The Foundation of WSB & Associates, Inc.
In October 1995, five bright-eyed, eager engineers unloaded their newly purchased Sam's Club demo desks from Ron's horse trailer, and wondered silently if this was really going to work. Bret Weiss, Pete Willenbring, Don Sterna, Ron Bray, and Bernie Mittlesteadt (who has since retired) sought to build a company that provides solid, creative engineering solutions while offering an outstanding place to work.
As the firm gradually grew in staff and clients, the partners worked diligently to maintain a healthy working environment. Along with giving staff good benefits and recognizing that they do have a family, appreciation is key. Ron strongly states, "It's all personality. We have a good, energetic staff that wants to do a good job. We empower our staff to help make the big project decisions. People want to feel like they are contributing to the bottom line. The reality is that we have trust and credibility with our clients."
Bret Weiss, PE - President
Bret became WSB's President in 2001. He continues to be attentive to his clients, concentrating on keeping open, honest relationships. Bret remains focused on the success of WSB. Once a person becomes a part of the staff, Bret takes on the significant responsibility of making sure that person has work to do, great benefits, and is happy with what they are doing. They become a member of, what he affectionately calls, his WSB family. "We joined together over a decade ago and could never have imagined creating such a successful firm comprised of so many talented individuals."
Ron Bray, PE - Vice President
Whether it's the ringing echo of his chuckle, the thumping of his cowboy boots coming down the hall, or the thumbs up that may sneak into your line of vision, everyone knows when Ron Bray is in the office. When he's not in the office, Ron thrives on working on his projects. "I like being out on the projects working with the public, county boards, and city councils. I leave the design to others. I like to check in on it to make sure it's getting done correctly, help with the specs, and then I'll take care of construction and interact with the people."
Don Sterna, PE - Vice President
"I knew forming WSB was the right choice for me. I couldn't imagine working at another firm because I wanted something different." Don's driven approach allows him to successfully manage many large, complex projects. He thrives on long-term projects that involve numerous agencies with complicated constructability. Don feels the need to be involved in the field because the client deserves to have the actual Project Manager on-site to answer questions and be available for their project needs.
Pete Willenbring, PE - Vice President
"Having clients stick their neck out in the early years generated lasting relationships with WSB, and produced an environment where the client comes first and quality is a high priority. Our clients were unbelievable." These days, Pete loves to dig in and complete projects. He knows his clients are getting the biggest bang for their buck, a common thread that has spread throughout the company.
Pete also recognized, as did his partners, that success would only continue if WSB had great people. Focusing on hiring the most talented individuals, training staff, and creating an atmosphere that was enjoyable to work in was the main order of business.
Ron knows what makes WSB stand apart from the competition. "The understanding when we started WSB was that we care about people that's our resource. The computers and stuff are all replaceable. It's junk not worth anything! That's not where our value lies. It's the people, the relationships, and the energy. That's what we are."
Over the past years, the firm has relocated twice to obtain larger office space and expanded to include a St. Cloud office. It's been many years since the doors were first opened and the owners nervously drummed their fingers on their clean, projectless desks. Don exclaims, "This is beyond what any of us thought it would be." Ron looks intent as he states, "We haven't slowed down to look back because we're forward thinkers and we want to keep moving ahead."