are all proud to wear the name Apex on our polos to work every day (seriously, that's all the engineers wear). Today, Apex has grown to 53 employees, added five more owners, and opened offices across multiple states. We are a thriving firm completing thousands of projects each year.

Terry posing with said koozie

Through all that growth, change, and the hundreds of Apex koozies we've had made over the years, Apex's mission and values have never wavered. Everyone who has been a part of Apex throughout the years has carried those forward, day after day. Without that, well... Apex wouldn't be Apex.

So, there you have it! The origin story of the Apex name. Want to learn more about our team and the history of the Apex name? Check out our about page.