Questions? Give Us a Call
(678) 940-6433

FRCH Design Worldwide Announces New Promotions

FRCH Design Worldwide Announces New Promotions

Keep up with the latest from CCR-Mag.com

Fill out the form Below

Home Vendor News FRCH Design Worldwide Announces New Promotions

FRCH Design Worldwide is proud to announce the promotion of seventeen of it’s members.  With offices in Cincinnati, New York City, and Los Angeles, FRCH has more than doubled its workforce in recent years – growing from 116 employees in 2010, to a current roster of over 250 employees today and looking to hire additional architects and designers in the 2017 year.
Elizabeth Birkenhauer has been promoted to Senior Professional of Department Stores.  Birkenhauer is a graduate of UK’s College of Design and received her Master’s of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania.  She brought 3 years of retail design experience when she joined Department Stores in 2015 and is currently working towards Architectural Registration.  Her combination of creative and project coordination skills make her an invaluable member of the Department Stores studio, and she has created a strong relationship with Hudson Bay while working on the Lord & Taylor American Dream project.
Nicole Desender has been promoted to Senior Professional of Specialty Retail Architecture.  A UC DAAP Architecture grad, Desender worked for several years in the graphic design and print services industry before joining Specialty Architecture in 2015.  She quickly proved herself as a key team member for the T-Mobile flagship projects, and has been an integral member of the American Girl New York flagship team.  She is always willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done, on-time and with extremely high quality, and is a valued team member throughout the studio.
Will Hofmann has been promoted to Senior Professional of Specialty Retail Architecture.  Hofmann began his career at FRCH in 2011 as a co-op through the UC College of Engineering and Applied Science and he even won “Co-op of the Year” honors from UC that year.  He joined SRA full time when he graduated in 2012, and has been a huge asset to the US Cellular team, as well as helping to facilitate many large projects throughout the studio, all while pursuing his Master’s degree in Architecture.  He is also always eager to help out other teams with any challenging architectural details, if there’s a stair detail needed, send it to Hofmann and he’ll be happy to help.
Erin Hood has been promoted to Senior Professional of Hospitality.  A UC DAAP Graphic Design grad, Hood brought 4 years of design experience when she joined the firm in early 2015.  Since then she has become a key member of the ongoing Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton relationships, as well as an integral part of the design team in the realization of the environmental graphics for the Cincinnati Brewing Heritage Trail.  She continually seeks to expand her knowledge of design and industry practices, always willing to ‘roll up her sleeves’ to get work done, and has the uncanny ability to weave a pun into virtually every conversation.
Jackie Klein has been promoted to Senior Professional of Hospitality.  Klein had several years of Interior Design and Project Management experience when she joined the Hospitality Studio in January of 2015.  She is best known for “jumping in” and just “getting it done, whatever it takes”.  She has a great range of skills from conceptualization to documentation, and can help out in any phase of a project.  She has become a core member of the Hilton Garden Inn team, and has become the expert in all things Garden Market related. 
Kayla Malone has been promoted to Senior Professional of Hospitality.  Malone started as a co-op in 2011 and joined the Concept Design & Visualization Team in the Hospitality Studio full time upon graduation in 2013.  Ever since she was a co-op she has helped to build our integrated design visualization skills within the studio and firm wide.  She is a veteran of numerous charrettes and many major client presentations, a core member of the Tru by Hilton team, and a great mentor to the younger team members.
Rob Malone has been promoted to Senior Professional of Specialty Retail Architecture.  Malone started his career as a co-op through UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science in early 2013 and joined the Specialty Architecture studio when he graduated in 2014.  Since then, he has proven to be a solid addition to the FedEx foundation account team as well as any other team he helps out, including the FRCH Softball Team.  His significant accomplishments include leading the $2 million dollar FedEx Pack/Plus rollout program as well as leading a Home Depot Remodel program to over 80% profitability.
Gwen Schott has been promoted to Senior Professional of Hospitality.  A graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design, Schott joined the Concept Design & Visualization Team in 2013.  She has a unique passion and drive to excel at her work, with contributions that significantly raise the quality of the work within the Design & Visualization team.  She has been deeply involved in projects throughout the firm, and has contributed her unique skills to many client presentations, helping them to better visualize and make more timely decisions.
Sara Shoemaker has been promoted to Senior Professional of Retail + Mixed-use.  Shoemaker began her career as a UC DAAP graphic design co-op in the Specialty Design studio in 2011, was hired full time upon graduation and moved into the Retail + Mixed-use studio in early 2015.  She has proven herself to be a tremendously talented designer and has assisted conceptually with almost every graphics project in the RMU studio, as well as being the primary designer and client contact for the successful Lisse Steakhouse project in Northern Kentucky.  She has developed a great knowledge of the design intent and documentation process, she is thorough and exacting in every aspect of the process from project planning to file management and everything in between.
Nick Azbell has been promoted to BIM Manager of Retail + Mixed-use.  Azbell has been with the firm for over 11 years and has played a key technical role in a wide variety of large retail center and mixed-use projects.  Not only is he responsible for great architectural documentation, but he is a leader in providing the direction the studio and standards for the use of AutoCad and Revit.  In his role as BIM Manager, Azbell is responsible for rebuilding the technology infrastructure for the studio to allow a working platform for three office locations, to function seamlessly with multiple teams on multiple projects.
Tony Raper has been promoted to Information Systems Manager of the I.T. Department.  Raper started as the firm’s reprographics support in 2011 through ABC Printing and quickly developed the trust of our users.  His extensive knowledge in technology and the graphic design process led to a full time position in the I.T. Department in 2013 supporting our reprographic and Adobe needs.  He has continued to develop his skill set, learning the support side of Design Technology software such as CAD, Revit, and SketchUp, and for the last year he has supported all of the firm’s 2D and 3D software applications.
Tracy Bender has been promoted to Director of Hospitality.  Bender received her BFA from Bowling Green University and joined FRCH shortly after graduation in 2008.  Since joining Hospitality, she has set a great example for how one can be both a right-brain ideation expert and a left-brain implementer, based on project needs.  She has become a long-term, key member of the Hampton and Hilton teams, proving herself as a ‘client favorite’ and a solid mentor to young graphic designers.
Patrick Grannan has been promoted to Director of Hospitality.  Grannan is a Notre Dame graduate who gained significant Architectural experience on the East Coast before moving to Cincinnati and joining the firm in early 2014.  He quickly became a ‘go-to’ Project Architect in the Hospitality Studio, working on a number of large and complicated projects for demanding clients.  He has proven himself as a fast, diligent and thorough Architect.  Grannan is trusted and respected by all of the clients he works with, and is “endlessly patient with Jim Stapleton”.  All very important traits in the Hospitality studio.
Mike Ruehlman has been promoted to Director of Specialty Retail Design.  Ruehlman brought significant branding and way finding experience to the Specialty Design studio when he started in 2010, and he actually had a couple co-op experiences with us way back in 2003.  He has developed a keen ability to blend environmental graphics with architecture to create compelling retail experiences and has helped to grow many important relationships with T-Mobile, Hershey, Harley-Davidson, and Yum! Brands to name a few.  Ruehlman has also become an effective mentor for junior designers. His passion and energy make him an essential part of the studio and overall FRCH culture.
Kelli Fellers has been promoted to Vice President of Hospitality.  Fellers is a UC DAAP graduate and gained graphic design experience in New York before moving back to Cincinnati and joining the firm in 2003.  Few people bring more positive energy to everything they do than Fellers.  She has transformed what was one graphic design role on the Hilton account 12 years ago, to a core team management and leadership role on one of the firm’s largest on-going client relationships.  She leads by example, always signing up to do whatever it takes to get the work done; and, of course she remains the reigning champion of any FRCH dance-related contest.
Phillip Freer has been promoted to Vice President of Hospitality.  A graduate of the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Freer gained significant conceptual design experience with Walt Disney Imagineering and the MGM Design Group before packing his bags and moving from Las Vegas to join FRCH in 2004.  Since then he has co-authored the building of a concept visualization team, and expertise, that blends critical creative thinking with presentation ‘magic’ and is utilized throughout the firm.  Freer brings his unique skills to projects across all studios and all markets with ease.  He’s a true Disney Pirate at heart and an amazing craftsman, just check out his Creative Fuel blogs for inspiration.
Amy Rink has been promoted to Vice President of Department Stores.  Rink started with the firm in the Specialty Retail studio and moved into Department Stores within a few years, quickly taking on more responsibility and moving into a leadership role on a number of client relationships.  For many of her 20 years with the firm, Rink has consistently and tirelessly managed the Macy’s relationship, one of our largest, most profitable and longest running accounts.  She has continually worked to expand our relationship with Macy’s including food and beverage offerings, office spaces, shop-in-shops and AOR services while managing the studio’s staffing in both Cincinnati and LA.  With her ‘second-to-none’ project management skills, she will continue to expand her role in the management and operations of the studio.
 

###

For media inquiries, please contact Micah Paldino at micah@fallonthatcher.com or directly at 513-668-7676
ABOUT FRCH
FRCH Design Worldwide is an international architecture, interior design, graphic design and brand strategy firm serving the retail, mixed-use, hospitality, restaurant and corporate office markets. Clients include Target, Disney, Luxottica, Macy’s Department Stores, Hilton Hotel Corporation, Liverpool Department Stores, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Wolverine Worldwide. Visit www.frch.com to learn more.
 

Events

Read more BELOW

 

The 2024 virtual Men’s Round Table will be held Q4, 2024, date TBD.

2024 Virtual Men’s Round Tables

2023 Virtual Men’s Round Table was held on November 7th, 2023 via Zoom.


 

2024 Virtual Women’s Round Table

2023 Women’s Round Table #1 was held on October 20th, 2023 via Zoom

News

Meijer brings its neighborhood store concept to Ohio

Meijer is expanding its smaller-format Fairfax Market banner beyond its home state of Michigan with the opening of a 40,000-square-foot store in Cleveland that offers more than 2,000 products from local vendors. Progressive Grocer

Supplements/Podcast
See Website for Details

This content (including text, artwork, graphics, photography, and video) was provided by the third party(ies) as referenced above. Any rights or other content questions or inquiries should be directed such third-party provider(s).

Receive the CCR 2024 Idustry Report

Get ahead of your Competitors with CCR's FREE Industry Insider's Report 2024!

Always stay two steps ahead of your Competitors. Stay informed with the latest in the Industry. 

This site uses cookies to ensure that you get the best user experience. By choosing “Accept” you acknowledge this and that ccr-mag.com operates under the Fair Use Act. Find out more on the Privacy Policy & Terms of Use Page