Dallas Public Infrastructure Firm CRIADO Acquired by Fort Worth-Based Dunaway

Fort Worth-based Dunaway has acquired Dallas-based CRIADO & Associates, a public infrastructure firm established in 2001 by President and CEO Cristina Criado.

Dunaway said it has tapped SVP and Principal Kervin Campbell to lead the transition alongside Criado. The deal’s financial terms were not disclosed.

“CRIADO is excited to join forces with Dunaway because they’re a company that we always admired and aspired to be like one day—they successfully lead a dynamic, profitable, and sustainable company through their one-heart company culture and strong core values,” Cristina Criado said. “I’ve always admired and respected what Dunaway has built over the years under such an inspiring, thoughtful, and humble leadership team. I’m excited to be part of the difference that Dunaway makes.”

Campbell began his career at Dunaway in 2003, the company said.

With a significant portfolio of public works projects, including roadways, water, sanitary sewer, and storm drain improvements, the company said that Campbell is well-known in the industry for his “outstanding contributions to public safety and welfare” and for advancing the profession of civil engineering.

Under his leadership, Dunaway’s municipal client base has grown and has advanced the firm’s capabilities from offering traditional civil infrastructure services to adding innovative roundabouts and 2D water modeling design.

Independent, Texas-based firms joining forces

Before opening her firm, Cristina Criado practiced as a professional civil engineer for two leading civil engineering firms in Dallas-Fort Worth, managing a diverse project portfolio.

In her time as CEO of CRIADO, she has provided design and consulting services on a variety of civil engineering projects, including roadway and freeway projects, interchanges, hike and bike trails, municipal projects, and land development.

Criado’s project management experience involves quality assurance, review and control, scheduling, coordination, and management of the different disciplines required, the company said. Criado also has served on the executive board for the Greater Dallas Planning Council and UT Austin’s External Advisory Committee, in addition to serving as a member of the board of directors of the Workforce Solutions of Greater Dallas since 2015 and as a board member of the Dallas Regional Chamber for Economic Development, the North Texas Commission, and ACEC Dallas.

Dunaway expansions

Dunaway announced in 2023 that it opened its Houston office and in 2021 that it had expanded to Dallas and Farmersville in addition to its Austin, San Antonio, and Midland locations. Dunaway’s Dallas office will join forces with CRIADO’s nearly 60 employees and will broaden their capabilities through CRIADO’s experience serving municipal clients, creating a fully integrated team.

“Another deciding factor to join Dunaway versus other firms is that they are an independent, Texas-based firm that will continue to serve CRIADO’s clients while also focusing on business development and strategic growth,” Criado said.

With the acquisition, Dunaway said it continues to execute its vision to be the leading independent multi-discipline design firm in Texas, adding two new service lines to their in-house offerings—Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) and Right of Way (ROW).

“The addition of CRIADO to the Dunaway team marks an exciting chapter in our growth story and is a testament to our commitment to our vision. Together, we are poised to tackle even more ambitious projects, offering collaborative multi-disciplined solutions and unparalleled service to our clients and communities,” Campbell said.