June 14, 2023

Graphite Design Group

DiRaimo

Berg

Alice

Ochs

Oplinger

Sundstad

Matt Marek

Joe Marek

Graphite Design Group has expanded its leadership group with the promotion of two new principals and six directors.

Marc Oplinger has been promoted to principal. With 33 years in the design profession, Oplinger is a seasoned project manager serving both institutional and commercial markets. His portfolio includes life sciences, healthcare, corporate offices, mixed-use and educational facilities. Since joining Graphite in 2014, he has led the design of projects for a range of clients, including RED Development, Vulcan Real Estate, and Northwest Administrators.

Brian Ochs has also been promoted to principal. Ochs is an experienced design leader with projects found throughout the country. Ochs is Graphite's residential market lead. His projects in the Pacific Northwest include Clise's 40-story McKenzie tower and the Parque Kirkland with Henbart Development.

Nancy Alice is now director, building technology. Alice has decades of experience as a senior project architect, manager, and specification writer. Her expertise ensures that design teams may balance innovation, performance, and risk throughout the life of a project. She is currently overseeing the Graphite team delivering the three-tower West Main project in Bellevue, Washington for Vulcan Real Estate.

Bryan Berg is now director, experience design. Berg thinks deeply about design decisions and the depth of meaning that goes into making them. Curiosity tends to drive his process and spark questions aimed to unveil significance to his client's brands. His creativity and curiosity are leading him to explore ever more responsive environments at the intersection of architecture, art, and technology.

Ryan DiRaimo is now director, sustainability. DiRaimo has both domestic and international design experience and has worked on both small and large-scale mixed-use projects, with an eye towards integrated, sustainable solutions. As director of sustainability he finds opportunities in projects across the broad spectrum of markets Graphite serves, integrating the needs of the client, user experience, and the surrounding environment.

Joe Marek is now director, project delivery. Marek is a veteran project architect with over three decades of national and international experience. As director of project delivery, he leverages real-world experience to ensure Graphite's design and documentation process is efficient and complete. Recent projects include Lakefront Blocks and Bellevue Plaza.

Matt Marek is now director, retail. Since joining Graphite in 2014, Marek has continued to leverage his skills in multi-project delivery programs to aid retail brands such as, Amazon Retail and Starbucks reach their aggressive growth goals. He specializes in prototyping, standards, team building and innovating to improve project delivery processes. Marek has managed and grown numerous retail accounts, helping his Graphite team successfully complete over 400 projects across 44 states.

James Sundstad is now director, brand strategy. Sundstad is an award-winning creative director, brand strategist and store designer. For over 35 years his expertise has set the course for some of today's most successful brands. Sundstad's focus on branding and telling the brand's story through environmental experience is informing current Graphite design efforts with clients such as Starbucks Coffee and MiraWorld. His experience spans hospitality, fashion retail, convenience stores, grocery, drug stores and restaurant projects spanning the globe.