DETROIT — SmithGroupJJR, an architecture, engineering, and planning firm, has promoted Emily McKinnon, Lauren Williams, Laura Matter, Tricia Beck, Michael Paul Krug, Stephen Lodge, and Mark Potter to principal at its Detroit and Ann Arbor offices.
McKinnon, of Ann Arbor, is a civil engineer, has more than 15 years of design and engineering experience in municipal, institutional and commercial projects. One of McKinnon’s latest, most noteworthy projects is the new Traverse City Public Pier in downtown Traverse City, for which she is serving as civil engineer and project manager. McKinnon earned a Bachelor of Civil & Environmental Engineering degree from the University of Michigan.
Williams, of Saline, is a landscape architect and urban designer, whose primary focus is campus planning. A member of the SmithGroupJJR Ann Arbor office, Williams has provided her expertise on several long-term growth and development strategies for a range of academic, commercial and healthcare projects. Williams is serving as campus planner and project coordinator on the multi-campus, El Paso Community College Master Plan, El Paso, Texas. She received a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a Master of Urban Design at the University of Michigan.
Matter as SmithGroupJJR’s Learning Practice manager based at the Detroit office, is responsible for overseeing strategic and tactical activities to ensure market leadership and growth of the learning practice. With more than 15 years of experience in the A/E industry, her efforts in marketing, research, communications and client development have further advanced the firm’s learning practice team. Additionally, she has been a key support in growing the firm’s presence in Shanghai, China by helping to define a marketing strategy, as well as business development goals and initiatives. Matter, of Royal Oak, is active in the Society for Marketing Professional Services and is past president of the Michigan chapter. Matter earned a Bachelor and Master of Architecture from University of Detroit-Mercy and a Master of Business Administration from University of Michigan-Dearborn.
Beck, of Waterford, is a senior project manager in the SmithGroupJJR Detroit office. She specializes in cultivating strategy, while applying sustainable, human-centered design in both the learning and health care studios. With nearly 20 years of experience, Beck excels at leveraging strong internal and external relationships and managing daily project activities. Among Beck’s most significant projects are the University of Michigan-Flint, Murchie Science Building renovations; the 500,000-square-foot Emory University Hospital Expansion, Atlanta; and the new 67,000-square-foot Valley Dining Center at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, slated to break ground this spring. Beck received a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a Master of Architecture from Lawrence Technological University.
Krug, of Chelsea, a project architect in the SmithGroupJJR Detroit office, has served as a key team member on a wide-range of multifaceted projects within the firm’s Health, Learning and Science & Technology studios. Some of the most noteworthy projects for Krug include the 229,800-square-foot Facility for Rare Isotope Beams at Michigan State University, now under construction in East Lansing; and the 72,500-square-foot Events Center at Central Michigan University. Krug graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Science in architecture followed by a Master of Architecture.
Lodge, of Washington Township, is the Detroit office’s director of architecture. Lodge has more than 20 years of experience, specializing in complex spaces such as gymnasiums, natatoriums, music rooms and specialty classrooms, and delivers consistent results to municipal and education clients alike. He is serving as project architect for Sparrow Health System Hospital’s cafeteria relocation and retail improvements, Lansing; and the 125,000-square-foot, Charlevoix Area Hospital Master Plan, Charlevoix. Lodge holds a Bachelor of Science in architecture and a Master of Architecture, both from Lawrence Technological University.
