Architecture Firm AO Appoints Five Partners and Three Principals

(PRESS RELEASE) ORANGE, CA — AO, a leading full-service architecture firm with design expertise spanning the full commercial real estate spectrum, today announced the promotions of 13 employees including five new partners, three principals, four senior associates and one associate. These promotions acknowledge the long-serving leadership and commitment to AO’s success exhibited by each team member and support the firm’s recent expansion into new markets, including the recent opening of an Atlanta office and the growth of its studios to serve sectors including science and technology, data centers, healthcare, interiors, modular, affordable housing and senior living.

“AO’s five new partners have consistently demonstrated an ability to lead high-performance teams, collaborate successfully with clients and bring in new work to expand the firm’s opportunities, which is the lifeblood of any organization,” said Rob Budetti, managing partner at AO. “They each bring an unmatched level of technical knowledge and expertise in their specific practice areas and are committed to providing the highest quality client service – the cornerstone on which our firm was founded over 45 years ago.”

Partners

• Eric Aubort has over 30 years of experience in the commercial field, specializing in industrial design and mixed-use projects. Beginning his career working as a mason in the construction industry, he brings a very high level of project understanding from both sides of the permit process. Aubort was the lead on the Mission 71 West Industrial project that won Los Angeles Business Journal’s “Best Industrial Project.” He was also the lead architect on multiple large-scale e-commerce facilities across the Western region, along with many millions of square feet of developer-driven speculative and build-to-suit projects.
• Tom Bergerson, AIA, relies on 35 years of experience delivering architectural and development management services for hospitality, mixed-use, retail and residential projects. His current projects include BANC, a mixed-use development combining a 258-key hotel and 155,000 square feet of office space, along with numerous exclusive amenities in Irvine, and The Inns at Buena Vista Creek, a tri-branded, 426-key Hilton Hotel Campus that includes an Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn and Homewood Suites adjacent to Buena Vista Creek and Lagoon in Oceanside.
• Richard Clarke, IV, AIA, brings more than 35 years’ experience designing, planning and directing projects across all major commercial real estate sectors, including retail, hospitality, mixed-use and industrial. Clarke spearheads AO’s new Southeast regional corporate hub in Atlanta. Recent work highlights include the renovation of the 1920s-era iconic Hotel Laguna in Laguna Beach, the design of a 202-acre master plan community known as Bakersfield Commons and the ambitious World Logistics Center in the Inland Empire.
• Bruce Greenfield draws upon three decades of award-winning, international architectural experience in hospitality, mixed-use, global and modular design. Greenfield’s recent projects include the Inn at the Mission San Juan Capistrano, a four-star
• Marriott Autograph Collection hotel. He is also the lead architect on Le Meridien, Arcadia, a 227-key upscale full-service hotel boasting a mid-century modern aesthetic slated to open in April 2021.
• Jason Rupp began his career in structured parking in 1988 and has been involved in every aspect of parking design across all types of real estate, including commercial, industrial, medical, higher education, multifamily and more. Since joining AO in 2011, the structured parking studio led by Rupp has completed over 100 projects totaling more than 42,000 parking stalls, including the award-winning George multifamily development in Anaheim, which features a 24,000-square-foot rooftop sky deck capping a 578-stall parking structure.

Principals

• Stuart Beck is a licensed architect with over 32 years of experience in architecture and development with diverse experience that entails multifamily, residential, mixed-use, commercial, retail, hospitality and senior living communities.
• Keith Minnie is a licensed architect with over 26 years of architectural, technical and management experience in low-, mid- and high-density, mixed-use and low-income multifamily housing with additional experience in industrial, retail, public safety, school and university projects.
• Trevor Morales has over 20 years of architectural experience leading highly skilled production teams on projects ranging from multifamily housing to mixed-use, commercial and civic projects. He is a licensed architect in California.
  Senior Associates and Associate

AO also elevated Architects Edward Wu and Mansour Farazmand to senior associate and associate, respectively. Scott Jones, Greg Kruse and Ioanna Magiati were promoted to senior associates.

“Our employees aren’t just numbers, they are family and we’re dedicated to their professional growth and career advancement,” added RC Alley, managing partner. “We’re tremendously proud of our team and excited to recognize the significant contributions that each of these 13 talented individuals has made to our firm and to the broader multifamily and commercial real estate industries.”