Our 45/20 Anniversary: What it Means and Why We’re Celebrating!

This year, we’re celebrating 20 years as Watry Design, Inc. and 45 in the design industry. Over the past 20 years, our team of four principals has led the firm to new heights by building off of the core philosophies the firm was founded on 45 years ago: a passion for what we do and a collaborative environment to do it in.

Under the guidance of David LoCoco, Jess McInerney, John Purinton and Michelle Wendler, Watry Design has honed a collaborative process that is core to our nature: it is infused in our projects, it is how we run the firm and it is how we work with both each other and our clients. To ensure we have the right team to champion this legacy, these four leaders have cultivated a culture that emphasizes career development and explores new and innovative ways for our team to learn and thrive.

It started back in 1975 with Nick Watry, who founded Watry Engineering, Inc. Being a licensed engineer wasn’t enough to satisfy Nick – his love for architecture inspired him to become a licensed architect as well. This unique combination of skills helped establish a firm that understands the value that collaboration between disciplines brings to clients. This led to changing the name to Watry Design Group in 1987. Specializing in parking design, Watry Design Group placed architecture, engineering and parking planning under one roof, fostering a culture of collaboration that was built on that founding philosophy – passion for what we do.

Maintaining and growing that culture, however, required far more than one person. Nick sought out architects, engineers and parking planners who shared his same passion for the collaborative process. In 2000, ownership of the firm transitioned to the leadership team of passionate individuals who incorporated Watry Design, Inc., with a mission to hone its passion-fueled, collaborative methodology and take it to new heights.

Twenty years later, David, Jess, John and Michelle inspire our team to collaborate, innovate and elevate. This is why we are celebrating our “45/20” anniversary throughout 2020. We look forward to sharing different facets of our firm with you all year long!