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50 Years of Excellence at VBFA

The MEP firm established by Howard Van Boerum in 1972 has become one of the preeminent consulting engineering companies in the Intermountain region, with three satellite offices and headquarters in Salt Lake.
By Brad Fullmer

When J. Howard Van Boerum puts his mind to something, there is no slowing him down. 

The 84-year-old founder of one of Utah’s preeminent MEP engineering firms, Salt Lake-based Van Boerum & Frank Associates (VBFA), established his consulting firm in 1972. He intended for it to be the very best at what it did, and he worked diligently to achieve those results.

As the firm celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, Van Boerum admitted great satisfaction with the current state of the firm, which was No. 2 among all MEP firms in UC&D’s 2021 Top Engineering Firms rankings with $19.3 million in annual revenues from 2020, the firm's highest mark. He trusts that the current leadership will continue steering the company in the right direction. 

“I wanted to be the best, wanted to be the biggest, with a good reputation,” said Van Boerum. “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished as a firm and as a team.”

In addition to its headquarters in Murray (the firm moved from its long-time Salt Lake location in 2020), VBFA has offices in Logan, St. George, and Tempe, Arizona, with a total of 125 employees. 


Early Days

The oldest of four kids, Van Boerum knew from an early age that he wanted to combine his drive and determination with his natural inclinations and become an engineer or architect. 


“I had my visions of being my own boss and having my name on the door,” he said. “I always liked drawing. As a kid I would draw 2D perspectives of homes—I remember drawing the home across the street. I had a propensity to like that kind of stuff.”

 

His father, John E. Van Boerum, worked hard for the federal government as a civilian commander at the Army Supply Depot in Ogden. He impressed upon young Howard the importance of going to college “so you don’t have to work for the damn government,” he chuckled. Van Boerum was also musically inclined, playing several instruments and forming a dance band in high school. He later served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Holland and married his college sweetheart, Joanne, upon his return.


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    Provo City Center Temple

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    Medical Center in Murray

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    Snowbird Resort Co-Gen Plant

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    Hale Center Theater in Sandy

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VBFA is renowned for its design of complex healthcare projects, including the landmark Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, a multi-building project on a 100-acre campus that opened in 2007 (all photos courtesy VBFA). The firm has vast MEP expertise in virtually every major building market. Some key projects in recent years include: the Snowbird Resort Co-Gen Plant; the Provo City Center Temple for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and the Hale Center Theater in Sandy.

Starting Out

Van Boerum worked for Nelson Reeve Maxwell in Ogden prior to his mission and for two years after. He realized early on he didn’t want to work for a big company like Boeing, “being stuck in a big hangar with 500 people in a corner. I knew I wanted to be in business for myself,” he said. 

He moved to Salt Lake City to gain mechanical consulting experience at Hardy and Naylor then decided he was best suited to venture out on his own and started Van Boerum Associates on April 1, 1972. 

“I’ve always been driven to be good at what I was doing,” he said. “It became apparent that I needed to start my own firm.”

Life came quick and fast, as Van Boerum was called to be a Latter-day Saint Bishop of a Salt Lake congregation five weeks after starting his firm. He found himself pulled in myriad directions and challenged to find time to run his fledgling business, dedicate himself to his church calling, and tend to his wife and their four children (they would eventually add two more kids to their family). 

Joanne, who passed away September 21, 2021, at the age of 81, supported her husband’s ventures, despite him being a man of “too many aspirations,” he said. “If you shoot for the moon at least you’ll fall on a star,” he continued. “I didn’t always get home for dinner on time. I had to learn to compartmentalize.” He said he worked hard to be fully committed to home and church duties in addition to work and “tried not to let one interfere with the other. Those are the fun parts of life you look back on and say, ‘Well, I made it through!’” 

Lori Van Boerum Haglund, the oldest of Howard and Joanne’s six children and VBFA’s Marketing Director since 2001, recalled how hard both her parents worked on behalf of their family. Looking back at the firm’s success, Haglund said her father possessed all the key traits that make for an effective business owner and leader. 

“Integrity, drive, work ethic—he will always stand behind his work,” she said. “If there’s a problem, he’s honest and makes it right.”


Steady Growth 

Six months after establishing his firm, Van Boerum was approached by Lloyd Frank, owner of Associated Sheet Metal of Salt Lake, about hiring his son John, who had recently graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering. 

“I had enough work that I needed help. [John Frank] and I were polar opposites in almost everything, but that turned out to be a herald for the business,” said Van Boerum, acknowledging the unlikely fit between them. “He appealed to a certain part of the industry and I did the other. He was a smart engineer and brought a lot to the table. He was a good partner.”

Frank, who formally retired in 2015, said, “Howard was always a good partner. He was not always the easiest to get along with, but I will tell you, we got along for 40 years and never had a major disagreement we could not resolve. You have to learn to work with your partners.”

Frank continued: “[…] We had a similar work ethic. We never tried to take advantage of clients. We worked hard and we were honest. We had a strong belief in helping our clients—that was 100% what it was about.”

Another key member of the firm, Kim Harris, came aboard in July 1977. The firm at that time was still relatively small, with only Van Boerum, Frank, and four other employees, but had just landed work on the University of Utah Medical Center expansion and needed help. Harris would go on to serve as VBFA’s President from 2006–2019 and was instrumental in growing the firm from 45 employees to more than 100. 

“I had an interest in owning my own business or being a key part of a business,” said Harris. “I didn’t want to work for a large firm and just be an employee, so this was a perfect fit and I was able to get in on the ground floor with Howard and John. I was fortunate they recognized potential in me.”

One of the key moments for the firm under Harris’ watch came within his first year as President, with the hiring of 16 employees in six months, the majority from Bennion Engineers, including Neil Spencer (retired 2014), Wade Bennion (current Principal), and Steve Shepherd (VBFA President from 2018–2021). 

“That was a big step from a business standpoint, taking on that many employees at once, but it propelled us forward,” said Harris. “We meshed well together.”

VBFA also began offering more in-depth electrical engineering services in 2007, becoming more of a full-fledged MEP firm. Mechanical engineering design still accounts for the majority of the firm’s revenues, but the electrical side has steadily grown over the years. 

Van Boerum said hiring talented people has been the underlying theme of VBFA’s success. 

“I had a philosophy; I would hire the smartest people I could find, people who were smarter than I was,” he said. “In the beginning, it was about being a better engineer and learning to be a better businessman.” 

He affiliated himself with the American Consulting Engineers Council, went to as many meetings as he could, met a lot of associates/friends, and “became a good businessman. I love the variety in our business. You have to be a good marketer, a good communicator. I love making presentations.”

“Howard was on the ball—his reputation was top-notch,” said Jeff Watkins, who was named President/CEO of VBFA in January 2022. “He’s been a great mentor and help, not just within the engineering community and my occupation, but advice for my own challenges and trials with family and life.”

“Howard is frank and to the point,” added Ladd Birch, Principal/Office Manager of the Southern Utah office in St. George. “I thought that’s how all businessmen are, but he has many unique qualities. He’s a great leader.”


Stout Reputation for Designing Complex, Challenging Projects

VBFA has built a stellar reputation over five decades of designing intricate and challenging MEP systems on a host of project types, from healthcare and education to municipal and sports/recreation—including several Olympic-related projects. 

Prior to the Salt Lake Winter Olympics in 2002, Van Boerum and Dave Eckhoff created a VBFA-EWP joint venture with their respective firms and toured the world looking at Olympic venues, so by the time the State of Utah put out an RFP for various projects for the 2002 games, they were ready to pursue the work. 

It paid off big-time, with the partnership landing design work for the Utah Olympic Park in Park City, including the bobsled/luge track, ski jump pool, the speed skating oval in Kearns, and an ice rink at Steiner Aquatic Center. The firm is also pursuing work for a potential return of the Olympics to Utah in 2030 or 2034.

Van Boerum said of the Olympic projects: “That’s one of the highlights of my career. It’s been a great thing to talk about over the years. It’s been a significant feather in our cap.”

Van Boerum and Harris recently completed a complicated cogeneration plant at Snowbird Resort in Utah, a remarkable project that Harris said was “not a cookie-cutter project, not everyday engineering. It’s the most complicated system I’ve ever designed.”

The firm has designed numerous healthcare projects, including Intermountain Medical Center in Murray and several phases of the Huntsman Cancer Institute, another highly satisfying accomplishment for Van Boerum.

K-12 projects have also been a key market segment, with the firm displaying its innovative chops in the design of ground source heat pump systems that offer schools greater energy savings—up to $40,000 annually. 

“It’s been embraced more than I ever would have expected,” said Wade Bennion, who leads all K-12 work. “We’re seeing more of a push nationally and locally for sustainability and it’s pushing towards all-electric systems and getting away from natural gas.” 


Key Executives Reflect on 50 Years, Future Outlook

Another of the firm’s hallmarks is the number of long-time employees who have been with the firm for multiple decades. The importance and significance of a 50th anniversary is not lost on them. 

“[Howard’s] legacy is this culture has been maintained for 50 years,” said Harris. “He set the culture of taking care of clients, taking care of employees, and doing quality work.”

“It’s been an exciting journey!” said Lisa Simons, who started at VBFA in 1992 when the firm had 27 employees and serves as Business Development Director working out of the Tempe office. “VBFA’s leadership is a true testament to the firm’s ability to attract top engineering talent. Our culture is focused on collaboration and mentorship, which has created friendships that last decades and promote staff longevity.”

Simons said that although Van Boerum and Frank had differing leadership styles, their values were aligned—achievement, integrity, and individual accountability. 

“It has been a privilege to work with Howard, John, Kim Harris, Steve Shepherd, and now Jeff Watkins,” she added. “Each has contributed to the growth and success of VBFA.” 

“It’s impressive to think about 50 years,” said Watkins. “Success requires the efforts of the whole company—one person can’t do it all.”

He added, “Howard gave me some advice back in the mid-’90s that is still valid today, where I can step into this role and succeed. It’s not about me, it’s about the engineers, the BIM specialists, our administration team—all of us together is what makes VBFA successful.”

VBFA is comprised of a talented cast that includes 11 principals, 5 associate principals, and 13 associates, along with designers, drafters, and support staff. Principals include: 


  • Jeff Watkins, President/CEO 
  • Ben Davis, Vice President/COO
  • Don Bradshaw, Vice President, CIO
  • Dave Baranowski, Corporate Secretary
  • Wade Bennion, Chairman of the Board
  • Ladd Birch, Vice President, CFO/Director of Southern Utah Operations
  • Byron Torgersen, Director of Arizona Operations
  • Ray Vernon, Director of Northern Utah Operations 
  • Jed Lyman, Principal
  • Scot Muir, Principal
  • Brad Rosenhan, Principal


Watkins believes the future is as bright as it has ever been, and is confident the firm will continue to thrive in Utah, Arizona, and the Intermountain West in general. 

“We’re a mainstay,” Watkins said. “We have great leaders and great people who work at VBFA. As people retire, it’s hard to see. These are people you’ve worked side-by-side with for a long time. It’s a realization that it’s now our responsibility and the buck stops with us. I’m excited about the future and confident we will continue to serve our clients effectively and maintain our high standards of quality.”

Van Boerum is also optimistic that those carrying on his name are poised for great future success. 

“We have always tried to hire the very best, and I couldn’t be more proud of the people we have today,” he said. “It’s exciting to know my childhood dreams came to fruition and that we are thriving 50 years later. I’m very proud of what we have accomplished together.”


One of the firm’s most iconic projects is the Bobsleld/ Luge Track at Utah Olympic Park in Park City. VBFA founder Howard Van Boerum stands in the track during construction in 2000. Van Boerum called the complex project “one of the highlights of my career”.

VBFA has completed design on numerous K-12 and Higher Education projects, including Odyssey Elementary (above left), Davis County School District’s first-ever ‘Net-Zero’ designed school, and the Human Performance Center at Utah Tech University (formerly Dixie State).

Robust Growth Fuels Lehi City's Development

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Mar, 2024
Adobe’s 680,000 SF Lehi Campus is an iconic project in Lehi that was completed in two phases, with the first phase opening at the beginning of 2013 and signaling a new era of development along the Silicon Slopes corridor. (photo by Dana Sohm) Inset: Aerial view showing an illustration of Texas Instruments’ new 300 mm semiconductor wafer manufacturing plant—referred to as “LFAB2”—which broke ground last November and marks the single largest investment (over $11 billion) in state history. (photo courtesy Texas Instruments)

Forging Ahead

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Mar, 2024
Work continues to grind forward on the mammoth new Salt Lake City Water Reclamation Facility (WRF)—a critical $850 million project being built by a joint venture of the Salt Lake regional offices of Sundt Construction and PCL Construction that will replace the current facility in North Salt Lake once it's turned over to SLC's Department of Utilities (SLCDPU) in July 2026. As it stands, this is the second-largest project in City history, trailing only the recent $2 billion-plus Salt Lake International Airport Redevelopment (Phases 3-4 ongoing), and one of the most technically challenging projects in the state. "We are up for the challenge every day—the magnitude of this thing is unreal," said Manny Diaz, Project Manager for Salt Lake-based Sundt, as he drove around the massive 30-acre site in late-January, a worksite teeming with 300 current employees (it will peak at 400 workers this summer) and myriad complicated structures being built simultaneously. Diaz is a long-time veteran of the water reclamation facility industry—this project marks plant No. 26 in his own personal history—and he was brought in a year ago by Sundt because of his expertise. When he arrived in Salt Lake at the beginning of last year, it was right smack dab in the middle of what proved to be a record-breaking year for snowfall. "It was quite a welcome to Utah!" Diaz chuckled. "We keep very close tabs on the weather." And while crews haven't been subjected to the same inclement weather this winter, site conditions are still generally wet and muddy, and the difficulties associated with building the various structures are constant. Crews are nearing the halfway mark, so certainly it's a milestone worth acknowledging, even though a mountain of construction is still left to climb. "It's such a huge accomplishment to be this far," said Jason Brown, Deputy Director of Public Utilities for SLC. "We've faced a lot of challenges, Covid, material shortages [...] it's amazing to be part of a team that works so well together. We still have a long way to go, but we'll get there. We've made a lot of progress and should be proud, but it's hard to celebrate success with so much work still ahead." Diaz, along with PCL Project Manager Shayne Waldron, said crews recently achieved a major milestone: one million hours worked, a notable accomplishment. “Achieving the ‘one million hours worked’ milestone is a testament to the coordination and collaboration required of a project this size," said Brown, adding that the new WRF project benefits from regular and ongoing staff collaboration, under the watch of Sundt/PCL, designers AECOM and Jacobs, and SLCDPU leadership. “This [milestone] is the culmination of many different efforts,” added Mauricio Ramos, District Manager for PCL’s Civil Infrastructure Division. “From local engineers to pipe layers, journeymen, construction trade workers, foremen, and general laborers, every team member has been instrumental in reaching this benchmark. The collaboration between PCL and Sundt has been a testament to our shared commitment to excellence and innovation.” "Our crews are working together seamlessly to ensure that the final product meets the goals and needs of the community," said Sam Reidy, Senior VP and District Manager for Sundt. "Celebrating this milestone recognizes the hard work and commitment each member of the project team has made to this project and the Sundt/PCL partnership." Diaz and Waldron said soil conditions challenged the team right out of the gate and took significant time to stabilize the site. "At the very beginning, the project was designed to be built on top of where the sludge beds were at, but it turns out the sludge beds were on shaky ground," said Diaz. "This whole area is young in age, so it's all soft clays and sands," added Waldron. "Soft clays are compressible, so the big issue is settling. It would have [cost] $80 million in piles to shore it up, and then in between buildings you have all the pipe and utility duct banks, so they would almost need to be built on piles." Waldron said the idea came up to pre-load the whole site, where crews built a flat pad, installed wick drains, then pre-loaded 30 ft. of dirt, with drains going down 125 feet and providing a way for water to be pushed out of the clay. "We had over seven feet of settlement," said Waldron. Crews also set up sophisticated monitoring equipment "to see where ground was settling and what layers were compressing the most. It was really scientific—a lot more than I've seen before." Diaz said it took six months to haul in the fill dirt where it remained in place for eight months, then took another six months to excavate out—close to one million yards of total material. It was an exhaustive process, with an average of 400 trucks per day and close to 500 trucks hauling 18,000 tons on the best day. Having a cohesive, highly collaborative team of designers and construction experts has been a boon to the project schedule. Once completed, Salt Lake City’s new WRF will serve over 200,000 residents as well as those who commute downtown to work or visit Utah's capital. It will replace the City’s current—and only—wastewater treatment facility, which is over 55 years old and near the end of its service life. Maintaining reliable operations at the existing facility while constructing the new WRF nearby has been critical for the project’s success. Since breaking ground in 2019, the project team has completed approximately 65% of structural concrete work as well as soil mitigation, deep foundation work, and the installation of underground utilities. In late January crews began excavating dual 63-in. diameter pipelines, along with a 78-in. effluent pipe that is being hauled one giant piece at a time from Canada, a new type of corrugated HDPE with welded joints that should provide greater durability. All in all, crews will ultimately pour 93,000 CY of concrete and install 22 million pounds of reinforcing steel, along with 89,000 LF of underground pipe ranging in diameter from 1.5-in. to 78-in. "The camaraderie among the team members allows for a very cohesive team," said Diaz. "The only way you can tell who works for who is by the color of the truck. We have a 'one project' mentality. The complexity of the job and being trusted to lead this effort [...] have been [important] for me. It's been a great job so far." Diaz, who said his first wastewater treatment plant was in North Miami Beach in the late 80s right after he graduated from college, hopes to remain in Utah once this job is completed and turned over to the client by mid-2026. “I plan on staying here and continue to work on treatment plants in Utah,” he said. “There’s a lot of work here. We have vast experience, and we have a lot of people who want to be in Utah—it’s a great place to live. Let’s do it!”

Let the Good Times Roll

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Mar, 2024
It's been more than 45 years (1978) since The Cars released their debut album highlighted by the wildly popular song Good Times Roll, but if there was ever a tune to sum up the general sentiment of local A/E/C professionals regarding Utah's 2024 Economic Outlook, Good Times Roll would be up there. "Our members are expecting another good year," said Joey Gilbert, President/CEO of the 650-member Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Utah. "For our contractors in both the building and highway markets, the outlook is good. Many still have decent backlogs to keep them busy through 2024 and in some cases, even 2025. The public sector is strong, and on the private side, owners are still investing in some big projects." Robert Spendlove, Chief Economist for Salt Lake-based Zions Bank, reported at the AGC's Economic Outlook meeting last November that commercial construction was up 1.6%, while Utah as a whole reported 2.5% growth overall, and believes both will continue to fare well in 2024. "Utah also has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the U.S. [2.5%]; when it gets too low, you get real struggles of labor shortages," he said. "It prevents companies from growing and is one of those defining economic characteristics of this past cycle. If we get above 4-5% we get nervous that it's a sign of a recessionary environment." Spendlove said tailwinds include strong consumer spending, a strong labor market, and an overall robust economic Intermountain West region, while headwinds could include a lack of new workers, government shutdowns, energy prices, and international uncertainty. Another bonus is that Utah remains one of the strongest states economically, regardless of what is happening nationally. "I would say uncomfortably optimistic," countered Dejan Eskic, Senior Research Fellow for the Kem Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah, citing a number of factors potentially slowing down the design and construction industry such as housing, labor, and material price fluctuations—basically the same post-Covid headwinds Utah-based firms have been battling the past couple of years. "On paper, we should have a decent economic year in Utah. Because it's an election year, it brings more optimism generally. Stock performance does better in an election year, jobs do better. You have to stick to those basics. Eskic has been with the Gardner Institute for eight years, including the past five in his current role, explained that some of the uncomfortableness facing the local economy stems from having virtually no labor pool in certain segments, including construction—which continues to face a dearth of skilled craftsmen in virtually all subcontractor trades. "We still have red flags," he said, noting concerns with still-high housing costs. "Maybe it's too early to call if we've cracked inflation. 2023 ended up way better than anybody expected—it was supposed to be a recession year, but the recession never came, and the labor market exceeded expectations. "I'm bullish on Utah," he added. "I look at the numbers and how we're going, and we're in a very strong growth pattern with the economy. Things will continue to expand." Indeed, despite nasty rising interest rates that put the brakes on some speculative development projects, Utah-based owners continued to plow ahead on projects, and by-and-large most market segments continued to see a healthy amount of activity as firms set about tackling healthy project backlogs.

Building Blocks

By Reuben Wright • 01 Mar, 2024
Crews working on bridge sections of the project did the majority of heavy-lifting—as seen with these giant cranes lifting heavy girders—during the wee hours of the night, part of UDOT’s expectations of keeping traffic moving by limiting road closures. (night photos by Kjell Gerber, BuildWitt)

Heart of a New City

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Mar, 2024
It's been a long time coming for elected officials and the citizens of Millcreek City, but their beloved $45 million, nearly 80,000 SF City Hall is finally complete, ending a lengthy five-year process that tested all parties involved but produced an awe-inspiring six-story building that will serve as the public heart of this rising community southeast of downtown Salt Lake. "It's awesome!" gushed Jeff Silvestrini, in reference to his view as he peered out across the Salt Lake Valley from his fourth-floor corner office, with captivating views via a complex glass curtain wall system highlighted with an intricate, highly functional screen shade. As the only mayor Millcreek City has known during its brief seven-year existence (it was incorporated Dec. 28, 2016), Silvestrini was recently re-elected for another four-year term (he ran unopposed) and has been a driving force behind this new project. "I could see this [view] was going to be amazing when I climbed up the crane when the concrete structure was going up. Standing on the exposed sixth floor before the curtain wall went up, I was humbled at this monumental undertaking for a new city. What we do as a city government is serve the people. We can serve the people much better in a facility like this." Unique Municipal Design Fosters Public Engagement with a "Downtown" Feel Millcreek City Hall builds upon the momentum created by the adjacent Millcreek Common to the east (opened in December 2022) to create an actual "Downtown" or "City Center" space at the bustling area of 3300 South between 1300 East and Highland Drive, which includes a host of exciting new nearby multi-family and mixed-use developments under construction. The project leverages a public-private partnership (PPP) with a local developer on an adjacent shared parking garage, along with the much-needed residential housing. Silvestrini said City leaders "did not contemplate putting City Hall here" initially, but public feedback made it clear residents wanted a downtown area to call their own. Millcreek Common—replete with an ice ribbon, splash pad, and room for food trucks—was planned as a public plaza space and has been wildly popular since its completion in late 2022. Residents also wanted City Hall to have real spaces for the public, not just a strictly-government facility, which provided exciting design opportunities for Salt Lake-based MHTN Architects, which initially worked with City officials in 2017-18 on a City Center Master Plan, which came about via a grant through the Wasatch Front Regional Council, according to Ryan Wallace, Principal-in-Charge for MHTN. "It's located roughly in the geographic center of the community and easily accessed by vehicle, transit, and active transportation—it's something that can unite the community," said Wallace. "The client has created four projects in one," aided by a vertical building mixed-use approach on the narrow footprint, a key to allowing optimum future adjacent development. "We realized early on that there was an opportunity to build a true civic center," added Silvestrini. "The more we thought about it, the more it made sense." The commitment to having a true community building is evident on the first floor, which includes a coffee house, a restaurant, and a flex public market with rotating businesses. "[City leaders] wanted an activating ground floor use that would support their idea of a downtown," said Wallace. "They didn't want City Hall to only be active 8-to-5 and then a dead zone at night." City officials and MHTN staff also drew inspiration on a tour of the new City Hall in Lenexa, Kansas, which includes adjacent common space and a ground floor retail/public market. "Everyone seemed to be thinking on the same wavelength," said Peggy McDonough, MHTN President who served as Project Executive on Millcreek City Hall. "We all felt like this was a completely unique project, unlike any other city hall that we've been a part of, and the second that has a market level. It's being looked at as an example of good development." While level 1 is sure to be a hit with Millcreek residents and visitors over time, levels 2 through 5 showcase the versatility and functionality of the project, with all essential government functions for Millcreek City, along with Unified Police and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). Unified Police is housed on level 2 and utilizes a one-level sally port/private garage under the building (another bonus of the PPP parking garage). Millcreek City is housed on levels 3-5, with the top floor—level 6—serving as prime community space highlighted by the Grandview community room and its opulent Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) roof that evokes a natural warmth throughout the space.

AIA Utah 2024

By Fran Pruyn • 01 Mar, 2024
For the first time in its 103-year history, The Utah Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Utah) has a fully female executive leadership team. It wasn’t intentional, as Past-President Jessica Hoffman stated, “That is who stepped up.” And more importantly, these women have an aggressive plan for serving the entire, very diverse, association. "I'm very excited—we have a great team!" said Chamonix Larsen, Salt Lake City/Denver Department Manager for Morrison Hirschfield, who will serve as 2024 President. "They are all very passionate about what they do, and how architecture can make positive changes in our community." AIA Utah also has a new Executive Director, with Angie Harris Roberts coming on board last spring in a part-time role that transitioned to full-time in October. She is charged with overseeing industry legislation and streamlining AIA services such as providing standard contract documents, sponsoring educational events, and hosting conferences that communicate new design ideas, technologies, and initiatives. Larsen has targeted adding value to members and increasing public outreach scope as her focus for the upcoming year. One particularly exciting (and needed) project proposes a mentorship program that utilizes the talents of the AIA fellows and partnering organizations. The staff and board have applied for a grant and approached local firms for matching funds to build a long-term, multi-generational program, that assists mentees to achieve licensure faster and stay in the profession. Working through the Young Architects Forum and the American Institute of Architects Students, the program will enlist the talents of Utah AIA Fellows, the National Organization of Minority Architects, and Women in Architecture, connecting seasoned architects with emerging professionals. They will answer questions and give guidance and counsel on matters ranging beyond making design decisions and locating answers to technical questions, to how to craft career paths and find professional satisfaction. "We've been through some changes, and having a new executive director is exciting as well," added Larsen. "Coming out of the pandemic, it's been about reconnecting with everybody and improving our organizational excellence. It's important to me that we run as efficiently as possible, given that we rely on volunteers. We have an opportunity to dive into what firms need, and how we can better serve our members." Larsen addressed staffing, having access to quality talent, and attracting more skilled architects to the state as key topics. The outlook for Utah remains solid, she said, albeit with some tempered expectations in some markets (multi-family, industrial) which may see projects put on hold until interest rates soften. Utah's continued growth, steady economy, and the prospect of another Salt Lake Winter Olympics raises optimism for the foreseeable future. Leadership is also committed to helping sister organizations with programs aimed at stimulating interest in architecture from outside the industry and providing a pipeline of talent from a diversity of backgrounds into the industry. This includes encouraging programs in elementary schools to educate children about the role of architecture in a community, collaborating on youth mentoring events, and fostering NOMA’s effort to bring architects from underrepresented groups into the College of Fellows. 2024 AIA Utah Leadership President – Chamonix Larsen, AIA is an experienced architect with a diverse professional background with 20+ years of experience including building envelope consulting, architectural design, technical design lead, project management, owner’s representative, and commissioning authority. She joined Morrison Hershfield’s Building Science Division in 2017 and manages building envelope consulting teams in Salt Lake and Denver. While at the State of Utah, Larsen oversaw the development and implementation of the DFCM's High Performance Building Standard and state-wide operational sustainability efforts. She is also an adjunct professor at the University of Utah College of Architecture and Planning. President Elect – Whitney Ward, AIA, LEED AP is a Principal at Salt Lake-based VCBO Architecture and has been with the firm since 2007. Ward embraces a holistic design approach and is an advocate for both community engagement and sustainable design. She also teaches Sustainable Development as an Adjunct Professor with the University of Utah City and Metropolitan Planning Department. Secretary – Natalie Shutts-Bank, AIA, RIBA is an experienced architect who thrives when navigating between the vastness of all creative possibilities and the real-world constraints of any design problem. She has worked multiple design typologies at a range of scales on higher education, civic, hospitality, healthcare, and large-scale residential projects. Treasurer – Libby Haslam, AIA, RIBA, LEED AP, NCARB is the founder of Studio Long Playing, an architectural firm that practices many typologies of spaces. The firm’s current focus is on higher education. Studio LP is also engaged in restaurant design and residential work, with the intent for collaboration with different artisans and art forms. She has been teaching studio as an Associate Professor (career-line) at the University of Utah School of Architecture since graduating from the U in 2001For the first time in its 103-year history, The Utah Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Utah) has a fully female executive leadership team. It wasn’t intentional, as Past-President Jessica Hoffman stated, “That is who stepped up.” And more importantly, these women have an aggressive plan for serving the entire, very diverse, association. "I'm very excited—we have a great team!" said Chamonix Larsen, Salt Lake City/Denver Department Manager for Morrison Hirschfield, who will serve as 2024 President. "They are all very passionate about what they do, and how architecture can make positive changes in our community."

CFC Supply 25th Anniversary

By LADD MARSHALL • 30 Nov, 2023
(left to right) Gene and Sue Larsen, their son Blake, and his wife, JaLynn, at the CFC Supply Christmas Party, made extra special this year with the firm’s 25th anniversary. (photos courtesy CFC)

The Real Business Never Changes

By Taylor Larsen • 30 Nov, 2023

UMC Announces 2023 Excellence in Masonry Awards

By Brad Fullmer • 30 Nov, 2023
Commercial Project--Honor 95 State at City Creek

High-tech Hexcel-lence

By B. H. Wright • 30 Nov, 2023
The days of the commercial industrial market consisting primarily of boring, staid (read: ugly) warehouse and manufacturing buildings are long gone, as employee-conscious corporations and forward-thinking real estate developers have been realizing the value of housing employees in spaces that sizzle with stylish interior designs with loads of on-site amenities. Hexcel Corporation did just that with the design of its most significant recent project in West Valley City, a $34 million, 105,000-SF facility dubbed the Center of Research & Technology Excellence, which includes the largest high-performance carbon fiber manufacturing plant in the world, along with housing Hexcel's aerospace matrix operations. The center is "designed to encourage and inspire our team to dream big and ensure that our customers are awarded the strongest, lightest weight, most durable advanced composites that the world has ever seen," said Nick Stanage, Hexcel Chairman, CEO and President. He said that when the Center opens, “you will be surrounded by everything it means to be a leader in advanced composites technology. You will see high-tech labs and cutting-edge research and testing equipment. Our lobby will showcase advancements and innovations that are propelling the future in commercial aerospace, space and defense, and industrial markets.” Sharp aesthetics and providing optimum working conditions are a must for employers in a market with a current state unemployment average hovering just over 2% and in a society where the workforce is increasingly opting to work remote (at home) either full-time, or with a hybrid/flex schedule. The primary objective of the facility is to serve as a catalyst for research and development in advanced composite technology, with a specific focus on aerospace, space, defense, and industrial applications. According to Mike Phillips, VP of Project Development at R&O Construction's Salt Lake office, the fast-track design-build seamlessly blended a tilt-up laboratory with a two-story Class A office building, illustrating the owner's attention to high quality and optimum design. "The entire team was focused on schedule and cost throughout the process, while meeting owner's requirements and needs. It was a very successful project." The facility's design transcends conventional manufacturing and research spaces. Instead of a stark separation between these functions, the building integrates both—fostering an environment where scientists and production personnel can collaborate seamlessly. This approach underscores Hexcel's commitment to innovation and how diverse functions can coexist within the same space. One of the project's most noteworthy contributions lies in its commitment to sustainability. Hexcel actively recycles carbon fiber prepreg composite cutoffs to produce composite panels that find applications in commercial markets. By upcycling and repurposing materials, the project demonstrates a forward-thinking approach to resource utilization and waste reduction. In a resourceful move, the tilt panels were utilized as the crane path to avoid potential soil issues. This approach was executed after thorough consultation with engineers, resulting in a seamless process with all panels standing within a short timeframe, without any compromise to structural integrity or aesthetic appeal. Exterior Trespa panels were strategically oriented to create a dynamic carbon checkerboard pattern, aligning with the aesthetic of Hexcel's innovative products. This deliberate choice not only showcases a visually striking design element but also reflects the company's commitment to excellence in composite materials. Tilt-up panels underwent a meticulous sandblasting process to enhance their carbon-like appearance. This technique, applied after curing and installation, contributes to the overall visual effect and reinforces the project's dedication to craftsmanship.
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