Design firm seizes on uptick

BRADENTON — Top executives at local architecture firm Fawley Bryant sense an opening in the economy, and they intend to pounce on it though promotions, new hires and geographical expansion.

The 11-employee company, with offices in downtown Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch, is one of the largest architecture firms in the region to survive the recession. The company recently added one employee, a draftsman. It also promoted longtime manager Steve Padgett to the role of vice president, where he will oversee the firm's expansion, according to a release.

Fawley Bryant Executive Vice President Mike Bryant says more hires could be forthcoming. “We see an uptick in the economy,” Bryant told the Business Review today. “We are not going to be foolish. We will be measured in our response. We will be meticulous about our growth.”

The main markets for opportunities, Bryant and Padgett say, is in sports facilities and hospitality. The company has recently worked with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the IMG Academy in Bradenton. One of Padgett's main tasks will be to grow the sports-related business. “It's good to see some exciting new projects come up,” says Padgett, a Charlotte County native.

Fawley Bryant was founded in 1994. In addition to sports and hospitality, a recent project the firm worked on was the design of the LECOM School of Dental Medicine in east Manatee County. Read about the history of the company here.

This story has been updated to reflect that Fawley Bryant has been involved in sports-related businesses for more than a few years.