Austin Accepts Waugh Award.

Dubuque, IA—Cody Austin, PE, accepted the fourth annual Waugh Award during Origin Design’s annual holiday party held on January 13, 2023 at Hotel Julien Dubuque.

The Waugh Award was created in honor of IIW/Origin Design co-founder, Dennis Waugh, who retired at the end of 2018 after 37 years of service. The award recognizes an Origin employee owner that supports and furthers its Mission-Vision-Values, while exhibiting the traits of Waugh, including passion, generosity, leading by example and loyalty.

Thirteen nominations were received for the Waugh Award. “Cody is actively engaged and has established trust with his co-workers and our clients. He’s a go to expert. He truly considers himself an employee owner,” as described in the nomination.

Austin, Land Development Team Leader at Origin Design, accepted the award from Pat Ready, PE, President & CEO of Origin Design. “Cody is truly 100% dedicated to the success of others and to Origin Design. Whether externally by consistently finding ways to bring additional value to our clients, or internally by mentoring staff, Cody truly gives his all every day. He is absolutely deserving of this year’s award! It is a pleasure to recognize Cody’s efforts and I’m proud to call him my colleague and friend,” said Ready.

“ It’s hard to explain what receiving the Waugh Award means to me. The award is named after our company’s founder Denny Waugh who is one of the most kind, humble, intelligent and giving people that I know. If I tried to list all of Denny’s amazing qualities, the list would be endless. Many, if not all, of the employee owners at Origin possess these qualities and I am extremely honored to be the one that was selected for this award. ”

Cody Austin, PE Land Development Team Leader

Left to Right: Dennis Waugh, Cody Austin, Pat Ready

Our team had an exciting afternoon celebrating the ribbon cutting of the Platteville Aquatic Center! We’re proud to have played a role in bringing this project to life by providing land development, architectural, and survey services. It’s always rewarding to help create spaces that will serve and strengthen the community for years to come.

Put your expertise to work on projects that shape communities and a career you’ll be proud of. Join Origin Design today! https://origindesign.com/careers

On International Women in Engineering Day, we celebrate the incredible impact of women across engineering. Thank you for the work you do every day to move us forward and inspire what’s next.

n Oelwein last month, Origin’s Construction Inspection and Testing team supported the 10th St. Bridge deck pour, part of the bridge and roadway projects we inspect across the region. We verified epoxy-coated rebar ahead of the pour, then performed on-site testing during placement including air, slump, and depth to confirm consistency and meet project specifications. From placement through curing, our team remained on-site to monitor, document, and help ensure the deck was built right.

Downtown spaces shape how communities connect, gather, and grow. Civil Engineer, Andy Goedken, and our team collaborated with the City of Volga to reimagine its Main Street, improving function and safety while reinforcing its role at the center of community life. Learn more about the project and the collaboration behind it: https://origindesign.com/.../strengthening-the-heart-of...

Field Trip Friday! Project Manager Andrew Busch and our Marketing team checked in on progress at the East Dubuque Emergency Services Building.One focus on this project remains holding onto the character of the existing building while updating it to better serve the needs of departments today.We’re especially excited about the upcoming glass-enclosed stairwell that will connect the existing Fire and Police stations, blending a sleek, modern feature with the original structure.

What a great day at the WCHA Golf Outing! We were proud to serve as a Hole Sponsor and connect with community members and industry professionals. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to visit and help make it an enjoyable and successful event.

A big congratulations to Jack Edens and Josh Layer on their graduation from Leadership Dubuque.This program brings together professionals who want to grow as leaders and stay involved in their communities, something they’ve both embraced this past year. We're proud to have them on our team!

We’re excited to welcome our 2026 Summer Interns ElleAnna DeSollar, Patrick Clark, and Marcus Kreul to the #OriginCrew! Across three departments, they’ll be diving in, building their skills, and supporting our team throughout the summer.

Bring your expertise where it makes an impact. Help shape communities with a team that values your knowledge.

Today, we remember and honor the courageous men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Our offices will be closed Today, May 25th in observance of Memorial Day. We will return to normal business hours on Tuesday,

Happy National Accounting Professionals Day! Today we’re recognizing the team who keeps our finances clear and our business moving forward. Your insight helps guide decisions and supports our success every day. Thank you for all you do.