Slingshot Announces Leadership Changes

Slingshot founder and current Chief Financial Officer Greg Wattier will be retiring this fall when the company celebrates its 20th anniversary. Current Chief Executive Officer Dan Drendel will continue in his role and current Chief Operating Officer David Voss will move into the role of Chief Financial Officer.

Wattier and his wife, Sandi Wattier, founded G.E. Wattier in Colorado in 2002. He handled the client and design part of the business, while she managed the accounting, office, and personnel side of things. They moved the business to Des Moines in 2003 when they saw an opportunity to make an impact on the rapidly changing downtown landscape. Although Wattier was new to the city, the business took off thanks to his history of work in Des Moines on Brown Camp Lofts and Tone Lofts. In 2006, Wattier invited Voss to join him and a year later, Drendel came on board. Together, they came up with the Slingshot name and concept and rebranded the business. Since then, Slingshot has grown into a multimillion-dollar architecture firm serving clients across the region, with six principals/directors, nine architects, three interior designers, and 20 employees in Des Moines and across the U.S.

“When I started the business, I had a goal to create something from nothing, and Sandi and I are so proud of what Slingshot has become. I am so thankful and grateful that I got to do what I wanted with my amazing wife, and I’m really excited about what comes next,” says Wattier.

“I’ve known Greg since graduate school, and I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve done together over the last two decades. There is no way to really articulate his impact on this company. We’re so grateful to Greg for his hard work and dedication. The last 20 years have been amazing, and I can’t wait to see where we go in the next 20,” says Voss.

“Slingshot is a really unique place, and that’s largely thanks to Greg and his vision,” says Drendel. “We’re driven by process and by impact, and we believe in taking the right steps in the beginning to provide momentum for a project. Greg provided many opportunities for the team to strive and take ownership of their work, and that generosity created a space where a lot of people grew into leaders. I’m thrilled for him to embark on his next adventure, and I am looking forward to continuing to lead a talented team of people who are committed to innovating and continually growing.”

Slingshot Architecture is an architecture firm with offices in Des Moines and Iowa City. They are driven by meaningful work created through personal relationships and encourage their clients to expect more from design.