Donald G. Peterson, P.E., Iowa #7845

Licensed in Iowa since 1975

Previously licensed in Wisconsin and Missouri

About Peterson engineers

In 1952 Carlyle W. Peterson, P.E. left the employ of Tinsley, Higgins, Lighter and Lyon to open the first structural engineering consulting office in the state of Iowa. Shortly thereafter, he was joined by Donald W. Appell, P.E. and they formed a partnership and offered consulting engineering services to architects, owners and contractors as Peterson and Appell Structural Engineers. In 1978 Mr. Appell left the practice and it became known as Peterson Engineers.

The present owner, Donald G. Peterson, P.E., oldest son of Carlyle and Anna Marie Peterson, was first employed by the firm as an “office boy” immediately after he received his diploma from North High School in Des Moines in January, 1963. He joined the firm on a permanent basis in 1972, after receiving his Bachelor of Architectural Engineering degree from Iowa State University in 1968 and after serving three years as an Officer in the United States Navy.

The firm scaled back in size from a maximum of 22 employees in the Des Moines office and 5 in the Davenport, Iowa office to just Carlyle Peterson, owner and Donald Peterson, Chief Engineer. Following Carlyle’s death on his 97th birthday on November 1, 2014, ownership of the firm was transferred to Donald Peterson. He continues to operate the firm as a one man office.

The firm has always focused on providing simple, economical solutions to even the most complex structural engineering problems and has relied solely on repeat business with established clients and referrals since its founding.