Inspiration

The Story Behind the Waterton Name

About Waterton David Schwartz headshot

I’ve always loved the mountains. Both the literal ascents and peaks—and the figurative ones. An entrepreneur to my core—and an avid mountain climber in my free time—I love an ambitious goal and the feeling that comes from controlling my own destiny. I love knowing that when the terrain shifts, I have the power to shift with it, to do the next right thing—even when it’s not the easy thing.

That’s the spirit with which Pete Vilim and I founded Waterton—and the spirit that continues to drive our team today. We are a company of entrepreneurs, empowered to do the right thing and to create great places to live, for people from all walks of life, together.

The summer before Pete and I founded Waterton, I was camping in Glacier National Park, and while hiking across the border into Canada, I came upon the idyllic Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. With its pristine lakes and majestic mountains, it was the most beautiful place I’d ever seen.

The name Waterton is symbolic of mountains, and the peaks and valleys that make the climb challenging and worthwhile. It’s also a reminder of the beauty that awaits us when we keep taking the next right step together.

David Schwartz
CEO & Chairman,
Waterton