BKV Group Announces New Partners and 2022 Staff Promotions

We are incredibly proud of our colleagues who are receiving leadership and position advancements this year.

These individuals have advanced our level of client service and project expertise, while becoming part of the next class of leadership that will abet our firm’s climb to the highest levels of design, ensuring our future is brightly lit in the way of innovation and ingenuity.

Our newest partners

ROBERT EWERT, AIA

Corporate/Commercial Practice Leader and Partner (Minneapolis, MN)

Robert inspires design teams to seek the true potential of a project through creative collaboration, and providing clients with thought leadership in designing workplace environments, devising resource sharing strategies, supplying industry-leading knowledge as Chair of Sustainability at BKV Group, and creating community by leveraging his in-depth experience with safety and building codes. As a practice lead within corporate/commercial and non-profit sectors of BKV Group, and leader in housing and development, Robert leverages 22 years of professional design experience to efficiently steward projects through to fruition, yielding innovative, sustainable, and creative end results for his clients.

RENATO GILBERTI, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Partner and Senior Architectural Designer and Partner (Chicago, IL)

Renato has over 21 years of experience in residential, mixed-use, senior living, and hospitality practice areas. His desire to be challenged and develop high-quality architecture allows him to create innovative and progressive designs. Renato’s experience includes design leadership, master planning, diagrammatic studies, and rendering development on local, state, national and international projects.

LIZA KAPISAK CID, LEED-AP

Director of Interior Design and Partner (Minneapolis, MN)

With a passion for interior design excellence which she’s cultivated over 18 years in the industry, Liza focuses on delivering functional and efficient spaces that have a strong aesthetic and end user experience. By closely communicating with project stakeholders to develop programming and comprehensive concepts, Liza guides commercial, corporate, hospitality, and senior living clients towards positive project outcomes and one-of-a-kind design solutions, while helping spearhead the BKV Group interior design practice locally and nationally.

SUSAN MORGAN AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Education & Library Practice Leader and Partner (Minneapolis, MN)

Over the course of 17 years, Susan has established strong working relationships with clients by resolving the unique complexities each project and context presents. She has worked as a project architect, project manager, and designer within a range of building types – from libraries, to academic buildings, at a range of scales. Susan balances vision, performance, and budget to create a responsive, integrated design solution. Susan’s work is informed by her personal passion for learning, which she has nurtured as a current co-chair of the AIA Higher Ed subcommittee for the Committee on Architectural Education, by teaching graduate level architecture courses for 14 years at the Boston Architectural College, and consistently providing presentations and jurying awards for organizations like Learning by Design, IMPACT, and AIA local chapters.

CHRIS SACHSE RAIA, Associate AIA, LEED AP

Director of Architecture and Partner (Chicago, IL)

Throughout his 28 year career, Chris has vast team leadership experience in many sectors including multifamily, high-rise, senior living, student living, single family homes, healthcare, retail, commercial, corporate, and higher education. Chris is dedicated to establishing best practices for his architectural team members, integrating improved technologies into the daily workflow, and conducting research into new, innovative building materials to incorporate into our current projects.

JEREMIAH SMITH AIA, LEED AP

Director of Architecture and Partner (Minneapolis, MN)

Jeremiah brings 25 years of experience to the architectural field, with his experience spanning from mixed-use and residential, institutional, federal and municipal government, and recreational facilities for both public and private clients. He brings leadership and project management to the team with an emphasis on fostering design quality, and specializes in coordination, detailing, code compliance, documentation, and meeting budgets.

Our newest ADVANCEMENTS

LEADERSHIP ADVANCEMENTS

GEORGE JOHNSON – Associate Partner (Minneapolis, MN)

MARK JONES – Associate Partner (Chicago, IL)

JOAN SIZEMORE – Associate Partner (Dallas, TX)

BEN YONCE – Associate Partner and Director of Architecture and (Washington, DC)

IOANA GRUITA – Senior Associate and Construction Administrator III (Chicago, IL)

MICHAEL HEALY – Senior Associate (Minneapolis, MN)

RYAN JELLEMA – Senior Associate (Minneapolis, MN)

GENTRY KOWALL – Senior Associate and Senior Project Architect (Washington, DC)

CHELSEY Orlowski – Senior Associate and Senior Interior Designer (Chicago, IL)

MARVIN MOSS – Senior Associate (Dallas, TX)

ANNI PI – Senior Associate and Senior Project Architect (Washington, DC)

JAMES VAN SWEDEN – Senior Associate (Minneapolis, MN)

ELLIE ZIAIE – Senior Associate (Minneapolis, MN)

CLARISSA ANNE LAZARO – Associate (Washington, DC)

CANYON CROSBY – Associate (Minneapolis, MN)

SPENCER BAUER – Associate (Minneapolis, MN)

JONATHAN BUTLER-KNUTSON – Associate (Washington, DC)

EVANS DEBEZA – Associate (Chicago, IL)

JOSHUA DONNELLY – Associate (Minneapolis, MN)

RYANN ECKBLAD – Associate (Minneapolis, MN)

JOE IGLESIAS – Associate (Dallas, TX)

DAVID LI – Associate (Chicago, IL)

GARICK MALCOM – Associate (Washington, DC)

AIDAN RADEN – Associate (Minneapolis, MN)

BRIAN REISING – Associate (Chicago, IL)

ETHAN SCHOLL – Associate (Washington, DC)

HANNAH SEGAR – Associate (Chicago, IL)

 

POSITION ADVANCEMENTS

BRANDON ADAMS – Architectural Designer II (Washington, DC)

MATT BROOKE – Project Manager II (Washington, DC)

JOE BROWN – Senior Project Architect (Minneapolis, MN)

RACHEL FARAH – Interior Designer II (Washington, DC)

CHRIS FULLAM – Senior Architectural Designer (Washington, DC)

AARON JOHNSON – Senior Architectural Designer (Minneapolis, MN)

CHARLES KENNEDY – Architectural Designer III (Minneapolis, MN)

DANA NIELSEN – Senior Project Architect (Washington, DC)

SANDRA OH BOUN – Architectural Designer II (Washington, DC)

ARON THOMAS – Project Manager I (Minneapolis, MN)

JOHN VOLINKATY – Senior Electrical Designer (Minneapolis, MN)

MOHAMMED WAKEYO – Electrical Designer III (Minneapolis, MN)

Congratulations to those who have received a promotion this year, and we hope everyone’s New Years begins happy and healthy!

-The Partners of BKV Group