TESSERE Architecture continues to make news. Two years ago it was a merger, today it’s a change of ownership. TESSERE stockholders just announced the sale of their shares to the TESSERE Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).
“It seems fitting that as one of the nation’s oldest architectural firms, we would credit that longevity and growth to the people who made it happen by becoming employee owned, “ says TESSERE Chairman Bill Livingston. “I’ve had many proud moments in my career, but this ranks at the top.”
TESSERE Architecture provides a wide range of client-focused architectural, interior and landscape design, planning and related services. The firm’s nationwide portfolio and legacy of success extend back to 1919. It prides itself on truly collaborative client relationships and strong principal involvement.
“All clients benefit from GLMV’s full expertise,” says Livingston. “We don’t have an A Team that pitches the work and a B Team that performs it. That all-in-it-together, hands-on philosophy makes the ESOP feel like a natural evolution of our culture.”
Positioned for Growth
TESSERE was formed in 2010 by the merger of Gossen Livingston Associates and McCluggage Van Sickle & Perry, two firms with long and storied histories. In addition to market segments each operated in – aviation, corporate, education, food service, government, healthcare, industrial, military – the firms’ union created an entity that could be an even stronger force in these and other new markets. An example is GLMV’s Zoo Studio, launched in 2011 and headed by Craig Rhodes, a foremost leader in the field.
Following the merger, one of the first orders of business was to create a headquarters worthy of an architectural leader. They found it in Wichita’s Douglas Design District – the 1930-era, two-story former Packard dealership. TESSERE embarked on an ambitious, yearlong restoration and repurposing of the iconic 30,000-square-foot, terracotta and brick building, now part of the National Register of Historic Places.
“GLMV’s transition of ownership from 17 stockholders to nearly 120 employees through the ESOP acknowledges the many creative and talented professionals who contribute to the company’s success,” says TESSERE CEO Jeff Van Sickle. “Our leadership has great appreciation for and confidence in this dedicated team.”
Comprehensive, Proven Services
In addition to its headquarters in Wichita, TESSERE operates offices in Dodge City, Kansas; Houston, Texas; and Kansas City, Missouri. The full-service architectural firm has completed projects in 49 states throughout America. Its depth of experience ranges from houses of worship to protectors of peace, conceptualizing spaces to creating the reality. Whether creating a master plan or achieving the highest levels of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for a project, the TESSERE team delivers.
“We had the privilege of helping Greensburg rebuild after its devastating tornado,” says TESSERE President Mark McCluggage. “That experience reinforced our long-held belief that together we can overcome anything, do anything. The ESOP is a manifestation of the faith we have in the people who comprise GLMV.”
