14 Things You Need to Know This Morning

Title: Principal, Perkins+Will
Photo: Month-long trek through Nepal, November 2014.
Company: International architecture firm in 24 cities. DC office has 74 people, working on 100 projects annually and generating $14M-$16M in revenue. 
Job: Leads projects from strategic planning through design and implementation for corporations, law firms and non-profits. Specialty in sustainable workplaces, and schools and retail.
Years on the job: Three (Joined when Envision Design was acquired in 2012.)
Challenge: Balancing hype of trends with reality of a client’s organizational culture. 
Current projects: Several Costar projects across the US; leading design of the American Public Transportation Association HQ; partnered with CBRE on strategic planning for Montreal law firm; and on the team designing renovation of the largest law firm in Ottawa.
Career start: Moved to DC after college for short layover before a NYC job to work on adaptive, reuse projects. First job was with a DC firm doing interiors and tenant planning. Design of workplace interiors was an emerging practice area within architecture, and loved the hands-on aspects of design.
Grew up: Born in Croatia, grew up in Cleveland.
Current home: Palisades, DC.
School: Washington University, St. Louis.
First job: Receptionist in father’s medical practice.
Job in another life: Camp manager for big mountain climbing expedition in remote part of the world or ski lift operator in Jackson Hole.
Daily habit: Walking dogs at sunrise followed by good cup of coffee.
Favorite app: Pandora – favorite station is ZZ Top. 
Favorite movie: Meru – coming out in August.
Favorite restaurant: Rasika.
Favorite singer: Jack Johnson.
Favorite song: “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” by Elton John.
Favorite vacation spots: Remote parts of the world and Jackson Hole, WY.
Guilty pleasures: Great glass of wine and 2 Amys Pizza.
Bucket list: Spend ski season at a resort out west.
Family: Single with several rescue dogs.
Hobbies: Road bike riding and adventure travel.
Startling fact: Spent more on current bike than first car.