(Retired) Designer • Architect • Builder • Business Projects
"Art is business and business is art. Good business is the best art"
–Andy Warhol
My passion is working at the intersection of Design, Building, and Business.
I add value to organizations through my diverse experiences, knowledge, interests, and skills, which enable me to facilitate creative solutions. I excel at "connecting the dots," identifying and understanding key issues, establishing trust, facilitating work between multiple disciplines, leading cross-functional teams, communicating effectively with broad constituencies (clients, owners, senior management, technical teams, and craftsmen), and managing complex programs.
I enjoy challenges and have a track record of successfully taking on and completing first time projects.
I hold an M.Arch (Masters, Architecture) degree from SCI-Arc and a Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, from UC Santa Barbara. I am a licensed Architect (retired) in California (C 30782), held an NCARB Certification, and was a LEED AP, BD+C.
Prior to retiring I served as Interim COO and Director of Operations for Sun Light and Power, a Berkeley based pioneer in photovoltaic and solar thermal power systems.
I have held the position of President with Ryan Associates, Inc., a high end residential contractor with operations in San Francisco and New York City, and have also served as Owner's Representative/Project Manager for privately owned custom residential projects.
I was early-stage Chief Operating Officer of Nautilus Group, Inc. and NEMO Building Systems, LLC., a vertically integrated Real Estate Developer / Design-Builder / Manufacturer developing modular building technologies, responsible for preparing the company for growth, establishing an in-house design & engineering team, and for acquiring a factory facility and setting up and staffing a manufacturing operation. Nautilus Group and NEMO have since merged in order to form RAD Urban, a market leader in innovative manfactured building technology and real estate development.
For 12 years I was Managing Partner / Design Principal of KMA Architecture, a mid-size commercial architecture and engineering firm located in San Diego, CA.
I was a Principal with Nelson/Marek Yacht Design, Inc., an internationally recognized naval architecture and engineering firm specializing in sailing yacht design, for nearly 13 years, where I started as a Design Engineer and eventually become Managing Partner. At NMYD I was responsible for numerous custom and production sailing yacht designs constructed for clients worldwide, and participated on several America's Cup design teams.
I started my career as a Mechanical Engineer with McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Corporation, where I worked in a composite structures R&D group.
During my formative years I was fortunate to work for two world renowned boatbuilders in Southern California, where I learned the boatbuilding trade and began to form the design philosophies that have shaped my professional career.
I have a deep love and appreciation for craftsmanship of all kinds, and am skilled at working with my hands. This passion, combined with my extensive business experience, have given me a unique perspective into the business of designing and building things.