Schmidt Associates Hires Plumbing, Electrical Designers

Smart has worked as an engineer in several states, including Maryland, Virginia, California, Hawaii, Washington and Florida. A native of Huntington, Ind., he is pleased to be working in the Midwest on meaningful projects.

"As a professional engineer, I enjoy understanding how different buildings function for the end-user and how I can design structurally sound solutions," he said. "With Schmidt Associates having many different owner types, I know I will have plenty of opportunities to do meaningful work while learning, building relationships and giving back to the communities where I will work."

Also part of the Schmidt team is Greg Litteral, RA, RCDD, the company’s new electrical designer.

He returns to Schmidt Associates as an electrical designer after serving as the architect of record for Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, and as an electrical and telecommunications designer for Ross & Baruzzini, and BSA LifeStructures. Most recently, Litteral was an electrical design contractor with CADVantage Inc., where he was embedded daily with the Schmidt Associates team.

"It feels good to be back where I belong as a full-time employee," Litteral said. "I have enjoyed doing good work at and with the Schmidt Associates team on a number of projects. I am looking forward to lending my experience toward helping our owners find the best, most practical solutions to their electrical design needs."

For the firm, Smart will be designing plumbing and HVAC systems for K-12, higher education and community studio clients. Long-term, he hopes to learn how to incorporate more green technology into building systems and use these learnings to create more uniform designs.

Litteral loves all aspects of design, and has experience in telecommunications, access control, video surveillance, audio/visual systems, fire alarm systems, lighting, power, Division 8 doors, frames and hardware, and architectural design.

Other hiring news

The firm also hired Veena Reddy, AIA, LEED AP, WELL AP, as a project manager/associate based in its Louisville, Ky., office. A respected professional with 20 years of experience in the fields of architecture and sustainability, Reddy served as an architect for Louisville-based K. Norman Berry Associates Architects before joining Schmidt Associates.

Other experiences include architecture positions at Centerbrook Architects and Planners in Centerbrook, Conn., and Amenta Emma Architects in Hartford, Conn.

"I'm excited to join Schmidt Associates and apply my creative problem-solving skills and extensive technical background to create sustainable environments where people will thrive in all aspects of their lives," she said. "I look forward to proving myself as a trusted leader and an asset to every project as I design, reshape and modernize integral urban architecture that enriches Midwest communities."

Finally, the firm appointed Trisha Martin as an architectural graduate and Melissa Ferise as a construction administration assistant.

Martin interned for the firm while completing her last year of architecture school. She is a former president of Associated Students for Historic Preservation and a founding member of Associated Graduate Students for Architecture and Design at Ball State University.

She has dual bachelor’s degrees in history and art history from the University of Iowa, and dual master's degrees in architecture and historic preservation from Ball State University.

Ferise most recently served as a performing arts secretary and dance teacher at Hamilton Southeastern High School. She holds a bachelor’s degree in dance pedagogy from Butler University and has completed coursework toward a master of landscape architecture.

Martin will work on K-12, higher education, and community studio projects for the firm where she will demonstrate servant leadership by listening to the clients' needs and working with others to design spaces for end users.

"I'm excited to continue my career with Schmidt Associates," she said. "I always wanted to be an architect, and I was inspired by my dad who worked in K-12 facilities.”

Ferise will be completing submittals for the firm and supporting the Construction Administration team through the project strategy, design and construction phases. 

"I'm happy to be part of the Schmidt Associates team where I can truly practice servant leadership," she said. "By default, teachers are always servant leaders who mentor, earn trust and respect, and build confidence. This is what I hope to do for the Construction Administration department and the firm's clients as we take projects from start to finish."