WDM Architects co-founder Wes Darnell to retire July 31

Architect Wes Darnell will be retiring from the 35-year-old firm he co-founded.

WDM Architects said Darnell’s last day will be July 31, ending his 45-year career in architecture.

Prior to Darnell’s retirement, he and co-founder Dan Wilson transferred majority ownership of the 23-employee firm to Stan Landwehr, Scott Ramser and Matt Schindler, who has been serving as WDM’s president.

Wilson plans to remain at the firm for the “foreseeable future,” WDM said in a news release.

A 1970 graduate of Kansas State University with a bachelor’s degree in architecture, Darnell went to work for another Wichita firm, Law Kingdon, primarily managing the design and construction of retail shopping centers.

In 1980 the Hutchinson native and Wilson opened Wilson Darnell Associates. And in 1992 they merged with H. Stewart Mann’s landscape and planning firm to form Wilson Darnell Mann.

Some of Darnell’s notable projects include Intrust Bank Arena, the Ambassador Hotel, Eaton Place and Wichita East High School renovations in 2002 and 2010.

This story was originally published June 15, 2015 at 2:12 PM with the headline "WDM Architects co-founder Wes Darnell to retire July 31."