Westlake Reed Leskosky (WRL), a 180-person architecture/engineering/technology firm with studios in Washington, D.C., New York, Charlotte, Cleveland, Phoenix, Los Angeles and Shanghai, will join DLR Group to create a 1,000+ person global design firm with 26 locations. Both WRL and DLR Group are perennial members of the ARCHITECT magazine Top 50, each having been ranked as the #1 design firm in the United States by the official publication of the American Institute of Architects.
“WRL has been seeking to join a firm of like beliefs and values to increase the distribution of our design expertise,” said WRL Managing Principal Paul Westlake, FAIA. “DLR Group is the ideal partner, an integrated design firm committed to design excellence and environmental stewardship. This also ensures the design legacy of WRL and provides our staff with ownership opportunity through DLR Group’s ESOP structure.”
“It’s a case of right creative partner, right place, and right time,” said Griff Davenport, DLR Group’s CEO. “This increases the geographic reach of both firms and creates a design firm with demonstrated market-leading practices in the space of Cultural and Performing Arts, Energy Services, Healthcare, Hospitality, Justice, K-12 Education, Preservation, Retail and Mixed-Use, Sports, and Workplace.”
“WRL has been seeking to join a firm of like beliefs and values to increase the distribution of our design expertise,” said WRL Managing Principal Paul Westlake, FAIA. “DLR Group is the ideal partner, an integrated design firm committed to design excellence and environmental stewardship. This also ensures the design legacy of WRL and provides our staff with ownership opportunity through DLR Group’s ESOP structure.”
“It’s a case of right creative partner, right place, and right time,” said Griff Davenport, DLR Group’s CEO. “This increases the geographic reach of both firms and creates a design firm with demonstrated market-leading practices in the space of Cultural and Performing Arts, Energy Services, Healthcare, Hospitality, Justice, K-12 Education, Preservation, Retail and Mixed-Use, Sports, and Workplace.”
I interviewed some of the nation’s top M+A advisors and retained Michael because of his deep understanding of the profession
as well as his combination of strategic insights, analytical abilities and communication skills. Michael was highly accessible and
engaged as he guided us throughout the transaction process while maintaining respectful, collaborative relationships and
preserving goodwill among the parties. With his keen focus on our major objectives and willingness to provide candid advice,
Michael developed creative solutions to complex problems, skillfully communicated our positions and
reconciled the interests of the parties.
– Paul E. Westlake, Jr., FAIA, FACHA
Strogoff Consulting worked closely with Paul Westlake, Jr., FAIA, throughout the merger process, including collaborating with each firm’s team of attorneys, accountants, CFOs and advisors. Michael was instrumental in developing an acquisition and earnout framework that closely aligned both firm’s strategic objectives and awarded WRL for the strong value they bring to this merger.