Ledbetter, Corner merge architectural, engineering services

Ledbetter, Toth & Associates, a consulting engineering firm with a long-time office in Springfield, has joined with Corner and Associates, an architectural company, to form Ledbetter, Corner & Associates, an architecture and engineering firm with five offices in four states.

The April 2003 merger of the two long-standing firms has allowed the companies to combine their experience and expertise in both fields to offer complete architecture and engineering services.

"Jim (Ledbetter) and I have been friends for 30 years. We have talked about merging in the past, but because we've been too busy and life (was) taking us in different directions, we never did do it until now. It seemed like an appropriate time to join forces and start in a new direction for both companies," said Doug Corner, senior vice president of Ledbetter, Corner & Associates.

President Jim Ledbetter could not be reached for comment.

The company has 55 employees and architectural offices in Springfield, Webb City and Ardmore, Okla., with engineering offices in Memphis, Tenn., and Jackson, Miss. Corner, as managing partner for the architectural end, alternates between the offices in Springfield, Webb City and Ardmore.

"Our goal is to provide more complete architectural engineering services for our clients. Before, we were just an architectural firm and we used consulting engineers. (Ledbetter) had a consulting engineer firm and it's a good combination for us," said Corner.

According to Corner, the company's engineering offices in Springfield, Jackson and Memphis will celebrate their 25th anniversary this year. The architectural offices have provided services for southern Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma since 1986. Ledbetter, Corner & Associates' Springfield office is located at 2220 E. Sunshine St., Ste 206.