Firm veteran Bartner to succeed Stephen Schoch, who led the NJ-based firm to remarkable growth over the last decade
(Collingswood, New Jersey) – Kitchen & Associates (K&A), a leading multidisciplinary design firm, today announced the appointment of Matthew Bartner, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, as managing principal. Bartner, who previously served as principal and director of operations, succeeds Stephen L. Schoch, AIA, LEED AP, who will remain a principal of the firm.
As managing principal, Bartner is responsible for maintaining the firm’s position as a leader of integrated design services across key markets and verticals. Bartner and the executive leadership team will be particularly focused on growth in the affordable and student housing sectors, where K&A already has a sizable presence, as well as increasing the firm’s presence in other key markets.
The leadership transition is the result of the natural evolution of responsibilities and will allow Schoch to spend more time on client services, projects, and fostering relationships with leaders throughout the multifamily development space, while also allowing the next generation of executive leadership to emerge and providing career growth opportunities throughout the company.
“I’m extremely proud to lead K&A into an exciting new chapter of growth and strategic expansion,” said Bartner. “I look forward to bringing the spirit of our founders, Ben and Beth Kitchen, into the future and building on our success as we continue the firm’s legacy of mission-driven design services.”
Since joining K&A in 2009, Bartner helped countless institutions successfully implement a vision for their built environment and demonstrated a trailblazing commitment to sustainability. He is recognized for designing New Jersey’s first LEED® Silver on-campus student residence and was responsible for the successful completion of Pennsylvania’s first project to earn the United States EPA ENERGY STAR™ Multifamily High Rise designation.
“I’m honored to serve as the bridge from the firm’s founders to the next generation of talented leadership,” said Schoch. “Matt and I have been working closely together for years and I’m confident he’s the perfect candidate to continue our mission of creating places where people and communities thrive.”
Schoch is credited for expanding K&A into a robust, balanced multifamily design firm, with projects ranging from high-rise market-rate to the revitalization of obsolete public housing. As managing principal, he was responsible for impressive organizational growth – increasing revenues by 72% and growing staff by 44%. The firm’s commitment to design excellence also flourished under his direction, with K&A earning national recognition and 33 project awards since 2011.
Schoch strengthened the organization’s commitment to affordable housing, with more than 1,000 affordable housing projects across 20 states. He also helped establish the firm as a leader in supportive housing and student housing, with more than 1,600 units of supportive housing and 32,000 student housing beds developed in 30 states during his tenure. He was appointed as managing principal following the retirement of Beth Kitchen in 2011.
“Transitioning away from executive leadership responsibilities affords me more time to focus on what I do best – working with clients and project stakeholders to make an impact through the built environment,” added Schoch. “The transition will be seamless to our clients and partners, simply enhancing the service we have been providing for many years.”
For the past 50 years, K&A has been recognized as a pioneer in socially responsible and environmentally conscious design. K&A’s extensive portfolio spans affordable, market-rate, commercial, student housing, healthcare, preservation, and interior design across multiple markets and disciplines. Recent projects include New Market West in Philadelphia, an award-winning, four-story, LEED certified 90,000 sf commercial building with affordable rental housing (Apartments at New Market West); Weinberg Commons in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, an award-winning community with 160 units, completed in two phases of 80 each, of independent, affordable housing for seniors including 16 dedicated units for adults with special needs; Stockton University Residence Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, a $210 million, 140,000-square-foot building with 416 units of apartment-style living; and the redevelopment of Millard Terrell Homes in Newark, New Jersey, a 275-unit public housing community located along Newark’s revitalizing Passaic River.
For more information on Kitchen & Associates, please visit https://www.kitchenandassociates.com/.
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About Kitchen & Associates
With over 50 years of design experience and over 65 professionals selected from a variety of disciplines, Kitchen & Associates (K&A) provides world-class architecture, engineering, planning, interior design and energy-related consulting services to private developers, non-profit organizations, local municipalities, and public agencies throughout the country. We believe in building successful, long-term relationships with our clients by offering them the highest quality professional services, combined with exceptional customer value. At K&A, our fundamental goal is to serve others and create places where people thrive.
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