Leo James Marx, AIA, NCARB
Chief Executive Officer
Denver, CO
Parrish Boren
President
Denver, CO
Gary C. Cohn, AIA
Chief Operating Officer
Irvine, CA
Mark M. Haddix, AIA, ASTM, CSI
Chief Technical Officer
San Francisco, CA
Michael Arias, Assoc AIA, ICO
Assistant Vice President
Pasadena, CA
Edward A. Bernard, AIA, CSI
Vice President
Atlanta, GA
Sandy Blair, AIA, CASp
Vice President
San Francisco, CA
Ronald L. Burgess, PE, AISC
Assistant Vice President
Director of Structural Engineering
Houston, TX
C.H. (Donnie) Byrd, AIA, NCARB
Vice President
Dallas, TX
Christopher Geier, PE, AISC
Vice President
Irvine, CA
Jana Hanford, AIA, ICC
Vice President
Training Division
Seattle, WA
Phillip Helms, NCARB
Senior Vice President
San Francisco, CA
Joseph Milam, PE, CIAQP, LEED AP
Assistant Vice President
Director of Mechanical Engineering
Atlanta, GA
Kirk Mulbach, AIA, NCARB
Vice President
Denver, CO
Rand Silverman, AIA, NCARB
Vice President
Houston, TX
Allan Thunder, AIA
Vice President
Seattle, WA
Paul J. Turek, PE
Vice President
Director of Construction Management
San Francisco, CA
Catherine Walker
Assistant Vice President, Operations
Denver, CO
George R. Wilson, R.A.
Vice President
Hartford, CT
Leo James Marx, AIA, NCARB
Chief Executive Officer
Denver, CO
As founder and shareholder of the firm, Jim directs the overall strategic goals and planning of the organization, bringing over 35 years of architectural, business and real estate development and construction-related experience to the endeavor. He provides his leadership talents in relationships with the company's major clients, as well as coordinating and overseeing more complex projects.
Well known as an industry leader, Jim is also a master of relationship building within the industry, between clients, consultants, contractors, developers, builders—and even the competition. Well read and always inquisitive, he continuously surprises with innovative ideas and problem-solving techniques.
Jim holds a bachelor's in architecture and master's in urban and regional planning from the University of Colorado. He is a registered architect in Colorado, California, Georgia and Massachusetts, and is certified with the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. Jim is also a member of the American Institute of Architects, the Construction Specification Institute and the Urban Land Institute.
Jim can be contacted by email at jim_marx@marxokubo.com.
Parrish Boren
President
Denver, CO
As a shareholder of the firm, Parrish is responsible for all of Marx|Okubo's corporate financial and operating concerns.
He has over 25 years of experience in commercial real estate, including asset management and development, and is proficient in the economic analysis of all commercial property types and real estate ventures, including sensitivity, redevelopment analysis, loan modifications and distressed work-out situations.
Parrish holds a bachelor's in environmental design from Texas A&M University and a master's in business administration, with an emphasis in real estate finance, from Southern Methodist University. He is a licensed real estate broker in Texas and Colorado, and is a member of the Urban Land Institute.
Parrish can be contacted by email at parrish_boren@marxokubo.com.
Gary C. Cohn, AIA
Chief Operating Officer
Irvine, CA
As a shareholder with the firm, Gary is responsible for managing the operations of Marx|Okubo's offices and overseeing the construction of projects ranging from mid-rise office buildings to multi-unit condominium properties.
Since joining Marx|Okubo in 1993, he has worked on commercial, retail, industrial, multi-family residential and hospitality projects. Gary has been involved in architecture over 25 years, working at civil engineering and environmental consulting firms.
He holds a bachelor's in architecture from California State Polytechnic University-Pomona and completed additional course work in development finance and construction law at the University of California. Gary is a licensed architect in California and is registered with the state as a disaster service worker, with a specialty in building construction. He is also an active member in the American Institute of Architects.
Gary can be contacted by email at gary_cohn@marxokubo.com.
Mark M. Haddix, AIA, ASTM, CSI
Chief Technical Officer
San Francisco, CA
A shareholder of the firm, Mark was responsible for opening the company's Seattle and San Francisco offices, as well as successfully expanding and developing the company's business associations throughout the western and northwestern United States.
With over 30 years of experience in the construction and architectural fields, he has been involved in all types of commercial property and multi-family projects. Mark's expertise and enthusiasm for the technical aspects of construction also help him challenge younger professionals to scrutinize the nuances of material failures.
He received a bachelor's and master's in architecture from the University of Colorado. He is a registered architect in Washington and California, and is a member of the American Institute of Architects, American Society for Testing and Materials, American Concrete Institute and Construction Specifications Institute.
Mark can be contacted by email at marx_haddix@marxokubo.com.
Michael Arias, Assoc AIA, ICO
Assistant Vice President
Pasadena, CA
Michael co-manages operations in Marx|Okubo's Southern California region, and is responsible for performing architectural consulting and owner representation-related services in the California area.
He has over 25 years in the construction and architectural fields, holding positions such as Architectural Job Captain, Construction Project Manager and Building Evaluator. Michael's experience includes providing comprehensive reviews for all types of operational building characteristics for major clients, involving most commercial property types.
He holds a bachelor's in urban and regional planning from California Polytechnic University at Pomona. Michael is also an associate member of the American Institute of Architects and an active member of the International Conference of Building Officials.
Michael can be contacted by email at mike_arias@marxokubo.com.
Edward A. Bernard, AIA, CSI
Vice President
Atlanta, GA
As Vice President and Southeast U.S. Manager, Ed is responsible for directing operations of the Atlanta office and Marx|Okubo's work in the southeast U.S.
With over 25 years of architectural design, development and forensic evaluation experience, he has been involved in all project phases across multiple project types, including healthcare, civic, multi-family and single family residential, mixed-use commercial, retail, educational facilities, corporate facilities and interiors. Ed's areas of specialty range from forensic and analytical architecture to project management and real estate strategy.
He earned a Bachelor's of Science in Architectural Engineering from Southern Polytechnic State University. Ed is a registered architect in Georgia, North Carolina and Texas and a member of the Construction Specification Institute, the Urban Land Institute and Southern Polytechnic State University's College of Architecture Professional Advisory Board. He served as 2011 President of the Georgia Association of the American Institute of Architects and is current serving as Past-President on the 2012 AIA Georgia Board. He has also been the recipient of four AIA "Service to the Profession" Awards.
Ed can be contacted by email at edward_bernard@marxokubo.com.
Sandy Blair, AIA, CASp
Vice President
San Francisco, CA
Sandy co-manages the Northern California office and is responsible for a broad range of services including design and constructability reviews, property condition assessments, review of construction draws, owner representation, detailed cost analysis, periodic construction observation services and disabled accessibility reviews.
For over 15 years, she has been involved in design/build work in the Bay Area and Southern California. Sandy's experience includes design development, construction document preparation and construction observation involving residential, retail and commercial facilities, as well as subcontractor management, budgeting, scheduling, permitting and construction quality assessment. Additional specialties include accessibility reviews for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Federal Fair Housing Act and California Access Code (Title 24).
Sandy obtained her bachelor's in architecture and a minor in city planning from the University of California at Berkeley. She is a licensed architect in California and a member of the American Institute of Architects. Sandy is a Certified Access Specialist (CASp) in the State of California and has completed the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Fair Housing FIRST professional training curriculum.
Sandy can be contacted by email at sandy_blair@marxokubo.com.
Ronald L. Burgess, PE, AISC, ASCE
Assistant Vice President
Director of Structural Engineering
Houston, TX
A senior professional in the Houston office, serving Texas and portions of the southeastern United States, Ron oversees the structural division of Marx|Okubo.
With nearly 30 years of experience in structural engineering design and construction fields, he has designed and managed a variety of project types, including educational, medical, religious, commercial, entertainment, and industrial. Prior to joining Marx|Okubo, Ron was a principal in a structural engineering firm for four years and designed and administered large projects while in private practice.
He received a bachelor's in architectural studies and a master's in architecture in structures from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Ron is a licensed professional engineer in Texas and a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Institute of Steel Construction and the Construction Specifications Institute.
Ron can be contacted by email at ronald_burgess@marxokubo.com.
C.H. (Donnie) Byrd, AIA, NCARB
Vice President
Dallas, TX
Donnie is responsible for the management and operation of Marx|Okubo's Irving, Texas office, which currently serves the entire state and portions of the southern United States.
With over 30 years of architectural, development and construction-related experience, he has expertise in the full development process from inception, budgeting and programming through construction and occupancy of large, diverse projects. Prior to joining Marx|Okubo, Donnie was a senior project manager with an educational construction firm and served as an associate shareholder at an international consulting firm for commercial and institutional clients.
He received both a bachelor's in environmental design and master's in architecture from Texas A&M University. Donnie is a member of the American Institute of Architects and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.
Donnie can be contacted by email at donnie_byrd@marxokubo.com.
Christopher Geier, PE, AISC
Vice President
Irvine, CA
Chris is responsible for the management and operation of Marx|Okubo's Southern California region and is responsible for a broad range of services, including conducting property condition assessments, seismic risk assessments, pre-construction reviews, and owner's representation services.
He has been involved in engineering practice for over 20 years and has been conducting due diligence evaluations on a wide range of commercial property types since 1998. He has been the primary evaluator on the Hollywood Park racetrack in Inglewood, California, as well as the Tribune Studios facility in Hollywood, California. He also functioned as the owner's representative on a major renovation for the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance, California, which is among the largest shopping centers in the country. He has represented the firm as primary contact for a large portfolio of evaluations, which consisted of over 120 facilities that were completed within a six-week timeframe.
He holds both bachelor's and master's degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of California at Los Angeles and is currently licensed as a Civil Engineer in the states of California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.
Chris can be contacted by email at chris_geier@marxokubo.com.
Jana Hanford, AIA, ICC
Vice President
Training Division
Seattle, WA
Jana is a shareholder and one of the senior professionals at Marx|Okubo's Seattle office. She also heads the company-wide professional training program.
Jana has successfully managed condition assessments on all types of commercial properties, ranging from multi-family to office towers, and has been engaged in the construction and lending-related aspects of the commercial real estate industry for over 30 years. Her knowledge of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Federal Fair Housing Act are a company resource. Prior to joining Marx|Okubo, she was Manager of Construction Loan Administration for a privately owned northwest mortgage company. Jana has also been a lecturer at the University of Washington's College of Architecture and Urban Planning.
Jana obtained bachelor's degrees in environmental design and building construction as well as a master's in architecture from the University of Washington. She is a licensed architect in the state of Washington, a LEED accredited professional, and is a member of the American Institute of Architects, the International Code Council, Seattle Building Enclosure Council, Commercial Real Estate Women, Washington Association of Maintenance and Operations Administrators and King County Disaster Response Team.
Jana can be contacted by email at jana_hanford@marxokubo.com.
Phillip Helms, NCARB
Senior Vice President
San Francisco, CA
A shareholder of the firm, Phillip is responsible for a broad range of services including design, owner representation, construction review and project management for renovation and seismic retrofit of projects throughout the West including Alaska and Hawaii.
A 40-year veteran of the industry, he has been engaged in architecture, land use planning, real estate development and property condition assessment. Phillip's previous positions include project architect for three architectural firms, Senior Vice President of Design and Planning for a real estate development corporation, and lecturer and adjunct faculty member at both the University of Colorado and the University of Washington.
He attended Oregon, Colorado and Washington state universities and holds professional degrees in architecture, urban and regional planning, and urban design. Phillip holds a National Council of Architectural Registration Boards certificate, facilitating reciprocity throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and numerous foreign countries.
Phillip can be contacted by email at phillip_helms@marxokubo.com.
Joseph Milam, PE, CIAQP, LEED AP
Assistant Vice President
Director of Mechanical Engineering
Atlanta, GA
Joseph (Joey) Milam is responsible for the technical, administrative and financial areas of Marx|Okubo's mechanical, electrical and fire protection services.
With over 27 years of experience in consulting engineering, including work with surveys, evaluations and design of building systems for more than 2,500 facilities throughout the United States, Joey's expansive areas of expertise range from property condition assessments and building diagnostics and forensic investigations to indoor air quality survey, energy evaluations, LEED consulting and LEED Gap analyses.
He holds a bachelor's in mechanical engineering and a multi-disciplinary certificate in energy engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Joey is a registered engineer in Georgia and Ohio. A published author and guest speaker, he is also a Certified Indoor Air Quality Professional; LEED Accredited Professional; and member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Association of Energy Engineers, the U.S. Green Building Council and the National Fire Protection Association.
Joey can be contacted by email at joseph_milam@marxokubo.com.
Kirk Mulbach, AIA, NCARB
Vice President
Denver, CO
Kirk joined Marx|Okubo in 1998 and is now responsible for the management and operation of Marx|Okubo's Denver office, which services the Rocky Mountain region and the northern Midwest. Day to day management responsibilities include allocation of man power resources, maintaining schedules, interface with other regions and managing both regional and national client contacts.
Since 1978, he has designed and managed projects ranging from single- and multi-family residential to industrial and commercial projects, including office buildings, manufacturing facilities, hotels and resorts, and regional shopping malls. Current work scopes include design and constructability reviews, owner representation, construction project management, forensic investigations, expert witness, property condition assessments, detailed cost analysis and construction observation services.
Kirk received Bachelor's degrees in Architecture and Fine Arts from Syracuse University. He is a licensed architect in Colorado and is certified with National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. Kirk is also a member of the American Institute of Architects and the Sealant, Waterproofing and Restoration Institute.
Kirk can be contacted by email at kirk_mulbach@marxokubo.com.
Rand Silverman, AIA, NCARB
Vice President
Houston, TX
Rand Silverman is responsible for the management and operation of Marx|Okubo's Texas region, which currently services all of Texas and portions of the southeastern United States.
With over 30 years of experience in the construction and architectural fields, serving as both the design architect as well as a general contractor/builder, he has completed projects ranging from single-family housing to hotels and medical facilities. Prior to joining Marx|Okubo, Rand worked with several multi-national architectural firms, later forming his own company.
He holds a bachelor's in architecture from Texas A&M University and is a licensed architect in Texas, Colorado, Florida and Virginia. Rand is a member of the American Institute of Architects, Texas Society of Architects and the Houston Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, and is a frequent speaker at AIA sponsored events. He is also a member of Texas A&M University's College of Architecture Professional Advisory Board; serves as a planning committee member for the South Texas College of Law, Center for Legal Responsibility; and is certified by the South Texas College of Law as a mediator/arbitrator for Alternative Dispute Resolution.
Rand can be contacted by email at rand_silverman@marxokubo.com.
Allan Thunder, AIA
Vice President
Seattle, WA
Allan is responsible for the management and operation of Marx|Okubo's Seattle office, which serves the northwest U.S. and Alaska. He joined the firm in 2003 and has served as architect, contractor and construction project manager on a wide variety of projects.
For 30 years he has specialized in project and construction management, constructability reviews, value engineering and cost estimating. Allan also has extensive experience in many project types including commercial office, medical laboratories, educational facilities, multi-family residential and retail centers.
He received his bachelor's in building construction from the University of Washington and master's in finance from Seattle University. Allan is a licensed architect in the state of Washington, a member of the American Institute of Architects and a lecturer at the University of Washington's School of Architecture.
Allan can be contacted by email at allan_thunder@marxokubo.com.
Paul J. Turek, PE
Vice President
Director of Construction Management
San Francisco, CA
As Vice President and corporate director of construction management services, Paul is responsible for providing construction/project management and owner's representation services on a wide range of projects.
Prior to joining Marx|Okubo in 2003, he was an engineer in the United States Marine Corps, and managed construction projects throughout the United States for private firms since 1986. Recent projects have included the renovation and conversion of the Holiday Inn Select to an award-winning Hilton Hotel in San Francisco; restorative repairs and BART tenant improvements at the Kaiser Building in Oakland; and ground-up construction of an AAA ballpark in Reno, Nevada.
Paul holds a bachelor's in civil engineering from Northwestern University. He is both a registered civil engineer and a licensed general contractor in California.
Paul can be contacted by email at paul_turek@marxokubo.com.
Catherine Walker
Assistant Vice President, Operations
Denver, CO
Cathy, a shareholder of the firm, has been a key professional in the Marx|Okubo organization for 15 years. She oversees coordination of project professionals and office management; preparation of contracts with clients and sub-consultants; and administrative operations, procedures, formats and standards.
Cathy's wide range of responsibilities have also included project budget and financial status reporting, project communication and document control, client contact management and administration of corporate policies. Prior to joining Marx|Okubo, she worked for tenant finish general contractor for 13 years.
Cathy received a bachelor's degree from Iowa State University, and a master's in business administration from Regis University in Denver.
Cathy can be contacted by email at cathy_walker@marxokubo.com.
George R. Wilson, R.A.
Vice President
Hartford, CT
George R. Wilson, Vice President, joined Marx|Okubo in 2011, and is responsible for the management and operation of Marx|Okubo's Northeast Region.
Since 1997, his focus has been performing Property Condition Assessments on multi-family residential, industrial and commercial projects. He has directed the production and creation of thousands of Property Condition Assessments. As a licensed Architect, he has worked for various consulting architectural and design/build firms in the New York City Metropolitan marketplace. He has a broad familiarity with building design ranging from housing to retail, commercial and industrial buildings.
He holds a Bachelor's in Architecture from New York Institute of Technology, and is a licensed Architect in the states of New York and Connecticut.
George can be contacted by email at george_wilson@marxokubo.com.