MSA is pleased to share that former CEO Matthew Pinion was presented Tuesday with an esteemed Gem Award from the City of Baraboo, Wis.
Matthew Pinion (on L), accompanied by wife Joan—accepting the Gem Award proclamation from Baraboo Mayor Mike Palm.
Gem Award winners are selected by Baraboo Mayor Mike Palm, and recognized for their dedication to making Baraboo a more prosperous and positive place to live. Pinion was presented with the award Tuesday evening at the meeting of the city council in Baraboo, with city dignitaries, citizens, friends and colleages of the award winner in attendance.
“What a fitting award for a truly honorable man,” commented Gil Hantzsch, current CEO of MSA. “Matt’s contributions to our company have substantially shaped and guided our path forward. His success in growing our Baraboo office directly influcenced the progression and economic prosperity of Baraboo itself.”
Matt joined MSA, then known as Mid-State Associates, in 1968—and in 1969 was named president and CEO of the firm. Under Matt’s leadership, the company grew from eight to 240 employees in six offices at the time of his retirement in 1996. He is responsible for many of the firm’s firsts: expanding the company’s service lines to include transportation as well as water and wastewater projects; hiring the company’s first full-time environmental engineer, Gil Gerdman, who later succeeded him as CEO; and obtaining the company’s first community grant, one that funded the improvement of Baraboo’s wastewater treatment system. In the 1980s, he also established MSA’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), a program that continues as part of his legacy today. In 2017, the company elected to become 100% employee-owned, and in 2018 MSA was named 2018 Company of the Year by the Wisconsin Chapter of the ESOP Association.
Pinion has been actively involved in his home city of Baraboo as well—volunteering his time, talents and engineering services to a variety of community-improvement projects. He has also served on a number of boards and committees, has been a 50-year member of the Baraboo Elks Club, an active member of his parish church and is a past chairman of the Wisconsin Society of Professional Engineers in Private Practice organization.
“Matt is a true Baraboo gem,” said Mayor Mike Palm, as he presented Pinion with the official mayoral proclamation. “The City of Baraboo extends its heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to Matt for his commitment to our fair city.”
MSA congratulates Matt on his award and also extends our deepest of thanks for all he has contributed to our company and community.
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