The DTM Dynasty

Members of the Montesano family talk about what it’s like to be part of a family business.

photos courtesy of DTM

A little more than a decade ago, your author interviewed DTM Drafting & Consulting Services, Inc. CEO Nicholas J. “Nick” Montesano about the company’s beginnings, growth and evolution for a Company Spotlight titled “They’ll Take Manhattan” (ELEVATOR WORLD, February 2014). Named for Nick’s mom, Domenica T. “Minnie” Montesano, DTM was founded in 1982 by Nick’s father and Domenica’s husband, Joseph C. Montesano, who left his job at Westinghouse Elevator Co. to fill a void left when major OEMs stopped providing vertical-transportation (VT) engineering services. That void ended up being big, and demand — along with a growing staff — prompted DTM to move from the family home in Queens to a historic, three-story house in College Point, New York. About the move, Nick Montesano told your author:

“From the vision of having a one-man operation and keeping himself busy while having a hand in designing some of Manhattan’s new high rises, the business vastly advanced to needing to hire employees to help with field surveys, design and engineering.”

DTM employment at both College Point and a satellite Manhattan office grew over the years from the original two to 15 to approximately 30 today. The company has built numerous mutually beneficial, long-term relationships with property owners and managers, with a focus on individualized attention. Recent projects, to name only a few, include the 72-story office building 4 World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan; Silver Towers, 60-story twin residential towers in Hell’s Kitchen; 32 Old Slip, a 36-story office tower completed in 1987 in Lower Manhattan’s Financial District; a full repositioning of the U.S. Bank Tower in California — the largest commercial building in Los Angeles containing 44 elevators and six escalators; repositioning of the 38-story 5 Times Square containing 22 elevators and two escalators; and the 31-story One Water Street, containing 11 elevators. DTM’s projects are as far-reaching as the treasury building Jamaica.

There is no doubt DTM has made, and continues to make, its mark on Manhattan. Bringing it closer to its customers, DTM recently moved from the College Point location it had called home for 30 years to spacious new digs in the historic, 38-story Equitable Building in the Financial District. The new location at 120 Broadway essentially quadruples the amount of space DTM had previously. DTM now has room for further growth, which will likely include additional family members. Currently, nine members of the Montesano family work for the company. Several of them — Nick Montesano (NM), sister Susan Warr (SW), Nick’s children, Matthew (Matthew M.) and Michael (Michael M.), and Brayan Casas (BC), Susan’s son-in-law, recently took the time to speak with your author (KW) about the challenges and rewards of being part of a family business. 

KW: Was DTM being founded by your father the beginning of the Montesano elevator dynasty? What did Joe’s father — your grandfather — do for a living?

NM: I would say that was the start of the Montesano elevator dynasty. My father and I were both in the industry prior to beginning this journey: Joseph was a senior manager at Westinghouse and I was a mechanic at Millar, but the legacy of Montesano family achieving great success started with DTM. My grandfather/Joe’s dad was a mason in NYC.

KW: Where and how did your parents meet?

NM: My parents met on a blind date in Brooklyn, NY, that was set up by my dad’s friend, Tom, who was dating my mom’s sister.

KW: In 2014, you told me that your sister, Susan Warr, “works daily to keep DTM on the straight and narrow prosperous path.” Is she still doing so and, if so, what is her title/duties?

NM: Yes, she’s still doing that. For more than 35 years, Susan has been focused on making sure DTM was profitable and able to continue growing. Susan’s role is chief financial officer (CFO)/treasurer, and she has been instrumental in our success over the years. Without her financial oversight and strategic planning, DTM would not have the success that it does.

KW: What was it like for you (Matthew, Michael and Brayan) growing up in an elevator family? When and how did you start learning about elevators? Did you find it interesting/stimulating?

Matthew M.: Growing up in an elevator family is all I’ve known. When we would go over to my grandparents’ house, we would play “office.” We had notepads and pens, and would pretend we were taking calls and making reports. I started learning about elevators in the second grade when my dad came to my class to do a presentation with the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation. From that day on, I was interested in pursuing this as a future. I have always found the industry to be an interesting niche filled with interesting people.

Michael M.: From a young age, elevators were always talked about. Whether it was at Thanksgiving dinner, a sporting event or a family vacation, work never stopped. One of my earlier memories was going into the city for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and my dad bringing Matt and me into a machine room at a nearby building to explain the equipment to us. Over time, the VT industry gets more interesting as trends change.

BC: I first started filing and handling the mailing part time during high school. I wanted to know what I was sending out and filing, so I began reading the letters and reports. It was such a niche, but interesting, business. During summer break, I would work as a helper in the field with our inspectors, and I learned a tremendous amount. I appreciated not only the mechanical aspect, but also the history. Every building on the block has a different — and sometimes unique — elevator installation. Eventually, I began working directly with DTM’s founder Joseph Montesano, learning everything I could from him, attending meetings and learning traffic theory and analysis. 

KW: Were Matthew and Michael with the company in 2014? Regardless, please tell me which one (or both) are part of DTM now and their titles(s) and duties.

NM: My son, Matthew, was with the company part time in 2014. Currently, both of my sons are a part of DTM and will continue to carry on this legacy. Matthew is vice president of operations, responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations as well as various client accounts. He makes sure all departments are coordinating with each other to ensure efficiency. Michael is an assistant project manager on various client accounts and is our in-house technology expert. Michael is also responsible for our advertisements and promotional materials.

KW: I recently met another Montesano family member who is now part of DTM: your daughter-in-law and Matthew’s wife, Annemarie. When and how did she join the company and what is her role?

NM: Yes, Annemarie now also works for DTM. Funnily enough, when her dad was younger, he worked as a mechanic for an elevator company, as well. Elevators just run in the family. She joined DTM in 2020 during the pandemic. Since many buildings were unoccupied, we were able to get more inspections done, so we needed assistance generating all the invoices in a timely manner. She jumped in to help out. She is our accounting director, so she works closely with Susan to ensure our proposals and invoices are being processed and all of our financial processes are efficient.

KW: DTM is now in its third generation of family ownership/leadership. Please list all the family members who work for DTM.

NM: Everyone at DTM is family in one way or another, be it blood, marriage or an extremely long relationship. I am CEO, my wife, Noreen, works as the payroll manager, Matthew is the VP of operations, Michael is assistant project manager and Annemarie is accounting director. Susan is CFO, and her son-in-law, Brayan Casas, is senior VP. Brayan’s brother, Michael Casas, is a project manager. Joe Cariello is mine and Susan’s cousin and the engineering manager. Many more family members have come and gone over the years in different roles.

KW: What is most challenging and rewarding about working in a family business? Is it difficult to separate work from home matters, or is that not an issue?

NM: Most challenging is understanding and respecting that it is not all “just business,” because it is a family, as well. The most rewarding is the success — when everyone is committed to a vision/future of growing the business and keeping it in the family. With education about family business and patience, it becomes second nature to separate work from home matters.

SW: Most challenging is keeping the holidays family-centered, rather than turning into a work function. It is very easy to have work become the topic of conversation since that’s how we are all spending our day. The most rewarding is getting to work with our family every day and grow the family and business at the same time. It is great to see it become a multi-generational legacy.

Matthew M.: For me, the most challenging thing about working for a family business is being able to persuade my boss, a.k.a. my dad. The most rewarding is getting to see your family every day and celebrating our wins together, whether they are professional or personal. We are always looking out for each other’s best interests, and being able to succeed together is so rewarding.  I know we are making my grandparents proud. Personally, I do not find it difficult to separate work and home. It’s important to remember that we all have the same goal in mind: What’s good for the family is good for business and vice versa. I think it’s a privilege that I get to bring my personal life into the office. Being able to solve certain problems outside of the office helps bring a softer touch to some situations.

Michael M.: Most challenging is separating and balancing family and business. It’s tough, but it’s important to not let business affect family — no matter what! Most rewarding is building and sustaining a company that is in our family and not run by an unrelated party.

BC: Balance. You push yourself to perform because it’s not just your livelihood and reputation on the line, but also your family’s. There’s really no better feeling when you have had a successful day. When the day doesn’t go as well, you’re fortunate to have your biggest support standing right next to you. There’s rarely any separation, and that’s fine. When family gets together, it’s usually only a few minutes before work eventually takes center stage. Even the youngest generations of the family participate, so …

KW: Do any of the younger family members have kids and, if so, what are the chances they are going to go into the family business?

NM: Matthew and Michael don’t yet, but chances are they will go into the family business, as well. It’s a great industry that allows people to grow, and there are so many opportunities to focus on whatever part of the business excites you. I believe DTM will continue to be a pillar in the NYC elevator industry and look forward to watching it continue to grow.

BC: I have two boys, and they have been to the office many times. I’ve brought them to meet some of our closest clients while performing quality-of-ride reviews. You never know, but I would want them to find their own reasons for joining the business.