He has served as the chairperson for the AIA Akron Design Awards since 2015, and recently juried the AIA Ohio Student Design Awards. Eric has also served as a judge for Firehouse Magazine’s Station Design Awards, and the chairperson for the national Law Enforcement Technology’s Station Design Awards.

Eric’s contagious enthusiasm for the architectural design process is the fuel that ignites the creative culture at DS Architecture. In the studio, Eric’s design process prompts collaboration across disciplines, and encourages an open and iterative method uncovering innovative solutions to complex problems. Eric champions a collaborative culture, which has led the firm to be recognized by the Cleveland Restoration Society of AIA Cleveland, AIA Akron, Heritage Ohio, Smart Business Magazine, Crain’s Cleveland Business, and features in Properties Magazine.

Eric served as an adjunct instructor at Kent State University’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design for seven years, teaching design studio and digital application courses. Eric earned his B.S. in Architecture and a Master of Architecture and Master of Business Administration from KSU.

She has been teaching building construction, environmental design and film since 1986. Her area of research passion is architecturally exposed structural steel and has now published four extensive books on the subject with Birkhäuser, including Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel: Systems, Connections, Details as well as a steel design resource, Understanding Steel Design: An Architectural Design Manual. She works with several agencies developing teaching resources for architectural education.

Having served as president of the Building Technology Educators’ Society (BTES), she is now serving as a board member with BTES. She also serves on several committees, including the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction Education and Research Council and the Ontario Association of Architects Committee for the Sustainable Built Environment. She is an avid photographer, documenting construction processes and completed buildings.

He has nearly 50 years of experience in the metal building industry having begun his career as a design engineer in 1972. John has held various engineering positions, ultimately serving as the president of the Metal Building Division at Behlen.

John has also served on several task forces and committees at the Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA), including being chairman in 2001. John currently chairs both the Education and Sustainability committees at MBMA and has been a driving force in establishing the association’s student design competition.

In August 2014, Robert became the national accounts manager of Silvercote—a leading manufacturer and laminator in custom insulation solutions for the industrial, commercial and residential markets. Prior, Robert was active in the management and daily transactions of Silvercote’s Metal Building Inside Sales Team, and Strategic Accounts.