completed acquisitions

Deems Lewis McKinley (DLM), a leading firm in K-12 design with offices in San Francisco, Sacramento and San Diego, merged their firm with Harley Ellis Devereaux (HED).  DLM brings over 55 years of experience in the design of educational facilities and will significantly expand HED's presence in the K-12 Schools + Community Education market across California. The merger complements HED’s focus on Corporate + Commercial, Healthcare, Higher Education, Pre K-12, Community Education, and Science + Technology sectors.
 
Strogoff Consulting introduced the firms to each other and advised DLM throughout the merger process, including collaborating with each firm’s team of attorneys, accountants, CFOs and advisors.  Upon reaching agreement on an overall framework, the due diligence and negotiation of definitive agreements proceeded seamlessly as both firms continued to focus on meeting their commitments to a growing base of clients.

​Westlake Reed Leskosky (WRL), a 180-person architecture / engineering / technology firm with studios in Washington, D.C., New York, Charlotte, Cleveland, Phoenix, Los Angeles and Shanghai, joined DLR Group to create a 1,000+ person global design firm with 26 locations.  Both WRL and DLR Group are perennial members of the ARCHITECT magazine Top 50, each having been ranked as the #1 design firm in the United States by the official publication of the American Institute of Architects.

Strogoff Consulting worked closely with Paul Westlake, Jr., FAIA, throughout the merger process, including collaborating with each firm’s team of attorneys, accountants, CFOs and advisors.  Michael was instrumental in developing an acquisition and earnout framework that closely aligned both firm’s strategic objectives and awarded WRL for the strong value they bring to this merger.

SvR Design Company (SvR), a 32-person planning and design firm that integrates the skills of civil engineers, landscape architects, planners and sustainability experts, became part of MIG, a 175-person multi-disciplinary firm with a dozen offices up and down the West Coast and in New York, North Carolina and Denver.  Each of SvR's Managing Principals will become Principals at MIG.  According to SvR’s Founding Principal Peg Staeheli, “Michael was a voice of reason as we worked closely with MIG and our two sets of attorneys and accountants to arrive at a framework and set of agreements that met each of our primary goals”

Strogoff Consulting advised SvR Design Company throughout the merger process, including collaborating with each firm’s team of attorneys, accountants, CFOs and advisors. Upon reaching agreement on an overall framework, the due diligence and closing was concluded within two months.
 
Tucker, Young, Jackson, Tull, Inc. (TYJT), based in Detroit and recognized as a leader in water, waste water and infrastructure engineering, became part of Alfred Benesch & Company (Benesch).  The addition of TYJT expands Benesch’s design services and adds two new offices to Benesch – one in Detroit and the other in Baltimore.  The combined firm has approximately 600 employees and offices in fifteen states.  According to TYJT’s President George Karmo, “Michael served as our trusted advisor throughout the entire process.  After understanding our goals and value proposition, Michael introduced us to Benesch and was instrumental in helping both firms achieve their respective goals.

Strogoff Consulting introduced the firms and advised TYJT throughout the merger process, including collaborating with each firm’s team of attorneys, accountants, CFOs and advisors to craft a mutually beneficial framework and set of agreements.

ReelGrobman, based in San Jose and one of the Silicon Valley's largest interior architecture firms, merged with HGA, ranked among the top 10 architecture and engineering firms in the country.  The ReelGrobman acquisition brings about a seamless integration of services, which includes everything from core/shell architectural design and engineering to corporate interiors services throughout the country.

Prior to and just after closing, HGA and ReelGrobman met with ReelGrobman’s key clients, who embraced the combined firm's expanded reach and service offerings.  Strogoff Consulting guided ReelGrobman through this acquisition.   Upon the signing of the Letter of Intent, due diligence and closing was concluded within eight weeks.

Connell Design Group, an interior architecture firm based just north of Seattle, merged with Ware Malcomb, an international design firm based in Irvine, California with 15 offices in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Panama.  Connell Design Group’s leadership team will assume key roles and enable Ware Malcomb to establish a strong presence throughout the vibrant Seattle metropolitan area.  Ware Malcomb CEO Lawrence R. Armstrong stated, “Many of our corporate clients are in the Seattle market, so having an established office in Seattle was highly strategic."  He further commented, " Connell Design Group has done a great job running a very successful business, and we will incorporate many of their approaches.”

Strogoff Consulting introduced the firms and advised Connell Design Group throughout the merger process.   The transaction closed within 30 days after the signing of a detailed Memorandum of Understanding.

Daniel Solomon Design Partners, based in San Francisco and internationally known for place-based urban design and urban housing, merged with Mithun, a Seattle-based architecture, landscape architecture, planning and interior design firm globally known for sustainable design.  The merger immediately elevates the combined firm’s urban residential, mixed use, office, civic, cultural and academic capabilities to meet the demand for livable, sustainable cities worldwide.  According to Daniel Solomon, FAIA, “It is rare that a business merger actually represents a conjoining of ideas that reinforces one another and extends their range.  The housing, urban buildings, neighborhood design and urban repair we have done for decades are a perfect corollary to the sophisticated environmentalism, design sensibility and applied science that Mithun brings to all scales of the physical world.”  Strogoff Consulting introduced the firms and advised Daniel Solomon Design Partners throughout the merger process. 
Tetra Design, Inc., Architects, based on Pasadena, CA, merged with IBI Group, headquartered in Toronto, Canada.  Tetra Design gained tremendous depth and diversity to pursue a wider breadth of architectural and urban environment projects while IBI Group obtained an operating base within the greater Los Angeles market and additional expertise in education, transportation, libraries and administration facilities.  Tetra Design’s clients, including the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles Community College District, The City of Los Angeles and the County of Los Angeles widely embraced this merger.  Strogoff Consulting introduced the firms and advised Tetra Design Inc., Architects throughout the merger process. ​

BFGC Architects & Planners (San Jose, San Luis Obispo and Bakersfield) merged with IBI Group (headquartered in Toronto, Canada).  This merger extends IBI Group’s expansion throughout California and complements the IBI Group of Firms comprised of over 2,200 people in 67 offices worldwide.  BFGC’s entire leadership team will continue in their key roles.  The integration is based on BFGC’s five-year strategic planning and succession planning process, and provides BFGC’s staff with enhanced career opportunities.  Strogoff Consulting introduced the firms and advised BFGC Architects & Planners throughout the merger process.

Polk Stanley Rowland Curzon Porter Architects and Wilcox Group Architects (Littlerock and Fayetteville, AK) merged their award-winning Arkansas firms to form Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects.  Pooling their talents and leadership teams allowed the to new firm to extend its reach throughout Arkansas.  The firms successfully worked together on numerous projects prior to merging.  Strogoff Consulting facilitated a joint strategic planning retreat and worked closely with both firms during the merger process.

Gould Evans (Kansas City, Phoenix, Boston, Salt Lake City and Tampa) acquired Baum Thornley Architects (San Francisco) The merger bolstered Baum Thornley's position in its core markets - multi-family housing, wineries, commercial projects and residential facilities - and capitalized on Gould Evans' broad national planning and design experience.  Baum Thornley founder Bob Baum described the merger as "combining a small firm's responsiveness, agility and follow-through with the reach and capabilities of a larger firm." Strogoff Consulting worked closely with both firms during the merger process.

Jubany Architecture (Los Angeles, CA) merged with NAC (Seattle, Spokane and Coeur d’Alene, ID) to create an architectural firm with offices in three states and a staff of more than 150. The merger allowed NAC (formerly Northwest Architectural Company) to more effectively extend its services and expertise to regions outside the Northwest and enabled Jubany Architecture to offer a broader range of services throughout California and the Northwest.  Strogoff Consulting introduced the firms and advised Jubany Architecture throughout the merger process.

gkkWorks (Irvine, CA) acquired Leidenfrost/Horowitz & Associates, Inc. (Glendale, CA), to create a 240-person firm.  The merger enabled gkkworks to diversify its unique blend of design and construction services into California's commercial retail market and expand its work within the  education sector and facilitated LHA's ownership transition plans.  Strogoff Consulting introduced the two firms and advised gkkworks throughout the merger process.

Cuningham Group Architecture (Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Denver, San Diego, Las Vegas, Seoul, Shanghai and Madrid, Spain) acquired Renfro & Elliott (Bakersfield, CA). This merger continued Cuningham Group Architecture's expansion into California's Central Valley and allowed Renfro and Elliott's to broaden its K-12 portfolio to include corporate and governmental offices, financial institutions, health care and higher education environments.  Strogoff Consulting introduced the firms and advised Renfro & Elliott throughout the merger process.

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