Engineering firm's boss carries on dad's dream

The 9-year-old boy swept his father's business office in the family home's garage, followed his dad to construction sites and had a fascination with the drafting board.

Today, that boy is the president of W.T. Engineering Inc., founded by his late father, Donald Triphahn, who eventually teamed with partner Richard Walsh to create the "W" and "T" of the firm.

He is Scott Triphahn, 50, notable in the Hoffman Estates-Schaumburg community not only as the head of W.T. Engineering but also as a philanthropist, the Hoffman Estates Park District president, platinum (formerly charter) member of the Hoffman Estates Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the town's children's memorial commission.

Triphahn also serves on the Economic Development Commission and is chairman of the Greater Woodfield Sports Council, one that seeks to lure sports events to the Northwest suburban area and especially to Hoffman Estates.

Triphahn's mother, Barbara Abraham, 73, now residing in Fox Lake and Florida, also helped run the fledgling business, which spent its first five years in that Hoffman Estates garage in the neighborhood of Lakeview Elementary School, where Triphahn attended as a child. He and his brothers, Steve, 48, vice president of the company, and Jon, 42, chief of plumbing design, are graduates of Conant High School.

Eventually, W.T. had locations in Roselle and Schaumburg, recently taking up residence in a large facility at 2675 Pratum Ave. in Hoffman Estates' Prairie Stone development.

The business provides mechanical, civil and structural engineering services to the construction industry, currently employing 110 persons.

A recent open house coordinated by office operations manager Gayle Vandenbergh -- herself active on the village plan commission and with chamber events -- welcomed 400 guests.

They mingled among three tents to toast the success of the business and its new move, dining on various gourmet tidbits and listening to the music of acoustic duo Kydd and Byrd.

Vandenbergh said his employees work hard for the president because Triphahn "likes to give others credit for the company's success." She relates that he is very generous to the community, is an extremely hard worker, has a sense of humor and is "a smart businessman with a wonderful business sense."

She also revealed that Triphahn created the W.T. Engineering Foundation to encourage and help students interested in engineering from the five schools in Palatine/Schaumburg High School District 211.

On what most likely was the windiest evening of the spring, Triphahn and his family held an outdoor ribbon-cutting ceremony and graciously accepted the key to the village from Hoffman Estates Mayor Bill McLeod.

A 1979 graduate of the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana and a registered professional engineer and land surveyor, Triphahn recalls an exciting time of his childhood.

"When I was 9, I swept and cleaned my dad's office in the garage and, at 12, my dad taught me to use the compass and T-bar and draw on the drafting board," Triphahn said.

"I was fascinated with all of it, and I accompanied him when he went out into the field. We walked the construction sites together. Today, everything is done by computer."

Of the park district system, Triphahn as a teen thought "it was neat" because there was every kind of sports field available, and later coached at some of those same fields.

Saying that it is easy to give back, the man represents and heads the Hoffman Estates Park District and also chairs the Illinois Association of Park Districts. He "learned the ropes" beginning in 1997, stepping on to the park board as an elected commissioner.

Triphahn, who is married to Susan, is the father of Troy, 26; Ryan, 23; and Jaclyn, 20, all of whom graduated from Hoffman Estates High School. Jaclyn attends the International Academy of Design and Technology in Schaumburg, and his sons are associated with the firm.

With his personal love of sports and his vast knowledge of the subject, he attended his children's games and supported them in their efforts.

At the grand opening, Triphahn showed off the lobby-placed painting of his dad, who was 54 when he died in 1985. Donald Triphahn's memory hugs a special part of his three sons' hearts.

"I still feel he is here everyday, and I believe he is proud of me," Triphahn said.