Concerning his work as a project engineer Ryan Brauen says he likes to look at the big picture.

In his case, that picture includes lots of water.

Wessler Engineering will host an open house from 2 to 5 p.m., Friday. The event is open to the public. A Bluffton chamber ribbon cutting takes place at 5 p.m.

Earlier this year Bluffton native Brauen returned home to open an office of Wessler Engineering in the rear  (Suite D) of the former Bluffton News building, 103 N. Main St.

The Indianapolis-based company’s focus is almost anything H 2 0-related.

“We focus on projects involving water from start to finish,” he said. “That means things like waste water treatment, water treatment, water conveyance, water storage and water supply.”

The company works mostly with municipalities and county engineer departments. With the opening of the Bluffton office, Brauen’s attention is on gaining business for Wessler in western Ohio, primarily Allen and surrounding counties. He said that the company currently has several customers bordering the Ohio-Indiana state line.

Brauen is a 1998 Bluffton High School grad and holds a civic engineering degree from Ohio Northern University. He is a licensed professional engineer in Ohio and Indiana and has worked with Wessler for 10 years, with nine of those years based in Indianapolis and one in Fort Wayne.

Explaining that much of what he does includes overseeing a team of engineers on a specific project, he also develops new business, serves as the Bluffton office manager and will manage staff as the Bluffton office grows.

His wife, Sarah a 2000 BHS grad and 2004 Miami University grad, and is a systems analysis. They have two children, Owen, 5, in Kindergarten and Clara, 3.

Dan and Karen Fredritz own the 103 N. Main St. building.