BD+C catches up with two past 40 Under 40 honorees: a designer who credits trapeze work with boosting her confidence, and a security expert who also knows a lot about squash.
BRET EMERSON
President and Owner
Commtech Design, Rockford, Mich.
Class of 2006
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Emerson continues as owner of Commtech, which specializes in networking, security, and A/V design. Government clients who need video security and access control systems are a key market. “We are a growing company that has survived the recession well. The world wants more cameras and access control.”
Working with Michigan’s Department of Corrections to design a new video security system for all facilities statewide.
Also working on: court building for Kalamazoo County; health sciences building for Baker College, Muskegon, Mich.; new telephone system for 26 buildings operated by the Traverse City Area Public Schools.
EXTRACURRICULAR
Regular presenter on security technology design at conferences and meetings (Michigan Department of Corrections, Michigan Department of Education).
Member, Plainfield (Mich.) Township Zoning Board of Appeals.
OFF THE CLOCK
Emerson is building a house, runs to stay in shape, and dabbles in farming. “I have started growing pumpkins as a hobby. It isn’t office work, and it gets me outside. It ties me back to my youth growing up on a farm.”
LORI JAMES
IIDA, NCIDQ, LEED AP ID+C
Principal
SmithGroupJJR, Detroit
Class of 2012
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Since her U40 recognition, James has been promoted to a Principal and stockholder, and elevated to lead the Interior Design group in Detroit.
Represents her site in the companywide Interior Design Discipline Committee, which develops standards and best practices. Has assumed new responsibilities with the firm’s Workplace Practice and led virtual training to teach nationwide staff about the proprietary WorkSIM database and planning tool.
Participated in a two-day Client Advisory Board hosted by the firm’s Learning Practice, attended by leaders in the nursing and allied health community.
EXTRACURRICULAR
Selected for the Urban Land Institute-Michigan’s Larson Center for Leadership, an eight-month program covering land use and economic, governmental, and infrastructure issues.
Mentors interior design students at Wayne State and Michigan State universities.
Leads the firm’s local involvement in Herman Miller’s annual holiday WeCare event, benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
Committee member, DIFFA Dining by Design auction and gala supporting the Michigan AIDS Coalition.
OFF THE CLOCK
James has recently taken up aerial yoga. “There is something incredibly exhilarating about suspending yourself in a fabric trapeze. It is physically and mentally challenging. You have to trust in your personal strength and flexibility, as well as the trapeze.”
LAST CHANCE! SIGN UP FOR THIS YEAR'S U40 LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
Related Stories
| Jan 19, 2015
Gaudi’s first work outside Spain will be a chapel in Chile
Nearly 100 years after Antoni Gaudí’s death, Chile will begin constructing a chapel using his designs.
| Jan 19, 2015
Architecture for Humanity closes office, plans to file for bankruptcy
After more than 15 years of work, the nonprofit design group Architecture for Humanity has closed its San Francisco office and plans to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection.
| Jan 17, 2015
When is a train station not a train station? When it’s a performance venue
You can catch a train at Minneapolis’s new Target Field Station. You can also share in an experience. That’s what ‘Open Transit’ is all about.
| Jan 16, 2015
Artsy lifeguard stations will brighten Toronto’s snowy beach
Five winning designs have been unveiled for lifeguard stands that will double as public space art installations on Toronto's beach.
| Jan 16, 2015
New York City construction costs continue to climb
A study released by the New York Building Congress shows that construction costs in Manhattan have risen 5% in each of the last two years.
| Jan 15, 2015
A reconstructed Taliesin West is the largest Frank Lloyd Wright LEGO Model [slideshow]
Artist Adam Reed Tucker used 180,000 LEGO pieces and 420 hours of work to recreate Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West campus.
| Jan 15, 2015
Construction materials prices fall in November
Construction input prices dipped 1.4% during the final month of 2014 and are down nearly 1% on a year-over-year basis, according to the Jan. 15 producer price index release from the U.S. Department of Labor.
| Jan 15, 2015
Libeskind unveils 'zig zag' plan for recreational center near Vilnius ski area
Perched on the highest peak between Vilnius' historic quarter and downtown, the Vilnius Beacon will be a hub for visiting skiers and outdoor enthusiasts.
| Jan 14, 2015
10 change management practices that can ease workplace moves
No matter the level of complexity, workplace change can be a challenge for your client's employees. VOA's Angie Lee breaks down the process of moving offices as efficiently as possible, from creating a "change team" to hosting hard-hat tours.
| Jan 13, 2015
Steven Holl unveils design for $450 million redevelopment of Houston's Museum of Fine Arts
Holl designed the campus’ north side to be a pedestrian-centered cultural hub on a lively landscape with ample underground parking.
