Dennis Hirschbrunner

After a distinguished 40-year career in engineering, Dennis Hirschbrunner retired, in March of 2010, as executive vice president and national director of marketing for HDR’s engineering operating company. In his position, he was responsible for marketing programs and strategic planning companywide.  He served as a member of the HDR corporate management team that set the goals, direction and strategy for the company, and personally led the development of strategic plans from 1995 through 2012.

Dennis received a bachelor of science degree in Civil Engineering in 1970 from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln and completed post-graduate work in Environmental Engineering. Dennis began his career at Gilmore and Associates in Columbus, Nebraska, serving more than 50 Nebraska and Iowa communities as surrogate city engineer, for nearly 14 years until joining HDR in 1986.

In addition to his engineering career, Dennis is also a businessman and entrepreneur, having started RISC Inc./Cuzzins’ Corner convenience store and car wash in 1990 with his brother and other family members. Having sold that business in 2012, he was then part of a group that purchased Columbus Bank and Trust Co. in 2013, where he currently serves as a director. He is also in partnership with a group that purchased the former New World Inn which is now the Ramada Inn and River’s Edge Convention Center. In 2010, he started DC Hirschbrunner Consulting, LLC offering business management, strategic planning and marketing services, primarily to firms in the AE industry.

Dennis’ community involvement includes serving as Vice Chair of the Dean’s Advisory Board of the University of Nebraska College of Engineering, as a University of Nebraska Foundation Trustee, a member of the board of directors of the Columbus Area Future Fund affiliated with the Nebraska Community Foundation, and the Platte County Historical Society.