A company doesn’t have to maintain a huge staff in order to make a huge impact - just ask the leaders at R.J. Fisher & Associates Inc., a land development design corporation that has remained relatively modest in size but has designed some of the largest developments in the Harrisburg area.  The firm started in 1988 and has literally blossomed into one of the principal players in civil engineering, site planning and surveying for the Central Pennsylvania Region.

As Robert J. Fisher, founder and company president, says, “Our employees are a unique blend of talented individuals with high professional, technical and presentation skills.  They have extensive experience in all aspects of site design and field surveying, which gives them a better overall understanding of the total project requirements.  We can take a project from the initial site evaluations to construction completion.”

Using the most up-to-date surveying and computer technology, matched with the firm’s talented individuals, the firm can produce a quality design in much less time than was possible in the past.  All plans presented for approvals and for construction are in full color.  This yields a higher-quality presentation, in comparison to traditional blueprints and reduces questions and issues during construction.

Fisher has worked as land surveyor, municipal engineer and in-house developer’s engineer to learn all sides of the issues related to land development.  “We’re a small company, but we’ve had a great deal of influence,” he notes.  “We’ve worked with municipalities, developers and state legislators to craft better regulations for community design standards.  Currently, we are deeply involved with the DEP Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategy, which has the potential to severely limit growth in Pennsylvania.”

 Fisher continues, “I am a committee chairman for the Pennsylvania Builders Association (PBA); consequently, R.J. Fisher has assisted with bringing together a coalition of partners to propose reasonable legislation with funding provisions to assist municipalities, conservation districts, farmers and builders to continue doing business while still cleaning up the bay.  Hopefully, we can be successful in this effort to bring some of the state’s money back to the Central Pennsylvania region.  We are one of the few design firms in this region that has tirelessly worked for the home building industry with extensive time and money over the past 20 years.”

 Fisher has also served on the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Harrisburg (HBA) board of directors since 1993 and has chaired the State and Local Government Committee, coordinating the HBA efforts to keep land regulations fair.  He has given presentations and testimony before state legislators and local officials. In 2014 Mr. Fisher will serve as the President of the HBA.

 This firm’s perseverance and dedication to promoting a positive attitude  toward the building industry and affordable housing, as well as providing a friendly and technologically advanced workplace for employees, have not gone unnoticed.  Over the years, R.J. Fisher has been recognized and honored by being named Home Builders Association of the Year, Pennsylvania Builder Association (PBA) Hammers and Gavels Member of the Year, PBA Housing Advocate of the Year and a Pa. Land Surveyors Plat competition winner.  

In the end, it’s a perfect example of good things coming in modestly sized packages