ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, April 19, 1996 TAG: 9604190026
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MAG POFF STAFF WRITER
Motley + Associates of Roanoke on Thursday announced a reorganization resulting from downsizing of the firm and promotion of four people as principals of the design firm.
The new organization creates a horizontal structure for production of architectural, interior design and planning projects.
Ben Motley, president of the firm, said four staff members will join him with the status and designation as principals. Each will oversee projects in a hands-on manner from start to finish.
Others joining Motley as firm principals are Lora J. Katz, Mark C. McConnel, C. Calvin Phelps and Craig Sharp.
Motley said the organization is typical of new structures in the design industry. In the past, he said, the principal was in charge of a project with a project manager, project architect, project designer and "other worker bees." These were usually specialists in specific areas.
Under the traditional structure, he explained, the principal was nominally in charge but actually handed off most of the work to employees at lower levels.
Motley and his father, Ken Motley, were the principals of the firm, which was founded in 1992 as successor to Smithey + Boynton. Ken Motley has since retired from active participation in the firm, but continues in the role of chairman.
Meanwhile, the firm has been reduced over the past year from 15 to 10 workers. Motley said the abolished positions were those of specialists.
In addition to the five principals, the staff consists of an accountant, a secretary, an architect, an architectural technician and an intern architect. The last three do the drafting.
Motley said the principals all have a wide range of experience.
They are able to accomplish more work because they have networked office and home computers with a broad range of software. Motley said technology allows them to produce drawings, correspondence and other documents with the same efficiency and speed that formerly required several people.
Motley said one of the new principals, Craig Sharp, is a nationally recognized author and lecturer on the use of computers in architecture.
LENGTH: Short : 48 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: headshots of Motley, Katz, McConnel, Phelps, Sharpby CNBcolor