Meet 40 AEC superstars! BD+C editors chose these young professionals from among 275 outstanding entrants in our third annual "40 Under 40" recognition program.
By Maggie Koerth-Baker, Contributing Editor and Jay W. Schneider, Senior Editor
January 15, 2008
Building Design and Construction
T he 40 remarkable individuals profiled here are some of the brightest stars in the AEC universe—and they're under the age of 40. These young architects, engineers, contractors, designers, and developers stood out among a group of 275 outstanding entrants in our third annual “40 Under 40” competition.
Join us in congratulating the AEC industry's next
generation of leadership.
Drew Mucci,
31 VP, director of law firms
market division HITT Contracting Inc., Fairfax, Va. EDUCATION BS,
Wentworth Institute of Technology ACCOMPLISHMENTS Oversees 30-person law firms market division. Doubled team's annual revenues in one year, to $83
million. Attracted 10 new clients within past
year. Youngest VP and market sector leader in firm
history; promoted from project manager to VP in less than four years. During 10-year career (HITT and previous firms), completed
5 million sf of construction (more than $250 million). RECENT
PROJECTS DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary,
Washington, D.C. Weil, Gotshal & Manges
LLP, Washington, D.C. EXTRACURRICULAR Chair, in-house committee producing company operations
manual. Active in firm's continuing education and
training program. Executive board member, Law Firm
Vendors Association. OFF THE
CLOCK Put himself through college
working as a carpenter for a small GC. Memorable
outing: 18 holes at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Favorite
meal: grandmother's gnocchi. SECRET
LIFE Played Division III basketball
at Wentworth (height: 5-8).
David Koren, 37 Associate principal, director of marketing Perkins Eastman Architects New
York, N.Y. PROFESSIONAL
CREDENTIALS CPSM, AIA EDUCATION BFA, NYU MPhil, Trinity
College, Dublin, Ireland ACCOMPLISHMENTS Responsible for firm's overall marketing strategy,
leads business development efforts for 10 worldwide offices; firm has doubled in
size in past three years. Former director of marketing for Gensler's Northeast
region, responsible for $110 million of revenue, 500+ professionals. Society for Marketing Professional Services Mentor Award
(NY chapter, 2003). EXTRACURRICULAR Authored
Architect's Essentials of Marketing (2004). Wrote marketing strategy chapter for The Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice ,
14th Edition (in press). President, SMPS NY chapter,
2005-06. Guest lecturer, Columbia University, Parsons
the New School for Design, AIA National Conference, and SMPS Northeast Regional
Conference. OFF THE
CLOCK Founded FIGMENT, a participatory arts
festival on Governors Island, N.Y. Attends annual
Burning Man event in Nevada's Black Rock Desert. SECRET LIFE Professional
playwright with two published works.
Kathy Wardle,
32 Senior associate, director of
research Busby Perkins + Will, Vancouver, B.C. PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS LEED AP EDUCATION BA, University
of Oregon MES, Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S. ACCOMPLISHMENTS First non-designer to join firm's senior
management team. Conducts firm's product research and
building analysis. Secured $300,000+ in product
sponsorship for firm's award-winning “Sustainable Condo” tour, which has
attracted more than 100,000 visitors since 2004. Co-chaired firm's national Sustainable Design Initiative
since 2004. Formalized firm's commitment to
sustainability and created strategic implementation plan (launched 2007). Oversaw accreditation of 750 new LEED APs within firm by
coordinating and overseeing in-house training. RECENT PROJECTS Developed
USGBC's Playbook for Green Buildings + Neighborhoods (2007) EXTRACURRICULAR Chair, Cascadia Region Green Building Council. Teaches green building design, University of British
Columbia. OFF THE CLOCK Favorite getaways: Hornby Island and Whistler,
B.C. SECRET LIFE Makes chocolate truffles.
Peter Weingarten, 37 Associate principal, director of
international projects FXFOWLE Architects New York, N.Y. PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS AIA, LEED AP EDUCATION BArch, Syracuse
University ACCOMPLISHMENTS Manages
40-person International Studio, oversees firm's international projects, with a
particular focus on work in India and the Middle East. Leads firm's Team Green, promoting sustainability through
in-house education on products, issues, and philosophy. Helped establish first comprehensive green guidelines for
urban high-rise residential developments. First implemented in 2000 by Battery
Park City Authority. EXTRACURRICULAR Guest jury
critic, Syracuse and Columbia Universities, New Jersey Institute of Technology,
and New York Institute of Technology. Taught
sustainability courses, Baruch College's Newman Institute (2005). Board officer, USGBC NY chapter. Member, Emirates Green Building Council. Member, AIA New York's Planning and Urban Design
Committee. OFF THE CLOCK Favorite food: Blue Ribbon fried chicken. Favorite music: Audioslave. SECRET LIFE Almost ditched
architecture to pursue Hollywood dream.
Sara M. Snodgrass,
39 CEO The
CFP Group, Nashville, Tenn. PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS AIA EDUCATION BA, Auburn
University ACCOMPLISHMENTS Named CEO
of 28-person firm specializing in medical facility design (January 2007); rose
from project architect to CEO in eight years. Revenues for '07 to exceed $5
million, up from $3.9 million in 2005. Licensed through
NCARB in 48 states. RECENT
PROJECTS St. Cecilia Academy, Nashville Southwest Surgical Hospital Campus, Hurst, Texas Alta Vista Regional Hospital, Las Vegas Facility Master Plan for the Supreme Court of Tennessee,
Nashville EXTRACURRICULAR Member,
Tennessee Board of Licensure of Health Care Facilities. OFF THE CLOCK Board member, Williamson Works, a nonprofit that
supports economic development in central Tennessee. Favorite escape: Piloting her 1980-vintage 38-foot Carver
Yacht “It's All Good” along the Cumberland River. Football fan: Tennessee Titans season ticket holder.
Fondest Titans memory: “Music City Miracle,” January 8, 2000, when they beat the
Buffalo Bills in a wildcard game on a last-play, three-player, 75-yard kickoff
return. SECRET LIFE Amateur black & white photographer.
Clay Vogel,
32 Founder, principal, lead
designer Kazia Design Collaborative Chicago EDUCATION BArch,
University of Tennessee ACCOMPLISHMENTS Founded own firm in 2006 at age 31. Grew firm to five employees in the U.S., 20 abroad in first
year; gross annual revenues of $1.2 million. Overseeing
the opening of firm's international office in Tianjin, China. Won international competition to design the $190 million
Haixin Steel headquarters in Taiyuan, China. Currently
in competition to design Shenyang (China) Concert Hall against Zaha Hadid and
others. Nationally recognized BIM expert, speaker. RECENT
PROJECTS Changchun (China) Science
and Cultural Museum Complex Tianjin (China) Urban
Planning Museum Main Street Urban Renewal Project, Las
Vegas OFF THE
CLOCK Helped build 18 Habitat for
Humanity homes. Enjoys piecing together complex
puzzles. Backyard BBQ expert, self-proclaimed foodie. Most unusual meals: jelly fish, bee larva. SECRET
LIFE Played on a middle school team
that defeated NFL superstar Randy Moss (John Adams vs. DuPont, Kanawha County,
W.Va.).
Brian Cook, 34 Division manager, contract manager Hoar Construction, Houston EDUCATION BS,
Auburn University ACCOMPLISHMENTS Oversees Hoar's 20-person Houston office. Responsible for more than $200 million in projects. Helped triple Houston office's revenues in five years. First assignment as project manager (age 30)—a 12-story,
202-unit hotel project—was awarded the National Excellence in Construction Award
from the Associated Builders and Contractors. Instituted
20-week training program to pump up office's knowledge of change orders,
submittal process, and company policies and procedures. RECENT
PROJECTS Sugarland (Texas)
Rehabilitation Hospital Hilton Grand Vacations Club,
Sanibel Island, Fla. Granite Westchase 2, Houston OFF THE
CLOCK Twice bicycled the MS150
charity ride from Houston to Austin (180 miles). Active
in Rebuilding Together, an organization that repairs homes for low-income
families. Favorite meal: Fuddruckers Mushroom Swiss
Burger and a chocolate malt. Avid snowboarder. SECRET
LIFE Training for a marathon he's
determined to run before turning 35.
Kevin Tartaglione,
36 SVP, COO Advance Realty Group, Bedminster, N.J. PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS AIA EDUCATION BS,
MS, The Catholic University of America ACCOMPLISHMENTS Currently overseeing 10 large residential, mixed-use, and
office sites in New Jersey (portfolio value: more than $3 billion). Responsible for the firm's development activity, from land
acquisition through tenant occupancy. Manages the
development treasury function, site due diligence, regulatory approvals,
financing, design and construction, marketing, and leasing. Doubled size of firm's development division to 25
professionals. Instrumental in firm's repositioning to
diversified developer/owner/advisory partner firm, which provides third-party
development, asset management, build-to-suit, and tenant advisory services. Named to the firm's Executive Management Committee. EXTRACURRICULAR Member, Real Estate Board of New York, NAIOP, SAVE
International. OFF THE
CLOCK Coaches son's flag football and
T-ball teams. Favorite book: The Seven Habits of Highly
Effective People, by Steven Covey. SECRET
LIFE Learning how to fly fish.
Ian Sinnett,
30 Associate Perkins+Will, Dallas PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS AIA, LEED AP EDUCATION BArch,
Kansas State University ACCOMPLISHMENTS Leads 30-person Sustainable Design Initiative group in
P+W's Dallas office. Handles education, research, and special projects. Responsible for LEED training sessions. Oversaw LEED
accreditation of 85% of office's technical staff. Managed $110 million Mountain Vista Medical Center (Mesa,
Ariz.), the largest project completed by Dallas office (2007). Successfully managed a confidential multi-million dollar
project just one year out of college. One of 14
employees (from more than 1,300) chosen for P+W's Leadership Institute. EXTRACURRICULAR Guest teacher, Sustainable Design for Healthcare class,
University of Texas, Arlington. Helped design
affordable, easily built housing for sustainable community in El Lagatillo,
Nicaragua. OFF THE
CLOCK Completed American Stroke
Association marathon (2004). Builds his own
furniture—chairs, tables, platform beds. SECRET
LIFE Trained storm chaser and tornado
spotter.
Bradley T. French,
25 Project captain, project architect, business
development associate Mekus Studios Ltd., Chicago EDUCATION BArch,
MArch, University of Cincinnati ACCOMPLISHMENTS Promoted from CADD drafter to project captain in less than
two years. Serves as project architect, IT support, 3D
graphics designer, business development associate, and BIM expert. 3D design work helped firm win $4.3 million, 13,500-sf
sustainable project for Archdiocese of Chicago. Helped
land two national accounts, winning six competitions for Motorola office
buildings and integrated branding and securing a contract to create master
furniture standards and branding integration for U.S. Cellular. RECENT
PROJECTS Administration Building,
Archdiocese of Chicago Motorola offices, various
locations EXTRACURRICULAR Does pro bono 3D renderings, Web site creation, animations,
and Flash presentations for various nonprofit clients. OFF THE
CLOCK Gutted and rehabbed his condo
in less than four weeks. Favorite read: Everyone Poops, by Taro Gomi and Amanda Mayer
Stinchecum. Volunteer, Human Rights Campaign; Children
International. SECRET
LIFE Expert “Guitar Hero” and “Dance
Dance Revolution” player.
Donald J. Anderson, Jr.,
35 Commercial and
infrastructure division manager Fugro Consultants LP,
Houston PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS PE, LEED AP EDUCATION BS,
MS, Louisiana State University ACCOMPLISHMENTS Oversees 45-person team (annual revenue: $6+ million). Supervises all geotechnical services for firm's commercial
and infrastructure work in the U.S., Venezuela, Singapore, Russia, and
Nigeria. Projects include aviation, healthcare, hotels,
parking garages, and dams. Expert forensic technical
consultant. EXTRACURRICULAR Author, Cement and Concrete
Research journal articles. Member, ASFE National
Professional Practice Committee; helping to update Geotechnical Engineer of
Record guidelines. ASFE Young Leader, 2007. President-elect, ASCE, Houston chapter. Winner, 2006 ASCE Texas Daniel W. Mead Prize for a paper on
professional ethics. OFF THE
CLOCK Completed 12 marathons, one
ultra-marathon (31 miles). Helps organize annual 5K run
benefiting inner-city Catholic schools. SECRET
LIFE Met his wife competing in a
triathlon. Culinary Sherlock Holmes: Can re-create a
restaurant meal from memory at home.
Vicki Ford, 33 Principal Walter P Moore,
Houston PROFESSIONAL
CREDENTIALS PE EDUCATION BSCE, MS,
Clemson University ACCOMPLISHMENTS Project
manager specializing in structural renovation of historic buildings and complex
3D structures. One of the youngest of the firm’s 72
principals. Appointed to Vision 2014, 12 young leaders
helping to chart the firm’s future. Increased profits
by 20% and generated more than $600,000 in extra fees on two
projects. In-house mentor for younger
engineers. Faculty member for firm’s FastStart program
for graduate engineers. RECENT PROJECTS Dallas
Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas Palazzo Resort Hotel
and Casino, Las Vegas EXTRACURRICULAR President-elect, Structural Engineers Association
of Texas. OFF THE
CLOCK Member, Preservation Dallas. Member, Jane Austen Society of North America. Raises hybrid tea roses. SECRET LIFE Direct descendent of Mary Boleyn, mistress of
England’s King Henry VIII, and related to Ann Boleyn, Henry’s second wife.
Jay Bhatt, 38 Senior VP Autodesk, Waltham, Mass.
EDUCATION BA, University of Pennsylvania JD,
UCLA ACCOMPLISHMENTS Leads Autodesk’s AEC Solutions division. Managed strategic planning and M&A, including
acquisition of Revit Technology Corporation in 2002. Oversaw expansion of Revit product into a complete BIM
platform; currently driving development of 2D AutoCAD and 3D BIM products. Doubled Revit seats in one year, to 200,000. Has responsibility within Autodesk for mainstream adoption
of sustainable design practices in emerging economies (India, China, Brazil,
etc.) Manages 750+ employees worldwide. His AEC Solutions Division is ranked internally as having
the firm’s most engaged employees, and has seen 38% average annual compound
growth in last four years. EXTRACURRICULAR Member,
Technet, a political network of CEOs and senior executives that promotes the
growth of technology and innovation economy. OFF THE CLOCK Tends the
family vegetable garden with his three daughters. Favorite books: The Devil in the White City, by Erik
Larson; The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini. SECRET LIFE Converted
Boston Red Sox fan.
Karie Johnson, 39 Director of virtual construction Adolfson & Peterson Construction, Plymouth, Minn. PROFESSIONAL
CREDENTIALS AIA EDUCATION BArch,
University of Minnesota ACCOMPLISHMENTS Within six
months of joining firm, instituted BIM technology, created BIM portfolio from
scratch. Currently implementing BIM firm-wide. Responsible for building firm’s BIM staff, including hiring
and training current employees. Goal: create in-house group dedicated to BIM and
other construction technologies. Instrumental in
improving firm’s communication, collaboration, and interoperability by
implementing firm-wide software programs. EXTRACURRICULAR Member,
board of directors, AIA Minneapolis. Co-chair, BIM
Breakfast Club (an AIA committee). Member, Center for
Integrated Facility Engineering, Stanford University. Pursuing BAS degree at the University of Minnesota OFF THE CLOCK Loves all things aquatic: scuba diving, snorkeling,
swimming, and boating. Favorite book: A Whole New Mind:
Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, by Daniel H. Pink. SECRET LIFE Can ride a unicycle.
Kevin R. Mitchell, 38 Director of construction services, Special
Projects Division Grunley Construction, Rockville,
Md. EDUCATION BArch, MSArch, Virginia Polytechnic Institute ACCOMPLISHMENTS Promoted to director of construction services in
firm’s Special Projects Division within five years. Manages construction of complex federal projects involving
historic preservation and heightened security controls. Project values:
$100,000-$70+ million. Senior project manager
on $75 million modernization of U.S. Supreme Court. 2006 GSA and Treasury Department Outstanding Service Award
for IRS Headquarters Flood Recovery Project. Instructor, in-house training program. RECENT PROJECTS Supreme Court modernization Phase II, Washington,
D.C. IRS Headquarters, Washington, D.C. EXTRACURRICULAR Volunteer, craftsmanship judge, Washington
Building Congress. OFF THE
CLOCK Pursuing JD, Concord Law School, Kaplan
University. Shops thrift stores for handcrafted
items. Favorite authors: Douglas Adams, Tom Robbins,
Kurt Vonnegut. SECRET
LIFE Can solve Rubik’s cube in less than three
minutes.
Mark J. Ladd, 37 Managing director Millennium Development Group, Chicago PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS AIA, LEED AP EDUCATION BA, University
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Advanced study, Corpus
Christi College, Oxford University MArch, University of
Illinois at Chicago ACCOMPLISHMENTS Responsible for public-private partnerships with
government entities on design/build/leaseback procurements. Firm’s BIM expert. Previous
experience with Skidmore Owings & Merrill; Graham, Anderson, Probst and
White; and Lester B. Knight & Associates. RECENT PROJECTS NATO
Headquarters, Brussels Everett M. Dirksen Federal
Building renovation, Chicago EXTRACURRICULAR Youngest-ever appointee to Illinois State Capital
Development Board. Provides agency oversight; initiated ISCD Board’s Design
Excellence Program. Guest critic for student juries,
University of Illinois at Chicago. OFF THE CLOCK Favorite
vacation: ski trip to Zermatt, Switzerland, where combustion engines are
forbidden. SECRET
LIFE Played drums at college parties with
ACACIA frat brothers.
Scott Skidelsky, 37 VP and general manager Turner Construction Corp., Orlando, Fla. EDUCATION BS, University of Illinois ACCOMPLISHMENTS Manages 133-person business unit (Orlando’s largest CM
firm), with $250 million in current projects. Total project revenues procured:
$2 billion. Named VP in 2003 at age 33, youngest in the
firm’s 104-year history. Other Turner firsts: youngest
officer (age 30); youngest manager (age 27). RECENT PROJECTS Sanctuary
Downtown condo tower, Orlando, Fla. Citigroup Citi
Center, Jacksonville. Florida A&M University College
of Law, Orlando, Fla. EXTRACURRICULAR Member,
Society of American Military Engineers; Associated General Contractors of
America; and Associated Builders and Contractors. Lieutenant (ret.), U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps; awarded
Navy Achievement Medal for service. OFF THE CLOCK Attends all
home games of NBA Orlando Magic with wife Julie, son Tyler, and daughter
Kalie. Toured China with the Magic, fall 2007, one of
eight Orlando community leaders traveling as team guests. SECRET LIFE Home was featured on HGTV show “Designer’s Challenge”
(2006).
James O’Reilly,
38 Director of construction, Facilities
Services Division Los Angeles Unified School District,
Los Angeles EDUCATION BS, MS, Eastern
Michigan University ACCOMPLISHMENTS Oversees
300-person department responsible for all Los Angeles USD facility planning and
construction (700,000 students, 1,190 schools). Manages
LAUSD’s $19.3 billion New School Construction Program, the nation’s largest;
goal: 145 new schools by 2012. Opened 10 new schools
since promotion to director in September ’06. Expects to open seven more this
year. Monarch Award from Council of Educational
Facility Planners International for Panorama High School; Green Apple Award for
LAUSD’s commitment to sustainable and high-performing schools from Collaborative
for High Performing Schools. EXTRACURRICULAR Member,
Construction Management Association of America and Associated General
Contractors of America. OFF
THE CLOCK Favorite foods (all Middle Eastern):
tabbouleh, baba ghannooj, kibbi. Favorite movie:
“Pulp Fiction” (director: Quentin Tarantino, 1994). SECRET LIFE Once had very long hair. Fourth-generation family member involved in
construction.
Wendy Burke, 37 VP, client development Linbeck, Houston EDUCATION BA, Brown
University MBA, NYU Stern School of Business ACCOMPLISHMENTS Helped double firm’s revenues in two years.
Achieved 20% growth from new clients. Oversees $1.5
billion project backlog. Firm firsts: youngest VP and
corporate officer, fastest promotion to VP. Founder/chair, Laboratory Innovation and Implementation
Council. Developed firm’s integrated design and delivery
business model using BIM. Teaches six in-house sales
and communications classes. EXTRACURRICULAR Adjunct
professor, management communications, NYU Stern School of Business. Coordinated two Action Learning projects
through externship program, Rice University’s Jones School of Business,.
Coordinator, 2008 Rowlett Distinguished Firm Lecture
Series, Texas A&M School of Architecture. Advisory
board member, BioHouston. Board member, Bio-Medical
Technology Club. OFF THE
CLOCK Tropical gardener (51 oleanders, 36
hibiscuses, assorted birds-of-paradise). Finished her
climb to Peru’s Machu Picchu backwards (she’s afraid of heights). SECRET LIFE Handbag junkie, owns 35 purses.
William H. Holly, 38 President Holly
Real Estate, Miami EDUCATION BA, Florida
State University BS, Louisiana State University ACCOMPLISHMENTS Founder/owner, Florida commercial real estate firm. Grew firm from two employees to 40+ in five years; $1
billion-plus in real estate transactions. Donates
10% of profits to nonprofits. Developing Miami’s first
green high-rise office building (Miami Green). Espirito
Santo Plaza won Project of the Year and Mixed-use Project of the Year awards
from NAIOP (2005). RECENT
PROJECTS Miami Green, Miami Espirito Santo Plaza Building, Miami 4000 Ponce de Leon, Miami EXTRACURRICULAR Board
member, Coral Gables Trust. Founding shareholder,
Florida Gulf Bank, Ft. Myers. Chair, Vision Coral
Gables Campaign, seeking to raise $2 million for new Chamber of Commerce
building. OFF THE
CLOCK Traveled in El Salvador during its civil
war. Best rock & roll band ever: Led Zeppelin. Volunteer, Ransom Everglades School Board, St. Philip’s
Church (Coral Gables), Historical Museum of Southern Florida. SECRET LIFE Plays the trombone.
Diane Vrkic,
33 Global COO, head of the Americas
region, Energy and Sustainability Services Jones Lang
LaSalle, San Francisco EDUCATION BS, Fordham
University MBA, Stanford University ACCOMPLISHMENTS Promoted to global senior management position in only three
years, a first in firm’s history. Helped launch and
currently heads firm’s Energy and Sustainability Services division, responsible
for the Americas (2007 revenue: $5 million). Working on
development and standardization in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia
Pacific. Hand-picked by CEO to head internal
Environmental Sustainability Board. Co-created firm’s
workplace scenario modeling tool that allows clients to analyze the effects of
implementing workplace solutions at several properties at one time. OFF THE CLOCK Works with venture philanthropy group Full Circle
Fund to support nonprofits in education, housing, technology, and environmental
sectors. Volunteer, Women for Women International,
providing job skills and business services to women in war-torn countries. Left medical school to pursue business and entrepreneurial
interests. Enjoys trail running and hiking. SECRET LIFE Speaks a dialect of Croatian spoken by fewer than
2,000 people worldwide.
Howard Chen, 32 Associate principal TVS International, Atlanta PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS AIA, NCARB, LEED AP EDUCATION BS, MS, Georgia Institute of Technology ACCOMPLISHMENTS Associate principal, leads firm’s international
studio with projects in Dubai, Libya, China, and Lebanon. Youngest associate principal in firm’s history. Lead designer on 88-floor Dubai Towers, part of an $18
billion development and one of the firm’s largest, most complicated projects
ever. Mentors firm’s junior and senior designers in 3D
modeling. Winner, TVS’s 2000 Thomas W. Ventulett
Illustration Award. RECENT
PROJECTS Dubai Towers, United Arab Emirates CDC Edward R. Roybal Campus Transshipping Facility and
Campus Infrastructure, Atlanta West Hall, McCormick
Place Convention Center, Chicago Suzhou (China)
Commercial Street Development/Retail Complex OFF THE CLOCK Origami
expert, created 40-50 original designs. Favorite film:
“Run, Lola, Run.” Fluent in Mandarin (born and raised in
Taiwan). SECRET LIFE Cultivates carnivorous plants, such as the Dionaea
muscipula (Venus Fly Trap).
Thomas J. Sherry, 38 Design principal Hamilton Anderson Associates, Detroit PROFESSIONAL
CREDENTIALS AIA, LEED AP EDUCATION BS, MArch University of Michigan ACCOMPLISHMENTS Manages 40-person team, plans overall design approach for
all projects. Made associate and shareholder in 1999,
VP of design in 2002. Promoted to principal in ’07,
first person outside firm’s founders at this level. Opened firm’s six-person Las Vegas office in 2006;
influential in expanding firm’s work on national scale and growing firm to 120
professionals. Mentors in-house design talent. RECENT PROJECTS MGM Grand, Detroit CityCenter,
Blocks B & C (hotel/residential), Las Vegas EXTRACURRICULAR Young
Architect of the Year (2007), AIA Michigan chapter. Six-time team leader, University of Michigan Detroit Design
Charrette Volunteer, University of Michigan’s Detroit
High School studio. Assists with curriculum development, instruction, and career
advocacy. OFF THE CLOCK Collects vinyl records (more than 1,000), mostly
electric soul from late ’60s and early ’70s. SECRET LIFE Juggles
bowling pins.
Sean B. Smith, 37 Division VP, partner Gresham, Smith & Partners, Nashville, Tenn. PROFESSIONAL
CREDENTIALS PE, SE EDUCATION BS, University of Southern California ACCOMPLISHMENTS Named firm’s youngest partner at 32. Named VP (at 36) of 60-person, $8.5 million Architecture
Consulting Engineering division, which provides MEP, structural, and civil
engineering services for healthcare, aviation, corporate, urban design, and
other major projects. Leads several internal task forces
responsible for BIM planning, implementation, and benchmarking. Pilots firmwide BIM education. Manages pre-qualification of IPD building partners. EXTRACURRICULAR Teaches senior-level design at Tennessee
Technological University. Assists in development of
Tennessee State University’s master’s of structural engineering program. Expert in designing for earthquake- and hurricane-prone
regions. OFF THE
CLOCK Training to run 25 half-marathons in 25
states. SECRET LIFE Lived through the ’94 Northridge, Calif.,
earthquake. Nephew of Larry Smith, one-time football
coach at Tulane, Arizona, and USC.
Qi Song (Kent) Yu, 38 Associate principal Degenkolb Engineers, Portland, Ore. PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS CE EDUCATION BS, ME, Tongji
University, China PhD, University of California, San
Diego ACCOMPLISHMENTS Manager of
firm’s eight-person Portland, Ore., office (annual revenue: more than $1
million). Member, Oregon’s Seismic Safety Policy
Advisory Commission. Member, NSF-funded U.S.-Japan
initiative to convert academic research into practical construction
applications. EXTRACURRICULAR Conducted
earthquake reconnaissance for the August 15, 2007, temblor in Peru. Contributed to Earthquake Engineering (2004), a
graduate-level university textbook. Author of 30+
technical papers on steel movement-resisting frame construction and related
subjects. Taught graduate courses on earthquake
engineering at SF State, Portland State. ASCE Raymond
C. Reese Research Prize (2001) for research into damage to steel-frame
structures during California’s Northridge earthquake. Results led to
rehabilitation methodologies now used worldwide. OFF THE CLOCK Avid crabber (Dungeness). Favorite movie: “Jurassic Park.” SECRET LIFE WWE wrestling fan.
Kendall Griffith,
38 Director of operations Mortenson Construction, Minneapolis EDUCATION BS, Iowa State University ACCOMPLISHMENTS Firm’s youngest director of operations, leads
150-person Minneapolis Operating Group. Responsible for
$1.4 billion in projects, the largest volume ever for the office. Leading two major projects: $367 million Minnesota Twins
Ballpark; $288 million University of Minnesota TCF Bank Stadium. Oversaw expansion of Minneapolis’s Walker Art Center,
designed by Herzog & de Meuron. RECENT PROJECTS Minnesota
Twins Ballpark, Minneapolis University of Minnesota TCF
Bank Stadium, Minneapolis Walker Art Center,
Minneapolis University of Minnesota McNamara Alumni
Center, Minneapolis EXTRACURRICULAR Created
firm’s mentorship program, focused on development and recruiting. Member, Associated General Contractors Union Negotiating
Committee. OFF THE CLOCK Named a United Way Leader in Giving for
philanthropic efforts. Football fan and memorabilia
collector. Has more than 2,500 songs in his iPod. Favorite food: Nestlé Quik at bedtime. SECRET LIFE He was “Cy,” the Iowa State Cyclones mascot (a red
& gold cardinal), 1989-90.
Haril Pandya,
35 Senior associate, senior project
manager/designer CBT Architects, Boston PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS AIA EDUCATION BS, BArch,
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ACCOMPLISHMENTS Oversees
team handling all phases of design on projects up to $500 million. Develops and implements project strategy; manages
implementation of design concepts, architectural drawings, and shop details. Managed several of CBT’s biggest projects—$500 million
mixed-use center in Boston and Blackstone Group projects totaling $135
million. Owner/principal, Pandya Architects: high-end
residential, institutional, corporate, and resort design. EXTRACURRICULAR Youngest elected board member, Boston Society of
Architects. Visiting critic, teaching assistant, Boston
Architectural Center. CADD trainer/instructor, Boston
University College of Fine Arts. OFF THE CLOCK Donated
design services and funding for two start-up schools in India. Lead guitarist for indo-jazz fusion band, Karyshma; also
for Red Square Boston. Produced, directed short film,
“Static” (2008): www.firstthursdayfilms.com. SECRET LIFE Had short-lived career as a stand-up comic.
Andrea Lamberti, 38 Project director Rafael Viñoly Architects, New York, N.Y. PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS AIA EDUCATION BS, MIT MArch, Harvard University ACCOMPLISHMENTS Develops
and leads new in-house marketing and business initiatives. Project director, $252 million National Institutes of
Health Porter Neuroscience Research Center (Bethesda, Md.) project; lived
on-site through completion of Phase 1. Project
director, Columbia University Medical Center’s $1 billion master plan. Helped implement firm’s use of BIM as a presentation and
design tool. RECENT
PROJECTS University of Arizona Science Center,
Tucson, Ariz. Oslo Opera House Master Plan, Cairo Stock Exchange and Financial Center Van Andel Institute for Education and Medical Research,
Grand Rapids, Mich. EXTRACURRICULAR Lecturer,
in-house education programs, 2006-07. Lecturer, MENSA
organization. OFF THE
CLOCK Fluent in Japanese. Passed the Japanese
national language exam Level II. Favorite reads: 100
Years of Solitude, by Gabriel Garcia Márquez; Life of Pi, by Yann Martel. SECRET LIFE Climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in 1991.
Kurt J. Dannwolf, 36 President O’Donnell
Dannwolf + Partners Architects, Hollywood, Fla. EDUCATION BArch, Pratt
Institute ACCOMPLISHMENTS Co-founded
10-person firm in 2004; manages $450 million in projects and oversees firm’s
large-scale, mixed-use building projects. Leading
firm’s expansion into markets outside Florida. Award for
Design Excellence (2006) from AIA-Ft. Lauderdale for $23 million ICE on the
Ocean, a 60,000-sf mixed-use complex, Melbourne, Fla. Project Design of the Year (2004) from National Association
of Industrial and Office Properties for Miami’s Four Seasons Hotel and Tower, a
2.2-million-sf, $300 million project (while senior designer at Gary E. Handel +
Associates). RECENT
PROJECTS International Convention Center,
Madrid Fernandina (Fla.) Beach Townhouses San Sebastian Inland Harbor Hotel, St. Augustine, Fla. EXTRACURRICULAR Teaches thesis-level architectural design,
Florida Atlantic’s School of Architecture. OFF THE CLOCK Favorite
author: Kurt Vonnegut. Favorite film: “Le Mans”
(director: Lee H. Katzin, 1971), with Steve McQueen. SECRET LIFE Auto racing enthusiast. Owns a Porsche 911 RS
America and a track-ready 944 Turbo.
Marijke Smit,
35 Senior associate Perkins Eastman, New York, N.Y. EDUCATION BA, MS, Columbia University ACCOMPLISHMENTS Leads the firm’s development of strategic plans,
needs assessments, and master plans for educational, cultural, government, and
private developments. Founded Perkins Eastman Strategies
in 2005 to focus on clients’ pre-development needs. Created sustainable criteria and guidelines for
carbon-neutral projects. Oversaw team developing needs
assessment and architectural program for 1.3 million-sf NYPD training
facility. RECENT
PROJECTS NYC Police Department Academy Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing Flushing Commons, Flushing, N.Y. EXTRACURRICULAR Amateur archaeologist; searched N.J. Meadowlands for
original architectural elements dumped there in the ’60s after demolition of
original Penn Station. Member, Advocates for Privately
Owned Public Spaces. Urbanist with Municipal Art Society
of New York. OFF THE
CLOCK Performed for choreographer George
Balanchine at age eight. Has traveled to Cuba. SECRET LIFE Grandma was Salvador Dali’s “Sleeping Venus” in
the surrealist pavilion at the 1939 New York World’s Fair.
Kerry Cheung, 39 VP, senior medical planner HOK, St. Louis PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS AIA, Academy of Architecture for Health EDUCATION BArch, University of Kansas ACCOMPLISHMENTS Manages $2 billion in healthcare work. Created or worked on master plans for several major
healthcare projects. Helped HOK advance beyond
individual healthcare projects and into ongoing, big-picture facility planning
by working with CEOs, CFOs, and facilities executives to create long-term
building and campus development strategies. Co-developed case study used to improve patient experience
and emergency room efficiency at Detroit’s William Beaumont Hospital (2007). RECENT PROJECTS Methodist Hospital-Sugarland and Willowbrook Expansion,
Houston BJC Health Care Campus Integration Project and
Center for Advanced Medicine, St. Louis EXTRACURRICULAR Mentors
younger HOK professionals, particularly women and minorities. OFF THE CLOCK Volunteers with More than Carpentry, a ministry
that provides carpentry skills training in St. Louis. SECRET LIFE Animated film collector, particularly Disney and
Pixar flicks. Favorite character: Mulan.
Nayan B. Trivedi, 34 Senior associate Leslie E. Robertson Associates, New York, N.Y. PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS PE EDUCATION BE, ME, Gujarat
University, India ACCOMPLISHMENTS Promoted
to senior associate in 2006. Splits duties between
engineering and marketing. Credited with helping firm
enter new markets; responsible for several hundred million dollars in new
projects in India and Dubai in three years. Worked on
the engineering of I.M. Pei’s Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar. RECENT PROJECTS Oberoi Skyz Tower, Mumbai, India Financial Tower, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Hyderabad (India) Office Tower Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, Qatar EXTRACURRICULAR VP, past president, Society of Indo-American Engineers and
Architects. U.S. chair, ASCE Spring Seminar Series. Member, Structural Engineers of New York and NYC Building
Codes Committee. OFF THE
CLOCK Loves: spicy Mexican food, barbecuing for
friends in his garden. SECRET LIFE While
vacationing in Mumbai, met chief architect from Oberoi Construction; landed
60-story Oberoi Skyz Tower project.
Jill Bergman,
38 Associate VP and operations
manager Cannon Design, San Francisco PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS AIA, LEED AP EDUCATION MA, BA Clemson
University ACCOMPLISHMENTS Founding
member, American College of Healthcare Architects. Opened firm’s San Francisco office in 2004. Grew office
from two employees to 15; annual revenue, $3.2 million. Lead medical planner, $129 million expansion of University
of Massachusetts Medical Center. Lead master plan
programmer, $100 million Sierra Vista (Ariz.) regional health facility. National AIA/Academy of Architecture for Health (AAH)
graduate fellowship in health facility planning and design. EXTRACURRICULAR Past board member, AIA/AAH. Chair,
AAH Fellowships and Scholarships task force. Organized
and moderated national AIA/AAH online healthcare architecture training
conferences. OFF THE
CLOCK Favorite movies: “The Thin Man,”
“Pleasantville.” Past spokesperson, American Heart
Association’s Operation Heartbeat. Volunteer art
teacher, LEAP Architects in Schools Program. SECRET LIFE Booed off
stage—twice—at open-mike comedy nights.
Tom Kaiman, 28 Manager of operations Walton
Construction Co., St. Louis EDUCATION BS, Michigan
Technological University ACCOMPLISHMENTS Supervises
40-person team working on 11 projects in three states. Total construction value:
more than $100 million. Project director for all of the
firm’s Wal-Mart distribution center projects. Oversees design, estimating and
budgeting, construction operations, and startup. Developed project management protocols and reports that the
firm implemented on a national level. Created internal
project management training program. RECENT PROJECTS Wal-Mart
Mechanized Distribution Center #7024, Sterling, Ill. Wal-Mart Food Distribution Center #6059, Olney, Ill. St. Louis Blues Practice Facility, Hazelwood, Mo. EXTRACURRICULAR Completed
Southern Illinois University’s “Construction Spanish” program. Member, National Civil Engineering Honors Society; Young
Constructors Forum. OFF
THE CLOCK Relaxation: Taking Golden Retriever
Tatum for walks. Favorite football team: Any team that
beats Ohio State. Favorite food: pizza. SECRET LIFE Played hockey with AHL’s Lowell (Mass.) Lock
Monsters (AAA affiliate of NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes).
Ramin Cherafat,
35 Partner, VP of operations McCownGordon Construction, Kansas
City, Mo. EDUCATION BS, Kansas State University MBA, University of Missouri ACCOMPLISHMENTS Leads firm’s design-build initiatives. Helped grow revenues by $192 million during past seven
years. Named VP within four years of joining firm. Serves on executive management team, helps plan corporate
strategy. Winner, Design-Build Institute of America’s
Design-Build Project of the Year Awards (2006) for Johnson County Sunset Drive
Office Building, Olathe, Kan. DBIA Outstanding Service
Award (2007). EXTRACURRICULAR Past
treasurer, vice chair, and chair, Design-Build Institute of America. Frequent speaker at University of Kansas Masters Program
for Architecture, state AIA conferences (Missouri and Kansas), and DBIA National
Conferences. OFF THE
CLOCK Vice chair, CommunityLinc, an
organization that provides temporary housing, life skills, and services to
homeless families. Enjoys running and golfing. Favorite book: Straight from the Gut, by Jack Welch. SECRET LIFE Born in Tehran. Came to the U.S. in 1980 to escape Iran’s
revolution. Conversant in Farsi.
Edward Hohmann,
38 VP, corporate treasurer Feinknopf Macioce Schappa Architects, Columbus, Ohio PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS AIA, NCARB, LEED AP EDUCATION BA, Yale University MArch, Ohio State University ACCOMPLISHMENTS Member of firm’s executive team. Manages projects in the firm’s major disciplines:
education, retail, and corporate. Managed $27 million
project—largest in the firm’s history—at Columbus State Community College and
completed it early and under budget. Led Ohio
Department of Natural Resources building project, Ohio’s first state-funded
LEED-certified project (2006). EXTRACURRICULAR 1995
Fulbright Award finalist. Visiting scholar, Krakow
(Poland) Polytechnic University (1995-96). OFF THE CLOCK Graduate of
Leadership Columbus (2006); completed a service project for the Salesian Boys
and Girls Club. Favorite book: In the Heart of the Sea,
by Nathaniel Philbrick. Favorite meal: steak (cooked
medium) and a glass of dry red wine. Completed the
Columbus Marathon—his first—in ’07. SECRET LIFE Grew up on a
230-acre farm in Pataskala, Ohio.
Pietro Perelli-Rocco,
38 Project director Hines, Milan, Italy EDUCATION Honors degree in
building engineering, University of Trieste, Italy MArch, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia ACCOMPLISHMENTS Oversees 35-person team; responsible for three
mixed-use developments accounting for $2.6 billion worth of construction. Firm liaison with public officials, international equity
partners, tenants, and design and Building Teams. Previously, project manager at Jacobs Engineering, Milan,
responsible for facility business sector. Speaker,
Urban Land Institute European Conference (2006). EXTRACURRICULAR Member,
Institution of Structural Engineers. Member, Council and
Institution of Engineers and Architects, Milan. OFF THE CLOCK Won Sailing
World Championship in quarter-ton class (Germany, 1994) by one point on last
leg. Now sails a Melges 24. Self-taught woodworker; has
built models of sailing boats and a rocking horse for his niece. Accompanies himself on an accordion made in Castelfidardo,
singing ballads from native Trieste in local dialect. SECRET LIFE Sailed 15 years for Italy; third in Olympic Class
470 junior world championship (Poland, 1988).
Roger L. Klein,
38 Principal, director of architectural
design Swanke Hayden Connell Architects, New York,
N.Y. (now design principal, RMJM Hillier, Princeton,
N.J.) PROFESSIONAL
CREDENTIALS AIA EDUCATION BS, MArch,
University of Wisconsin ACCOMPLISHMENTS Joined
Swanke Hayden Connell Architects (SHCA) in 2003 as associate principal and
architectural design director, appointed principal in 2004. Oversaw all architectural projects in SHCA’s New York
office; managed staff of 125 (annual revenues: $20 million). Co-managing principal of SHCA’s U.S. practice; contributed
to firm’s expansion into Russia and Eastern Europe. Developed master plans for NYU and Detroit’s Center for
Creative Studies. Principal for the first major office
tower in Harlem in 30 years (seeking LEED Silver). RECENT PROJECTS Moscow International Business Center tower NYC Office of Emergency Management, Brooklyn, N.Y. Harlem Park Office Tower, New York, N.Y. OFF THE CLOCK Plays football on the weekends. Self-taught carpenter and landscaper; has renovated and
landscaped family’s 102-year-old Victorian in Maplewood, N.J. SECRET LIFE Can moonwalk like Michael Jackson.
Joanna Kwan,
38 Principal Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd., Vancouver, B.C. PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS PE, PEng, LEED AP EDUCATION BASc, MASc,
University of British Columbia, Vancouver ACCOMPLISHMENTS Named
principal of the 300-plus-member firm, one of Canada’s largest consulting
engineers, in 2006. First female principal in the firm’s history. Responsible for 40% of the firm’s International Group
business development and production; responsible for growing firm’s U.S.
work. Registered engineer in Canada and U.S. Specialist in structural design of high-rises and
large-scale seismic upgrades. Manages projects involving
variety of construction techniques, including concrete, timber-frame, and
structural steel. RECENT
PROJECTS Tavern Road Mixed Use Development,
Mammoth Lakes, Calif. Sullivan Square at Sunset and
Durango, Las Vegas EXTRACURRICULAR Mentors
younger engineers in the firm’s International Group. OFF THE CLOCK Runs weekly nonprofit dance party promoting
Argentine tango. Favorite singer/songwriter: Diana
Krall. SECRET
LIFE Does laundry to relax.
Sadhu Aufochs Johnston,
33 Deputy Chief of Staff, City of
Chicago EDUCATION BA, Oberlin College ACCOMPLISHMENTS Chief environmental officer for Mayor Richard M.
Daley; coordinates Chicago’s environmental programs, including Climate Action
Plan and Zero Waste plan; works with city agencies to promote green
initiatives. Commissioner, Department of Environment,
2005-07; managed 100-person staff responsible for city’s Environmental Action
Agenda. Assistant to Mayor Daley for Green Initiatives,
2003-05. Founder, executive director, Cleveland Green
Building Coalition, 1999-2003. RECENT PROJECTS Co-chair,
USGBC Chicago chapter organizing committee, 2007 Greenbuild International
Conference & Expo. EXTRACURRICULAR Guest
speaker, U.S. Conference of Mayors, AIA, Greenbuild, and others. OFF THE CLOCK Lives eco-deliberate lifestyle with wife and daughter—buys
organic foods, shops with canvas bags, etc. Vermicomposter: maintains a composting bin that uses worms
to digest waste. Can’t live without Earl Gray tea. SECRET LIFE Makes furniture using wood from local fallen
trees.
