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PROFILE
Relentless persistence: Russell DiNardo President and founder of ThinkForm Architects (Hopewell, NJ), a service-disabled veteran owned architecture and interior design firm specializing in “total environments.”
By LIISA ANDREASSEN Correspondent
D iNardo strongly believes in an integrated, collaborative approach to design and, as a service-disabled veteran, he brings a unique perspective to the craft as an architect and designer for healing environments. “We’ve been fortunate to have experienced substantial revenue growth over the past four years despite the pandemic,” DiNardo says. “To achieve this growth, we’ve remained dedicated to design excellence and we’ve had a very focused strategic business plan that has been communicated by leadership and supported by staff. I still strongly believe that dedicated, rigorous work and thoughtful preparation are essential to success and one’s ability to effectively react to opportunity and ‘luck.’” A CONVERSATION WITH RUSSELL DINARDO. The Zweig Letter: How has your experience in the military affected how you do business at ThinkForm? What’s the greatest lesson that’s carried over? Russell DiNardo: I decided on military service to be a part of
something bigger than myself and founding ThinkForm was an extension of that ideal, while bringing diverse individuals together. We use our talents to collectively serve others by applying our knowledge to create extraordinary places that balance functionality, budget, and beauty. There are many lessons learned from military service that carry over, from leadership and precision to persistence through challenges and adversity. However, for me, the greatest lesson is others before self. TZL: Have you had a particular mentor who has guided you – in school, in your career, or in general? Who were they and how did they help? RD: I’m fortunate to have had several. These mentors range from a military colleague, a pastor dedicated to social service, a college professor, an architect colleague, an industry insider, and an industry outsider. They all had one thing in common – the ability to make me see beyond myself, question the status quo and to be an active participant in leaving a place better. They each possessed a genuine care for bigger causes and
THE ZWEIG LETTER FEBR
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