Archinect - News

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...

Metallica and Carharrt team up in initiative to attract new generation of workers in skilled trades

2021-09-07T15:22:00-04:00

Workwear brand Carhartt has teamed up with heavy metal band Metallica’s nonprofit All Within My Hands foundation in an effort to attract a new generation of workers in the skilled trades.

Carhartt announced that it is donating all online sales made this past Labor Day to the foundation’s Metallica Scholars program, an initiative dedicated to providing skills and services to students who are looking to enter a traditional trade or other applied learning program. It also provides direct support to 23 schools through the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) to enhance their career and technical education programs.

The Labor Day campaign recreates a 1981 “Musicians Wanted” ad that was placed in a Los Angeles newspaper by Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, which ultimately led to the formation of the band.

“To build the workforce of the future, we need to connect more people to the training and education that helps fill essential jobs,” said Janet Ries, Vice President of Marke...

Apple under fire for not hiring construction workers with past felonies for their new campus

2015-04-07T15:22:00-04:00

A state senator on Monday expressed his concerns about Apple’s policy of not hiring construction workers with past felony convictions at the tech giant’s new campus... Union leaders told The Chronicle that several workers suddenly lost their jobs building Apple’s new campus in January because they had past felony convictions. [State Sen. Mark] Leno called the situation “equally surprising and disturbing...”