"Together we worked through the most minute details and finished a stellar project... which sets a new high bar for excellence in terms of design, technical expertise, value, sustainability, and functionality."
Team Members
In his role as Project Executive, Paul affirms the firm’s promise of “always remaining true” to our clients - and consultants - by being invested, staying connected and fiercely advocating for delivering the highest level of service. He is a founding principal and a trusted architect and advisor to public institutions, as well as corporate clients who rely on his unified vision and values. He guides his clients through a discovery process of their existing and future operational needs to determine plans for consolidation, renovation and new construction projects, and the requirements necessary to bring facilities up to 21st century standards. His design aesthetic is crafted wholly by the goals and vision of each individual project, which creates a dynamic design that is responsive to the unique needs of his clients.
Having come on board in 1989, almost since the firm's inception, seems to entitle his co-workers to kid him about his age. He doesn't seem to mind, and instead embraces it as a badge of experience and honor, relishing in the very role his father had before him.
Growing up in a construction family, Armand worked alongside his father who was a Builder, and later a Construction Manager, which strongly influenced his gravitation toward Architecture. Today he serves as the firm's Director of Technical Services, which has nothing to do with IT, but rather everything to do with materials and proper methods of construction. In this capacity, he is as an advisor and mentor to all in the firm. Working from the "general to the specific," Armand has a systematic approach to his work that has contributed to the firm's reputation for excellence in design, as well as for technical soundness. Most notably, in the area of building envelope science.
One of Armand's finest qualities is his patience and willingness to share skills, knowledge, and expertise, not just with architects and designers, but with all personnel. He can turn assigning a task into a learning experience.
Most assume by Armand's buttoned-down appearance and professional manner, he’s all corporate, all the time. Ironically he lives a simple, country life on his farm, riding horses, quads, tractors, motorcycles or skis. It's what makes him "right" again, in order to come back to the office with purpose.
If he was at any other firm, this youngest of the principals may not have as strong a voice, but Andrew has always been one to speak his mind, especially when advocating for his clients. Perhaps his strong voice comes from a WHOLE LIFE spent in the Catholic School System where he was often detained in prayerful submission. The good news is, when you're dealing with someone who is unfazed when threatened with eternal damnation, you're in good hands.
He is a pit bull when it comes to managing projects and preserving profitability; powered by an enterprising spirit to transform visions into reality and deliver as promised. These values are instilled and reinforced in all those that he mentors to make the firm better.
His values include making sure the fun never ends; from his playful, wisecracking sense of humor around the office and playing hide-n-seek on "Bring Your Child to Work Day," to coaching baseball for his local little league.
He keeps mentally sharp by reading ‘Architect’ through the AIA journal and maintaining his stellar golf game.
In a profession where principal owners are traditionally licensed architects, this is one Latina who broke the mold and commandeered the mother ship. Named the first female, non-architect owner, Denise is the firm's Director of Operations, overseeing day-to-day business matters, from accounting, human resources, and risk management, to IT and marketing. She navigates through all vital business functions to effectively streamline operations and maintain high quality uniform standards.
Her omniscient power and business acumen brings the perfect balance to her all male principal counterparts, who are bifurcated by conceptual, pragmatic and technical architects. As a natural nurturer, thanks in part to her culture and motherhood, she strongly advocates for staff always encouraging and empowering them to be their best self.
It's almost certain that her highly developed organization and time management skills come from two sources: the analytical nature of her job and regularly hosting get-togethers of 40+ family members (it's a cultural thing). Either way she is deserving of an occasional break, which ironically is spent as a "closet" designer; secretly drawing and painting, even though her 6th grade yearbook states she wanted to be an architect. Coincidence?
From the moment Pete joined the firm in 1999, he made his guiding principles known with a sign above his doorway that reads, "failure is not an option." Right off the bat you know what he stands for, what is expected and how it's going to be delivered.
Never one for superficiality, Pete is most intrigued by the "stuff behind the curtain", how it all works; the guts and gory details are what fascinates him as an architect. A decent architect can draw a cool picture, but Pete takes the concept and aptly applies practicality so that it is a viable design in real life.
Always one for sports references, he understands the minute you get away from the fundamental mechanics, the bottom can fall out of your game. In architecture, the bottom falling out of anything, isn't a good thing. His approach is welcomed for a well-balanced and well-designed project.
He's a loyal fan of his professional relationships, as well as his personal ones. Just ask his best friend from the 7th grade - his wife, Joanne.
Susan brakes for two things: animals and architecture. Her love for all living creatures, notwithstanding humans, has transcended her career where she focuses almost exclusively on healthcare and higher educational design. Both fuel her fire to enhance wellness and the learning environment. She feels fortunate to have joined the USA family soon after graduating from Virginia Tech. Her ascension to an Associate of the Firm is indicative of her steadfast and true nature, the exhaustive effort she puts into every design project, the confidence in her decision making and the 'intensive care' she provides each and every client. For Sue, whether it's an animal or an old building, the best things in life are those that can be rescued, so she generously devotes her downtime to the Mylestone Equine Rescue.
In the apropos words of Facebook’s COO Sheryl Sandberg, “Careers are a jungle gym. Not a ladder.” Somewhat subconsciously, this is the career path Beth Sherby has carved out for herself. Starting life after college in the performing arts, Beth migrated to the world of small business and found a very comfortable place among creative services and communications and can therefore further attest the truth to Ms. Sandberg’s fine words about career paths. Since her beginning in creative services, Beth has accrued over 25 years of experience accumulating a wealth of knowledge in creative services, marketing communication and sales. This diverse base of knowledge has empowered her tremendously in leadership, strategic thinking, and enabled a high level of engagement with colleagues and clients. In 2007, Beth discovered that her skills could become highly useful among the Architectural industry. She found that the inherent collaborative spirit, and need for clear, discriminating communication was a perfect fit for her. Thus, is 2007 she joined the talented team of USA Architects and has had the pleasure of working alongside passionate and creative team members that inspire her to continually evolve as a professional and individual; learning something new every day. Today, Beth is responsible for market strategy and development, marketing/communications, and business development for a 55 person firm based in Somerville, NJ.
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