Learn all about the quaint city of East Grand Rapids as the Wilcox Gardens story continues in Grand Rapids Magazine's January issue. Check it out below or click here to read the full article!
Best of GR!
We can't think of a better way to bring in the new year than to celebrate being voted as the Best Architecture Firm by the readers of Grand Rapids Magazine! Thank you very much for the votes and we look forward to making 2011 another great year in architecture!
Introducing...Paul Fikse
Paul Fikse is a licensed residential builder and the Vice President of Visbeen Associates. Raised in Illinois, Fikse studied architecture at Iowa State before attaining a degree in Business from Hope College in Holland, Michigan. He made West Michigan his permanent home after college, and has been an integral part of VAI’s development since 1993. As Vice President, Fikse’s responsibilities are widespread, but he spends the majority of his time focused on Design Development and Project Management. He and the staff complete precise drawings for each design job, and Fikse personally reviews all construction documents before they are submitted to the builder. His architectural training and practical building experience, combined with exceptional drafting skills, ensure that every Visbeen design is beautiful and functional.
Paul, age 47, and his wife Karla have three children, Emma, Sara and Ethan. The Fikse family loves horseback riding, and spends a lot of time at the barn grooming and riding their five trail horses.
Introducing...Wayne Visbeen
Tuesday's post this week was all about our Visbeen Associates Staff Christmas party, but have you met all of our stellar staff? If not, stay tuned to this blog! Over the next month or so I will introduce you to each of our talented staff members. Although most of you may know him, our introductions will start with our fearless leader - Wayne Visbeen:
Architect Wayne Visbeen attributes his passion for design to a childhood spent on construction sites. Visbeen’s father owned a construction company in his hometown of Wyckoff, New Jersey, and his grandfather was a self-taught architect and builder. It’s no surprise that Visbeen loves to design. His natural abilities to understand space and structure have taken him on quite a journey since receiving his graduate degree from Lawrence Technological University in 1986. After working in retail design for companies like Taubman Centers and The Gantos Group, Visbeen decided to start his own firm in the early 1990’s.Since the creation of VAI, he has independently designed commercial and residential projects all over the world, and garnered many awards. As a licensed architect and registered interior designer, Visbeen has the ability to fit plans together inside and out. One of his strengths is a “live design” approach. Visbeen is an artist, and can sketch floor plans from scratch. The client expresses a vision, and he puts it on paper. Due to his unique ability to “design on-the-go,” Visbeen is able to travel, work and draw anywhere.
Wayne has been married to his wife Marcia for 29 years. Their three daughters, Jaclyn, Julia and Elise, are out of the house, so the Visbeens spend much of their free time traveling as a couple. Wayne also enjoys playing golf, riding his bike and spending time with friends.
Christmas, the VAI Staff Style
Over the weekend, Visbeen Associates staff had our annual Christmas party. We enjoyed a very relaxing weekend up at a lodge in Bitely, Michigan. It was a time full of great food made by Chef Oliver Hale, great fun playing games and great fellowship with our staff members and their spouses!
The Visbeen Associates family
(front row, left to right) LeeAnn Lorenz, Jonathan and little Emmaus Lorenz, Marcia Visbeen, Angela Mulder, Marcy Stellin, Lori Potter, Megan TerVeen & Chris TerVeen
(back row, left to right) Emily Lorenz, David Lorenz, Wayne Visbeen, Jon Mulder, Dave Stellin & Jay Potter
Our accommodations for the weekend - what can we say, we roughed it!
David Lorenz, Emily Lorenz & Angela Mulder involved in one of the main two activities of the weekend - relaxing and talking!
We had beautifully snowy, winter weather
Chef O made us a fabulous dinner on Friday night!
Jon & Angela Mulder, Emily Lorenz, Marcia Visbeen, Dave Stellin & Chris TerVeen enjoying some appetizers
Me and Chris dishing up some delicious food
As you can see, we pretty much became eating pros
We have some serious Euchre players in our group - Wayne Visbeen, Angela Mulder, Dave Stellin & Jon Mulder
Emily & David Lorenz taking advantage of the air hockey table
Chris TerVeen & Dave Stellin rockin' the arcade games
Chef O prepared made-to-order omlettes for us on Saturday morning. Yum!
Jay & Lori Potter enjoying their breakfast
What can we say, we like to groom them for the business early around here! Emmaus Lorenz was a good little guy and hung out with the adults for the weekend.
To see more fun photos from our Christmas party, visit our facebook fan page.
In case you missed it on our facebook fan page, check out this special holiday challenge...
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Where in the World is Wayne Visbeen?
Wayne Visbeen often travels for work and pleasure to areas around the world that have an abundance of interesting, innovative and eye-catching architecture. Can you guess where he is in these photos? Please post your guesses on our facebook fan page wall or email them directly to our office (megan@visbeen.biz).
Hint #1 - It is a retail store.
Hint #2 - It is located in a city with a population of over 8 million people where President Theodore Roosevelt was born.
Hint #3 - The store has an edible name.
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