I’m thrilled to continue to work with an extraordinary group of professionals at all levels of our organization as well as with our industry partners and allies to advance our shared business objectives and maintain the culture we have built together.
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12.02.2024
Chief Growth Officer Laura Kennington Appointed President and Co-CEO of OTJ
OTJ Architects is pleased to announce that Senior Principal and Chief Growth Officer, Laura Kennington, LEED AP, has been elevated to the position of President and Co-CEO. She will serve alongside Senior Principal Lance Jaccard AIA, IIDA, LEED AP, who will now hold the title of Co-CEO.
As we look to our 35th year in business in 2025, this next step represents a vital part of our succession plan – a plan that has already included a transition in ownership structure from a limited partnership to an Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP). This evolution in our leadership formalizes an already successful division of responsibilities: Lance will remain focused on maintaining the caliber of our architectural talent and deliverables while leading the development of mixed-use destinations such as Visitation, in Frederick, MD; Laura will continue to spearhead the realization of our firmwide strategic plan while also fostering relationships with key clients and partners. Most importantly, however, this new structure allows us to preserve our culture, our legacy, the integrity of our teams, and the stability of our business.
Laura joined OTJ nearly 20 years ago as a marketing coordinator fresh out of Virginia Tech. At that time, our firm was a small, local practice exclusively focused on landlord services and workplace interiors with an annual revenue of less than $4 million. Since then, Laura has led the development and deployment of strategic initiatives that have translated to seven office locations nationally, over 200 team members across 23 states, and billings of $40 million annually. Laura has also shaped the evolution of our organization through her role in the acquisition of top talent across our geographic footprint. In addition, Laura has been instrumental in the recent refinement of our firm’s fiscal management. The success of her efforts is evidenced by the strength of our growth: OTJ now ranks as one of the top 100 design practices in the nation and has been recognized as a workplace of choice by several national publications.
As President and Co-CEO, Laura will now work to expand our hospitality, healthcare (outpatient), industrial and higher education services nationwide while further maturing our primary practice areas (arts, culture and education, multi-family residential, office buildings, science and technology, and workplace). The decision to create two Co-CEO positions is supported by a wealth of market research. Research by Harvard Business Review show that a joint structure generates better than average returns for shareholders and empowers companies to outperform competitors. Agile organizations such as our own find this model easy to implement and sustain as well as especially suited to our business needs.
Remarks Laura: “I knew many years ago, when first looking for a job, that I wanted to find a place that was fast-paced, entrepreneurial, positive, and creative. I couldn’t have found a more perfect fit in OTJ. I am thankful for the working relationships I have built with so many great industry partners. Most importantly, I’m thrilled to continue to work with an extraordinary group of professionals at all levels of our organization to advance our business objectives and maintain the culture we have built together.”
