LSW’s fourth quarter launch of 2022 was a great gathering at the firm for the first time in the past two years. Like last year, our core values still hold true in that people are the heart and soul of our firm.
News
LSW Celebrates New Principal, Associate Principals, and Associates at Fourth Quarter Launch, 2022
November 21, 2022 by LSW Architects
We would like to congratulate the promotions of six individuals who continue to thrive and take on leadership roles: Principal, Stefani Randall; three Associate Principals, Karen Knauss, Mark Schlichting, and Spencer Anderson; and lastly two Associates, Derek Brown and Mike Harmel, all of whom have made huge leaps and bounds to get to where they are today — we could not be more proud of their accomplishments and the impact they have made on our communities.
Principal
Stefani Randall was named the newest Principal to LSW.
Stefani Randall (AIA, NCARB) has been promoted from Associate Principal to Principal in acknowledgement of her ongoing and passionate commitment to LSW’s growth, impact, and holistic support of our clients and partners. An 8-year veteran of LSW, Stefani’s leadership has resulted in strategic process improvement, quality assurance, and client success frameworks that have allowed the firm to vertically integrate a range of services focused on world class design and client experience. In her new leadership role, Stefani will support the expansion of LSW’s multifamily housing portfolio and work closely with leadership to create high value across the firm and throughout the communities LSW serves by leveraging her robust technical skills.
Leaning on her design and process talents, Stefani will support the attraction of new business and elevate the quality of work produced by LSW’s teams in support of our clients. As Principal, Stefani will lead the ongoing development of LSW’s project management, documentation, and quality standards, championing a culture of continuous improvement to allow for innovation and creativity to flourish across the firm. LSW is excited to continue supporting and elevating Stefani’s role with the team.
Associate Principals
LSW has also named Karen Knauss, Mark Schlichting, and Spencer Anderson as Associate Principals.
Representing foundational members of the LSW team, LSW’s newest Associate Principles draw from deep wells of expertise, technical proficiency, passion, and understanding of our clients to create fundamental value across the firm. Their individual and collective impact is multiplied by providing ongoing guidance, mentorship, and insight focused directly on the nurturing and development of future firm leaders at LSW.
Karen Knauss
As an Associate Principal at LSW Architects, Karen Knauss (AIA) brings with her robust expertise in both new construction and dynamic renovation projects, creating unique and dynamic spaces that welcome, engage, and empower users and communities, especially within our foundational public education environments. Her diverse experience and people-first leadership style will be critical components of LSW’s long-term success and strategic growth.
Mark Schlichting
Approaching a decade with LSW, Mark Schlichting’s (AIA) established quality assurance leadership and project-success mindset will be key tenants of his role as Associate Principal. Mark has nurtured a culture of mentorship and growth at LSW among the firm’s key design team members. His investment and commitment to others has resulted in the success of not just LSW, but our clients, partners, and projects. Adept at navigating and simplifying complex systems, Mark’s meticulous attention to detail and ability to document vast amounts of information make him uniquely suited to this expanded leadership role supporting peers and colleagues in and outside LSW.
Spencer Anderson
Joining the ranks of Associate Principal alongside Karen and Mark is Spencer Anderson (AIA, CPHC, LEED Green Associate). Spencer is a foundational project and design leader within LSW’s multifamily and mixed-use practice areas. Throughout his tenure with LSW, Spencer has honed a dynamic set of skills to approach projects and challenges with a solutions-oriented mindset that does not compromise meaningful design. As Associate Principal, Spencer will continue to invest-in and lead LSW’s integrated sustainable and target value design approach, championing the needs of our clients while pursuing innovation design solutions that yield holistic value to projects and clients. Spencer’s unique ability to understand the needs and goals of our clients and immediately translate those into the built environment supporting authentic human experiences will provide lasting impact to the communities in which we work.
Associates
Derek Brown and Mike Harmel were named the newest Associates at LSW.
Rounding out 2022 firm promotions are our core design team members whose leadership and contributions uniquely position them for the role of Associate. LSW Associates are known for their keen ability to hone their craft and deploy innovate design approaches that offer distinct value for our clients and projects. As Associates, these critical team members have demonstrated their commitment and passion for growth, to pursue excellence in their work, and drive the collective impact of LSW as one of our community’s longest continuously operating design firms.
Derek Brown
Derek Brown is a multi-skilled and highly adaptable designer with an extensive background in a variety of project sectors from mixed-used developments to retail, hospitality, and manufacturing facilities. As an Associate, Derek will play key roles in both leading and supporting critical design and project approach elements for LSW and our clients. His zeal for design excellence, sustainability, and functionality has brought incredible value to LSW and our practice areas.
Mike Harmel
Representing the core tenants of a truly successful Associate, Mike Harmel is a highly-detailed, process-driven designer who thrives in complexity and strives to provide simplicity and clarity for our clients. With a natural ability to bottom line the most complex situations, Mike brings a pragmatic and logical approach to his championship of projects, both large and small. A consistent sage voice of reason, Mike seeks to nurture team approaches to problem solving and drive unfettered accountability that ensures project success and the highest possible client experience.
