Over 50 years ago, a dream was born

KZF was founded, as a partnership in Cincinnati, on March 1, 1956 by a mechanical/electrical engineer, a civil/structural engineer, and two architects. By 1969, the firm had grown to over 100 persons while continuing its original make-up as a multidisciplinary design firm.

George J. Kral

Robert L. Zepf

William Freitag

In 1975, the firm became a corporation, going first by the name of KZF Environmental Design Consultants, Inc., and then by KZF Incorporated. In 2000, the firm's shareholders approved a name change to KZF Design.

In 1983, KZF reorganized itself internally to emphasize and focus its service delivery on specific market segments rather than operating as a general practice firm. This emphasis allowed KZF to respond, in a more customized fashion, to its diverse client base as well as allow the firm to adapt to changing economies by readjusting its market focus when necessary. KZF's practice currently serves (1) college, university, and cultural institutions, (2) transportation and infrastructure projects, (3) commercial and industrial clients, (4) corrections and justice agencies, (5) federal, state and local governments, and (6) corporate clients.

While KZF's multidisciplinary staffing has remained fairly constant (at around 100 people since the 1970s), its strong commitment to design technology and the firm's growing expertise in discrete market segments has resulted in a 12-fold increase in annual sales and billings in that timeframe.

In addition to the original Cincinnati office, KZF Design has operated various satellite offices in Kentucky and Indiana. The firm opened a sister office, KZF Design LLC, in Orlando, Florida in July, 2000.