Sixty years ago, engineers Ray Scouten, Bill Mitchell, and Dennis Sigurdson took a risk, mortgaged their homes, and started a firm that would become a significant contributor to Manitoba’s built environment. Today, SMS Engineering has grown to more than one hundred staff and has completed more than eighteen thousand projects.
by Kelly Smith
Lining the halls of the SMS office are countless photos of projects that have shaped Winnipeg: buildings you pass every day, spaces people rely on, and infrastructure that quietly keeps the city running. Everywhere you look, there’s another reminder that the firm’s people don’t just work in Manitoba; they helped build it.
“We’ve kind of had our fingers in most of the pinnacle buildings in the city,” reflects Chris Hewitt, President of SMS Engineering.
Admiring those photos sparks some bigger questions: How does one firm become involved in so many of the province’s milestone projects? And: How do you sustain that momentum and that level of trust for six decades?
We all use the buildings we’re involved in. We live here. We work here. We see them every day.
– Chris Hewitt, President of
SMS Engineering
According to Hewitt, the ‘secret’ isn’t a single breakthrough or a headline-grabbing moment. It’s the culture the firm has built, the people it’s invested in, and the way it has approached every project and every relationship over the past sixty years.
CITY SHAPING PROJECTS
“Our first project was at the Health Sciences Centre [Children’s Hospital] … and that HSC legacy continues to this day. We’ve done hundreds and hundreds of projects at HSC,” explained Hewitt.
Founded in 1965, SMS Engineering grew from a small mechanical consultancy into a full-service mechanical and electrical firm known for its practical, no-nonsense approach to design. Over the decades, the company expanded its expertise and built a reputation as one of Manitoba’s most trusted engineering partners.
“Our journey has been one of being involved in Winnipeg’s most important projects — hospitals, airports, universities, the convention centre, Journey to Churchill at the zoo,” said
Hewitt. “We all use the buildings we’re involved in. We live here. We work here. We see them every day.”
I always say we’ve done our job well if no one even realizes we were there. If the building works, if everything runs the way it should, that’s the goal.
– Jordan Bull, Partner,
Senior Mechanical Engineer
Many of these projects were delivered for fellow BOMA members, where SMS’s work directly supports the buildings and organizations that anchor downtown. At 201 Portage, one of Winnipeg’s most recognizable towers, SMS led a full chiller replacement while the building stayed operational, a project that demanded meticulous sequencing, temporary systems, and no room for error—a textbook SMS example of major upgrades with zero disruption. As Shivey Brar, Senior Property Manager, Harvard Developments, shared, “SMS is a trusted engineering firm that collaborates and delivers real world success through expertise and integrity.”
A few blocks over, 444 St. Mary brought its own headache, a cooling tower replacement inside a high-rise mechanical room with barely any space to work with. SMS solved it by pulling the old tower out through the roof and installing a higher-capacity unit that fit within the structural limits while boosting overall cooling performance.
Matias Fridson, Leasing Director, Morguard, shared a similar perspective, “The value-add and practical approach by the SMS Engineering team continues to deliver solutions that will benefit our assets long-term. Their expertise, combined with focus driven individuals allows for challenges to be overcome on a consistent basis.”
“I always say we’ve done our job well if no one even realizes we were there. If the building works, if everything runs the way it should, that’s the goal,” expressed Jordan Bull, Partner, Senior Mechanical Engineer.
The current Portage Place Redevelopment, one of Winnipeg’s most ambitious revitalization projects in decades, is another project where SMS is involved, designing high-performance, adaptable systems for a site set to reshape downtown. “SMS has been a pillar in our community for 60 years. We have had the pleasure of partnering with SMS on numerous projects and look forward to continuing our collaboration in the years ahead,” says Gavin Johnstone, COO True North Real Estate Development Limited. “We wish SMS continued growth and success for the next 60 years and beyond.”
As BOMA members themselves, the team knows their work ultimately circles back to the very community they’re part of. “There is nothing better than walking through a building you’ve worked on and experiencing it as a member of the public, knowing the care, effort, and attention that went into creating spaces we use every day,” remarked Hewitt.
BUILDING BETTER THROUGH INNOVATION
SMS stays ahead by designing for what’s coming, not just what’s in front of them. In a province that swings from +40°C to -40°C and in a sector where technology changes
faster than ever, that forward focus is essential.
Net-zero design, heat recovery, electrical heating, and integrated mechanical-electrical systems have become standard expectations. “The biggest thing is just staying on top of the technology that’s coming out. There’s always something new,” Bull noted.
Hewitt believes in automating the mundane so people can focus on the important parts of the project. “We write our own scripts here in the office to automate things like laying out sprinkler heads, grills in ceilings, even light fixtures,” he shares.
Highlighting ten thousand plugs by hand used to be part of the QA process, but automation has replaced that grind and shows just how far the industry has come. “In the seventies, a similar project might have fifteen drawings,” Hewitt explained.
“When we did The Holy Family Home expansion, electrical alone had ninety-two drawings. The technology has evolved hugely.”
AI is part of that future, but not a replacement for expertise. “We’ve publicly come out and said that we use AI; we use it responsibly, but
we’re still responsible for the product at the end of the day,” Hewitt emphasized.
“We have clients modelling the next seventy-five years,” Hewitt commented. “Capital cost is one thing; operating cost over a building’s lifetime is another. We are designing sustainably because it is irresponsible not to.”
THE CULTURE ENGINE
One truth stands out, SMS’s sixty year track record is built on the people working behind the scenes. Hewitt is clear about what drives the company, “We’d be nothing without our clients. We’d also be nothing without our people… our biggest asset,” he explained. “When 110 people walk out the door at 5 p.m., the company only works if they choose to come back the next morning.”
That belief is built directly into their leadership approach. In 2017, Hewitt completed a leadership training course created by an ex-military flight instructor and lawyer. The training teaches a simple idea: you can’t expect someone to take responsibility if they aren’t given the authority. The firm has built that idea into its structure. When someone is assigned a project, they own it. They drive the decisions and carry accountability. Senior engineers provide guidance, but they do not take over the decision-making.
It also reinforces something Hewitt repeats often. “We manage widgets and things, and lead people.” As he explained it, “Everybody has a position in that chain. Everybody is responsible for something, but you can only be responsible for something if somebody has delegated authority to you.” Every new leader at the firm now takes the same training, which has unified the company’s leadership philosophy.
At SMS, culture is not just an idea, it shows up in everyday habits and the office layout. “We literally have no enclosed offices,” Bull shares. Hewitt makes a point of saying good morning to every person he passes and pays attention to the details of their lives.
We’d be nothing without our clients. We’d also be nothing without our people… our biggest asset.
– Chris Hewitt, President of
SMS Engineering
That approach extends to training their youngest engineers. Students are not tucked away doing busywork; they’re being prepared to become the next generation of SMS leaders. The results speak for themselves, SMS has grown from 38 people in 2003 to more than one hundred today, not through acquisitions, but by developing talent and promoting from within.
GROWING THE NEXT GENERATION
SMS isn’t guessing what the future of engineering will look like, they’re building it in-house.
The student program is the foundation of that pipeline. Hewitt sums it up simply: “The student program is basically a three-month interview.”
That means that students are not merely filing papers or quietly shadowing; they design real projects, run calculations, visit sites, consult with clients, and troubleshoot alongside senior engineers. “Those little five-minute conversations with a 30-year veteran in our industry can send you off in the right direction,” Bull explains.
Nicolas Lavoie, Junior Mechanical EIT and former co-op student, saw a steep learning curve thanks to meaningful responsibility from day one. “Everyone was given projects right away. I was not just helping other people out. I was given my own projects to try and figure out by myself with the help of others,” Lavoie explained.
That combination of trust and guidance defines SMS’s leadership which currently numbers 17 partners. Students have authority over their work. Brenna Rempel, Junior Mechanical EIT and former co-op student, described it as being “in the deep end, but also someone is right there with a life jacket.”
For students, the experience is a turning point. As Rempel shared, “It was a really great feeling… going into my final year of university knowing that I had something exciting lined up once I graduated.”
The program prepares young engineers not just to contribute, but to lead, ensuring SMS’s future is grounded in people who feel valued, supported, and ready to shape the next sixty years.
We recognize it took sixty years to build our reputation. It could take sixty seconds to destroy it.
– Chris Hewitt, President of
SMS Engineering
GIVING BACK, STAYING CONNECTED
SMS pours the same energy into the community as it does into its designs, supporting local families, industry partners, and the next generation of Manitobans. The team runs an annual United Way Week, organizes Koats for Kids drives, donates to women’s shelters, and sends volunteers to Habitat for Humanity.
Industry involvement strengthens those relationships too. Bull highlighted the impact of BOMA events. “The golf tournament is an awesome experience… you get to connect with the community as a whole.”
Whether it is conferences, luncheons, or tournaments, SMS shows up to support the organizations that support the industry. Their presence isn’t just about being there, it is about showing who they are and what they stand for. “We recognize it took sixty years to build our reputation. It could take sixty seconds to destroy it,” says Hewitt.
Pride in the firm also manifests in unexpected ways. Hewitt described staff buzzing with excitement the first time their logo appeared on the LED ribbon banner at a Winnipeg Jets game. “I was taking more photos and videos of our advertising than I was watching the game,” recalls Lisa Defoort, Manager of Marketing & Communications. “The Jets are such a pride thing for Winnipeg where it really brings us together.”
Building connection within the company is done via a social committee that organizes bowling nights, golf outings, corn maze trips, and Activate events, giving people space to get to know each other. Those relationships make it easier to collaborate, ask for help, and weather the busy seasons together.
As Defoort explains, “As part of the committee, I love how these events make it easy to connect with people outside your team. You might not interact day-to-day, but these moments help build connections. Back in the office, collaboration feels natural, and in my role, that makes a big difference.”
ENGINEERING THE FUTURE
To keep pace with rapid technological change, the firm is strengthening internal systems, expanding training, and giving young engineers meaningful ownership early. Better tools matter, but only when the people behind them are equipped to use them well. That is why leadership development, student mentorship, and collaborative project delivery are core to their long-term plan.
As the firm looks forward, Hewitt often reflects on where it began. “I’d love to sit down with Dennis Sigurdson and say: When you mortgaged your house sixty years ago, did you think it was going to turn into this, with 110 people?”
SMS is stepping into its next chapter with the same mindset that carried it through the first sixty years: Stay ahead of the curve and prepare people to lead it. Bull sees how quickly the landscape is shifting, “There is so much to think about when building a building, from design to the contractor, then actually getting it built.” The future will only get more complex, and SMS is planning for that now.
“I think when you have an anniversary, a lot of people say you should be looking forward to the next 60 years,” says Hewitt. “I’ve found myself looking backwards with a little bit of pride.”