Midlands Profiles
Carlisle Associates Inc.
"It started with the Lincoln Log set, and the toy bricks, and everything else went from there," said Gene Resch, president of the architectural & engineering firm Carlisle Associates Inc.
Added Ray White, vice president, "All I've ever wanted to do is help build things."
And Carlisle Associates, whose other principal is vice president Ted Zanders, does help create the built world in which we live. Their designs for projects include those for multifamily, industrial, governmental, commercial and educational markets. Though the firm is based in Columbia, their project locations range throughout the United States.
"Clients get personal attention from our firm, and in the end our clients have a facility that is attractive, adaptable and durable," said Resch.
It's this commitment to client service that the present management team carries on from the previous partners, Jerry Friedner and Tom Carson, both of whom have retired yet who continue to be valuable resources for the firm. Carlisle Associates was formed as a successor to longtime Columbia firm Lyles, Bissett,
Carlisle & Wolff. Since its founding in 1977, it has become a full-service firm with all the design and engineering expertise a client would need to design their site, building, or structure.
"The three of us are actively involved in the engineering and design of our projects from day to day," said Zanders.
The three principals each have a different specialty, and set up a project team to work with them based upon the needs of the project and the client.
"I'm the manager of the Civil Engineering Department, Ted heads the architectural department and Ray leads our structural department," said Resch. "We can master plan the site, handle the space planning and design of the floor plan, develop the structural framework, and design the electrical, lighting, mechanical
and HVAC aspects of a job."
"One of the things we enjoy about the work we do is seeing the long-term benefits communities derive from the jobs and the facilities we design and create," said White. "Our firm participates in our communities by funding a USC "ECELS" scholarship and by making presentations to children interested in architecture
and engineering at local schools."
The firm works primarily with corporate clients with its main focus on large production and material handling/distribution facilities. The firm prides itself on repeat clients. "Most of our projects take about 12 months to complete from start to finish," said Resch. "We really get to know our clients, so it's an honor
when they choose Carlisle again. Some of our clients have been with us since our founding in 1977."
Among recent projects, the firm has assisted Target with its site selection activities and did the civil engineering for the Target Distribution Center in Lugoff. Carlisle Associates also has a long-standing contractual relationship with the Columbia Housing Authority dating from 1992.
Going forward, Carlisle Associates will be pursuing more green building. Carlisle currently has one LEED® -accredited designer on its 21-person staff, and Ted is an associate member of the U.S. Green Building Council.
Jerry Friedner, Ray White, Ted Zanders, Gene Resch, Tom Carson
