EFCG Advises Verdantas on its Acquisition of American Engineering & Environmental Consultants

The Environmental Financial Consulting Group, LLC (“EFCG”), through its registered broker-dealer affiliate EFCG Transaction Services LLC, is pleased to share that our client Verdantas, a Sterling Investment Partners-backed leader in digitally enabled technical consulting for the environment, water, and energy transition markets, announced its acquisition of American Engineering & Environmental Consultants (AEEC), a technology-driven environmental engineering and consulting firm headquartered in Reston, Virginia with capabilities spanning digital transformation, environmental engineering, and advanced data solutions. The addition of AEEC strengthens Verdantas’ ability to deliver integrated solutions that combine engineering, environmental services, and custom digital build and advisory, while expanding its presence across federal and commercial markets.

Founded more than 30 years ago, AEEC has built a strong reputation for solving complex environmental and infrastructure challenges by combining environmental expertise with technology. The firm brings experience in areas including environmental remediation, compliance, and long-term monitoring, alongside digital capabilities such as data analytics, automation, and applied artificial intelligence. AEEC has been featured in a Harvard Business School case study on innovation and digital transformation for large-scale business processes in public and private sector marketplaces. Their use of AI/ML for infrastructure modernization is anchored by patented Smart Water Data Analytics technology.

The acquisition builds on Verdantas’ continued investment in AI and custom digital solutions that support its core engineering and environmental services. Together, the firms will expand their ability to deliver more connected, data-driven solutions for clients facing increasingly complex regulatory, infrastructure, and sustainability challenges.

Jesse Kropelnicki, CEO of Verdantas, said, “When we think about where our industry is going, it’s clear that engineering and environmental services are only part of the solution. Our clients and people need better ways to use data, make decisions, and manage projects. What stands out about AEEC is how they apply technology in a practical way. Their work is focused on helping clients make better decisions, move faster, and manage assets more effectively, whether that’s through smarter use of data, automation, or AI-enabled tools that improve how projects are delivered over time.”

Raj Patil, CEO of AEEC, said, “We’ve always approached our work by looking for better ways to solve complex business problems – bringing together engineering, data, and technology in a way to help our clients accomplish their mission. Joining Verdantas allows us to keep building on that foundation, with more scale and the ability to bring these solutions to a broader set of clients nationwide. This is a natural fit for our teams and for how we think about the future of the industry. We’re very excited for AEEC’s team and this next chapter. Verdantas has proven to be a dynamic organization, and we have thoroughly enjoyed working with them throughout this process. We are also truly appreciative of EFCG’s role in making the introduction to Verdantas and helping bring this partnership together.”

EFCG served as advisor to Verdantas on the transaction.

Read the full press release from Verdantas here.

About Verdantas

Verdantas is a leader in digitally enabled technical consulting solutions for the environment, water, and energy transition markets. Blending balanced strengths in environmental and engineering expertise, as well as digital build and advisory, we partner with clients and communities to create comprehensive solutions that contribute to a sustainable future. With a team of over 2,485 professionals nationwide, we harness diverse skills and innovative technologies to address complex challenges, protect vital resources, and foster resilient communities. For more information, visit www.verdantas.com.

About Sterling Investment Partners

Sterling Investment Partners is a leading private equity firm that has been building leading middle-market companies for 35 years with a highly experienced, cohesive team of senior investment professionals. Sterling focuses on control investments in value-added distribution and business services, acquiring businesses that the firm believes have strong, sustainable competitive advantages and significant opportunities for value creation. Over its history, Sterling has completed over 275 transactions, representing more than $35 billion in aggregate value.  Sterling is ranked a Top 20 performing global middle market private equity firm by Dow Jones-HEC Paris, and was recognized as a Founder Friendly Investor by Inc.com. For more information, visit www.sterlinglp.com.

About EFCG

Founded in 1990, EFCG is a global specialized M&A advisor and management consultant to Architecture, Engineering, and Consulting (AEC) firms. The firm’s mission is to provide a strategic edge to AEC firms to advance the industry. For 35+ years and counting, EFCG has served as a retained advisor to 550+ firms, advised on 250+ M&A transactions, and held more than 125 leadership conferences. For further information about EFCG, please visit www.efcg.com.

EFCG Transaction Services LLC is an SEC-registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA (www.finra.org) and SIPC (www.sipc.org).