Christian Davies
Vice President, Retail Design Strategy/Creative Director, FRCH Design Worldwide, Cincinnati
Davies heads the Fashion Brands studio at FRCH. He began his career in the London office of Fitch Worldwide, and has worked in both the European and U.S. markets. His client list includes Barnes & Noble, Bebe, Clarks, Coca-Cola and Tiffany & Co.
David Parrish
Partner, Dorsky Hodgson + Partners, Cleveland
Parrish leads the Commercial Studio for Dorsky Hodgson + Partners. He has directed many high-profile retail projects, bringing new urbanism principles and innovative concepts to lifestyle centers, open-air and enclosed malls, specialty, and big-box centers.
Gar Muse
Principal, Cooper Carry, Atlanta
Muse joined Cooper Carry in 1990 as the firm's retail group director and became principal in 1992. Muse has extensive experience in the design of department stores, urban retail properties and regional shopping center renovations and expansions.
James P. Ryan
Chairman, JPRA Architects, Detroit
Ryan directs architectural design, business development and marketing activities for JPRA Architects, which he founded in 1978. JPRA has designed commercial retail projects throughout the world, including the Mall at Millennia in Orlando, Fla.
Jay Valgora
Design Principal, WalkerGroup/CNI, New York
Since 1998, Valgora has led WalkerGroup/CNI to unprecedented growth and expansion, particularly in New York, where the firm has 13 projects recently completed or under construction.
Jeffrey J. Gunning
Vice President, RTKL, Dallas
Gunning. who has been with RTKL since 1984, leads design teams of architectural and graphic designers on a variety of project types, ranging from modest renovations to complex mixed-use developments. He has created spaces for the retail, entertainment, corporate, hospitality and residential markets.
Max Steele
Vice President, Gensler, Houston
Steele heads up the Houston retail studio of San Francisco-based Gensler. In his 34-year career, Steele has designed award-winning projects for such clients as Equiva, The Koll Co., and Mills Corp. He worked as a design manager for Rouse Co.'s operating properties unit in Columbia, Md., repositioning portfolio assets.
Patricia Farinas Farrell
Senior Associate, TVS Retail Studio, Atlanta
Since joining TVS in 1997, Farrell has focused on the planning and design of retail centers. Her portfolio includes projects in Chile, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Panama and China. She has served as lead designer/planner on projects such as Dadeland Mall in Florida and Meadowlands Xanadu in New Jersey.
Sy Perkowitz
President and CEO, Perkowitz + Ruth Architects,Long Beach, Calif.
Perkowitz helped found Perkowitz + Ruth 25 years ago. A licensed architect in 19 states, he is also a licensed professional engineer in the state of California. Perkowitz is active in the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce and serves as the chairman of the City of Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. Planning Commission.
Tanya Spaulding
Principal, Shea Inc., Minneapolis
Spaulding has been instrumental in leading marketing-based design firm Shea's transformation from an architecture and interior design firm into a company that provides full-scale operational, design and marketing services. She has been with Shea for more than 10 years.
Thomas Williams
Principal, Niles Bolton Associates, Atlanta
Williams has designed projects for various facilities, including retail, institutional, office, recreational, transportation and military. His firm has done design work for Neiman Marcus and is currently collaborating on mixed-use development in Century City in Beijing, China.
Jack L. Gatto
President, Carroll Associates Architects, Chicago
Gatto is a past SADI and ICSC award recipient. He received his architectural degree from Iowa State University in 1974. His firm is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year.
Mark Tweed
Founding Partner & President, HTH Group, LLP.Beverly Hills, Calif.
Tweed co-founded HTH Group in 2000. He was previously director of design for MCG Architecture, where projects included the newly opened Galleria at Roseville, a 1.1 million square-foot retail and entertainment center near Sacramento.