Entrepreneur of the Year
Steven Carleton
Rani Engineering
When Steven Carleton first connected with MEDA, he wasn’t just thinking about growth – he was looking for opportunity.
After eight years in the Army National Guard, serving in the Iraq War, drawing on lessons from his military service, and building a strong technical foundation working for a spinoff of 3M Steven adopted a mindset that still guides him today: say yes to opportunities that help you grow.
With guidance from MEDA’s business consultants on tax, legal, and strategic planning, he made his move into entrepreneurship. He acquired PCE in 2015. Two years later, he purchased Rani Engineering from owners seeking a successor and merged the two companies into a unified civil engineering firm.
Building a firm that specializes in civil engineering, land surveying, and rail systems engineering demanded vision and persistence – but the results speak for themselves. Today, the company partners on major infrastructure projects across Minnesota, including work with MNDOT and the City of Minneapolis. What began as one entrepreneur’s bold bet on himself has grown into a team of 60 professionals shaping the roads, land, and rail systems that communities depend on every day. Steven’s story is a testament to what becomes possible when talent meets opportunity – and when the right support is there at the right moment.
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Annual Report 2024
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