About Wink: History

Wink Companies, LLC was founded in 1970 (as Wink, Incorporated) by Joseph C. Wink, Jr., P.E. and his wife Ann Smith Wink.

Beginning as a one-man consultancy, Wink Companies has grown into a regional engineering consulting firm with more than 650 employees in multiple office locations.

Two generations of the Wink family now own 100% of this closely-held company, which became a Limited Liability Company in 2006. All of the shareholders are working managers of Wink or its sister company, Universal Personnel, LLC.

The history of Wink Companies is rooted in the professional talent and entrepreneurial spirit of its founder, Joseph C. Wink, Jr., P.E. It is an extraordinary success story. Customer service is its business hallmark; Integrity is at its core.

1970's	Wink, Incorporated begins as a small, process-oriented mechanical design firm serving the local refineries in the New Orleans area
	1977	First Home Office - above Joe and Ann’s Garage on Cove Street, 400 square feet
	1979	Move to first commercial office – 2 “shotgun” houses on Mayo Street in eastern New Orleans
	1979	30 employees, $1,500,000 annual revenues
1980's
	1980	Surveying division established (W/E Professional Surveys) Universal Personnel begins as a division of Wink, Incorporated	Hayne office was expected to be the last office the company would need – large enough to accommodate long-term expansion goals
	1982	Company moves to “new” corporate office on Hayne Boulevard
	1986	Opening of MS Gulf Coast office in Biloxi Larry Wink is named Vice President of Wink, Incorporated
	1989	Architectural division is started Office moves to new building on Hayne Blvd: 8000sf
	1989	240 employees, $3,500,000 annual revenues
1990's
	1991	Company moves to new corporate headquarters at 4949 Bullard Avenue – 35,000sf building, 40% occupied by Wink
	1992	Universal Personnel is made a separate corporation Larry Wink becomes President of Wink
	1997	Lafayette office is opened
	1999	275 employees, $21,000,000 annual revenues Company occupies 100% of 4949 Bullard
2000's
	2001	Baton Rouge Office opens
	2002	Management responsibility transitions to second generation of Wink owner/managers: Larry Wink named Chief Executive Officer Michael Wink named Chief Operating Officer Kenneth Wink elected Executive Vice President Joe Wink moves into new Chairman’s Office in downtown New Orleans
	2003	Establishment of offices in James Industrial Park, St. Charles Parish, as a “task force” for major clients in area
	2005	Michele Wink Vignes named President of Universal Personnel Hurricane Katrina incapacitates Eastern New Orleans headquarters, destroys Biloxi office Corporate Headquarters relocated to Baton Rouge New Orleans personnel relocated to Baton Rouge and St. Charles, more than doubling the size of each of these offices MS Gulf Coast office relocated to D’Iberville, near Interstate 10 north of Biloxi
	2006	Company becomes LLC, effects major change in management structure
	2006	October: 625 employees, projected $70,000,000 revenues