The Design Solutions and Integration Story
Built Through Adversity. Strengthened by Partnership. Sustained by Faith.
For more than 25 years, Design Solutions and Integration (DSI) has delivered integrated electrical, automation, and field solutions to the American industrial and energy sector.
We weren’t built in a boardroom.
We were built in the field, through long nights, hard lessons, and a commitment to doing things the right way.
Today, DSI is a 100% employee-owned company operating across six locations, serving major energy producers and industrial operators throughout the United States. But our story didn’t start with scale.
It started with risk.
Where It Began
It started with a setback.
In 2000, Craig Pistulka went into business on a handshake agreement. Within a year, that partner sold the company out from under him.
No signed contracts.
No paycheck lined up.
No safety net.
Craig was building a house at the time.
Rather than accept a reduced salary to stay, he walked away.
With no operating capital and no bank account, he started calling former customers. One took a chance on him, an $89,000 municipal water project. Craig was transparent about his financial situation. They trusted him anyway.
That customer is still with DSI more than 20 years later.
What felt like failure became the foundation.
A True Partnership
In 2003, Mike Wavra joined Craig.
Mike brought 14 years of experience building large-scale food processing facilities for companies like ConAgra and Lamb Weston. He understood complex systems, disciplined execution, and how to build operations that last.
More importantly, he shared Craig’s belief in integrity, accountability, and long-term relationships.
They weren’t just completing projects.
They were building something meaningful.
In 2004–2005, they explored another partnership. The alignment wasn’t right. Rather than compromise their values or long-term vision, they stepped away.
That decision led to something stronger.
Strengthening the Foundation
In 2006, Design Solutions and Integration was formally incorporated alongside Dick Bogard and Ron Offit.
- Dick Bogard established the financial discipline that transformed DSI into a structured, scalable company, grounding growth in strong margins, cash flow control, and accountability.
- Ron Offit brought credibility and financial relationships that helped position DSI for long-term stability.
Resilience started the company.
Discipline strengthened it.
Partnership sustained it.
Proven Through Industry Cycles
The early years were defined by grind.
2 AM service calls.
Holidays interrupted.
Growth earned the hard way.
Then came 2008.
The recession nearly wiped the company out. Credit lines were maxed. Second mortgages were taken. Prayers were frequent.
Instead of closing, Craig and Mike pivoted.
They drove north to North Dakota during the early Bakken boom. They knocked on doors. Took small troubleshooting jobs. Earned trust.
That persistence led to a relationship with Hess, built well site by well site, system by system. What began small became long-term. In early 2026, Chevron acquired Hess, continuing the evolution of that partnership.
From there, DSI became a trusted automation partner to major oil producers, building control systems, programming well sites, and expanding into electrical and field services to meet demand.
When oil prices collapsed again in 2016, DSI diversified before the downturn fully hit, expanding into Texas and broadening services. That move stabilized the company and positioned it for long-term growth.
Leadership That Carries It Forward
Around 2013–2014, Brian “Buck” Pistulka stepped in to lead the financial side as Dick transitioned out. Carrying forward the roadmap Dick established, Buck brought ownership, discipline, and long-term stewardship, ensuring growth was supported by accountability and sustainability.
Today, Mike Wavra and Brian “Buck” Pistulka serve as board members and strategic advisors. While no longer involved in daily operations, they remain active in leadership meetings and long-term direction.
DSI Today
DSI is a faith-based, 100% employee-owned company (ESOP) with over 25 years of experience delivering electrical, automation, industrial control panels, fabrication, and field services across oil and gas, municipal water, food processing, biofuels, and industrial markets .
We employ 125 skilled professionals across six strategic locations , with headquarters in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and regional hubs in Stanley, North Dakota (Bakken) and Midland, Texas (Permian Basin) .
DSI operates through:
- DSI (Design Solutions & Integration, Inc.) – Electrical, automation, control panel, fabrication, and AI-integrated solutions.
- DFS (DSI Field Services) – Mechanical, construction, roustabout, and turnkey facility services.
As a $40 million enterprise growing steadily , we offer the scale, experience, and values-driven approach today’s energy leaders need.
But we don’t see ourselves as contractors.
We’re collaborators.
We seek long-term partnerships with companies that share our commitment to integrity and accountability . When mistakes happen, we own them. We stand behind our work.
What This Means for Our Customers
You need a partner who:
- Understands complex automation and electrical systems
- Can execute safely in demanding field environments
- Has the financial strength to support long-term programs
- Stands behind the work
That’s who DSI has become, forged through adversity, strengthened by discipline, and proven in the field.
What This Means for Our People
As a 100% employee-owned company, ownership isn’t symbolic, it’s shared.
We invest in craftsmen, technicians, engineers, and leaders who want more than a job. We offer:
- Stability in cyclical industries
- Exposure to large-scale, technically challenging projects
- A culture built on accountability and integrity
- The opportunity to build something that lasts
When the company grows, our people grow with it.
What We Believe
DSI has endured recessions, oil crashes, credit shortages, and industry cycles.
Resilience isn’t something we market.
It’s something we’ve lived.
Through every season, uncertainty, risk, growth, we recognize how blessed we’ve been and give thanks to Jesus for every door that opened when it shouldn’t have.
What began with a setback became a company built to last.
And we’re still building.
Let’s build something that lasts.
