From left to right: Jacquelyn Block, Ricardo Montoya, Todd Burtis
GFF announces three new principals as the firm continues to expand its reach and add diversity of expertise and perspective to its principal team. The three architects—Jacquelyn Block (AIA, LEED AP), Ricardo Montoya (AIA, CDT), and Todd Burtis (AIA)—are uniquely talented and proven leaders in the GFF practice, the company reports.
"Jacquelyn Block (Principal/Studio Director) has a heart for people and their vision. Her leadership of our Church Works Studio and the projects they produce have given her a platform to connect with clients, end-users, communities, and the designers she leads daily," GFF leaders say. "Her dedication to client service while managing award-winning design work is a model for our future leaders."
Of the milestone, Block says, "I am thrilled to join the GFF leadership team and look forward to continuing to solidify our practice as an industry leader by positively impacting communities through innovative design solutions and exceptional client service."
Ricardo Montoya (Principal/Director of Technical Resources) is a technical philosopher, GFF representatives report, rigorously thoughtful and considers every detail an opportunity to create something truly great. "His methodical nature will provide our practice with an extra dose of bold leadership and analytical acuity," the leaders report.
Montoya shares of his promotion, "At university, I was immediately drawn to architecture for the opportunities it provided for creative exploration of the structures and spaces we inhabit. In practice, I was drawn to the exploration of building assemblies, building materials, and execution of design concepts. As part of GFF’s leadership group, I look forward to working with a larger cross section of our firm to continue to refine and improve our design process in a way that bridges the creative, technical, and business aspects of our work."
"Todd Burtis (Principal/Senior Design Leader) is everything you want in a design leader: charismatic, confident, and talented at the creation of places that are both beautiful and uniquely personal to the people for whom he designs," the firm's management says. "His creative abilities inspire us all, and we look forward to years of compelling design as we continue to push the envelope of city-shaping projects throughout the state of Texas."
Burtis adds, "Over the 19 years I have been with GFF, it has been amazing to witness the growth and evolution of our firm and work. I am very proud of what we have already accomplished, beyond excited by what we are achieving today and cannot wait to see what the future brings."
