USA Architects Announces 3 New Associates to Join the Firms Leadership Team

Monday, February 7, 2022
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USA Architects, Planners and Interior Designers, Ltd, an award-winning, Mid-Atlantic based architecture firm that delivers exemplary designs with forward-thinking purpose, announced today the promotion of Marlene Borruso, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, NCARB, Fitwel Ambassador, Well AP, and Director of Sustainability, Tara Dohoney, HHS and Director of Construction Contract Administration, and Kellyann Dechert, Accounting Manager, to Associate. The appointments mark the expansion of the firm’s management team, and each professional was unanimously named by the partners of the firm.
The new Associates will continue in their respective roles but will become integrated into business planning and future growth strategies. Marlene Borruso leads the independent school design studio and is responsible for sustainable design and planning across all market segments. Tara Dohoney oversees the firm’s construction administration division and is a licensed code specialist. Kellyann Dechert manages the accounting department and has almost two decades of experience with the firm.
“To become an Associate of USA Architects means that you share the values and business strategies of the firm through the qualities of professional integrity, dedication to design excellence, support and respect for peers, responsiveness to client needs, and outstanding technical abilities. Each of these women embody these qualities and we are a better design firm for elevating them,” says Denise Laskody, Principal and Chief Operations Officer.

Marlene Borruso

Borruso is a graduate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a licensed architect in six states and is currently managing projects in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Florida. She has 20+ years of experience across diverse market segments, with a passion for sustainable design. Her dedication to architecture focuses on meeting the needs of clients and exploring the possibilities of how effective design supports positive outcomes for occupant productivity and wellbeing. As the firm’s thought leader in sustainability and wellness, she is an ardent supporter of green design, healthy buildings and healthy people. Borruso feels that it is her professional responsibility to create equitable spaces that enhance the occupant experience, embracing the natural environment. Creating environmentally responsible buildings comes from her drive to integrate sustainability in all aspects of her life. As a lifelong learner, she has engaged in numerous public speaking events and is proud to support programs such as the ACE Mentorship Program of New Jersey, a not-for-profit organization that offers high school students introductions to the architecture, construction, and engineering field.

Tara Dohoney

With a degree in architecture from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Dohoney leads the firm’s construction contract administration division. Leading a team of five construction administrators, she oversees upwards of 120 construction projects annually for public and private clients. With 18 years of experience in the field, she has gained a deep understanding of the means and methods of construction, which has led to the successful delivery of both large- and small-scale building projects across a diverse range of building types. Dohoney takes deep pride in the work she does and is never deterred by the obstacles she faces in the construction industry and advocates for the advancement of women in the industry. To further that point she is a Class 1, licensed Construction Code Official, a licensed Class I (HHS) Building Inspector, and licensed Class 1 (HHS) Fire Inspector in the State of New Jersey. She is fluent in the Uniform Construction Code (UCC) and is a member of Professional Women in Construction. She is mentor to the firm’s design staff, and she also conducts internal code classes for the firm believing wholly that knowledge is power.

Kelly Dechert

Dechert has 25 years of experience in all aspects of accounting that includes
managing ERP software conversion and implementation. She oversees and manages
daily accounting and administrative functions, compliance with governmental
regulations and GAAP, financial reporting, KPI’s, and establishing and maintaining
appropriate controls, policies, and procedures for the firm. She manages and
mentors both the administrative and accounting teams and recently led their
organizational restructuring to better align with the firm’s business goals. Dechert
is a demonstrated team player with a high degree of integrity, always focusing on
her team’s strengths.She has done a tremendous job streamlining the activities
of the Accounting Department while assuming greater responsibilities to ensure
that the accounting and administrative systems and functionalities are strategically
positioned to meet the growth needs of the company.

“I am extremely proud of these three incredible women for their respective
contributions in making USA Architects a better company,” said Paul Swartz,
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer. Principal and Vice President Armand
Christopher offers his congratulations and says that the new Associates’
“responsibilities, strengths, and attributes, all epitomize the kind of expertise and
professionalism that makes them invaluable as leaders of this firm.” Andrew Adornato,
Principal and Executive Vice President says, “Tara is dedicated to consistently
improving her department and knowledge of construction methods and materials
and USA is a better company because of her.”

 

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