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The salty air perhaps makes our employee-owners at the Wilmington office tick. That’s an unscientific explanation (yes, we know we are an engineering firm), given how much fun they usually seem to be having in the office – and outside.
This month, they have another reason to have fun and celebrate. WithersRavenel is marking 20 years of our presence in this beautiful and historic coastal North Carolina city. And our team hasn’t looked back since 2004 despite some real lows during the economic downturn around the Great Recession.
The Wilmington office, the second oldest in our firm, started with an eye on the booming development market in the area. Troy Beasley, Director of Natural Resources, came here in 2005 at the Wrightsville Avenue location to start the Environmental Department. Since then, the office was relocated to Commonwealth Drive and now on Station Road.
Connecting with Cary Office
In those days, Troy recalls, “We were somewhat of an island, and we operated independently of anything going on in Cary. Unless, of course, the home office needed additional support or resources.”
Now, he said, “There’s a lot of synergy between the two, while sharing resources. We are a lot closer, more closely tied with the Cary office and the other 9 statewide offices.”
With hybrid and remote work finding favor these days, Wilmington bucks the trend. On any given day, you will find a majority of staff in the office. Troy thinks that being so close to the beach lends itself to more of a laidback vibe that encourages interaction and collaboration with your peers.
“Everybody comes in and makes sure their work gets done,” he said. “But we all genuinely enjoy each other’s company. It’s really good when you are friends with your office mates, which I think is one of the main reasons why we have such a high in-office workforce.”
In-person interaction
Don Mizelle, Practice Area Lead for Client Experience, moved to Wilmington from the Triangle in 2018. He echoes some of Troy’s sentiments about the office.
“You know, we’re all kind of sharing one work space, whether you’re in utilities or construction administration or environmental or site civil, we see each other routinely and get to interact,” he said. “The interaction and collaboration have a family feel from a culture standpoint. Of course, being near the coast enhances the experience.”
Don used to be at the Cary headquarters before moving to Wilmington with his wife Jenny who, prior to retiring, worked with WithersRavenel as well. They always loved the area and with WithersRavenel having an office there, moving to Wilmington seemed like a perfect fit.
“Wilmington is a good beachhead (pun unintended) to serve our clients in southeastern North Carolina and South Carolina,” Don said. His work has been to strengthen WithersRavenel’s brand and client experience with both public and private sector clients.
The positive work culture within the Wilmington office confines has brought benefits in terms of client experience, according to Don.
“We have received some positive client feedback over the years. When clients get to know us and work with us, they notice the difference,” he said. “Providing our coastal clients with a great experience is something we always knew would be a differentiator just based on the (overall) CX culture of WithersRavenel.”
Community roots
Senior Project Manager Joe Boyd remembers starting his job with WithersRavenel in 2012. He grew up in Raleigh, but has been in the Wilmington area since 2005, and remembers well when he began with the firm in the years following the recession. He was the fourth employee at the location the year he joined.
But, like any resilient coastal community, the Wilmington office weathered those tough economic times, and has only grown since.
Through it all, the team and the firm have persevered and put d
own their roots at the coast, serving local clients as true partners, providing valuable expertise and outcomes, as Don mentioned, through excellent client experience.
Joe knows a thing or two about putting down roots, having settled in the area for as long as WithersRavenel’s office has existed. Like many of our team members, he has involved himself in his capacity as a community member. WithersRavenel’s employee-owners work with area food banks, coach local kids’ baseball teams, and more.
In 2023, Joe was recognized through a proclamation by the Town of Belville for his extensive and longstanding commitment to the Town. He continues to serve on the Planning Board and is on various other boards of the Town, providing his expertise and input.
So as WithersRavenel celebrates the 20th anniversary of its Wilmington office, it is worth noting that it was made possible by our employee-owners and the clients who have put faith in our ability to deliver their desired outcomes while serving as true partners
That calls for another one of those Low Country Boil parties in the office parking lot. Troy, bring it on!
