Our History
In the early 1980s, three talented individuals, Bob Felsburg, Steve Holt, and Arnie Ullevig saw an opportunity to practice a profession they loved while providing like-minded individuals a place to thrive. With only their vision and reputations to start with, they formed Felsburg Holt & Ullevig to provide transportation planning, traffic engineering, and design services in Colorado. Resolute on creating a space where culture was at the forefront, they built the firm on three objectives:
Advance the profession by providing high-quality state-of-the-art planning and engineering services
Develop a highly qualified and committed staff of good people (personally as well as professionally)
Create an environment in which members of the firm enjoy what they do and where they work.
As FHU grew, Bob, Steve and Arnie built a firm that allowed them to pursue their passion for the profession, work alongside people they respected and enjoyed, and make a difference in their communities. Although all three founders have retired, the culture they created remains central to who we are today. Their belief in doing great work, investing in good people and having a little fun along the way continues to shape the FHU experience.
FHU's Founders
Robert W. Felsburg, PE
Bob Felsburg earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from Penn State University in 1970 and 1972. He began his career in highway safety research before working as a transportation engineer in Omaha, Berkeley and Denver. In 1984, he co-founded the firm that would become Felsburg Holt & Ullevig.
Throughout his 40-year career, Bob earned a reputation as a leading transportation planner and engineer, managing major multimodal transportation studies, research efforts and engineering projects across the United States, particularly in the Rocky Mountain region and Midwest. His expertise spanned statewide transportation planning, traffic engineering, transit and rail planning, and major corridor studies. He also shared his knowledge as an instructor for federally sponsored transportation engineering courses.
Bob helped guide FHU for nearly 30 years, growing the firm from a single-office, three-person operation to a four-office company with more than 120 transportation professionals. He served as President and National Director of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Colorado (ACEC-CO) and received its prestigious Orley O. Phillips Award in 2012. Penn State honored him as an Outstanding Engineering Alumnus in 2014, and the Institute of Transportation Engineers Colorado/Wyoming Section recognized him with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024.
Now retired and living in the Denver area, Bob remains connected to FHU, occasionally visiting the office and sharing stories with employees. He takes particular pride in the people and culture of the firm he helped build, where exceptional work, strong relationships and enjoying what you do remain central to FHU’s identity.
Stephen A. Holt, PE
Steve Holt had a distinguished career that spanned more than 50 years in the planning, design, and implementation of major transportation systems throughout the United States as well as internationally. Although he spent much of his career in Colorado, Steve also lived and worked in unique places like Alaska and Ecuador. His work helped shape major transportation corridors, including I-70, I-25 and C-470, as well as Denver International Airport’s surface transportation network. Steve’s entrepreneurial spirit, technical expertise and professional reputation helped establish FHU and guide the growth of its design practice, applying skills honed by working for federal and state agencies, as well as several international consulting firms.
He was a recognized leader among numerous professional associations, including the American Council of Engineering Companies-Colorado (he also received the Orley O. Phillips Award) and the Colorado Contractors Association. Steve’s vast knowledge of Colorado’s transportation system led him to be appointed to Blue Ribbon Panels on transportation by three governors, and he was presented the prestigious Roderick L. Downing Award from the Colorado Transportation Conference in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the advancement of the transportation system in the state.
Following Steve’s passing in 2024, FHU established the Stephen A. Holt Memorial Endowment Scholarship Fund at his alma mater, the University of Colorado Boulder. The fund honors Steve’s contributions to engineering and public service by supporting undergraduate students in the College of Engineering and Applied Science. Steve’s legacy continues through the firm he helped found, the professionals he mentored, and the future engineers supported by this scholarship. His name and contributions remain an enduring part of FHU’s history.
Arnold J. Ullevig, PE
A native of Zumbrota, Minnesota, Arnie Ullevig earned his Bachelor of Civil Engineering with distinction from the University of Minnesota in 1967. He began his 35-year professional career in Minnesota before moving to Colorado in the early 1980s. He joined Bob Felsburg and Steve Holt in 1985, completing the firm’s original partnership of Felsburg Holt & Ullevig.
Over his sixteen years with FHU, Arnie helped establish the firm as a leader in transportation planning and large multimodal corridor studies. His technical expertise and exceptional communication skills made him an effective leader of multidisciplinary planning and design teams. He helped shape a more collaborative approach to transportation planning, bringing community priorities and local government considerations into the engineering process. His work spanned urban communities, growing municipalities and mountain resort areas.
Beyond his technical expertise, Arnie was a gifted storyteller, a natural mentor and a brilliant problem-solver who valued common sense as much as engineering knowledge. He had a remarkable ability to make complex ideas understandable and an unmistakable sense of humor that could lighten even the most challenging situations. Arnie believed in working hard, helping others and having fun along the way, a philosophy that helped shape FHU’s culture.
Following Arnie’s passing in the summer of 2026, FHU established the Arnold J. Ullevig Scholarship at the University of Minnesota, a fitting tribute to his lifelong pride in his home state. The scholarship honors his passion for transportation and commitment to mentoring future professionals. Recipients will carry that legacy forward as Ullevig Scholars.