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Leadership

A leadership culture is intrinsic to DLR Group and is a direct outcome of being a 100% employee-owned firm.

There is no glass tower housing DLR Group executive leadership on the 44th floor. Our sector, discipline, and executive leaders are dispersed across the U.S. to mentor the next generation of employee-owners, counsel clients, and share their design voice in their local communities.

Steven McKay

Chief Executive Officer Managing Principal

Steven McKay

RIBA, LEED AP
Chief Executive Officer Managing Principal
Steven McKay is DLR Group’s Chief Executive Officer. He leads the firm’s executive leadership team, is a chair of the Board of Directors, and collaborates with senior leadership to craft the firm's business strategy and elevate DLR Group design. Steven was instrumental in DLR Group being an early adopter of the 2030 Challenge, and an initial signatory of both the AIA 2030 Commitment and the China Accord – a commitment made by design firms to plan and design all cities, towns, and buildings in China to low carbon/carbon neutral standards. Steven joined DLR Group’s Seattle office in 1996. He is a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects; senior fellow and board member of the Design Futures Council; serves on the Architectural Advisory Council for the College of Design at Iowa State University; and with the AIA Large Firm Roundtable Sustainability Sub-Committee.

Griff Davenport

Chair of the Board Managing Principal

Griff Davenport

FAIA
Chair of the Board Managing Principal
Griff Davenport, FAIA, is chair of the DLR Group Board of Directors. He collaborates with senior leadership to craft the firm's business strategy and elevate DLR Group design. He joined DLR Group in 1980 and has practiced his entire career with the firm. Under his leadership, the firm has grown from 400 employees in 12 offices to more than 1,200 employees in 30 locations around the globe. He is a chair of the AIA Large Firm Round Table and is a member of the Professional Advisory Committee at the University of Nebraska College of Architecture.

Charles Dalluge

Chief Operating Officer Managing Principal

Charles Dalluge

LEED AP
Chief Operating Officer Managing Principal
Charles Dalluge is chief operating officer and a member of the DLR Group board of directors. He collaborates with both sector and discipline leaders to implement strategies to generate growth and is responsible for leading operations in locations across the United States and internationally. He is a passionate advocate for design and serves as co-chair of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) – Association of General Contractors Joint Committee; chair of the AIA Large Firm Round Table’s COO Committee; and an Executive Board Member of the Design Futures Council. His advocacy also includes activity on Capitol Hill, lobbying and testifying on behalf of architects, engineers, planners, and interior designers; and is a featured speaker to business, government, and design groups around the world.

John Fuller

Chief Marketing Officer Managing Principal

John Fuller

Assoc. AIA, LEED AP
Chief Marketing Officer Managing Principal
John Fuller strategically leads the global marketing, business development, and growth initiatives for the firm’s core market sectors as chief marketing officer. Under his leadership, DLR Group’s new fees have tripled from $106.9 million in 2009 to more than $300 million. He is a member of the firm’s board of directors. He has been instrumental in the firm’s growth strategies, both organically and through mergers and acquisitions, assisting with the integration of culture, operations, and design expertise. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects – Large Firm Roundtable Marketing Sub-Committee. John joined DLR Group in Omaha in 1986, and co-founded DLR Group’s Kansas City office in 1994. He was instrumental in the growth of the firm’s K-12 practice in the Midwest, helping school districts secure more than $2 billion in construction funding.

Ruairi Barnwell

Smart Buildings Leader Principal

Ruairi Barnwell

HBDP, LEED AP BD+C
Smart Buildings Leader Principal
Ruairi leads the Smart Building practice, which uses high performance design; energy modeling; advanced building simulations; and real performance data to deliver optimal performance for owners and occupants. He pioneered sonrai IAQ by DLR Group, a platform that collects, analyzes, and visualizes building performance data.

Patrick Barrett

Theatrical Design Leader Senior Associate

Patrick Barrett

ASTC
Theatrical Design Leader Senior Associate
Patrick leads theater design for the firm by planning spaces and designing systems for the arts to support a wide range of performances. He and his team focus on how patrons will interact with the building, and how performers and technicians can ultimately use the space.
DLR Group Principal and Civil Engineering Leader lana bayless, PE

Lana Bayless

Civil Engineering Leader Principal
DLR Group Principal and Civil Engineering Leader lana bayless, PE

Lana Bayless

PE
Civil Engineering Leader Principal
Lana leads DLR Group’s civil engineering team. An accomplished engineer and site planner, she is an expert in site selection, evaluation, and planning. With a dual education in architecture and engineering, she mentors civil engineers about integrated design from a multidisciplinary point of view.

William Carney

Design Technology Leader Principal

William Carney

Design Technology Leader Principal
William leads the Design Technology Research team within Research & Development to propel design innovation and project delivery. He researches and directs the testing and evaluation of emerging design technologies and workflows to advance the firms’ integrated design process.

Brian Arial

Global Mixed-Use Leader Senior Principal

Brian Arial

AIA
Global Mixed-Use Leader Senior Principal
Brian leads our global Mixed-Use sector. He collaborates with developers, real estate brands, and city officials to reimagine retail, housing, and office as equitable mixed-use developments to reenergize urban environments. For more than 30 years, he has led teams in the U.S., Dubai, and Shanghai.

Don Barnum

Global Sports Leader Principal

Don Barnum

AIA
Global Sports Leader Principal
Don leads our Sports sector. He was named a Power Player by Sports Business Journal for his influence in the industry and is one of the most respected sports architects in the country. He excels in leading professional and collegiate clients through the design process to elevate the athlete and fan experience.
Dan Clevenger

Dan Clevenger

Global Cultural+Performing Arts Leader Principal
Dan Clevenger

Dan Clevenger

AIA, LEED AP BD+C
Global Cultural+Performing Arts Leader Principal
Dan brings an attitude of discovery and innovation to his leadership and projects. His clients include the University of Nevada Reno, Heard Museum, and SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center. Dan has served as an educator at Arizona State University and sits on the Western Museums Association board of directors.

Jeffrey Fenimore

Federal Markets Leader Principal

Jeffrey Fenimore

Federal Markets Leader Principal
Jeffrey leads our work in all federal markets to successfully deliver large, complex projects. He collaborates with a dedicated team to integrate DLR Group project type design expertise for the delivery of cost effective, sustainable design solutions for DOD, FEMA, GSA, VA and other federal agencies.

Lihong Qiu

Asia Region Leader Principal

Lihong Qiu

Class 1 Registered Architect, Professor Level-Architect ASC Fellow
Asia Region Leader Principal
Lihong directs all DLR Group operations in Asia. He joined the firm in 2013 to establish the Shanghai office. He is responsible for growing DLR Group’s presence with developers and commercial, cultural, and education clients in China.

Pamela Touschner

California Region Leader Senior Principal

Pamela Touschner

FAIA
California Region Leader Senior Principal
Pam leads the firm's operations in California. She is an award-winning architect with expertise in delivery of civic and institutional facilities. A passionate proponent of the architecture profession, she has held numerous AIA leadership positions at the local, regional and national levels.

Jamal Salem

Dubai Studio Leader Principal

Jamal Salem

Dubai Studio Leader Principal
Jamal is responsible for design and client services throughout the Middle East, leading operations from the DLR Group Dubai office. He has practiced extensively in the Middle East, leading the successful delivery of high-profile projects in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.  

Curtis Johnson

Central Region Leader Senior Principal

Curtis Johnson

AIA, LEED AP
Central Region Leader Senior Principal
Curtis leads firm operations, client services, and staff development for our offices in Des Moines, Iowa; and Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska. His design work impacts thousands of students and teachers every day in schools throughout the Midwest, guiding school districts through project development.

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