Corporate Architects and Facility Management

I would like to hear from architects who have taken their architectural skills and knowledge to companies outside of A/E firms.   What are your job responsibilities and how have you applied your architectural experience?  How long were you in traditional practice before you switched and what led to change.  What aspects of your experience qualified you for your current position?

As for myself, I have extensive experience in material evaluation, selection and specification not to mention codes, detailing and sustainable design.  Through over 10 years participation in CSI activities, I came to understand the construction industry from the manufacturer's perspective.  I also sold my my problem-solving and visual thinking abilities.  My position entails staying on top of building codes, standards, laws and regulations, and voluntary programs to influence the roofing business.  I routinely interact with industrial engineers, scientists and marketing professionals and, occasionally, architects, specifiers, building officials, contractors and the public.

I look forward to hearing from other architects who have taken a non-traditional career path.

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Steven Lawrey AIA
Manager, Roofing Product Codes and Compliance
CertainTeed Corporation
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Thanks for starting this topic.  I've been working in the corporate realm for 28 years.  Prior to that i was in private practice as a firm partner. During my time in the corporate world I've worked for a Fortune 50 company as Manager of Design in the Construction Department, managing the programing and design process for office and manufacturing facilities across the country.  This role allowed me to use all of my architectural skills to some degree since i was involved in project scope delineation, A/E team selection, and construction monitoring as the owners' representative.  The company owned a furniture division as well so I also had many opportunities to spec and design furniture for these projects.

After about 10 years there I found a new position with a major bank.  As their VP of strategic plan I managed space allocation for their 11 million SF portfolio of office and branch buildings. This involved programing and planning at a larger scale for major high rise office buildings and close coordination with real estate to forecast space needs and acquisition absorption. 

During the late 90s i was recruited by a high-tech start-up to head up their facilities and real estate department. There is I applied all of the skills learned from my previous positions to coordinate the design and construction and real estate required by this company that was then listed by Fortune Magazine as the 4th fastest growing company in the US.  I selected and worked with architects and contractors to build the company's US headquarters campus along with many offices, research labs and manufacturing facilities around the world.  I also had the unique opportunity to purchase and design and manage the company's corporate jet used to transport employees between countries.

I now work for a regional 80 unit restaurant chain managing their real estate portfolio and leading their development efforts.

It's all been fun and I've gotten to work on all sorts of projects collaborating with many renown and talented architects.  I believe that I have relied my architectural education and skills daily and still keep a roll of tracing paper on my desk even though I may not use it every week I'm sure that's not very different than many traditional architects.  
 
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William Bates, AIA
Vice President of Real Estate
Eat'n Park Hospitality Group, Inc.
Homestead PA
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This is an important topic.  An architecure education is the broadest education you can get, but the focus is on a very narrow band of professional practice.

I worked for a small A/E firm for about a year before taking a job with a company that owns 23 million sf of commercial building space across the US and Canada.  Like William, I've worked on some large construction projects with very talented people.  My company uses a team approach to construction, negotiating some contracts rather than bidding everything.  It's been a largely positive experience.

We built our last new building 6 years ago, yet we're busier than ever remodeling and solving operations and maintenance problems. 

I started here in a drafting position, then spent some time in the landscape design group, before moving into the engineering unit, where I remain 15 years later, specializing in lighting design.  Along the way I passed the ARE and earned the LC.

I've learned over the years that architecture doesn't stop with building occupancy, especially in a developed country.  We have a large pool of existing building stock in the US, which we will continue to adapt and reuse for the foreseeable future.  Working in this way has allowed me to work with people in every region of the country, facility technicians, construction trades, and design professionals.  I've been the project lighting consultant, the project lead, and the owner.  When you're like me and can't decide what you like best, it's a good fit.

 

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Marsha Fogarty AIA
Marsha Fogarty
Normal IL
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Original Message:
Sent: 05-29-2012 11:04
From: William Bates
Subject: non-traditional Careers for Architects

Thanks for starting this topic.  I've been working in the corporate realm for 28 years.  Prior to that i was in private practice as a firm partner. During my time in the corporate world I've worked for a Fortune 50 company as Manager of Design in the Construction Department, managing the programing and design process for office and manufacturing facilities across the country.  This role allowed me to use all of my architectural skills to some degree since i was involved in project scope delineation, A/E team selection, and construction monitoring as the owners' representative.  The company owned a furniture division as well so I also had many opportunities to spec and design furniture for these projects.

After about 10 years there I found a new position with a major bank.  As their VP of strategic plan I managed space allocation for their 11 million SF portfolio of office and branch buildings. This involved programing and planning at a larger scale for major high rise office buildings and close coordination with real estate to forecast space needs and acquisition absorption. 

During the late 90s i was recruited by a high-tech start-up to head up their facilities and real estate department. There is I applied all of the skills learned from my previous positions to coordinate the design and construction and real estate required by this company that was then listed by Fortune Magazine as the 4th fastest growing company in the US.  I selected and worked with architects and contractors to build the company's US headquarters campus along with many offices, research labs and manufacturing facilities around the world.  I also had the unique opportunity to purchase and design and manage the company's corporate jet used to transport employees between countries.

I now work for a regional 80 unit restaurant chain managing their real estate portfolio and leading their development efforts.

It's all been fun and I've gotten to work on all sorts of projects collaborating with many renown and talented architects.  I believe that I have relied my architectural education and skills daily and still keep a roll of tracing paper on my desk even though I may not use it every week I'm sure that's not very different than many traditional architects.  
 
-------------------------------------------
William Bates, AIA
Vice President of Real Estate
Eat'n Park Hospitality Group, Inc.
Homestead PA
-------------------------------------------

I, like many of you, completed my formal education and looked for work in traditional design firms.  I completed my registration process and soon found myself looking for work again.  The large city in which I lived was looking for architects to help run their robust capital improvement program.  After several delays and a lengthy interview process, I was hired.  The other young architects and interns I worked with in the past were "looking down their noses" at me and the position I accepted because it wasn't a "design firm."  So I asked them, "Who sets the budgets in your office?  Who writes the building program?  Who recommends which contractor's bid the owner should accept?"  The answer was, of course, the partners do those things.  I told them that was a part of my job description along with much more.  I also pointed out that when your firm comes to an interview seeking a project from the city, I will be the one recommending who will be assigned the project.

 

I was able to work on every aspect of projects.  Over the 12 years I was there I wrote building programs, selected sites, acquired zoning approvals, reviewed designs, performed construction administration, and selected architects, engineers, and GC's to perform the work.  I met with the City Manager, council members, planning commissioners, end users and the general public to achieve consensus and complete the projects.  I had the privilege of working with one AIA Gold Medal recipient and several other "starcatects" during that time.  The Gold Medalist's lead architect has since become the AIA's president.

 

I was selected to be a member of the AIA's Committee on Public Architecture and ultimately rose to the chair of that group during the tenure of the Institutes first woman president, Susan Maxman FAIA.  Our committee created and received Institute approval for the Thomas Jefferson Award which is given to those who best demonstrate what it is to be a public architect or to support and promote quality public architecture.

 

I have since used these skills while being an owners architect for a major land grant university and a major retailer.  I am currently working for a more traditional architecture firm using the same skills to help our clients acquire the required government approvals for their projects.

 

For those so inclined, non-traditional roles can be great fun and wonderfully broadening for the architect.  I was once asked by a police chief what my role was in his project.  I told him that I was a translator.  "I will take what you tell me about what you need from your building and translate it into 'architecture.'  Then I will take what the architects design and translate it back into 'cop' so you will both understand what the other is doing.

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James Gallagher AIA
Fayetteville AR
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Original Message:
Sent: 05-29-2012 11:04
From: William Bates
Subject: non-traditional Careers for Architects

Thanks for starting this topic.  I've been working in the corporate realm for 28 years.  Prior to that i was in private practice as a firm partner. During my time in the corporate world I've worked for a Fortune 50 company as Manager of Design in the Construction Department, managing the programing and design process for office and manufacturing facilities across the country.  This role allowed me to use all of my architectural skills to some degree since i was involved in project scope delineation, A/E team selection, and construction monitoring as the owners' representative.  The company owned a furniture division as well so I also had many opportunities to spec and design furniture for these projects.

After about 10 years there I found a new position with a major bank.  As their VP of strategic plan I managed space allocation for their 11 million SF portfolio of office and branch buildings. This involved programing and planning at a larger scale for major high rise office buildings and close coordination with real estate to forecast space needs and acquisition absorption. 

During the late 90s i was recruited by a high-tech start-up to head up their facilities and real estate department. There is I applied all of the skills learned from my previous positions to coordinate the design and construction and real estate required by this company that was then listed by Fortune Magazine as the 4th fastest growing company in the US.  I selected and worked with architects and contractors to build the company's US headquarters campus along with many offices, research labs and manufacturing facilities around the world.  I also had the unique opportunity to purchase and design and manage the company's corporate jet used to transport employees between countries.

I now work for a regional 80 unit restaurant chain managing their real estate portfolio and leading their development efforts.

It's all been fun and I've gotten to work on all sorts of projects collaborating with many renown and talented architects.  I believe that I have relied my architectural education and skills daily and still keep a roll of tracing paper on my desk even though I may not use it every week I'm sure that's not very different than many traditional architects.  
 
-------------------------------------------
William Bates, AIA
Vice President of Real Estate
Eat'n Park Hospitality Group, Inc.
Homestead PA
-------------------------------------------

This is shaping up to be an interesting discussion.

What 've noticed is that the three previous individuals use their architectural skills from project conception to post-occupancy.  In addition you all provide services that traditional architects have deferred to others like real estate development and program management.  Being on the owner's side of the table has exposed you to all phases of practice as well as the predesign and post-occupancy services that are rarely provided by traditional firms.  Being in the corporate world has allowed you to provide the full spectrum of services and not become "pigeon-holed" in design, CAD, construction documents, CA, etc.

While the role of corporate or civic architect is different that that of firm architect, I still hope to hear from architects that are NOT directly involved in facility design, but rather those who, like me, work in building materials or, perhaps, standards development, building science, risk management, property insurance and another allied industries.
 
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Steven Lawrey, AIA
Manager, Roofing Product Codes and Compliance
CertainTeed Corporation
Blue Bell, PA
-------------------------------------------







Original Message:
Sent: 05-30-2012 14:30
From: James Gallagher
Subject: non-traditional Careers for Architects

I, like many of you, completed my formal education and looked for work in traditional design firms.  I completed my registration process and soon found myself looking for work again.  The large city in which I lived was looking for architects to help run their robust capital improvement program.  After several delays and a lengthy interview process, I was hired.  The other young architects and interns I worked with in the past were "looking down their noses" at me and the position I accepted because it wasn't a "design firm."  So I asked them, "Who sets the budgets in your office?  Who writes the building program?  Who recommends which contractor's bid the owner should accept?"  The answer was, of course, the partners do those things.  I told them that was a part of my job description along with much more.  I also pointed out that when your firm comes to an interview seeking a project from the city, I will be the one recommending who will be assigned the project.

 

I was able to work on every aspect of projects.  Over the 12 years I was there I wrote building programs, selected sites, acquired zoning approvals, reviewed designs, performed construction administration, and selected architects, engineers, and GC's to perform the work.  I met with the City Manager, council members, planning commissioners, end users and the general public to achieve consensus and complete the projects.  I had the privilege of working with one AIA Gold Medal recipient and several other "starcatects" during that time.  The Gold Medalist's lead architect has since become the AIA's president.

 

I was selected to be a member of the AIA's Committee on Public Architecture and ultimately rose to the chair of that group during the tenure of the Institutes first woman president, Susan Maxman FAIA.  Our committee created and received Institute approval for the Thomas Jefferson Award which is given to those who best demonstrate what it is to be a public architect or to support and promote quality public architecture.

 

I have since used these skills while being an owners architect for a major land grant university and a major retailer.  I am currently working for a more traditional architecture firm using the same skills to help our clients acquire the required government approvals for their projects.

 

For those so inclined, non-traditional roles can be great fun and wonderfully broadening for the architect.  I was once asked by a police chief what my role was in his project.  I told him that I was a translator.  "I will take what you tell me about what you need from your building and translate it into 'architecture.'  Then I will take what the architects design and translate it back into 'cop' so you will both understand what the other is doing.

-------------------------------------------
James Gallagher AIA
Fayetteville AR
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