ST. LOUIS, MO — May 18, 2016 — Barry-Wehmiller Design Group announced today that the organization has eclipsed 1,000 professionals for the first time in its history.
Established in 1986 with a mission to provide engineering and technology solutions to industry, Design Group has grown from a single office in St. Louis to over 35 locations across the US.
The firm attributes its growth to a process it calls ’visioning.’ “It started with a simple concept in 2001,” stated Joseph Wilhelm, Design Group Managing Partner. “We asked ourselves the question: What could our business look like if our capacity for growth was only limited by our ability to engage passionate professionals within a proven business model and a vibrant, people-centric culture?”
In 2011, when the organization was about five hundred employees, Design Group leadership established a vision to reach 1,000 professionals. The team recognized that increased scale would provide higher value to clients, and greater opportunities for emerging leaders within the firm.
“We are exceptionally proud to have achieved this latest organizational milestone, doubling the size of the firm in just five years. We are committed to delivering value in support of the technology needs of our clients, while consistently providing professional growth opportunities for all of our associates,” Wilhelm commented.
Design Group celebrates this historic achievement at the same time that the firm recognizes its 30-year anniversary. Wilhelm expects that the firm will double in size again within the next six to seven years. “We are attracting incredible talent into Design Group today, and our business model allows professionals to participate directly in the development of sustainable client relationships. Our team members appreciate the ability to work directly with clients in this capacity, as they help build the business for the future.”
Design Group has grown virtually every year since it was first established. “This pattern of sustained growth and critical mass enables us to serve our clients as a financially strong, viable engineering firm providing technology solutions to a wide range of markets and industries,” concluded Wilhelm.
“The phenomenal growth and success of Design Group is a testament to what is possible when you set aside traditional incremental thinking and imagine what the future could bring,” commented Bob Chapman, Barry-Wehmiller Chairman and CEO. “The unique combination of the firm’s sound business model and a culture of Truly Human Leadership creates personal growth opportunities and meaningful work for its team members, which ultimately benefits everyone—Design Group’s professionals, its clients, and all of those connected to the company.”
Design Group is the largest consulting division among Barry-Wehmiller’s eleven divisions. Since 1987, privately-held Barry-Wehmiller has experienced 16 percent compound annual growth through acquisition and organic initiatives. Today, the organization is a rich blend of the legacies and capabilities of more than 80 companies spread among 100-plus locations around the globe.