The meeting took place at the ALA’s [Architectural Lighting Associates] facility in the design district of Dallas.Architectural Lighting is a full-service manufacturer’s representative, currently representing over 80 of the lighting industry’s top architectural and commodity lines. Our knowledgeable sales staff prides itself on providing the local A&D community, lighting solutions for any and all, indoor and outdoor, commercial and industrial applications. Architectural Lighting supports the IESNA.
The topic this month was Project leadership. To take on the pervasive and nuanced facet of the profession, we assembled the broadest panel to date. All seven members have had extensive experience in archtiecture and allied fields, and brought a rare chance to engage with scuh a broad wealth of professional knowledge.
Michel E. Borg, AIA, LEED AP
HKS
Michel Borg is an award-winning architect with over 26 years of experience with a widerange of building types. His training as both an architect and interior designer has assisted clients on numerous corporate, institutional, educational, healthcare and hospitality projects. His leadership approach is to actively orchestrate the design through a highlycollaborative team development process, knitting together all the professional disciplines. This approach enables the team to discover the most creative and useful solutions to each of the client’s pragmatic needs and facilitates a consistency in the execution of design through all aspects of the building process.
Chuck Armstrong, AIA
Corgan Associates, Inc.
Chuck Armstrong serves as Design Director for Corgan Associates, Inc. With over two decades of architectural experience, he has developed an impressive portfolio of healthcare, corporate, retail and institutional projects worldwide. As one of the firm’s most talented designers, Chuck has led design teams on a variety of complex projects and garnered more than forty awards throughout his career. Recent projects include the New Parkland Hospital Campus, DFW International Terminal D, Exxon Mobil Headquarters, Blue Cross Blue Shield, One Arts Plaza, and Sacramento International Airport, Love Field Terminal Modernization, and Wise County Replacement Hospital.
Carl Malcolm
JHP
Carl is most appreciated around the offi ce for his unique ability to multi-task. He manages simultaneously many of the firm’s higher density, mixed-use, and senior housing projects. In addition to his project management responsibilities, Carl provides quality control and project scheduling oversight of all projects through the design development phase of work. His varied experience, strong design sensibilities, and creative spirit make him a valuable member of the JHP development team..
Kent Mendenhall, ASLA, Associate AIA
TGB
A Principal in TGB’s Dallas office, Kent Mendenhall’s involvement with initial project conception results in significant character development leading to efficient and effective project actualization. Kent draws from extensive international experience and a respect for historical forms to create a context for design finalized with contemporary details. Recognizing that landscape is the tangible connection between people and architecture, Kent creates landscapes that provide stimulus for mvoement within spaces. Kent mentors team members, encouraging the development of a creative but pragmatic design aesthetic.
Judy Pesek, IIDA, LEED AP
Gensler
As the Managing Director for the Dallas office, and a Founding Member of Gensler’s Workplace Taskforce, Judy Pesek has over 30 years of experience in all aspects of interior architecture from initial strategic facilities planning, conceptual design, furniture and materials implementation, interior construction, and contract administration. Judy’s impeccable client service is reflected in her long-term relationships as demonstrated with such clients as Marathon Oil Company, Duke Energy, and EDS. Some of these relationships date back over 25 years. She has continued to advise corporate clients such as these with their day-to-day requirements and interacts with their facilities management staff with regard to strategic planning issues and real estate utilization.
David M. Goodson P.E., SECB
RLG
Mr. Goodson founded the Structural Engineering department at RLG in 1981 based on a philosophy of using experience and talent to provide practical and efficient structures with an emphasis on personal service. Using experience and practical analysis early in the design of projects has led to long lasting client relationships. The combination of excellence in design, clear communication, practical and constructable solutions, and easily read construction documents has resulted in multi-decade long relationships with architects, contractors, and owners. His talents and skills have been recognized with awards for design excellence from the AIA, AISC, American Subcontractors Association and PSA Architects.
The discussion began with a straightforward panel, answering questions and elaborating on the varied aspects of project management, in the field of architecture, but also in the allied disciplines of landscape and mechanical and structural design. Many of the questions asked dealt with the economy and how to deal with teams and project management within the context of the current recession. The perspectives were understandably as diverse at the speakers themselves, with designers and managers approaching the topics from their personal viewpoint, as well as that translated through environment of their individual firms.
We then broke out into smaller groups, about three to four people so that more intimate discussions could take place. It was an illuminating forum in which questioning was more fluid and could become more targeted and personal. While the participants were able to glean quite a bit of good information from their queries, is was also interesting how each of the speakers took it as an opportunity to interview the Emerging Leaders themselves, and to understand more about their companies as well.
Following the panel discussion, Pete lead us in an exercise on leadership and communication. in small groups, we play acted a scene in which two competing interests seemingly sought a specific product for an humane purpose that was at odds with one another. However, through careful discussion and communication, we found that the interests, though linked, were complimentary, and a negotiation could be easily navigated once we understood and trusted one another.
