Woolpert Acquires Waller, Todd & Sadler Architects

By RITA DUCKWORTH
    On Jan. 8, 2019, the architecture, engineering, and geospatial firm of Woolpert announced its acquisition of Waller, Todd & Sadler Architects of Virginia Beach, Va.
    Acquiring the firm is part of a long-term strategic plan launched by Woolpert in 2015 when officials conducted a nationwide search for a company that would help them expand their reach while aligning with their mission statement and goals.
    “The search was a careful, deliberate process. We were looking for a firm that complemented what we do already,” said MEP/Structural Discipline Leader Bret Paden, of Woolpert’s Fairview Heights location.
    The two firms have worked together on various projects.
    “We had some familiarity with their leadership and operations,” says Paden.
    With the addition of Waller, Todd & Sadler, Woolpert doubled the size of its architectural department.
    “One service they bring that we didn’t have is interior design,” says Woolpert’s Architectural Discipline Leader Denise Breunig. “So besides growing our team of architects, we now also have an interior design department.”
    Sharing talents works both ways. Paden points out that Waller, Todd & Sadler did not previously have an engineering department.
    “This gives us the opportunity to add those disciplines to the jobs taken on at their location, broadening our overall engineering workload,” Paden said.
    Both Breunig and Paden say that the process of integrating the two offices will be gradual. Waller, Todd & Sadler will continue its jobs already in progress.
    “We’ll have opportunities to go and get to know their folks, then strategize the best way to work together,” says Breunig.
    Both firms are heavily involved in projects for military, education, athletic institutions, and municipal entities. Waller, Todd & Sadler has contracts with the U.S. Navy, which meshes well with the work Woolpert does for other branches of the Armed Forces.
    “We’ll start working together on projects as the year goes on,” says Paden. Collaboration on projects for the Navy and DoDEA (Department of Defense Education Activity) will start this year.
    Known for delivering innovative design and engineering excellence, Woolpert is headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, where it was founded in 1911. The Fairview Heights office is its third-largest office. Offering full architectural/engineering services, it is home to about 45 employees. Woolpert has 28 offices across the country with more than 800 employees.
    Waller, Todd & Sadler Architects, in business since 1956, has 34 staff members and a proud history of architecture and technical expertise in both the public and private sector
    “The whole Waller, Todd & Sadler team is impressive and fits well with our culture,” says Breunig. “Their architects are extremely creative. They’re quality focused and serious about client service. That all runs parallel to our values here at Woolpert.”