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BUSINESS NEWS FOX ARCHITECTS POSITIONS FIRM FOR FUTURE GROWTH THROUGH STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT ADVANCEMENTS AND NEWADVISORY BOARD FOX Architects , an interdisciplinary architecture and interior design firm, announced strategic management advancements to better position the firm to deliver industry-leading design solutions to increasingly complex projects. The advancements include a new role for the firm’s founder Bob Fox, AIA, IIDA; the promotion of Derek Wood, AIA, to managing principal; the addition of an advisory board; and increased roles and responsibilities for principals Andy Yeh, Assoc. AIA; JP Spickler, FAIA; and Jim Allegro, AIA. Fox will transition from managing principal to chairman of the firm’s new advisory board and will remain as a principal focused on building the firm to design more complex, and fully integrated projects, while also helping to increase the value of its work for clients. He will also be responsible for growing the firm’s capacity, reach, and leading the firm’s overall strategic plan. “Our vision is to continue to provide meaningful and valuable projects for our clients and the community,” said Fox. “Today, projects are multifaceted and require specialty disciplines to execute. From sustainability and environmental impact, to technology, security, wellbeing, and financing, the complexity of today’s buildings necessitates a new strategy. Merging our talent in one office location was our first step toward delivering the best interdisciplinary expertise to our clients. The expansion of the principals into their new roles, myself included, now positions us to better leverage our unique talent and skills, build partnerships, meet our client’s needs, and grow our practice.” Derek Wood will advance from his role as principal to managing principal. Wood will oversee the day-to-day management of the firm, execute FOX Architects’ strategic plan, and ensure the long-term goals established by
the principals and under the guidance of the firm’s new advisory board are met. “Bob and our principals have done a great job guiding the evolution and growth of the firm,” said Wood. “We’ve established FOX Architects as a firm that provides tailored environments at a variety of scales and typologies. The work that we do is very complex and sophisticated – it takes high-performing teams working together to provide provocative and innovative design solutions to the many challenges our clients ask us to solve. We believe that our interdisciplinary approach is more holistic, bringing more integrity and consistency to the designs we produce. We look forward to continuing to build upon our strengths to bring cutting-edge design to our clients.” The firm’s new advisory board will include approximately eight industry leaders, each bringing specific expertise in business growth valuation, diversity, law, marketing, venture capital, and former clients. The addition of an advisory board to the firm’s structure will expand expertise, project opportunities, improve operational performance, refine the reputation, and more effectively achieve the firm’s strategic goals. “In my new role as chairman, I’ll have more bandwidth to engage deeply with the industry relationships and connections I’ve cultivated over the last 30 years,” added Fox. “We have already begun to fill our advisory board with professionals from our community who can provide us with valuable knowledge on trends, resources, opportunities, and sound direction as we identify and explore new business opportunities.” Established 16 years ago, FOX Architects embarked on its growth strategy in 2017 by first combining its two offices into its current studio office, which the firm designed, located at 1240 22nd Street, NW in Washington, DC. Establishing one space has provided an opportunity in which all principals, architects,
and designers can collaborate to deliver the best interior and exterior environments for the firm’s clients. This award-winning space has improved the exchange of ideas and attracted top talent necessary to design such projects. In 2018, the firm announced the appointment of its first chief operating officer, Lisa Revitte, to oversee the operational functions and harness the energy and talent of the firm. Principals Andy Yeh, Assoc. AIA; JP Spickler, FAIA; and Jim Allegro, AIA will assume new roles and responsibilities that are vital to support the firm’s continued growth strategy. Yeh will serve as the Studio Operations Principal and will lead the day-to-day studio operations across all service lines, such as interiors, architecture, graphics, workplace and landlord strategies, among others. His role is vital to achieving a successful interdisciplinary project approach that allows FOX Architects to efficiently develop complex, integrated projects. Spickler’s role as design principal will also include a broader reach, overseeing not only the architecture studio’s design direction but expanding that vision across all disciplines, including interiors and integrated projects. As interiors principal, Allegro will build on his years of expertise designing high-performing, fully integrated interiors and workplace projects, with a focus shifted to larger-scale projects. He will also lead the charge in a new client satisfaction and research initiative across all disciplines. Transitions will continue to take shape over the next six to 12 months, with titles formally changing in January of 2020. FOX Architects is an integrated, award- winning architecture and interior design firm in Washington, D.C.
TZL: A firm’s longevity is valuable. What are you doing to encourage your staff to stick around? TB: Culture. We do our best to be proactive and encourage a strong work/life balance. We all work together to pick up the slack for each other as needed. We care about each other and have each other’s backs. It’s a very supportive culture here. “We do our best to be proactive and encourage a strong work/life balance. We all work together to pick up the slack for each other as needed. We care about each other and have each other’s backs. It’s a very supportive culture here.”
BRIGHT FUTURE, from page 7
though I don’t anticipate leaving anytime soon. We have a finance committee of three and an HR committee of three – it’s all about learning and cross training. TZL: Diversity and inclusion is lacking. What steps are you taking to address the issue? TB: The future is bright. We’re seeing more diverse populations in classrooms and there are also more people in general. Engineering classrooms that used to be filled with 30 students are now filled with 90-100 students. It’s also not just about diversity in race/gender, it’s about diversity in skill set. We hold regular company sensitivity trainings to make sure people understand changes in the workplace.
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THE ZWEIG LETTER December 9, 2019, ISSUE 1323
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