COMPANY HISTORY

Hornfeck Engineering, Inc., a professional consulting engineering firm, has continuously engaged in the practice of electrical engineering since our predecessor founded the firm in 1927.

James Paul Warner, P.E. began his practice in 1927 working from his home or at a client's facility.  He used a folding drafting table that he would take from site to site.  Some of the notable projects Mr. Warner designed include the Mellon Institute Building, Buhl Planetarium, and the Greater Pittsburgh Airport.  After the 1936 St. Patrick's Day flood, Mr. Warner directed the restoration of electrical systems in many of the buildings in the downtown area of Pittsburgh.

Lawrence W. "Pete" Hornfeck, P.E. continued the engineering practice of Mr. Warner upon his untimely death in 1953.  Mr. Hornfeck finished the design on the Greater Pittsburgh Airport, increased the number of projects and broadened the types of projects being designed by the firm.  Mr. Hornfeck was an accomplished engineer in the Western Pennsylvania region before his death in 1962.

Hornfeck Engineering, Inc. was incorporated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1963.  Donald C. Warner, P.E., Evan E. While, and Robert E. Rost, P.E. served as the first officers of the corporation.  Mr. Warner served as president of the firm from the incorporation until 1990.  He remains an active member of the firm as Chief Engineer.  Mr. While was with the firm until his death in 1986.  Mr. Rost retired from the firm in 1998.  Ben F. Walker became a principal in the firm in 1969.  He became president of the firm in 1990, and served in this position until 1995.  Mr. Walker remains an active member of the firm.

Richard W. Petrie, P.E. joined the firm in 1992 and became president in 1995.