Wade Cleary, Managing Principal & CEO, Cleary Zimmermann Engineers

In an interview with Invest:, Wade Cleary, managing principal and CEO of Cleary Zimmermann Engineers, reported a 23% revenue increase led by healthcare and higher education projects. He attributed the firm’s success to a culture of service, communication, and humility, emphasizing adaptability. “The strategies that got us here won’t necessarily get us to the next level, so we’re committed to pushing ourselves and staying agile.”

How has the engineering environment in San Antonio evolved this past year?

We saw tremendous growth in our revenues this past year, up 23% over the previous year. That was exciting for us, since we typically grow in the 12% to 15% range year over year. So, last year was truly a banner year.

K-12, one of our market sectors, was down somewhat. That decline was tied to pressures public schools are facing from charter schools, even as San Antonio continues to grow. Still, because we strategically diversify our markets, one sector being down is usually offset by another being up, which keeps us in growth mode.

The real drivers for us last year were healthcare and higher education. Our healthcare market grew 60%, and higher education grew 25% to 30%. Those two sectors were responsible for a significant share of our growth.

What makes San Antonio and Texas the right place for your firm, and how do you stand out?

We like to say we’re really in the people business. We serve people through engineering services. Service may sound cliché, but it’s at the core of who we are. As such, our heavy focus on our core values — service, communication, and humility — defines how we differentiate ourselves. We know we’re strong engineers, but we pride ourselves even more on being humble servants who put people first.

With growth across multiple cities, how do you maintain culture, and what is the key to continued success?

Maintaining our culture is probably our biggest challenge, especially as we grow. Finding talent is difficult, and we’re not just looking for people with technical skills. We want those “unicorns” who share our DNA: a passion for service, strong communication, and humility.

To help meet that need, we’ve grown our in-house recruiting team and created CZ University to develop young talent. It’s like planting seeds. It takes time and investment, but now, years later, we’re seeing the results. Many who came through the program are thriving, and they’re carrying our culture forward.

What I enjoy most about leading our firm is our people. We’ve been named one of the “Best Places to Work” by the San Antonio Business Journal for 10 years in a row, which is a true testament to them.

At the end of the day, we’re in the people business. I believe the key to our continued success is recruiting the best talent, bringing them on board, and then getting out of their way so they can do their best work. If we focus on that, I know we’ll continue to grow.

How are the facility needs of higher education clients changing?

We’ve seen steady growth across all areas of higher education, from student housing to science and research facilities. Years ago, there was what I’d call an arms race in recreation facilities for general student populations. Most universities have leveled up in that area, so that trend has slowed. Today, the real momentum is in science and research projects. Those are more complex, which narrows the field of firms able to take them on, and we’re excited to be part of that growth.

How does your civic and educational work reflect your mission?

Civic projects come in many forms. For example, in San Antonio, the Alamodome is a public facility, whereas in other cities, a venue like that might be privately owned. Port San Antonio is another example of a civic project that allows us to make a real impact on the community.

We’re proud of the Boeing Center at Tech Port project. We even take our summer interns there to show them the infrastructure we designed. It’s fulfilling to see events taking place in spaces where we had a hand in creating the foundation. I attend the Northside Education Foundation gala at Tech Port each year, and it’s rewarding to know we contributed to a facility that enriches the community.

What are the biggest infrastructure concerns as San Antonio grows?

Water is a major concern. We often say in our office that water will be the new oil for Texas. Ensuring a reliable water supply is critical as growth continues.

Energy is another pressing issue, especially with the rise of data centers and AI, which place heavy demand on the electrical grid. We’re already seeing projects pairing data centers with on-site solar or even exploring micro-nuclear solutions to meet those needs. We’ll need innovative approaches to ensure infrastructure keeps pace with demand.

How is your firm approaching the use of AI and technology?

We’re being thoughtful with AI. We remind our younger team members that AI won’t design projects for them — it’s a tool, not a replacement.

Currently, we’re piloting custom AI software to compare contractor submittals against our design documents. It’s time-intensive to verify whether substitutions meet our specifications, so this tool will flag key differences. Of course, we’re training the AI to focus on what truly matters, like technical specifications, not surface details.

We’re also upgrading design software to reduce manual work while still ensuring we control and verify outputs. This approach allows us to do more with the same number of people, which is especially important given the challenges in finding talent.

How have recent changes in the market impacted your organization and clients?

We’re fortunate to be in Texas, where the economy has been more insulated than in other regions. That said, we’ve noticed a slight softening recently. I remain optimistic, largely because of our diversified markets. Even if growth slows, we can continue moving forward without significant setbacks.

What are your top priorities for the next few years?

We remain growth oriented. Years ago, we set a revenue target, and we continue to pursue it. If the economy flattens, I can accept slower growth. What I can’t accept is attributing lack of growth solely to the economy. We must adapt, whether that means entering new markets, going to market differently, or evolving our approach. The strategies that got us here won’t necessarily get us to the next level, so we’re committed to pushing ourselves and staying agile.