Design impacts our lives more than most realize.

Chad earned a Bachelor of Architecture from NDSU, and holds a the LEED AP Building Design + Construction (BD+C) certification. With more than 20 years of professional experience, he remains dedicated to using design to positively impact people’s lives. “We may not realize it,” he says, “but we are impacted by the qualities of the places we visit. An under-lit restaurant may add to the ambiance and enjoyment of an evening out. An under-lit workplace the following day may strain our eyes and drain our energy. Whether deliberate or unintentional, we are impacted by our environment.”

As a Minnesota farm kid in awe with the built environment, Chad marveled at the grain silos and elevators—and then became impressed with the towers of the city. Chad holds dear his heritage on the land but now explores the joy and amazement of the wonders of nature with his family—the might of the Mississippi River when it floods over the St. Anthony Falls dam, the dramatic setting that is Minnehaha Falls in the spring, or the freedom of seeing an eagle retake flight into the wild after recovering from injury.

Indecisiveness is Chad’s biggest pet peeve: from dithering at four-way stops to ordering muddled, Black-and-Tan beers. Make your decision and make it happen, he says. And don’t allow a warning of impending doom—such as poor weather or large crowds—to get in the way of your plans. “Success happens anywhere, everywhere, and at any time. Don’t let the perceptions of others stand in your way.”

When not designing unique and user-centered workspaces, Chad can be found rooting for the NDSU Bison, as well as planning, planting, harvesting, and preserving his vegetable garden. Weeding, however, is not on his top ten list.