Zachry Engineering celebrates move to Stonington

Open office architecture that enhances collaboration is the feature that attracted Zachry Nuclear Engineering, Inc. to move to Stonington, a business executive said Tuesday.

The company is celebrating its Aug. 22 move from Groton to 14 Lords Hill Road at an open house Thursday beginning with registration at 9:30 a.m. and a presentation at 10 a.m., followed by brief tours at 10:30 a.m.

John Zachry, president and chief executive officer of the parent company, Zachry Holdings Inc. in San Antonio, Texas, believes workers need to collaborate, and that traditional office space inhibits that effort, said Ken Everett, director of business services in the Stonington office.

"That is really the main change for us here," Everett said. "Everybody seems very happy here. It's new. It's modern, and everyone seems excited."

The 67,651-square-foot, one-story building also sits on a campus that is conducive to running and team sports, which the firm's 150 employees participate in actively, he said. The building also has a small convenience store instead of vending machines, Everett said.

"The Groton facility was fine," he added. "We were there for 15 years and we liked it, but this is a more sylvan setting. It's more country and there's a lot of open space on the property. It's our feeling that this campus might attract younger folks who like to run, It's very conducive to attracting young professionals to the area."

With most of its employees now in Stonington, Zachry Nuclear Engineering has another 25 workers spread across offices in Chicago and Charlotte, N.C. With future growth, the number of employees in the Stonington office could increase from 150 to 180 or so, Everett said.

"That all remains to be seen," he said.

The company is a full-service engineering firm that provides engineering, design, maintenance and project management services to the nuclear power industry, including at the Waterford-based Millstone Power Station owned by Dominion.

Maintaining a committed work force is Zachry's priority, Everett said.

"We try to give them things that make them happy to come to work and work here," he said. "It's just reflective of the Zachry philosophy."

The town of Stonington also lured Zachry by agreeing to keep the assessment at the level it was at prior to the $4 million in renovations for about four or five years, Stonington First Selectman Ed Haberek said.

"We're very excited," Haberek said. "It's a great quality corporation who's been actively involved for a number of years in each of the communities they've operated in. It's a great pleasure having them join the community of Stonington. I'm encouraged by the growth they're looking to do in adding jobs in subsequent years."

p.daddona@theday.com