JOHN NEWCOMB – Executive Resume – September 2014
John A. Newcomb Architecture Practice Leadership & Business Development
(516) 270-5571 john@newcombassociates.net
Well-known and experienced strategic performance focused executive with 25+ years of innovative, energetic architectural practice, business and project leadership in the United States, Mexico and Latin America. Expert in establishing presence - positioning the brand - building a pipeline of opportunities - delivering services
to achieve practice goals in building successful, profitable, and sustainable architectural and engineering practices in the US and Latin America.
Proven track record of 25+ years building relationships with key Industry Leaders. Motivational leader and strategic planner with proven success in branding and positioning firms for success aligning prospects to opportunities. Team player with strong Public Relations experience, aligning people and resources to consistently deliver results and exceed expectations. Experience across a wide variety of building and project types including Master Planning, Architectural Design, Interior Design, Project Coordination and QA/QC control, Contract Documentation, Contract Administration, and post-occupancy.
Master in Architecture–Tulane University, Fluent in Spanish and English Languages, early proficiency Brazilian Portuguese Professional Experience: Design and the practice of Architecture has been at the forefront of my professional experience. My ability to work with diverse teams in the pursuit, development and delivery of complex projects allows me to navigate through the intricacies of leading architectural practices, projects and develop business opportunities. For more than 25 years I have been involved in leading architectural and engineering practices in the US and the Latin America region, strategizing and implementing practice goals and reaching for and meeting objectives with unprecedented results. My strong public relations stance has allowed me to personally know and have access to many Industry leaders. Working to expand a brands reach, however well-known it may be, requires research and identifying what makes the firm unique in order to stand out among the competition. Ability to build relationships and a positive track record is a key ingredient in establishing or reinforcing an architectural practices presence in the US, and/or Mexico and Latin America. Wherever one may be, there are lots of competing architectural, engineering and development practices with quality portfolios and array of services which are deemed worthy of consideration. Describing to a prospective client the value added proposition of an international practice implies being able to single out the key differentiators so as to ensure the client understands and appreciates these values. Newcomb + Associates www.newcombassociates.net President / Owner - November 2012 - present Newcomb + Associates is a highly specialized consulting practice dedicated to real estate strategy, architectural design, design development, construction document management, implementation and construction management to USA and Latin America companies for their complex projects in the United States, Mexico and other countries in Latin America. As such we have worked for Tishman Speyer, Avon Cosmetics, Fibra Danhos (Grupo Danhos), Bancolombia, Arup Americas and many other architectural, engineering and development firms in the US, Mexico and Colombia proving high quality consulting services including design; design guidance; design and project coordination; market studies; due diligence reports; zoning and code compliance analysis; highest and best use analysis for specific sites, as well as identifying A/E partners. I am interested in continuing to support corporate clients, real estate developers, architects, engineers,
and construction management firms with their complex projects in Mexico and Latin America.
JOHN NEWCOMB – Executive Resume – September 2014
Hewlett Packard Critical Facilities Services Consulting Principal for Latin American countries – March 2011 – November 2012 Developed and drove this important component of HP’s Technology Consulting service offering in Latin America, establishing and building the practice in Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Chile, Peru, Argentina and Brazil. This included building the business model, establishing presence, building pipeline as well as recruiting, hiring technical personnel in country and establishing the strategy to leverage resources across the Americas to support business opportunities. Hewlett Packard’s Critical Facilities Services business was to provide consulting services, design, engineer, and build complex Mission Critical Facilities for customers of the firm. As such the firm needed to have local presence, and leverage precious technical resources throughout the region. Likewise HP’s complex pursuit process, QA/QC process, Risk Management and Mitigation process as well as their interest in establishing a strong relationship with the clients Facilities Team long before the IT and other groups were considering to make hardware and software purchases was highly successful, so much so that in my the fiscal year 2012, the Latin America team was the only team in Technology Services worldwide that met and exceeded its quota, with sales of over US$ 22 Million and a profit margin of 14%. This for a 2 year start-up operation was huge. My departure from HP was prompted by HP’s change from a regional model to a country model, which essentially made the business enviable since the cost of leveraging services across the region became noncompetitive. Hewlett Packard Critical Facilities Services Americas Delivery Manager – November 2009 - March 2011 As Americas Delivery Leader Manager I led a 400+ person operation across 9 offices in the US and Canada with an A/E/C portfolio including Critical Facilities Consulting, Design, Assurance and Implementation for the Americas (Canada, the US and Latin America) as well as supporting the EMEA, Europe and Asia territories with their A/E/C needs. Under my leadership the team sustained an average utilization rate above 75% with sale orders in the range of US$ 60 Million however it was apparent that the growth market in the Americas was in Latin America and as thus I was spending considerable time and energy building the Latin America Business Model. I was asked in early 2011 to drive the Latin America Business Model which at that time had sales of US$ 6 Million but losing money given the need to maintain market prices and deliver the work with leveraged US and Canadian resources. TEN Arquitectos www.ten-arquitectos.com CEO – January 2008 - September 2009 TEN Arquitectos is a premier international architectural firm led by Enrique Norten. Over a span of nearly two years I created the framework for the institutionalization of this growing international practice. To establish a strong and integrated practice across two countries (Mexico and the US) required leadership and ability to work with complex teams of design and production architects, engineers, contractors, but most importantly clients. Under my leadership the firm found the way to institutionalize such that the systems and operations of our New York office were identical to those in Mexico. KMD (Kaplan McLaughlin Diaz) and KMD Mexico www.kmdarchitects.com Partner, Principal and Director – September 1989 to December 2007 (18+ years) KMD is a premier, San Francisco CA based architectural design practice that since 1963 has designed important commercial, retail, healthcare, public sector, academia, corporate office, residential and hospitality projects throughout the world. In 1991 KMD entrusted me with starting, developing and running the firms operation in Mexico and Latin America. Under my leadership KMD’s reputation and success in the region created a profound and positive effect on the A/E industry serving as a model for the modern practice of architectural design, production and most importantly a coordinated delivery of architectural and engineering construction documents in the region. I personally began KMD’s operation in Mexico and Latin America, establishing the firms’ presence and contacts with Industry leaders in Mexico as well as with international developers and real estate brokerage firms, the greatest accomplishment was ensuring that KMD grew and thrived in this new environment.
JOHN NEWCOMB – Executive Resume – September 2014
My practice legacy and experience includes:
Building the KMD, Hewlett Packard, TEN, and other key brands practices in the US, Mexico and Latin America. Strong recruiting, hiring, training, leading experience creating a credible long term committed workforce that served as the basis for the firm’s successes in the US, Mexico and the Latin America region. Built, not one, but two operations which became totally self- sufficient in Latin America that after 3 years began paying overhead support fees covering Administrative, Marketing, Systems and QA/QC services while maintaining individual contracts for specific work as needed. A people person, I have established and maintained key relationships with Industry leaders. I have had a close personal and professional relationship with the Industry in the US and Latin America since before 1991. These include developers, real estate brokers, construction managers, project managers, financial and title companies. Strong mentoring role within the Industry. Well known with other architects. Known within the industry as a fair competitor. Delivering constant profits, running an efficient operation, following all administrative protocols while ensuring that brand names and reputations were not diluted in the US, Mexico and Latin America.
Urban Land Institute (ULI) Mexico – January 2000 – July 2014 Mexico District Council Co-Founder, First Chair and Member of the Council’s Governance Committee. The Urban Land Institute is a non-profit education and research institute which is supported by its members. Its mission is to provide responsible leadership in the use of land in order to enhance the total environment. As founding member of the Mexico District Council and named the Council’s first Chair, position held for 5 years, allowed for building a strong Council and ensuring the free interchange of ideas, information, trends, policies and tendencies in the international market and particularly how they could be and had been applied in Mexico. With a growing membership, the Mexico District Council reached out to District Councils across the United States and served as a bridge for many of the key real estate development groups and financial institutions as they focused on Mexico. Projects: Deep experience with an important variety of building types, from retail, commercial office, corporate office, corporate interiors, residential, mission critical, hospitality, entertainment and mixed use. Whether with Newcomb + Associates, KMD Architects, TEN Arquitectos or Hewlett Packard Critical Facilities, I have had the fortune to work on, participate, lead and manage some incredible architectural projects covering a variety of building types as well as for a diverse universe of clients. Projects for important global corporations such as Tishman Speyer; Avon Cosmetics; Merck Sharp & Dohme; Bancolombia; Pepsi Co; 3M; Liverpool; Hewlett Packard; Cinepolis, among others in addition to work for important regional developers in Mexico, Colombia and Brazil as well as from the United States and Europe has given me an impressive portfolio of work in which I have participated in. Photos & images courtesy of: Newcomb + Associates, KMD Architects and TEN Arquitectos. A) Newcomb Associates - Office Building Competition – Project & Design Lead - Bogota, Colombia. B) KMD – Residencial Petrarka – Project & Design Lead, Mexico; C). KMD – Parques Polanco – Director, Mexico D) KMD - Arena de la Ciudad de Mexico, Project Pursuit lead, Mexico ; E) KMD – Residencial Hegel, Director, Mexico F) KMD – Two Rodeo Drive, CA, Beverly Hills, CA; G) TEN Arquitectos, Mercedes Benz Manhattan, CEO, New York, NY.; H) KMD – Parques Polanco, Director, Mexico I) KMD, Cinepolis Lobby, Director, Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico; J) KMD – Corporative Cinepolis, Director, Morelia, Michoacan; K) KMD, Parque del Este, Motta Investments, Director and Design Lead, Panama City, Panama. L) KMD – Banco Santander Serfin, Corporate Administrative Offices, Director, Queretaro, Mexico; M) KMD – Liverpool Headquarters, Director, Mexico.
JOHN NEWCOMB – Executive Resume – September 2014
JOHN NEWCOMB – Executive Resume – September 2014