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TRANSACT IONS WESTLAKE REED LESKOSKY TO JOIN DLR GROUP DLR Group CEO Griff Davenport, AIA, announced that Westlake Reed Leskosky is joining DLR Group. Together, DLR Group and WRL will create a global design leader providing integrated architecture, engineering, interiors, planning, building optimization, and specialty consulting services. The strategic aim is to deliver a wide range of building type expertise to a diverse group of public and private sector clients throughout the world. “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 Davenport. “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.” Together, the two firms feature a roster of signature clients and projects including Boeing, Cleveland Clinic, General Services Administration, Google, Hyatt, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Mall of America, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Smithsonian Institution, University of Southern California, U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Federal Reserve.

“The term ‘peer firm’ tends to be tossed around loosely,” said Davenport. “As we went through this process it became readily apparent that within our firms is a clear cultural alignment. The common foundations are a commitment to the benefits of an integrated design process, supported by a dedication to design excellence and the sustainability goals of Architecture 2030.” “This is a unique opportunity to better serve the needs of both DLR Group and WRL clients in the Federal market as well as our private and public sector clients throughout the region,” said Davenport. “Nikki Sorg, Suman Sorg, and Rachel Chung from DLR Group will collaborate with WRL’s Jason Adolff and Roger Chang to create what I believe will be the leading integrated design firm in Washington DC.” Together, DLR Group and WRL will serve clients from 26 locations: Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Colorado Springs, Denver, Des Moines, Dubai, Honolulu, Houston, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Lincoln, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Nairobi, New York, Omaha, Orlando, Phoenix, Portland, Riverside, Sacramento, Seattle, Shanghai, Tucson, and Washington DC. The combined firm will be staffed by more than 1,000 design professionals. “DLR Group’s brand promise is to elevate the human experience through design,” said Westlake. “The essence of that idea is certainly at the central core of our design teams. This is a great day for all WRL employees as it provides ownership opportunity for every employee as part of DLR Group and ensures and leverages the design legacy of WRL.”

1200 North College Ave. Fayetteville, AR 72703 Mark Zweig | Publisher mzweig@zweiggroup.com Richard Massey | Managing Editor rmassey@zweiggroup.com Christina Zweig | Contributing Editor christinaz@zweiggroup.com Sara Parkman | Editor and Designer sparkman@zweiggroup.com Liisa Andreassen | Correspondent landreassen@zweiggroup.com Tel: 800-466-6275 Fax: 800-842-1560 Email: info@zweiggroup.com Online: www.thezweigletter.com Twitter: twitter.com/zweigletter Blog: blog.zweiggroup.com

MARK ZWEIG, from page 1

perfectly designed machine on a beautiful day – the sights, smells, and memories – all coming together to make a perfect morning. I’ve had a lot of bikes – well over 250 – and each one has done something better than the others I have had. I still have multiple bikes – including a late-model Harley Davidson and even the late Joe Lalli’s 1972 Honda CL350 (I restored it for Joe about 20 years ago and it needs it again), right here in our lobby. I just love motorcycles. And the truth is riding is one of the very few times I completely disconnect from my cellphone (and I think you all know how much I value responsiveness). The point is this. Having a bike is important to me. It certainly doesn’t help anyone else in my family or business for me to have one. It is an unnecessary luxury. But on the rare days like today when I can ride it, I love it. It makes me feel alive. Just that little bit of time I get to spend on it is incredibly valuable to me. What are you doing that you really want to do? Do you make any time for that – ever? If not, you probably need to. It may be therapeutic for you. It may actually make you more productive and less stressed. Golf? Cars? Brewery trips? Handball? Painting? Mountain climbing? Triathlons? What is on your bucket list? Go for it now! MARK ZWEIG is Zweig Group’s founder and CEO. Contact him at mzweig@zweiggroup.com.

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THE ZWEIG LETTER October 31, 2016, ISSUE 1174

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