Woburn, MA Dakota DesignStaff, Inc., founded in 1993 by architect, John Donahoe, AIA and now owned and managed by another architectural professional, Eric Wright, celebrates 25 years in business. Dakota is a boutique architect’s staffing agency offering services to the Boston / New England A/E/C marketplace with recent expansion into New York City.

After many years of practicing architecture in local firms, Donahoe started providing drafting services as Dakota CAD Services from the 2nd floor bedroom in his Concord, Mass. home. When the demand exceeded his own individual capacity, he hired and sponsored his first international employee renaming the company Dakota DesignStaff, Inc. 

As the demand for the company’s drafting service increased, John designed an office addition to accommodate expanded support staff. With the business knowledge of Susan Evans, an experienced senior recruiter (and still current Dakota employee), he added systems and procedures to expand business operations in 2001. The company grew into a multimillion dollar operation. In 2000, Wright, an architectural designer of three years, applied with Dakota and was placed at a local architecture firm. After being successfully placed numerous times as a temporary and direct hire employee, Wright found that he enjoyed the personal experience Dakota provided and joined the company as a recruiter in 2007.

In 2014, Wright liked the company so much he purchased the company from Donahoe continuing the current firm’s business model and tradition of being owned and managed by an architectural professional. Wright, with an 18 year architecture career from designer to project manager, offers the company’s clients the unique service, (not available through any other staffing agency) of having applicants pre-qualified and screened by a former practicing architectural professional. At the same time he advises applicants how best to present themselves and their portfolio in an interview to help them achieve their professional goals.

Dakota is the only BSA (Boston Society of Architects) related staffing agency that is owned and operated by an architectural design professional. Wright holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Master Degree of Architecture from the Boston Architectural College.