About Us

Doug Waitt
Founder, Co-Owner, President
[email protected]
603-801-6000

Doug started working in the HVAC field January of 1981 and started Design Day Mechanicals on March 17, 1988. He graduated from UNH in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts, not an Engineering degree. His knowledge of HVAC engineering is primarily through self-apprenticeship and asking a lot of questions through the School of Hard Knocks. On his first day of work at Concept Mechanicals in 1981 his supervisor put a sheet of drafting paper in front of him and told him to put HVAC in the title block. Doug thought to himself “I wonder what that stands for?” The rest is history. Doug lives and works in New Ipswich, NH in a house he built in 1980, still heats with wood stoves and his own self-harvested cord wood, and has still convinced Kitty to stay with him since their marriage in 1975. They have one daughter Iris, quality not quantity.

Andrew W. Arsenault, P.E., LEED AP
Co-Owner, Vice President, Engineer of Record
[email protected]
207-337-2473

Andy Arsenault is a licensed Professional Engineer in the states of NH, ME, MA, VT, CT, NY & CO. He brought a diverse background to DDMI in June 2013 having worked for large and small engineering firms, mechanical contractors and HVAC equipment manufacturers’ rep firms. Andy is a proud UNH graduate with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering. He lives in Wells, ME with his wife Judy, a couple of dogs and occasional visits from their combined five grown children.

Rick Gagnon
Co-Owner, Sr. Plumbing Designer
[email protected]
603-668-5027

Manchester was Rick’s family’s home base when his father was deployed during 20-years of service with the Army. Rick graduated from West High School in 1977 and from N.H. Vocational Technical College with an Associates in Applied Science in Drafting Technology in 1979.

Graduating from the Tech on a Thursday, he started the following Monday at Concept Mechanicals, drafting plumbing, HVAC, and fire protection. As he gained experience, he eventually assumed responsibility for the plumbing design, drafting and estimating. Rick was part of the interview team tasked with hiring an HVAC draftsperson. With an urgent need to hire someone, the consensus was that “the next person through the door gets the job” . . . low and behold, in walked Doug for an interview! That was the start of a friendship and long working relationship.

In 1982, Concept Mechanicals consolidated with their parent company, Seppala & Aho Construction Co., Inc. When S&A closed in 1991, Rick’s responsibilities included Plumbing Department Manager, as well as plumbing design, drafting and estimating.

Rick met his wife, Julie, on a blind date in January 1983 and they married in May 1984. After a short temp position turned into a full-time job for Julie at S&A in 1984, they have continued to work together ever since, through the S&A years right into their home-based business.

Rick worked with Doug and James on side jobs starting in 1984, while still working at S&A (ink on mylar pin-bar overlay system, until James taught Rick & Julie the AutoCad basics). After a short stint with Palmer & Sicard in the Fall of 1991, Doug convinced Rick that he could keep him busy full time and Rick and Julie have been pushing out DDMI projects ever since, doing plumbing design/drafting and HVAC drafting in the early years, and eventually dedicating their time to the plumbing side of projects.

Rick and Julie love it when a plan comes together but very much enjoy their time away from the office doing all kinds of outdoor activities and spending time with family.

John Waitt
Co-Owner, Sr Designer
[email protected]
603-269-7253

John graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Science in 1979. After college, he worked as a product technician and product designer for a performance chemical company. He started his own design and drafting company in 2001 and joined with the HVAC engineering group Design Day Mechanicals, Inc at the same time. He lives in a house he and his wife built (with the help of many friends and family) on 20 acres of land in the southern lakes region of New Hampshire. He is always up for a good road trip, hike or both together. He considers himself a tree hugger and dirt worshipper.

David Magnuson
Co-Owner, Sr HVAC Designer
[email protected]
603-463-1086

Over twenty-five years of experience in the HVAC industry beginning in the field as a duct fabricator and installer.  After gaining experience later roles included project manager, estimator and system designer. 1999 brought the transition from HVAC work to a fulltime drafting and design.   2008 marked the beginning of the relationship with Design Day Mechanicals, Inc, eventually becoming a co-owner in 2015.

Hobbies and interests include gardening, music, electronics design, camping, gem mining, lapidary work and general tinkering.

Monique Magnuson
Co-Owner, HVAC Designer
[email protected]
603-463-1086

Monique has been with Design Day Mechanicals, Inc since 2010 and became a co-owner in 2015. Prior to joining the DDMI team, in a search to figure out what she wanted to do when she grew up, Monique explored many different professions. She has worked as a pharmacy technician, a life skills facilitator for adults with acquired brain injuries, an executive assistant, a customer service supervisor, a Realtor, an upholsterer and many more. The common theme through all her exploration in professions has been a desire to grow and learn new skills

Upon joining the DDMI team, Monique spent the first several years devoting her time to LEED energy modeling. In 2016, she transferred to drafting and design where she continues to learn and grow.

Hobbies and interests include sewing, gardening, genealogy, music, gem mining, reading and, most importantly, finding a way to have a good laugh at least once a day.

Joe Trainor
Draftsperson
[email protected]
603-878-3565

Joe started full time with DDMI on January 1, 1998 after 30 years in the carpentry trade. I was invited over one day to Doug’s home office to watch him do some drafting with Autocad. After 20 minutes or so of watching him run the program he looked over his shoulder and asked “What do you think?” and I replied that I was blown away. I could not believe what I was seeing and at that point he offered me a job that changed my life. The rest is history. I am eternally grateful to both Kitty and Doug for the opportunity they gave me.

Mark R. Renaud
Sr. Plumbing Designer
[email protected]
603-234-8292

Mark joined the DDMI team full time in January 2016 after working (38) years in mechanical contracting where his duties included estimating, project management and plumbing design. He holds master plumbing and gas fitter licenses in the state of New Hampshire and is a graduate of Manchester Community College with a (2) year degree in plumbing and HVAC design. He lives in Goffstown, NH with his wife Nicki and loves spending time with his step children Alyssa and Garret and grandchild Michael.

Iris Waitt
HVAC Designer
[email protected]
603-801-2221

Iris started work at Design Day in October 2015. Though she grew up in the corporate headquarters and dabbled in some load calculations while still in high school, she spent most of her life puzzled as to why her dad and uncle would always look up at the ductwork whenever they went out for a family dinner. Satisfied to let the mystery lie, she received a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Boston University in 2013 and expected to work in the human services field for the foreseeable future. However, somewhere along the way, she started to look for a change in career and the allure of the diffusers and mitered elbows above slowly drew her gaze upwards. And lucky that they did: as someone who is always curious to learn more, and eager to take on a new challenge, the work at Design Day has proved to give her the perfect balance of growth and unwavering support. As a wise dog Snoopy once said: “Keep looking up… that’s the secret of life.”

Tyler Wilson, E.I.T.
Engineer-in-Training, HVAC Designer, Draftsperson
[email protected]
603-521-2604

Tyler Wilson joined the DDMI team in June 2019 and is an Engineer-in-Training (EIT) in the state of NH. Tyler grew up with his parents and two brothers in Derry, NH, and currently lives in Milton, NH. He graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and is currently working towards his master’s degree also in Mechanical Engineering at WPI. While at WPI, Tyler wrestled for four years, and played on the club rugby and golf teams. Now that his full-time college career is over, he enjoys exercising, playing guitar and piano, and spending time with friends and family.

Travis B. Somero, E.I.T.
Engineer-in-Training, HVAC Designer, Draftsperson
[email protected]
603-533-0318

Travis Somero is an Engineer in Training in the state of NH. He is an alumnus of Southern New Hampshire University, where he received a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering in 2018. Before coming on board Design Day Mechanicals, Travis worked in the construction field when not in college. Travis Somero currently resides in New Ipswich, NH where he is close to his family and friends.