HFW Founders Michael Hein, Matthew Westphal, and Daniel Forguson set out in 2020 to create an A-E-based professional services company with an investment approach that defied the consolidating approach of traditional mergers and acquisitions.
As industry veterans, they had observed how industry giants and investment firms acquire smaller firms to amass greater geographic reach, more technical experts, expanded capabilities, and even strategic access to targeted clients. At the same time, they ultimately trim the ranks of professionals, disrupt organizational leadership, struggle with cultural integration, and largely dismantle legacy brands in the process.
HFW, based in St. Louis, wanted to invest differently.
So the founders have built a firm that invests nationally in the continuing success of a growing portfolio of strategic growth partners, their own legacy brands – and their people, all the while leveraging the partners’ collaborative strengths to support one another and the greater good of clients on a national scale.
As part of our laser focus on AE, we set out in 2025 to launch a national architecture brand, building on the century-plus legacy of INVISION Architecture, an HFW company, and a series of mergers and acquisitions that give us additional design strengths and geographic reach.
And we continue to expand, looking to partner with AE companies in growing, resilient markets that have built their own great reputations, strong leadership, technical talent, and tremendous future growth potential as an HFW company.
Four core values define the culture of HFW, who we are as a company, and how we work with our HFW Partner firms. Our decisions and actions flow through the lens of these values. We hire, recognize excellence, and reward our people based on the following:
We’re committed to our sellers, employees, and clients.
We listen to understand.
We’re people-centric, with engaged professionals who are leading at every level.
Ingenuity
Discussion
Entrepreneurship
Approach
Simplicity
We plan, measure, and then act.
We’re performance-driven.
We offer a documented process that is followed by all.
We’re constantly learning.
We focus on growth.
We deliver sustainable financial results.
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