INTEGRATED ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEERING EXPERTISE
Ackerman-Estvold is a full-service architectural, civil engineering, and consulting firm serving clients throughout North Dakota, Montana, and Idaho. From initial planning and design through construction and project closeout, we provide integrated solutions that help our clients deliver successful projects with confidence.
Headquartered in Minot, North Dakota, Ackerman-Estvold was founded with a commitment to serving the communities where we live and work. That commitment continues today as we partner with public agencies, private developers, and organizations across the region to create practical, efficient, and enduring solutions.
Our strength lies in our experienced, multidisciplinary team. With offices in Minot, Williston, Fargo, and Boise, we bring together registered professional engineers, licensed architects, design professionals, construction managers, inspectors, surveyors, and technical specialists under one roof. This integrated approach allows us to streamline coordination, manage risk, and maintain consistency from concept to completion.
Ackerman-Estvold offers deep expertise across architecture, civil engineering, surveying, GIS, construction management, and general contracting services. Our team understands regional conditions, regulatory environments, and construction realities, allowing us to deliver solutions that are not only well designed, but also buildable and cost-effective.
With more than two decades of experience and a strong regional presence, Ackerman-Estvold is a trusted partner for projects of all sizes and complexities. We are proud of our roots in North Dakota and equally proud of the long-standing relationships we’ve built with clients throughout the Midwest.
Contact us today to learn how our team can support your next project.
2003
FOUNDED IN MINOT, NORTH DAKOTA
2013
WILLISTON, NORTH DAKOTA LOCATION
2018
BOISE, IDAHO LOCATION
2020
FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA LOCATION
OUR SECTOR LEADERS/PARTNERS
PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
RYAN ACKERMAN, PE
Ryan Ackerman leads Ackerman-Estvold as President and CEO, providing executive oversight while remaining actively engaged in complex engineering projects. He brings extensive experience in project management, civil design, construction engineering, and land surveying, with specialized expertise in water resources and flood protection.
Ryan has played a key leadership role on some of the region’s most significant infrastructure efforts, including the Mouse River Enhanced Flood Protection Project. In addition to technical leadership, he served as a public-facing spokesperson, helping guide communities through recovery following the historic 2011 flood. His ability to balance technical rigor with clear communication has been critical to project success and stakeholder confidence.
With a strong commitment to community-focused solutions, Ryan works closely with clients, project teams, and public stakeholders to deliver resilient, practical infrastructure that protects people and supports long-term growth.
VP/CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER
STEVE EBERLE, PE
Steve Eberle is highly experienced in design and construction engineering. He began his career as a Project Engineer, advanced to Project Manager, and now serves as Chief Operations Officer and Principal in Charge for numerous projects. Steve brings significant expertise in municipal infrastructure, including large-scale transportation projects, stormwater management, grading, water and sewer systems, and street improvement plans for residential subdivisions and site development projects.
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VP/LAND DEVELOPMENT LEAD
sean weeks, pe, leed ap
Sean Weeks brings decades of civil engineering experience, including nine years operating his own firm in Florida. He joined Ackerman-Estvold in January 2011 as a Project Manager. Sean’s professional focus is in land development for private clients, and he has also played a key role in guiding municipal clients through growth management planning during both expansion and contraction cycles in northwestern North Dakota.
VP/TRANSPORTATION LEAD
TIM ARENS, PE
Tim Arens brings extensive civil engineering experience, with a focus on transportation and construction. After graduating from North Dakota State University in 2003, he began his career with the Missouri Department of Transportation, working in the traffic and construction divisions. Since joining Ackerman-Estvold in 2011, Tim has led the transportation team in the design and construction of several large roadway and bridge projects throughout western North Dakota. Based in Fargo, Tim leads the firm’s efforts in that location.
VP/SITE AND MUNICIPAL LEAD
PATRICK SAMSON, PE
Patrick Samson brings extensive civil engineering experience, with a focus on land development and municipal engineering. He began his career in 2001 after graduating from the University of North Dakota and spent ten years working in Chicago and Wisconsin before returning to North Dakota in 2012 to join Ackerman-Estvold. Since arriving in Minot, Patrick has contributed to numerous critical development efforts supporting regional growth, including residential developments, school and school expansion projects, capital improvement planning, and infrastructure design.
VP/ARCHITECTURE LEAD
RYAN ANDERSON, AIA
Ryan Anderson brings extensive architectural experience in Minot and the surrounding communities. Growing up just outside Minot, he learned the construction trade, which shaped his career as an architect. A graduate of North Dakota State University in 2003, Ryan currently serves as Senior Architect and Vice President, leading and managing the firm’s architecture team. His portfolio includes new construction, remodels, and additions, ranging from small- to large-scale projects across a wide variety of building types, including commercial, educational, religious, office, aquatic, and industrial facilities. Ryan is licensed in five states—North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, and Idaho—and is a member of the American Institute of Architects.
PRESIDENT ACKERMAN SURVEYING & ASSOCIATES, INC/ VP ACKERMAN-ESTVOLD
rolly Ackerman, PLS
Rolly Ackerman serves as Vice President of Ackerman-Estvold and brings nearly 50 years of experience in land and construction surveying throughout the region. He also serves as President of Ackerman Surveying & Associates, Inc., which he founded in 1982. Rolly’s leadership and involvement in the planning and construction of numerous projects have been instrumental in the growth and development of northwestern North Dakota. In 2003, the North Dakota Society of Professional Land Surveyors recognized his contributions with the Surveying Excellence Award.
VP/IDAHO CIVIL LEAD
ANTONIO CONTI, PE, PLS
Antonio Conti is a civil engineer with over 30 years of experience and leads the firm’s operations in Idaho. He received his Bachelors of Science degree in Management Engineering from the Univeristy of Rome, in Rome, Italy. His focus is in engineer design, site development, and surveying, and serves as an engineering contact for many small cities in Idaho. He has his PE licenses in ND, UT, CA, and OR along with his Professional Land Surveying license in many states.
VP/ARCHITECTURE PROJECT DESIGN LEAD
PAUL KRAMER
Paul Kramer is a Senior Designer in our architecture group with over 30 years of experience in a large variety of projects, project management, and client relations. Paul has a deep knowledge of the industry and has created contacts and connections within the construction field because of his collaborative work style, which is key when working with dozens of partners on a project. Paul has worked on a multitude of projects from municipal design on parks, zoos, and public school design to multi-use facilities, large gathering spaces, and many keys projects in the region.
VP/CIVIL LEAD
AARON FORNSHELL, PE
Aaron Fornshell is a civil engineer with nearly 20 years of experience in project management, design, serving as a regional city consultant on water, wastewater, and construction project management. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of North Dakota in 2009. Aaron has extensive knowledge with complex construction projects has been critical in the role he serves related to flood mitigation projects, which have great impacts to the whole Souris River Basin in central North Dakota.