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ELS is pleased to announce Gerald Navarro and Ryan Call have been promoted to principal.
Anthony Grand, David Masenten, Kenneth Loretto, Susan Vutz, and William Gordon have been promoted to associate principal.
Principals
Gerald Navarro, AIA, Principal and Director of Operations, joined ELS in 1997. His leadership in guiding and delivering some of firm’s most complex projects has been recognized by industry awards and several repeat client commissions. He has managed more than $500 million in construction, including nationally recognized projects such as the Downtown Summerlin in Las Vegas, Hillsdale Shopping Center Redevelopment in San Mateo, Denver Pavilions, NewPark Mall in Newark, and Ward Village Shops in Honolulu. Gerald’s project management experience ranges from renovations to all-new construction of large-scale retail and mixed-use developments. He is an effective communicator and manager with a passion for project delivery excellence and client satisfaction. Gerald received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Architecture from University of California, Berkeley.
Ryan Call, AIA, Principal and Director of Urban Design, directs ELS’ Urban Design portfolio, which includes significant work throughout the U.S., including the Mueller Town Center in Austin, Hillsdale Shopping Center Redevelopment in San Mateo, Stonestown Galleria Redevelopment in San Francisco, Sunnyvale Urban Design Plan, and the Fort Collins Mid Town Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Study. Since joining ELS in 2001, Ryan has developed expertise in the master planning of mixed-use urban communities with a focus on vibrant retail districts and public spaces. He was honored with the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) Apgar Award for co-authoring “New Suburbanism: Reinventing Inner-Ring Suburbs,” and his most recent article, “Creating Streets People Can Identify With,” was published by ULI in November of 2017. Ryan volunteers his time locally with Berkeley Design Advocates, Downtown Berkeley Association, ULI’s Urban Plan Program, and Richmond Yacht Club. He earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree from Washington State University.
Associate Principals
Anthony Grand, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Associate Principal and Design Director, joined ELS in 1988. He has had a primary design role on numerous civic, community, recreation, theater, education, mixed-use, and urban design projects. His experience and talent in conceptual design and presentation graphics are extensive and have been instrumental in financing, leasing, and securing approvals for many of ELS’s projects. An accomplished illustrator, Anthony has received seven awards of excellence from the American Society of Architectural Illustrators (ASAI), and his work has been exhibited in ASAI’s Architecture in Perspective juried exhibition of architectural illustrations. He is an adjunct faculty member at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, where he teaches an architectural design studio. Anthony received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Texas at Austin.
David Masenten, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Associate Principal and Director of Mixed-Use Practice, directs ELS’ Mixed-Use practice. Joining ELS in 2016, David’s career has been focused on urban mixed-use mid and high rise domestic and international projects that incorporate the best green practices. His experience encompasses high-rise commercial and residential buildings, large-scale urban master planning and urban design, town planning, commercial tenant fit-out for national retailers, and corporate interiors for international companies. Recent work includes NewPark Specific Plan in Newark, Stonestown Galleria Redevelopment in San Francisco, Fremont Bank Headquarters, and Kitsap Mall Redevelopment in Washington. David received a Master in City Planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Architecture from Rhode Island School of Design.
Kenneth M. Loretto, AIA, LEED Green Associate, Associate Principal and Design Director, joined ELS in 1999. He has had a primary design role on large retail and mixed-use projects including Stonestown Galleria Redevelopment in San Francisco, Downtown Summerlin in Las Vegas, NewPark Mall in Newark, and Hillsdale Shopping Center in San Mateo. His projects also include Glendale Galleria, the Tucson Mall and Park Place renovations and expansions in Tucson, NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE, and the Eastridge Center renovation in San Jose. Ken received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Brigham Young University and a Master of Architecture from California Polytechnic State University in Pomona.
Susan Vutz, AIA, LEED AP, Associate Principal, joined ELS in 2015 and brings over 30 years of design and project management experience on academic, civic, healthcare, institutional, commercial, and residential projects. Her recent work includes the Cañada College Kinesiology & Wellness Center for the San Mateo County Community College District, City of Redwood City Veterans Memorial Senior Center & Joint YMCA, Mills College Lisser Hall in Oakland, UC Berkeley Legends Aquatic Center, UC Berkeley Recreational Sports Facility Gender Inclusive Locker Rooms, Balboa Park Pool Renovation in San Francisco, and the City of Berkeley Mental Health Services Offices Renovation. She is an adjunct faculty member at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, where she has taught classes on architecture and construction. Susan received a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a Master of Architecture from the University of California at Berkeley.
William Gordon, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Associate Principal and Director of Interior Architecture, joined ELS in 1998 and has worked on a wide variety of retail, mixed-use, entertainment, aquatics, recreational, and educational projects. His work includes City of Redwood City Veterans Memorial Senior Center & Joint YMCA, City of Elk Grove Aquatics Center, Hillsdale Shopping Center Customer Service and Conference Center in San Mateo, the Downtown Berkeley YMCA Men’s Locker Room and Mind Body Center, and the UC Berkeley Recreational Sports Facility Gender Inclusive Locker Rooms. He received a Bachelor of Science in Art and Design from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Master of Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley.
FEATURED STAFF