The design process.

I have had the good fortune to work with very talented and smart people in my career. Joining Mithun in 2020 as the Director of Emerging Technologies, I am engulfed in an integrated practice combining master planning, urban design, landscape architecture, architecture and interior design, all with a strong commitment to R+D. It is the perfect position to be in following the prior five years at Katerra, where I was an integral part of the start up company that changed the conversation about how buildings will be delivered in the future. That experience is summarized on the following page.

Mithun is a unique firm, offering integrated solutions at a scale that I didn’t know was possible. The firm has proven that it is possible to affect issues such as social justice and wealth equity through design.

Before joining the Katerra team, I was with The Miller Hull Partnership for 30 years, with 20 of those as Design Partner alongside David Miller and Robert Hull. Miller Hull is widely recognized for design excellence and was awarded the AIA National Firm Award in 2008. While at Miller Hull, I was fortunate enough to land some great commissions such as the Bullitt Center in Seattle, which was the world’s first commercial office building to meet the stringent requirements of the Living Building Challenge.

As Lead Designer, I led the successful pursuit of some large federal contracts, executed under the Public Building Services Design Excellence Program, including the replacement of the San Ysidro Land Port of Entry border crossing. The multi-phase project, recently completed after ten years, had an overall project cost of $740 million and achieved LEED Platinum certification. This led to landing a prestigious US Embassies contract, from which the firm is still reaping the benefits.

These projects, and others featured on this website, were only possible because of the talented team I was surrounded by. The thing I enjoy most about the design process is the search for integrated solutions, leveraging the input from engineers, landscape architects and every member of the team. I was able to work alongside some of the best in the industry, including Jay Taylor and Drew Gangnes of MKA, Andy Frichtl of Interface Engineers, Paul Schwer of PAE and Marilee Hanks of Knot. I learned a great deal from working with these talented individuals and they not only influenced my work but also me personally, as they are experts in their respective fields and are outstanding human beings.

Making a difference.

2016 - 2020

Taking integrated design to the next level, Katerra is on a mission to change the way buildings are designed and delivered, through adoption of practices common to other industries. We have an opportunity to change an entire industry, and make a difference at scale. The two initiatives that I am most passionate about are our goal to provide high quality, affordable workforce housing, and slow climate change through an industry shift to mass timber construction. In 2016 I left Miller Hull to join Katerra on this mission. During my tenure I have seen the firm grow from 40 to 7500 employees worldwide, and $2B in annual revenue.

As Chief Architect, I have overseen the development of Katerra’s unique Building Platforms, offering fully optimized, configurable building solutions for various market sectors, designed for manufacturing and leveraging Katerra’s supply chain and significant investment in technology.

I also have played a significant role in our mass timber initiative, introducing the idea in 2016 when I joined, and ultimately leading to the $150M investment into Katerra’s CLT manufacturing plant, which at full capacity will be the largest producer of CLT in the world.

Forever a “culture-champion,” I believe that a healthy work environment, based on respect, empathy and diversity, leads to the best results. From leading annual ski trips and kayak outings at Miller Hull, to being a founding member of Katerra’s DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) Committee, I believe that office culture is the secret sauce to success.

I have been incredibly fortunate to have worked alongside so many talented people over the past 35 years with Miller Hull and Katerra. When I look back over this experience, there is no question that great things happen when individual egos are set aside, sleeves are rolled up and people work hard together on seemingly impossible challenges. That’s how we make a difference.