Prestigious honor reflects overwhelmingly positive feedback from employees, attesting to healthy and supportive culture
CHICAGO — April 27, 2026 — Smith & Oby, a leading mechanical contracting company and part of the Foundral platform, has been certified as a Great Place to Work®. The honor, based on extensive surveys of current Smith & Oby employees, validates the company’s positive culture and high levels of workforce satisfaction.
The survey data finds that 88% of Smith & Oby employees say that the company is a great place to work; by comparison, the average rating at a typical American company is just 57%. Additionally, 85% of Smith & Oby employees say that new hires are made to feel welcome.
“Our company has a history that extends back 125 years, an achievement that we attribute to our high caliber of people,” said Jake Wattenbarger, president and general manager of Smith & Oby. “Though we bring diverse skill sets to work each day, we share a commitment to building structures that last throughout the Midwest. That mutual respect and passion are a big part of what makes Smith & Oby a Great Place to Work.”
Smith & Oby provides extensive mechanical contracting services, including plumbing and process piping, HVAC installation and retrofitting, sheet metal fabrication and more. The company is actively partnered with more than 300 companies in healthcare, education and commercial markets. Since 2022, the company has been aligned with Foundral and its backing partner, McNally Capital.
“We’re not just investing in companies; we’re investing in people,” said Jason Richards, CEO of Foundral. “Great Place to Work certification validates the investment we’ve made in Smith & Oby, confirming that their remarkable work stems largely from the fact that they simply love coming to work each day.”
For more information about Smith & Oby, visit www.smithandoby.com.
For more information about Foundral, visit www.foundral.com.