Company History

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Visionaries From The Beginning

CPP’s roots extend back more than half a century to the very beginning of wind engineering. Dr. Jack Cermak pioneered the development of modern wind engineering in the early 1950s while he was a professor at Colorado State University’s (CSU) College of Engineering in Fort Collins, Colorado.

In 1964, Dr. Cermak worked with Les Robertson and Dr. Alan Davenport to wind engineer the design of the World Trade Center Twin Towers in New York City. This high-profile project brought wind engineering and the wind tunnel testing of buildings to the attention of design professionals around the world.

To respond to the needs of the commercial sector for a wind tunnel testing facility, Dr. Cermak and Dr. Jon Peterka, another leading engineer on the CSU faculty, co-founded Cermak Peterka and Associates (CP/A) in 1981. Three years later, Dr. Ron Petersen brought his expertise in pollution dispersion and meteorology to the organization, which was then renamed Cermak Peterka Petersen, Inc. (CPP). Together, our three founders alone represent more than 110 years of experience in wind engineering.

As an international wind engineering company with a history rooted in the origins of the field, we offer premier consultation and testing services in the specialized disciplines of wind engineering.

We are an employee-owned business with a diverse and innovative staff. Our priority is to deliver technical excellence through client-focused services.

Drs. Alan Davenport (left) and Jack Cermak with the model of the Twin Towers