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ON THE MOVE HLB LIGHTING DESIGN STRENGTHENS LEADERSHIP TEAM WITH KEY PROMOTIONS FOR GROWTH AND INNOVATION HLB Lighting Design has announced the promotion of several key members of its leadership team, each of whom has played a vital role in the firm’s continued growth and innovation in architectural lighting design. These appointments reflect the individuals’ dedication to excellence and their ability to inspire and lead others within the firm. The following team members have been promoted: Lee Brandt to senior principal, Simi Burg to principal, Joanna Billy to director, and Clifton Manahan, Erik Stroemberg, Hadar Bendriem, Julie Donovan, and Michelle Tessier to associate director. As part of the leadership team, directors and principals play a critical role in shaping HLB’s strategic direction. Their leadership ensures the firm’s continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of design excellence and fostering a culture of innovation across the firm. Lee Brandt, senior principal, is known for her commitment to mentorship, team development, and innovative collaboration within the firm. Reflecting on her journey at HLB Lighting Design, Brandt shares, “I owe my professional growth to the mentorship and support I received at HLB, and I’m passionate about paying that forward. I’m focused
on continuing to foster a collaborative environment where our team members can thrive and grow. In the coming year, I’m excited to support our team as we take on new projects, explore opportunities, and recruit top talent to further elevate our work.” Simi Burg, principal, is deeply committed to mentoring the team and inspiring both internal and external collaborators to push the boundaries of design. Burg reflects, “I find immense joy in mentoring the team and guiding both designers and clients on a journey to explore the most transformative visual experiences. Business development is one of my greatest passions, and I’m always looking for ways to build lasting relationships with clients and industry partners.” Looking ahead, Burg is focused on several key goals, saying, “This year, I’m excited to open up opportunities for HLB in new geographic markets and market sectors, and continuing to collaborate with globally renowned clients.” Joanna Billy has been promoted to director, recognizing her outstanding leadership in managing the firm’s financial operations. As controller, Billy has been instrumental in ensuring the financial health and stability of the firm. “I’m honored to step into this new role and continue supporting the firm’s growth and success,” Billy said. “It’s exciting to be part
of a team that is dedicated to excellence in every aspect of our business.” Clifton Manahan, Erik Stroemberg, Hadar Bendriem, Julie Donovan, and Michelle Tessier have all been promoted to associate director, reflecting their individual contributions to the firm and their commitment to maintaining the highest standards of excellence in lighting design. Each has demonstrated outstanding leadership in their respective roles, whether in design, project management, or client relations. Founded in 1968, HLB Lighting Design is the largest women-owned, independent architectural lighting design firm in the world. The firm specializes in creating compelling holistic lighting experiences that redefine the way people interact with the built environment. HLB’s longstanding legacy of excellence, combined with its multiple boutique studios, gives the firm the ability to deliver the most transformative client experience in the industry. With an international roster of more than 100 employees and streamlined virtual capabilities, HLB is uniquely positioned to collaborate with clients of every scale worldwide. The firm operates on the cutting edge of lighting technology, constantly expanding and refining its services to meet the evolving needs of the industry.
having these kinds of solid relationships has to be seen as a precedent for accountability, and accountability has to be seen as a precedent for accomplishing what is in the business plan. Of course, all of this is facilitated by first having all employees participate in the creation of the plan, by sharing the plan openly with all employees, and by periodically revisiting the plan publicly to track performance toward goals and checking of items on the “to-do” lists. On top of it, the firm does need to have a means of truly rewarding those who accomplish their goals, and either reforming or removing those team members who consistently demonstrate they cannot or will not do what they need to do. Business plans are important. Management is a real job. You are responsible for the success of the enterprise, for your investors’ or lenders’ money, and for the prosperity of all the families who depend on the income of their family members who work for you. No one said it’s going to be easy or always be fun, but if it was, everyone would be doing it! Mark Zweig is Zweig Group’s chairman and founder. Contact him at mzweig@zweiggroup.com.
MARK ZWEIG, from page 5
that some combination of relentless checking (some might say “needling”), combined with expressing disappointment in individuals who fail and celebrating and publicizing the accomplishments of those who succeed generally works best. “The business plan should guide daily operation of the business. It’s an articulation of the firm’s reason for existence, what it is trying to accomplish or become, and what the creators’ basic philosophy is about how they will approach everything they do.” For this to work, however, employees must feel that their managers actually care about them as individuals. That requires a significant time investment from managers in really getting to know their people and to form real relationships with them that are not just transactional in nature. Therefore,
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THE ZWEIG LETTER JUNE 2, 2025, ISSUE 1588
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