Russell Hazzard, AIA, president of MG2, led a panel of experienced vertical industrial developers and architects at this week’s I.CON West in Long Beach, California, that explored the advantages and challenges that accompany these types of projects.
For decades, we’ve been passionate about supporting the development of future design leaders and fostering creative ideas that will influence the communities and spaces in which we live, play, and work. With unique perspectives and imaginative concepts, students have the potential to shape the future of the built environment and bring a breath of fresh air to the industry. That’s why we’re thrilled to announce that our Summer 2024 Internship Program is now open for applications.
MG2 has always placed distinctive value on high-impact career growth, continuous learning, and the influence those have on cultivating an exceptional company culture. Our Internship Program provides students with a hands-on experience in the field, allowing them to develop their skills and gain a comprehensive understanding of what it’s like to work in architecture and design. With four start dates to choose from, interns will have the flexibility to choose a program that works best for them and their university schedule.
Ready for real, hands-on experience? Not only will our students assist with document preparation, data collection, research, and other project tasks that ensure successful results, but they’ll also have access to dynamic social and learning events, mentorship, as well as our infamous Annual Student Intern Design Competition. Designed to give interns a comprehensive understanding of the industry, we’re excited to provide applicants with the opportunity to be a part of our dynamic and collaborative team and contribute to shaping the future of design.
We’re looking for passionate learners who are currently pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master of Architecture or a related degree and have proficiency in AutoCAD, Revit, MS Office, and Adobe Creative Suite. Applicants should also embrace and exude MG2’s core practice values of an Integrated Approach, Design Excellence, Social Responsibility, Leadership, and Results.
This year MG2 is offering internship opportunities in each of our United States offices, with focuses that span our 社区环境, 消费者体验, and 客户项目 markets. With a variety of opportunities available, students will be able to experience projects, sessions, workshops, and experiential collaboration that aligns with future career goals.
Our employees are the heart of our firm, and as part of our team for the summer, students will have access to a variety of programs and perks that aim to make their experience with us truly unforgettable. From our commitment to sustainability to our dedication to equity, diversity, and inclusion, our interns will find a supportive and inclusive community at MG2.
To keep our culture strong and bring everyone together, we host bi-weekly all-office meals, monthly recognition events, happy hours, summer activities, and an end-of-year holiday party to commemorate our successes. No accomplishment is too small to celebrate, and we’re passionate about making every moment count.
To ensure our built environments are a true reflection of the communities we serve, diversity is a fundamental ingredient in MG2’s recipe for creating not only exceptional projects but an inclusive and equitable work environment. We’re actively seeking out talented individuals from diverse backgrounds who bring a wealth of unique perspectives and ideas to the table.
Our differences make us stronger and are integral in designing and building experiences and spaces that cater to everyone. We proudly champion inclusion in all its forms and strive to elevate every voice in order to create truly equitable experiences and spaces.
In our never-ending quest to cultivate the next generation of design professionals, we’re excited to welcome students who share our values, vision, and passion to join our team this summer. Early applications are due April 5, 2024. Let’s start your journey in architecture together.
With over 20 years of experience in the design and construction industry, Roy leads teams at MG2 with unique expertise in building and maintaining prototypes and roll-out toolkits. These specializations can include everything from a baseline kit of parts approach, comprehensive construction documentation template sets, and design, to sustainability or development guidelines.
Over his decorated career, Roy has excelled in the design and delivery of a range of project types, from ultra-custom, high-end flagship programs to fleet rollouts in multiple countries. Utilizing a methodological approach, he and his team take the time to listen and deeply understand each client’s goals and requirements, presenting those objectives back graphically in a straightforward manner to ensure clarity. From there, scalable solution options are born, tailored to both the size and ambition of the rollout program and the client itself.
Roy constantly analyzes an ever-shifting market, staying abreast of current challenges, including ever-increasing costs, supply chain challenges, and increasingly ambitious sustainability requirements, all of which are central in determining 什么 gets built, in addition to designing systems for 怎么样 it gets built.
He hand-selects specialists to solve each client’s most relevant design challenges through quantifiable analysis, creating program-based tools and solutions that are accurate, efficient, and flexible over time. Through Roy’s unique approach and process, he creates spaces that embody each partner’s objectives, goals, and core values.
As with the two before it, 2022 was a year of unpredictable change, evolution, and growth for our company, industry, and planet. MG2 is thrilled to take this moment in time to celebrate the devotion, perseverance, and enthusiasm that saw us through it all with the promotion of 102 highly outstanding staff across our global offices throughout the year.
As we dive into the waters of 2023—an adventure into both boundless prospects and undiscovered possibilities—we’re humbled and honored to have such incredible talent leading the way.
Amongst our leadership, it’s a pleasure to introduce our new Chief Financial Officer—Wendy Unzelman—and welcome three new Principals—Amy Hart, Mitch Pride, and Roy Hague—as well as three new Associate Principals—Nathan Menard, Geir Mjelde, and Javier Buscaglia-Pesquera—to our ranks.
But of course, our leaders are just one patch on the diverse quilt that is MG2. It’s with absolute pleasure that we celebrate the career advancement of dozens of dedicated staff from every department, market, and level. There are no small responsibilities here; we would not be the company we are today without the extraordinary ability and tenacity of all of our colleagues. We are fortunate to have outstanding people defining and delivering a limitless future for MG2 and our customers, putting your best into all you do, and making our firm such a fantastic place to work. Congratulations to all!
伊尔文
Megan Ajamian – Project Accountant III
Daniel Han – Associate 2
Nubia Herrera – Associate 3
Yusuf Islamoglu – Associate 2
Renee Krause – Senior Associate 1
Jasmine Le – Associate 3
Margarita Medina – Associate Program Manager
Nathan Menard – Associate Principal
Gustavo Montalvo – Associate 3
Jenny Nguyen – Associate 4
Tommy Nguyen – Associate 2
Tony Reiter – Senior Associate 1
Laiisha Thomas – Director of Shared Services
明尼阿波利斯
Emily Ebanks – Associate 4
Sarah Cooper – Associate 3
Alison Ferrell – Associate 2
Ryan Hartsuff – Senior Associate 1
Lorren Mueller – Associate 3
Drew Tangren – Associate 2
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Theresa Abner – Associate 1
Nicole Pokorny – Senior Project Manager II
Alyssa Taylor – Designer
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Kris Artz – Associate 5
Mary Avellino – Accounts Payable Manager
Jackie Bang – Associate 2
Brad Barbee – Associate 5
Katherine Bartman – Human Resources Generalist
Jared Bassetti – Senior Associate 1
Morgan Bell – Associate 2
Lauren Bizzigotti – Associate 2
Jessica Bone – Associate 2
Elise Braun – Associate 3
Josh Brown – Associate 2
Anthony Caldarazzo – Estimator II
Lauren Cebulla – Associate 3
Dennis Cenidoza – Senior Associate 1
Taylor Chadwick – Associate 3
Catherine Clark – Senior Associate 1
Erin Dillinger – Associate 3
Ping Doan – Associate 2
Abbie Drake – Art Director
Dallas Dyer – Program Manage
Crystal Fairley – Associate 4
Kaitlynn Fenn – Associate 2
Rory Fitzpatrick – Associate 2
Whitney Gomes – Associate 3
Trevor Gunderson – Associate 4
Roy Hague – Principal
Amy Hart – Principal
Colleen Hannah – Studio Administrator 2
Brittany Hazzard – Contract Specialist
Gabe Hernandez – Associate 2
Debbie Huynh – Project Accountant II
Bonnie James – BIM Account Manager
Marit Jensen – Senior Associate 1
Eleazar Juarez-Diaz – Design Lab Coordinator
Jackie Kennedy – Content Specialist
Derrick Kent – Chief Estimator
Johnny Klemke – Senior Building Performance Analyst
For decades, MG2 has been deeply committed to fostering and growing authentic connections with the societies we live in, and design for. Proudly driven by and shaped by the dedicated employees of our firm, each philanthropic undertaking is a direct representation of the social issues, community challenges, and personal passions held as high priorities by individuals and teams throughout our practice. This personalized approach doesn’t just set us apart from others in our industry: it fundamentally defines who we are and what we stand for as a company.
2022 was truly a remarkable year for MG2. It was a year that tested our agility, perseverance, and character, with exemplary results documented not just through our projects and partnerships, but across the impact we’ve made together in—and on—our communities.
It was a year that finally allowed our staff to reengage in many of the physical initiatives, activities, and events that have always invigorated us to our core. From Day of Giving volunteer missions organized by teams across the globe, to group builds for BLOCK Project 和 NAIOP Community Enhancement Projects, to celebrating our 20th Swing for the Cure golf tournament in person with our partners once again—the emotion? Palpable. The energy? Visceral.
But perhaps most importantly, 2022 was a year that encouraged us to reenvision and recraft our roadmap for the future of the MG2 Foundation. Armed with deeper intention and meaning behind what we invest in (and why), we look forward to 2023 where we’ll seek to elevate the representation of the Foundation in underwriting all of our community engagements, investments, and initiatives, resulting in even greater impact than ever before.
This is where you, our community, come in. MG2 Foundation initiatives represent an investment not only in what our company stands for but also in our core identity.
To truly succeed, we need employees at all levels to bring their passions, energy, and ideas to the forefront. We need managers and leaders to help us educate teams about MG2’s impact efforts and to set a positive example by engaging with those with whom you resonate the most. And we need our friends, family, and partners to continue to bring their passions and support to the table. We would not succeed without you.
But most of all, we need everyone to lean in and take advantage of the virtually limitless opportunities at hand. With each new year, it’s our honor and pleasure to grant each of our employees the chance to support the organizations and causes they’re passionate about. To make a genuine difference in our communities, industry, and future. All you have to do is rise to the challenge.
Here’s to taking our impact even further together, in 2023 and beyond.
Yours in service and gratitude, Mitch Smith, CEO, MG2
“But looking at it from the outside, it’s almost hard to see that a megastore behemoth is even there at all. Unlike most of those other Costcos in the world, this one has been designed to conceal itself underneath a massive public park.”
“’The intent for this building was to be hidden and merge with the natural landscape,’ says Maribel Barba, a project manager for the global architecture and design firm MG2, which designed the store.”
Javier Buscaglia-Pesquera, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C
副董事
With a multi-faceted background in residential, aviation, interiors, justice, and retail, Javier Buscaglia-Pesquera is a leader with diverse experience helping to grow and manage our Client Programs studio in Washington DC.
With over a decade at his back, his expertise spans everything from project delivery to financial, account, project, and client management, where he leverages an empathetic approach toward problem-solving and ensuring each stakeholder sees their goals recognized and voices heard.
Putting structure and transparency at the forefront of every partnership and project, Javier understands that the key to any successful venture is born from strong, collaborative relationships. Each day, he feels inspired by the variety in his work, and rewarded in seeing the creativity expressed by his team come to life in the built environment.
When he’s not exploring new opportunities in unpursued markets or tackling everything from entitlements through construction, you’ll find Javier gardening, baking, or skimming architecture publications to get a glimpse of what’s next in design.
墨西哥公园（Parque La Mexicana）是位于墨西哥城圣达菲区中心地带的一片占地70英亩的城市绿地。公园内拥有超过5000棵树木、两个湖泊、一个滑板公园、一个露天剧场、多个儿童游乐场、一个宠物公园、自行车道、一条跑道、多家餐厅等等。这座屡获殊荣、独一无二的公园旨在实现财务自给自足，并通过与零售商建立战略合作伙伴关系，将其作为商业计划的重要组成部分。
After almost two decades of partnering with contractors, cities, and clients on delivery and construction, Amy Hart’s favorite chapter of each project is still seeing what started as a drawing on paper transform into a life-sized reality that she can see, touch, and experience.
As a leader for MG2’s Client Programs teams, Amy understands and truly values the importance of relationships. From working with her long-standing clients, to mentoring younger staff, to connecting with and getting to know the intricacies of jurisdictions during permitting, she prioritizes human-centered communication above all else, knowing first-hand how it leads to exceptional results.
Amy is a results-oriented designer who is continually refining her approach and searching for efficiencies across design process, budget, and delivery. These methodologies, combined with detailed organization and equitable stakeholder mitigation allow her teams to become more streamlined and effective with each project.
As one of the first 20 employees to join MG2, Smith quickly rose from project manager to CEO and chairman of the board by honing the craft of architecture. He perfectly balances delivery excellence with a design mindset, driving kinetic transformation long into the future.
“You can’t wait for a specific opportunity to arise to develop your staff,” Smith says. “You have to continually invest in and provide opportunities.”
Perpetually guided by our vision to create transformative experiences that elevate everyday life, MG2 celebrated its fifty-year anniversary of delivering award-winning architecture and design projects across the globe.
In 2021, MG2 celebrated five decades of success. And true to our humble nature, we marked the occasion without much public fanfare. With the world still partially in lockdown, it was a challenge to truly celebrate how we’d originally intended. But the lavish parties we’d envisioned soon gave way to a whole host of virtual storytelling and celebratory experiences that were just as heartfelt and inclusive. And, in a way, it was more meaningful than we could have ever expected.
With everyone’s attention focused elsewhere the last year few years, it would have been easy to let this significant milestone pass by unnoticed. Instead, we decided to mark the occasion as much as the virtual nature of 2021 allowed: by documenting the big ideas of our leaders, elevating the perspectives of our diversifying employees, and putting it all out there, rough cuts, raw emotions, and real ideas.
To commemorate, we wanted to provide the firm with something new and unexpected. We curated numerous experiences and opportunities for staff to contribute throughout the year, with those compiled into a final physical and digital “zine” to encapsulate the past 50 years and look forward to the next 50. As a group of skilled visual designers and creative writers, our Creative Services and Marketing teams were uniquely positioned to bring the firm’s story to life through in-depth interviews, thought-provoking prompts, crowd-sourced ideas, and podcast-style conversations. We illuminated our people through photography, video, editorial design, and illustration. We shot for the moon.
It was important to us that this celebration have its own personality. We wanted it to have characteristics inspired by our past, but also have a cool new slant inspired by the future we envision for ourselves. In debating whether we should celebrate our past or nod to the future, we realized, why not both? Thus our 50日 Anniversary theme of “looking both ways” was formed: by looking in the mirror and really asking, “who is MG2?” we can see the vision of our past refract into the future.
We looked past the traditional to pay homage to the innovative trajectory of our firm while honoring the grit and sheer determination our foundation is built on.
On the Creative Services team at MG2 we love round robin design. It’s a true melting pot for everyone to collaborate and put forward their ideas for iteration and improvement. We leveraged the tactic when developing our 50日 Anniversary logo: one of us started with a sketch, then passed it to the next person. They refined and then passed it on again. Rinse and repeat. Over time we started to tease out these amazing ideas that everyone had a hand in. And in the end, there’s no better feeling then when each of us looks at the final product and sees a little sliver of our original idea.
With so much incredible content to gather, we leaned into a physical format to feel like a time capsule and live on past our 50日 Anniversary. Our goal was to immortalize what this anniversary meant to employees from all experiences and perspectives, and bring it to life through something that was unique, artful, and a little rough around the edges. Something cool and fun to display on our coffee tables amongst editions of Rizzoli and Phaidon.
The zine is comprised of three chapters, each depicting a certain time period of the firm. Each chapter features a distinct design personality; from color palette and typography to creative writing and voice, we wanted each element to feel like it belonged.
When you read the first chapter, “Reflections,” you’ll feel the pride that our founder Doug Mulvanny felt when he started the firm from a small rented desk and a phone line. You’ll also observe the confident leadership transition to Jerry Lee and the impact he created on the firm and in the community. This chapter’s visual language consists of a magenta palette with coral accents and straightforward sans serif typography to pay homage to “what was.”
“Looking Both Ways” gives a more in depth look at MG2 today, and how CEO Mitch Smith found his way to the firm, climbed the ranks, and intends to lead us into the next 50 years. Among stories from employees across the firm, President Russ Hazzard talks about his “take the bull by the horns” approach. This chapter’s color palette takes influence from our focus on sustainability with pops of teal and a rich grass green. Typography comes to life through our standard typefaces, but with a twist of something new.
Finally, you end in an experimental play land, “Refractions.” As our female leadership takes center stage with CCO MJ Munsell and COO Celeste Lenon, electric colors of blue and coral erupt from the page as our typography twists and turns energetically, refracting the possibilities for our future.
The small touches really allow the zine to shine. We’ve integrated our audio and video experiences via QR codes that launch you to our “Conversations” series podcasts and video interviews with our executive team. Photo spreads are punctuated with die cut paper pieces that pace your experience and add a touch of whimsy. Gate fold timelines expand our history past, present, and untold future to create something truly interactive. Even the paper choices have been carefully selected to evolve and shift with the eras of stories they tell. And finally the zine is wrapped in one final iteration of our logo, this time dissecting it with notes and key drawings reminiscent of architectural plans.
Compiling this zine was truly a passion project for us. A predominantly virtual world made for a complex challenge to solve in celebrating MG2’s 50日 Anniversary. But our people and their stories made it worthwhile. We’re excited to bring this anthology along with us as 2022 ushers in year one of “the Next 50.” Cheers to a notable past, inspiring present, and very bright future for MG2.
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