Utah County Architecture Firm Reflects on 2020

The challenges faced in 2020 were unprecedented – to say the least. But as we reflect on the year, we have nothing but gratitude for the CMA team’s ability to adapt and persevere.

1. A Year of Adversity and Achievement

The rapidly changing information and spread of COVID-19 undoubtedly created extraordinary challenges for all of us. At CMA, we made the health and well-being of our employees, clients, consultants and community the highest priority. We took proactive and aggressive measures to ensure our work environment was as safe as possible with the majority of our employees working remotely. 

Fortunately, our workload wasn’t greatly impacted by the pandemic. To ensure that CMA’s clients received the customary exceptional service, the team quickly acclimated to a new way to manage projects and collaborate virtually with project teams. This adaptability allowed us to keep disruptions to a minimum and maintain project milestones and achievements.

2. Design Awards

We are honored to be part of a project that received a prestigious planning award this year! The Lehi Public Safety Building was awarded APA (American Planning Association) Utah’s High Achievement award.

3. Project Milestones

From new projects to project completion, 2020 was filled with significant project milestones.

Notable projects completed include:

• Greenwood Elementary School Rebuild
• Joseph D. Adams Public Safety Building
• Rockpoint Apartments
• Built Bar Corporate Offices and Production Facility

Notable projects awarded include:

• Joseph D. Adams Public Safety Building
• Rockpoint Apartments

4. CMA Family Additions

In 2020, CMA proudly welcomed several new members to our family:

In January, Blake Gneiting joined CMA as a Drafter. Blake is a team player with lots of initiative and a willingness to solve problems.

Interior Designer, Jill Miles joined our team in May. We love her passion for being able to make a difference in the world around her!  

Daniela Sanchez, Senior BIM Technician, joined CMA in September. Daniela excels in interior and exterior 3D renderings for custom homes, cabins, and remodels, as well as residential project drafting and quality control.

In October, Interior Designer, Lindsay Stephenson joined the CMA team. Lindsay is NCIDQ certified and has more than ten years of experience.

Jacob Masih, Senior BIM Technician, joined CMA In December. He has a Bachelor of Architecture from Ball State University and has a knack for rendering, animation, and envisioning overall project goals.  

5. CMA Family Milestones

In December, Christopher Thompson became a licensed architect. The CMA team applauds this significant achievement!

In 2020 we had two employees celebrate their 20-year anniversary! These valued team members have been with us since the beginning.

Kurt Mather was hired in 2000 to work on construction documents for our first project. He is now a Principal Architect. We appreciate Kurt for his humility, his leadership, and his strong work ethic.

Mike Anderson joined CMA in November 2000 as a drafter while finishing his early college education. Mike has observed many changes within CMA and the architectural design and construction industry over the course of 20 years.

In May Jason Sandburg celebrated five years with the company. As a Project Architect, his experience in design and project management serves as valuable assets for CMA projects.

Ian Anderson celebrated his 5-year anniversary in November. Ian contributes talent and drive to the team.

6. Company Culture

At CMA, our teamwork extends beyond the day-to-day. We recognize the importance of camaraderie, tradition, and play. Here are some of our 2020 festivities:

• A long-standing CMA tradition is our company Lagoon day. In August, we closed the office for an entire day and headed to Lagoon with our families. Following a day of fun, we met for a socially-distant dinner in an outdoor pavilion.
• Another CMA tradition is our annual Harvest lunch. While we missed gathering around the table for potluck together, we’re very grateful we were able to collectively socially distance around a food truck!

 

7. Thank you to All

Thank you to our talented and dedicated staff, inspiring clients, capable contractors and others who made this past year a little more endurable. We’re grateful for each of you and for the projects we’ve had the honor to work on.