Widseth president Kevin Donnay has been named one of Prairie Business Magazine’s “Leaders and Legacies” award recipients for 2021. The magazine’s Leaders & Legacies award recognizes executives in the Dakotas and western Minnesota for achievements either recently or over a lifetime of work. Colleagues from across the region nominated individuals for the award based on their leadership and accomplishments while serving as an executive. Of the nine honorees, Kevin is the sole recipient from Minnesota.
Since he became president in 2013, Kevin has focused on cultivating the firm’s sustainable growth, building a strong firm identity and culture, and nurturing staff development. He joined Widseth in 1996 and has seen many changes over the years. With this perspective, he honors the firm’s distinguished 46-year history yet is mindful of its necessary evolution.
Kevin has overseen several initiatives that have strengthened the firm, including opening two new offices in strategic markets, Forest Lake and Mankato, MN; acquiring an aerial mapping firm that added new service lines to Widseth’s portfolio; the complete rebrand of an aging corporate identity; an overhaul of the firm’s strategic planning process; and steering the firm through the tumultuous COVID-19 pandemic.
Kevin dedicates considerable time to city commissions, community organizations, and strategic planning efforts. He is tapped into his community through his considerable involvements in professional and service organizations, on the Boards of Directors for multiple non-profits, and his active involvement in his profession.
Under Kevin, the firm has twice earned the distinction of being one of Prairie Business’s 50 Best Places to Work. The firm maintains nine offices in Minnesota and North Dakota and employs more than 200 people representing a wide range of disciplines, including architecture, engineering, land surveying, environmental services, and associated fields.