Legacy

Global Water Technology, Inc. (GWT) was founded in 1990 by Maria E. Villarreal-Byerley, who had previously worked alongside her husband to establish one of Chicago’s leading HVAC service companies. During that time, Maria recognized a growing demand for a new kind of water treatment firm—one built on the principles of service, honesty, and partnership. With a small group of industry experts, she launched GWT with the vision of setting a higher standard for technical excellence and customer care.

From its earliest days, GWT focused on delivering reliable, innovative solutions while building long-term relationships with clients. That foundation of trust and technical expertise has carried the company through more than three decades of growth.

 In 2011, Maria’s son, Michael Byerley, joined the firm, bringing a focus on modernization, diversification, and strategic growth through acquisitions. Under his leadership, GWT has become one of the fastest-growing companies in the nation, earning repeated recognition on the Inc. 5000 list.

Since 2015, GWT has completed the acquisition of 20 companies across the United States. Each acquisition has been guided by a commitment to preserve the legacy, knowledge, and customer relationships built by those organizations, while uniting them under GWT’s mission of excellence. Today, that strategy has allowed GWT to expand its geographic footprint to more than 40 states, employ over 200 professionals, and serve thousands of facilities nationwide.

In 2025, GWT took another major step by opening its national headquarters and state-of-the-art blending and manufacturing facility in Calumet City, Illinois—bringing together corporate leadership, production, and distribution under one roof.

More than 30 years after its founding, GWT remains privately held, minority-owned, and an active member of the Association of Water Technologies (AWT). The entrepreneurial spirit that launched the company continues to drive it today, as GWT remains dedicated to delivering safe, reliable, and sustainable water and energy solutions while honoring the legacy that began in 1990.