Schnabel University 2026: Celebrating 70 Years of Engineering Excellence

More than 500 Schnabel employee-owners from 32 offices nationwide recently gathered in Charlotte, NC, for Schnabel University (SU) – our largest firmwide learning and development event. This year’s SU was especially meaningful as we celebrated 70 years of engineering excellence and the people who continue to shape our legacy.

The 2026 theme, “Driven to Excellence: Quality by Design. Success Through Teamwork,” reflected the spirit of Schnabel and the energy of our host city, the official NASCAR capital. Over two days, employees participated in technical and professional development sessions and networking designed to strengthen collaboration and elevate the quality of our work.

A Celebration of Our People and Our Progress

During the event kickoff, Chad Mayers, Chief Operating Officer, encouraged attendees to take in the moment.

“This isn’t just a conference,” Chad said. “It’s 32 Schnabel offices and hundreds of employee-owners – 70 years of One Schnabel – coming together in one place. From this vantage point, it’s absolutely breathtaking.”

President and CEO Walt Rabe echoed that sentiment, reflecting on the firm’s growth and the talent that fuels it.

“I’ve been coming to these events for 25 years, and I never imagined we’d have more than 500 people in a room celebrating Schnabel and celebrating each other,” Walt said. “You are surrounded by the best and brightest in the industry.”

Honoring a 70‑Year Legacy

This milestone year offered an opportunity to reflect on the firm’s long-standing commitment to solving complex challenges and improving communities through engineering excellence.

As Chad shared, “Our legacy wasn’t built by any one person or one office. It was built by a long line of professionals – like all of us here – who care deeply about quality, sound judgment, and collaboration.”

Investing in Our People

Held every two years, SU is one of the many ways we invest in our people and strengthen the culture that has defined us for seven decades – bringing our Unity and Stewardship values to life as we continue to grow, succeed, and challenge ourselves to improve.