GBA Acquires Rio Engineering, a Strategic Partner in Texas

George Butler Associates, Inc. (GBA) is excited to announce the acquisition of Rio Engineering, Inc. (Rio), its second deal in Texas, to capitalize on market potential for infrastructure preservation and expansion. The partnership began several years ago at a diving inspector training conference and the two firms have been working together on multiple contracts since. “By joining forces, our shared capabilities and increased capacity will enable the team to complete major inspection contracts and pursue new opportunities along the southern gulf. We are delighted to welcome Rio to GBA,” Tim Ross, GBA President/CEO.

Rio provides routine, fracture critical, underwater, and other structural inspection services. This focus on inspection of bridges, seawalls, wharfs, and other waterfront structures blends well with GBA’s Transportation group. All employees will remain with the company and work from offices in Round Rock and Childress, Texas. Joe Starkey, founder of Rio, said “We are excited to join the GBA team to leverage the resources and experience of a larger firm while providing long-term stability of the company for years to come.”

The GBA/Rio merger closed on October 1, 2021. Terms of the acquisition will not be released. GBA was represented by M&A legal consultant, Seck & Associates, with assistance by Morrissey Goodale during the valuation stage. KingsPoint Capital, LLC, a middle-market investment banking firm based in Houston, facilitated the sale of Rio Engineering.