07/27/2026
When I founded Cultural Resource Analysts in 1983, I had no way of knowing what the company would eventually become. Like many small businesses, CRA began with little more than professional experience, hard work, and the belief that clients deserved honest advice from people they could trust. At the time, our profession was still relatively young. The regulations implementing Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act had only recently begun to mature, and the cultural resource management industry was evolving rapidly.
Before starting CRA, I had the privilege of serving on the professional staff of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. There I reviewed federal undertakings from across the country and saw firsthand how the Section 106 process worked—sometimes exceptionally well, and sometimes not so well.
One lesson became clear very early in my career. The best projects were not those that merely complied with regulations. The best projects were those that identified potential problems early, assembled the right people around the table, listened to differing viewpoints, and found practical solutions before those problems became expensive crises.
That lesson has guided CRA for more than forty years. Our clients have never hired us simply because we know the regulations. They hire us because they trust our judgment. They trust us to identify risks that others may overlook. They trust us to provide objective advice—even when it is not what they expected to hear. They trust us to solve problems before they become obstacles. That trust has become the foundation of our reputation.
During the past four decades we have witnessed extraordinary change. Technologies that once seemed unimaginable have become routine. Geographic Information Systems, GPS, LiDAR, drones, digital mapping, and advanced remote sensing have transformed how we conduct our work. Entirely new industries, including renewable energy and large-scale data infrastructure. have become important clients. Federal regulations have been revised. Court decisions have reshaped agency practice. Public expectations have evolved. Throughout all that change, one thing has remained remarkably constant. Good professional judgment never goes out of style.
Today we again find ourselves facing significant changes to the Section 106 regulations. Reasonable people can disagree about the merits of individual regulatory revisions. Regulations should evolve as circumstances change. Every regulatory system can be improved.
But I want every CRA employee and our clients to understand something that is far more important than any particular regulation. Our professional standards are not defined by the minimum that government requires. They are defined by the level of excellence we choose to provide.
If future regulations require less consultation, we should still encourage meaningful dialogue when it benefits our clients. If fewer investigations become legally required, we should still advise clients when additional work will reduce project risk. If regulations become simpler, our responsibility to provide thoughtful professional judgment does not become simpler. Quite the opposite.
As regulations become more flexible, professional judgment becomes more valuable. That is where CRA has always distinguished itself. We are not in the business of checking regulatory boxes. We are in the business of helping our clients make informed decisions. Sometimes that means identifying a significant archaeological site before construction begins. Sometimes it means helping redesign a project to avoid unnecessary conflict. Sometimes it means explaining difficult truths that a client would rather not hear. Sometimes it means finding creative solutions that allow important projects to move forward while respecting the cultural resources that belong to all Americans. Those responsibilities require something no regulation can mandate., Integrity.
Over the years, I have often been asked what has contributed most to CRA's success. My answer has always been the same. It is our people. Reports do not build reputations. People do. Clients return because they trust the individuals sitting across the table from them. Federal agencies continue to seek our advice because they know our work is objective. Tribal governments engage with us because they know they will be treated with respect. State Historic Preservation Officers rely upon us because they know our work is thorough and professionally defensible. That trust has been earned one project at a time, one report at a time, one conversation at a time, over more than four decades.
Every new employee becomes part of that legacy. Every report carries the CRA name. Every recommendation reflects upon everyone who works here. That is both an extraordinary privilege and a profound responsibility. The profession of cultural resource management will continue to evolve, just as it has throughout my career. Artificial intelligence will change how we conduct research. Remote sensing technologies will continue to improve. Clients will face new challenges. Federal policies will change with each administration. None of those changes alter the fundamental purpose of our profession.
We help society make informed decisions. We help clients avoid unnecessary risk. We preserve knowledge that, once lost, can never be recovered. And we do so while helping important projects move forward. That balance has always defined the very best of cultural resource management.
It has defined CRA for more than forty years. My hope is that it will continue to define this company long after my own career has come to an end. The regulations will change. The technology will change. The projects will change. But our commitment to professionalism, integrity, scientific excellence, and practical problem-solving must never change. That is the legacy I hope every employee will inherit—and every future generation at CRA will continue to build upon.
Charles M. Niquette
Founder
Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc.
