KZF Design Expands Firm Ownership, Strengthens Leadership
CINCINNATI, OH, July 7, 2020 — KZF Design President & CEO Robert Steele announced today the downtown-based architecture, engineering, interior design and planning firm has added new owners and has promoted and added to the core leadership team. The action is the next step in a multiyear leadership and shareholder transition strategy which started in 2017 and targets a transition of ownership to the firm’s fourth generation by October 2020.
At its most recent meeting of shareholders, six new owners were announced, bringing the total to 25, as well as changes to the firm’s leadership. Robert Steele remains President/CEO while Doug Marsh has been promoted to Executive Vice President. Additionally, Greg Hutzel, RA, Director of KZF’s Federal Government Group, has been named a Vice President and Ted Verst, PE, SE has been promoted to Vice President of Engineering.
“The growth in our ownership and leadership team is evidence of the bright future of our firm,” says Bob Steele, “and points to the effectiveness of our attention to positioning KZF to operate from a position of strength in good as well as challenging business environments.”
“KZF Design is financially strong and has a backlog of projects larger than we typically have seen. Fiscal year 2020 has started very strongly for us and we are optimistic for both the immediate and long-term future,” says Doug Marsh. “We are positioned for solid growth and hiring in several disciplines, adding new staff to meet the workload demand in both private and public markets.”
The summer of 2020 marks the 10th anniversary of the 64-year-old firm moving into their LEED® Gold and ENERGY STAR® certified offices and studios in downtown Cincinnati. KZF designed the adaptive reuse of a circa 1915 structure into a cutting edge and sustainable office environment.
KZF Design is consistently ranked among the top 10 largest architectural and engineering firms in the city. Projects currently in design include significant local projects such as University of Cincinnati Clifton Court Hall, Great Parks Glenwood Gardens to Winton Woods Multi-use Trail, Montgomery Quarter mixed-use development, City of Lebanon New Fire Station, City of Monroe Public Safety Facility, The Greens at Kenwood office building, and Vantage at Towne Center Apartments in Anderson Township.
About KZF Design
Founded in 1956, KZF Design is a multidisciplinary firm dedicated to helping clients design better futures. KZF Design’s professional team of architects, engineers, interior designers and urban planners have built a reputation for thoughtful, award-winning designs and unparalleled technical proficiency in both the public and private sectors, with specific expertise in commercial, workplace, education, transportation, industrial, government and justice projects. One of the Midwest’s premier design firms, KZF Design’s staff of 70 is based in LEED® Gold and ENERGY STAR® certified offices and studios in downtown Cincinnati. For more information or to view a portfolio of recent projects, visit www.kzf.com.