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GHMA is very pleased to introduce Umur Olcay, REFP, RPP, as Associate Director of Community and Education Planning.
Umur is an experienced education planner and community planner with 33 years of experience in local governments and school districts. For the past 14 years Umur has worked as Manager of Facilities and Demographics Planning for Surrey School District, where he has advanced facility and education planning as part of the project management team for the largest and most rapidly growing school district in BC. He has also provided leadership in developing and managing capital and facility planning shared service projects for eight school districts in BC.
Umur’s varied professional expertise includes education facility planning, community planning, parks planning, demographic projections, social and economic profiles, location analysis, improvement of system wide space utilization, site acquisition and development, community partnership development, and stakeholder and community consultation.
Umur is a graduate of Ryerson University’s School of Urban and Regional Planning. He is a Recognized Education Facility Planner and a Registered Professional Planner. He is a member of the Canadian Institute of Planners and the Planning Institute of B.C., and is a member of the Council of Facility Planners International.
Umur will be taking over GHMA K-12 education planning responsibilities from Hugh Skinner, who is retiring from GHMA as of June 30, 2014. Hugh will continue to be available post-retirement to assist GHMA with the successful transition and completion of current project commitments.
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GHMA is pleased to announce that Todd Dust and Henk Kampman have been promoted to Associates in recognition of their contributions to the firm.
Todd Dust is based out of GHMA’s Kelowna office, where he acts as a Senior Architect and the Manager of Health Care projects for GHMA. Todd received his undergraduate degree from the University of Manitoba and his graduate degree from the University of Melbourne. Immediately upon graduation, Todd returned to Canada where he developed his experience in both public and private sectors. Todd has been a registered Architect since 2004. Throughout his professional career, Todd has specialized in the design and implementation of acute health care projects. Todd is currently pursuing a diploma in Lean Design through Washington State University.
Todd’s most recent experience includes involvement in the Facility Renewal Plan for Mills Memorial Hospital in Terrace and Mar Jok Elementary School in West Kelowna. Todd has a proven track record managing complex renovations within operational facilities and facilitating the collaboration which results in a project’s successful outcome.
Henk Kampman, also based out of the Kelowna office, is a foreign trained Architect who has worked as an Architect and an Urban Planner in the Netherlands and Canada. Henk has over 25 years of experience in Architecture, Urban Planning and Project Management, while working for private and public organizations. Henk studied Architecture and Building engineering at the Technical University in Delft where Architectural icons like Herman Hertzberger, Aldo van Eijck and Rem Koolhaas helped him form as an Architect and Planner. Currently Henk is following an Advanced Certificate in Educational Facility Planning at the San Diego State University.
His most recent work experience involves Educational, Health Care and Civic projects, including the Nicola Canford Elementary School in Merritt, Facility Renewal and Master Plans for Mills Memorial Hospital in Terrace, Tumbler Ridge Health Centre and the Fort St. John General Hospital and the Upgrade of the Waste Water Treatment Plant in Lake Country.
Todd and Henk successfully managed the Kelowna office the last two years, doubling the office in size. The skills and passion Todd and Henk bring to their projects is exemplary and we look forward to their ongoing contributions to the success of GHMA.
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The evening of Thursday, November 21st, clients, colleagues, business partners and friends joined the GHMA team in celebrating the firm’s 50 years in business. The event, hosted at the GHMA Surrey office, featured an appearance by founder Gordon Graham, a live jazz band, great food and drink and the chance to take a look at the work and achievements of the firm over the last half century.
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Ron Hoffart speaks about the impact of 21st Century Learning on the design of educational environments at TEDx WestVancouverEd. Watch the video here.
