News & Awards
For more than 60 years, NFE has been committed to delivering projects that make a meaningful impact throughout Michigan. Along the way, our work has been recognized by industry organizations, community partners, and professional associations across engineering, surveying, transportation, parks and recreation, and municipal infrastructure.
Industry Recognition
Over the years, NFE projects have received recognition from organizations. These awards reflect our commitment to delivering practical, innovative, and community-focused solutions across a wide range of project types.
NFE ACEC Award Announcement 2024
Nowak & Fraus Engineers (NFE) is excited to announce that the American Council of Engineering Companies of Michigan (ACEC) has granted us two Engineering Merit Awards on Saturday, March 9th, 2024. The awards were given for our work on two projects: The Central Complex Headquarters for the Kent County Road Commission in…
Kent County Road Commission – Walker Michigan New Central Complex Headquarters
Kent County Road Commission (KCRC) is Michigan’s second-largest road commission, serving 21 townships and more than 635,000 residents. KCRC purchased a 29-acre parcel in the Walker View Industrial Park to build a new central complex facility. They had outgrown their Downtown Grand Rapids facility, built in 1923, and…
Phase Three of South Old Woodward Ave. Completed
Nowak and Fraus Engineers (NFE) had the honor of serving the City of Birmingham as prime engineering consultant for the South Old Woodward Avenue Reconstruction Project, which was Phase 3 of the City’s comprehensive downtown streetscape and infrastructure reconstruction. Phase 3 was intended to modernize the southern…
The New Romeo High School
Romeo Community Schools’ voters approved an $86 million, 25-year bond initiative for the district back in May 2016. The school system contracted with architect Integrated Design Solutions who in turn contracted with NFE to provide land surveying and civil engineering services to support the bond initiatives. A big part…
Working with DNR on Shooting Ranges in Michigan
Shooting and archery have become a favorite pastime for millions of Americans within the last several years. In the State of Michigan, there are over 250 shooting ranges. Over the past 10 years, NFE has become an expert in the design and development of shooting facilities across the state of Michigan. We have provided…
The Creation of Clintonville Road Safety Pathway
NFE was selected by Independence Township to provide engineering design and construction administration for a public pathway along Clintonville Road, between Maybee and Waldon roads. This pathway was created to interconnect other pathways within the Township, and the road as it was, was unsafe to walk or bike on due to…
Surveying Adventures
Our survey crews are accustomed to braving the cold and enduring the heat. Insects, thorns and poison ivy are a common place. Yet, this recent project came as a bit of a shock. The first photo (from Google Earth) is what we expected to find. The next two photos are what the crew recently encountered…
Sterling Heights Trail from Beaumont to Delia Park Complete
Since 2017, after the residents of Sterling Heights passed the Recreating Recreation millage in November 2016, NFE has been providing civil engineering and land surveying services in collaboration with architect Dorchen/Martin Associates to improve several parks within the City of Sterling Heights. Part of the…
Normandy Oaks Park, a new parks and recreation hot spot, is finally open
The largest park in the city of Royal Oak, Normandy Oaks, is now officially open to the public. The parks and recreation project, led by the Nowak & Fraus Engineers (NFE) Design Team, helped bring more green space to the community. NFE transformed the former Normandy Oaks Golf Course, located off Delemere Boulevard…
NFE Projects in Construction
In our 51-year history, NFE has worked on a variety of both public and private projects. We always have multiple projects under construction where we provide construction engineering services. Below are a few of our more substantial projects that are currently in construction, along with the services provided:
Maple Road Reconstruction in Downtown Birmingham Complete
The City of Birmingham Engineering Department contracted with NFE to provide land surveying and civil engineering services for the 0.47-mile reconstruction of Maple Road from Southfield Road to Woodward Avenue to complete Phase 2 of a three-phased project for Birmingham to update their downtown area. Phase 1 was NFE’s…
Madison Heights’ New Fitness Court
NFE, a consulting engineer to Madison Heights, has partnered with the City for the construction of a new fitness court. The fitness court recently opened and is at Huffman Park located at 400 Cowan Avenue, near Eleven Mile and John R. roads.
Funding Commitment Secured for Silver Lake Road Connector Trail
The Southern Lakes Parks and Recreation (SLPR) Commission was recently awarded a funding commitment from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust in the amount of $300,000 for the Silver Lake Road Connector Trail project. This non-motorized trail will connect the communities of Linden, Argentine Township, Fenton and Fenton…
Expanding Our Project Portfolio
In our 50-year history, NFE has work on a variety of really large to very small projects, along with everything in between, and we are proud our project portfolio continues to grow today. Below are a few of the projects that we have been awarded recently:
Dedicating the Memorial Monument for Fallen Officers
The Michigan Law Enforcement Memorial Monument was dedicated on Saturday, July 27, 2019, following a 14-year effort in support of its construction. The monument honors Michigan law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty.
Construction is Completed on Orchard Lake Road Streetscape Project
West Bloomfield Township contracted with NFE and Land Design Studio to create an aesthetically pleasing streetscape for Orchard Lake Road, the gateway to their community. The improved area runs from the roundabout at 14 Mile Road to just north of Powers Road, including parts of Northwestern Highway at 14 Mile Road and…
Clear for Landing – NFE Successfully Completes Roscommon Conservation Airport Runway Renovation
In October 2019, Nowak & Fraus Engineers was awarded the contract for the design and construction administration of the Roscommon Conservation Airport Runway Renovation project by the Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB), on behalf of the DNR.
At a Glance: Recently Awarded Projects
NFE is proud of the variety of projects we have had the opportunity to work on, and our portfolio continues to grow. We have recently been awarded the following projects:
A Field of Their Own – NFE Makes Assist in Developing Pontiac High School Athletic Fields
In 2009, when Pontiac Central and Northern first merged, creating Pontiac High School, school officials dreamed they would one day have their own athletic fields. 12 years later, that dream finally came to pass.
Company News
NFE Celebrates 2026 Promotions Across Multiple Departments
At Nowak & Fraus Engineers (NFE), we take great pride in recognizing the hard work, dedication, and professional growth of our team. We’re excited to announce that twelve employees have recently earned promotions across several departments and disciplines throughout the company.
Jeff Huhta Retires from Nowak & Fraus Engineers
July 6 – After 37 years of dedicated service, Jeff Huhta has announced his retirement from Nowak & Fraus Engineers, marking the close of an extraordinary chapter in the firm’s history. Beginning his journey as an intern in 1989, Jeff’s career reflects a legacy of commitment, leadership, and a deep belief in NFE’s…
Amber and Andre Earn FAA Part 107 Drone Certifications
Nowak & Fraus Engineers is excited to announce that Amber Burns and Andre Penney have each earned their FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification , officially authorizing them to operate unmanned aerial systems (UAS), also known as drones, for commercial purposes.
Mark Sandberg Earns Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) Certification
Nowak & Fraus Engineers is proud to congratulate Mark Sandberg on earning his Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) Certification through the National Recreation and Park Association. This nationally recognized credential is the most comprehensive training program available for identifying playground hazards and…
Nine Team Members Earn Well-Deserved Promotions at Nowak & Fraus Engineers
At Nowak & Fraus Engineers (NFE), we take great pride in recognizing the hard work, dedication, and growth of our team. We’re excited to announce that nine of our employees have recently been promoted across several departments!
Executive Committee Expands
Nowak & Fraus Engineers is restructuring its leadership team, expanding its executive committee to a five-person group with Tim Germain’s retirement. As part of this transition, the firm is pleased to announce the promotions of Brad Brickel, Jason Longhurst, and Steve Sutton, who will join the existing leadership, Chad…
Tim Germain Retires from Nowak & Fraus Engineers
April 1 st – After over three decades of dedicated service, Tim Germain, Managing Partner / Owner, announced his retirement from Nowak & Fraus Engineers, marking the end of an era for the firm. Germain’s leadership and expertise have been instrumental in shaping the company’s success, and his contributions will leave a…
🎉Big News Alert! 🎉
Join us in congratulating Bryce Girbach on officially earning his Professional Engineer (PE) license! His dedication, hard work, and expertise continue to impact on our team and the projects we deliver.
40 Year Retirement Announcement – Nabeel Naoum
After four decades of dedicated service, Nabeel N. Naoum, Senior Associate at Nowak & Fraus Engineers, has retired. His commitment, expertise, and exceptional leadership have left a lasting impact on our firm and our clients.
New Service Announcement! LiDAR
Nowak & Fraus Engineers (NFE) is excited to announce the addition of a new service: Surveying and Mapping using LiDAR. LiDAR, which stands for Light Detection and Ranging, is a method used to determine distances from objects or surfaces by emitting light and then calculating the time it takes for the reflected light to…
New Location Alert!
Nowak and Fraus Engineers (NFE), an engineering and surveying firm Headquartered in Pontiac, Michigan, with offices in Detroit and Shelby Township, is excited to announce the opening of a new office in Van Buren County, Michigan. This expansion will enable NFE to carry out our vision to build an elite workforce to…
NFE Announces Team Promotions 2023
NFE has created a new Geospatial Department that will continue to advance our firm in surveying and geospatial sciences. NFE has gone through the process of training a select group of individuals who will pioneer this new department. With this news, we are excited to announce those selected for promotions.
NFE Announces Team Promotions
Since June 2021, NFE has promoted several team members for their hard work and contributions to the firm:
NFE Announces New Principal
NFE is pleased to announce Carol Thurber, PE, CFM is joining the firm as a Principal. Carol will be responsible for developing new business opportunities in Macomb County.
NFE Acquires Assets of Fazal Khan & Associates
At the end of 2019, NFE acquired the assets of Fazal Khan & Associates, Inc., a former civil engineering/land surveying firm. NFE has moved into the 43279 Schoenherr Road, Sterling Heights location, keeping many of Fazal Khan’s former employees, with Carol Thurber, PE, CFM in charge of the office.
New Year, New Beginnings – NFE Macomb Office Gets New Location
A new year, brings new changes and the Nowak & Fraus Macomb team started the first quarter of 2022, closing the doors to one office location and opening the doors to another.
Bruce Van Doorn Sr. Reaches a Milestone
Friends and clients of the Nowak & Fraus Family, please join us in congratulating our valued employee, Bruce Van Doorn Sr., on his significant accomplishment achieving 50 years of service with the company. It is remarkable that any individual could achieve such a milestone. What is more impressive is that surveying is…
