At A Glance

I am an entrepreneurial leader with 30 years of experience in Architecture, Executive Management and Business Development; my experience includes 12 years as the Owner for my own practice and another 20 years of experience in corporate environments.

As an Architecture / Design Executive with global experience, my background includes design, technical production, team management, firm leadership, business development, account management, mentoring and strategic thinking leadership. I stress and teach strategic thinking to upcoming professionals; think about the “why” and define the “who” before you decide the “how”.  In design, management or client development these skills are the prerequisite to success.

My experience spans market segments in international luxury hotel-resorts, casinos, corporate headquarters, recreation facilities, mission critical centers, justice facilities, multi-family housing, retail, higher-ed, student housing and places of worship. My experience covers many locations throughout the USA as well as many international locations including China, Russia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Mauritius, England, and Australia.

As a savvy negotiator I am experienced in effective communication with internal and external stakeholders, including government officials. While overseeing and coordinating large scale projects I’ve managed as many as 50 direct reports and up to 200 indirect reports. My understanding of business models and overseeing of financial performance helps accelerate success.

Considered an expert strategist in building teams; I guide the coordination and positioning of diverse staff, project managers and technical specialists to serve clients, projects and markets. I hone the expertise of leaders, equipping them with the core competencies of business development and the ability to maintain strong trust-based client relationships. I strive to sharpen the team’s professional aptitude, raising the firms’ talent up to its’ best.

I believe I am an outstanding candidate, and I may be of strategic interest for your firm, I look forward to discussing how I can support your growth.

Best wishes,

Robert Curtin AIA NCARB

RESUME

Core Expertise

Business Development & Marketing / Strategy Planning and Alignment / Team Mentoring / Business Operations / Financial Management / Change Management / Business Plan Development

Experience Timeline / Accomplishments

2010-2016 ROBERT CURTIN AIA – EXECUTIVE CONSULTING CONTRACTS

2014-2016 PALADINO AND CO

Seattle, Washington DC, Austin TX, NY

• Re-Designed company organization
• Developed market vertical based business plans
• Designed and staffed marketing and BD team
• Targeted market verticals
• Set sales goals and profit targets
•  Increased employee participation rates from 36hrs/wk to 48 hrs/wk
• Increased employee utilization from 36% to 85%
• Increased employee realization rates from break even to +50%
• Implemented BillQuick financial software
• Developed mentoring plans 
• Expanded Washington DC office

2012-2014  OPPENHEIM ARCHITECTS

Miami, Florida

• Developed market vertical based business plans
• Designed and staffed marketing and BD team
• Targeted market verticals
• Set sales goals
• Set profit margins
• Developed mentoring plans
• Implemented BillQuick financial software

2010-2012 EWING COLE ARCHITECTS

Washington DC, Philadelphia

• Developed market vertical based business plans
• Designed and staffed marketing and BD team
• Targeted market verticals
• Retained BD staff for DC office
• Spearheaded opening business in China

PRIOR FULL TIME POSITIONS

1998-2010 CURTIN DESIGN GROUP

Atlantic City, New Jersey

• Designer-in-charge of all projects
• Managed client relations
• Managed senior staff
• Managed P&L
• Managed marketing, PR and business development
• Managed talent management process
• Competed and won the Atlantic County Justice Complex
• Competed and won the FAA NextGen Research center
• Maintained staff retention for over 10 years

1994-1998 SHOWBOAT DEVELOPMENT CO

Atlantic City NJ, Las Vegas

• Global project site research
• Concept design
• Consultant hiring
• Contract negotiation
• Budget, and schedule administration
• Lead design and project management on a variety of $100-million dollar design / build projects as well as expansions, renovations
• Won Sydney Harbor Casino design competition
• Administered Sydney construction
• Won East Chicago competition
• Administered construction of land based and water based facilities
• Responsible for yearly PIP budgets for 4 properties

1985-1994 THE HILLIER GROUP ARCHITECTS  (RMJM)

Princeton, New Jersey

• Established Hillier’s’ first ever Hospitality Studio
• Design and business development leader
• Shared human resource management and financial responsibilities
• Direct impact on management  and business development
• Hospitality group grew to be the highest profit center in company
• Fortune 500 client list 

1979-1985 ASHIHARA ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS

New York, New York

• Senior designer in charge
• Administered staff assignments
• CD oversight
• Client presentations
• Rendering presentations
• Client presentations

Expanded Experience Details

ROBERT CURTIN AIA – EXECUTIVE CONSULTING CONTRACTS

As an expert consultant to other firms, my expertise has been retained on a contract basis to assist in business development, team alignments, management and financial reporting. The purpose of my engagement is to increase market share in current locations and to position for future growth in new markets. Some of the assignments in my contracts are as follows:

• Staff / Talent Assessment
• Improve participation, utilization and realization rates of employees
• Implement new financial (BillQuick) software project reporting
• Strength & Weakness Analysis
• Business Plan Development & implementation
• C-suite opening & closing presentations
• Business Development Analysis & Market Penetration Analysis
• Employee Mentoring &  Educational Development Plans

In addition, I also spearheaded international expansions, in particular China. In China I’ve provided business development and International expertise to opening businesses.

Chief Operating Officer Two Year Contract

Paladino is a national thought leader in real estate and LEED sustainability and joining Paladino was a natural extension of my life-long interest in the organic design principles of Frank Lloyd Wright. At Paladino I have functioned as an expert strategist in building teams; I guide the coordination and positioning of technical staff, project managers and specialists to serve client projects and markets. I hone the expertise of leaders, equipping them with the core competencies of business development and the ability to maintain strong, trust-based client relationships. My skill for sharpening the team’s professional aptitude positions them to offer the industry top talent. My thorough understanding of business models and overseeing of financial performance has helped accelerate success and growth.

Chief Operating Officer Two Year Contract

Oppenheim is an internationally renowned modern design practice. The firm’s projects and design theory are recognized with awards all over the world. My contract has been to analyze current partners and their effectiveness in business development, produce a firm-wide talent assessment, and make implementation recommendations for reorganization and realignments. One overall objective was to prepare the firm for changes so as to set a path for future growth. I realigned the financial reporting systems to aid in project management effectiveness, written position descriptions for needed infill of talent, including a permanent COO, and written employee mentoring and education plans.

Principal–Strategic Corporate Development Two Year Contract

Ewing-Cole is a 50 year practice with 300 employees based in Philadelphia with expertise in health care and CCRC communities. Ewing-Cole had plateaued; revenues had not grown for about 5 years. As Principal - Strategic Corporate Business Development, I was brought into the company to instill an entrepreneurial proactive business experience into the firm.  I wrote the business plans across various market segments, and mentored with my experience. I focused on the re-positioning of the Washington DC office by spearheading a new business plan process working with the President of the company. A major endeavor was to develop a start-up business platform in Beijing, China to enter the healthcare and CCRC markets. I represented Ewing-Cole at international conferences in China and forged their start up relationships.

Owner – President

Prior to consulting for other firms, I was the owner/President of Curtin Design Group for 12 years.  CDG was a local boutique practice of architecture and Interior design. CDG was located in southern New Jersey as a lifestyle choice following many years of intense international travel. After designing to large scale budgets and programs for several years, the challenge now was to design to modest budgets, and clients not sophisticated in design theory. I developed new business opportunities in markets including commercial office, justice facilities, hospitality-hotels, restaurants and retail and maintained a payroll of 10 people for over a decade. Most employees remained at my side for the entire life of the office. As owner I was the designer-in-charge of all projects, I managed senior staff, managed P&L, publicity, HR, and marketing.

As was the case with many small firms; Curtin Design Group was closed in the intervening period following of the national economic downturn.

Vice President of Development for Design and Construction

As a wholly owned subsidiary of a Las Vegas operator, this company was formed to expand hotel/casino sites globally.  I personally led project site research, concept design, and all aspects of consultant hiring including contract negotiation, budget, and schedule administration. I lead design and project management on a variety of $100-million dollar design / build projects as well as expansions, renovations, and re-theming.  We built 4 major properties in the USA and negotiated gaming agreements in several foreign countries. Our largest project was the $1.2 billion Sydney Harbor Casino which was the result of a winning design in the international competition called Star City, which I produced as the lead designer in association with the Australian firm of Cox/Richardson. I assembled the team for the projects development and administered its development for 3 years. This position ended when Harrah’s’ Entertainment bought our company at twice the NYSE trading price and absorbed our assets.

Studio Principal

I was a Co-Leader in the Corporate Studio; we produced major headquarters projects such as UPS Corporation, AT&T Communications, Merck Pharmaceuticals, Beneficial Finance and Bristol-Meyers Squibb. I was a Studio Principal leading mostly the business development efforts of the team. A time came with a relationship opportunity in hand, that I branched into another interest and started Hillier’s’ first ever Hospitality Studio. As the sole design and business development leader in the start-up group I had direct control of management, business development and profitability.  With my client list growing and a full time staff of 50 people the hospitality group became the highest profit center in the company. Showboat casino, who was a client, wanted our team to work on an exclusive basis for their company, certainly a request we could not grant as a growing private practice. However, after many approaches, Showboat Casino asked that I lead their International expansion efforts, and offered me the position of VP of Development –Design & Construction.

Senior Associate–Design Director

Ashihara Associates was a branch office of a Tokyo based design firm. I was newly out of school when I joined Ashihara, and was hired as a staff designer. I grew with the office, and was eventually promoted to lead all design work. The office client base was predominantly Japanese firms expanding into the USA at that time. We produced Sony’s first New York offices, Nitsuko-Americas telecom headquarters in Connecticut, Marriott hotel at the World trade Center and we were the interior architects along site Morris Lapidus on the Benihana Hotel casino. Our most prominent project was the flagship store on Park Avenue for Italian based clothing designer Brioni, for which I was the lead designer.

Community & Political Participation

• Active in past operations of the ARCH—ATLANTIC RIDING CENTER FOR HEALTH. A non-profit therapeutic horse riding therapy center specializing in autistic children. Instrumental in keeping funding in place to operate the center thru hard economic times by providing scholarship opportunities for families that do not have adequate resources to support the child’s connectivity.
• I am well known Atlantic County NJ county and municipal politics. My 10 acre home was used quite frequently for large fundraisers during election years.
• Washington DC: On occasion, I’m invited to informal meetings with NJ State Congressmen in the US Capital Congressional Dining Room to discuss business and other local issues facing business owners in NJ.
• Beijing China: I have close relationships in the US Embassy in Beijing China. I initiated the concept of an Architect led US Trade Mission in China subsequently endorsed by the Ambassador to China, Ambassador Gary Locke. I organized and co-lead the US delegation in China traveling to multiple Provincial Capitals with the Ambassador presenting US Architect expertise in the areas of Healthcare and CCRC developments.

What Am I Really Passionate About

• Vermont has been our second home for 20 years, it’s a retreat, a place to recharge, ski, snowmobile, hike and enjoy our 4 legged children (dogs). In Vermont we've had challenges from hurricane Irene that brought a 500 year rainfall in one day, and last winter we had the lowest snowfall in history. I see the effects of our actions; the bears do not hibernate on time, the moose do not survive long periods of warm weather, insects do not die off in the winter, the trees do not have the vibrant fall colors famous all around the world. Our connection to the environment that is pristine reminds me that we don’t own the land, rather we are trusted stewards and are  responsible to its well being.  As architects we must recognize these signs and teach responsibility for climate change using our observations.
• Teaching today's newest professionals. A career in Architecture has taken me all over the world many times, and I’ve met some of the most interesting personalities, some famous, some not famous, but all interesting. I’ve worked on significant projects with big budgets, significant projects with small budgets, and I’ve counselled the clients who trusted in my advise.  And my clients all taught me to be a better listener. Teaching how to connect and communicate with clients as people and not objects of email is critical for today's millennial. To quote Richard Branson; “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to”.