BNIM details the firm's transition to an employee-owned company model

2024-01-11T20:05:00-05:00

Kansas City-based architecture firm BNIM recently announced its decision to transition to an employee stock ownership plan (or ESOP) and trust.

The move was made in the fall and was brought about by an apparent desire to hand over control to younger employees, its senior leadership says. BNIM feels they are now better positioned for the future and sees the new ownership model as something that better relates to its core values and organizing mission to “design and deliver beautiful, integrated environments to inspire change and enhance the human condition.” They are now one of just a handful of known ESOP firms in the industry, following Zaha Hadid Architects, Gensler, Make Architects, SHoP, Design Workshop, HDR, and several others.

In a new sit-down interview with Bloomberg CityLab, BNIM principals Laura Lesniewski and James Pfeiffer described the effects the transition has had on the firm's work culture, client interface, and recruitment efforts. They say the lead-up to the decis...

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BNIM details the firm's transition to an employee-owned company model