Every 2 years, BRS staff challenge each other and their own limits in our own Office Olympics. 

Because our employees have come from all around the nation,  teams were organized to let everyone celebrate and represent their home region.

Teams created their own unique name, team uniform and a ‘regional refreshment’ to share with all participants.

After getting limber, the competition raged throughout the afternoon with six events designed as the ultimate test of teamwork.

Track & Field

Always a classic, the combined three-legged race / sack potato race / wrap your partner in toilet paper relay was a fierce competition.

Volleyball

Or something like volleyball. There was a net and a ball and teams of four, but we threw in a no-hands rule and a bunch of pool noodles. A lot more fun.

Rhythmic Gymnastics

Will never be the same.

Equestrian

We love all animals at BRS, so to avoid any harm (and the mess), contestants had to build their own horse to ride in this obstacle challenge.

Synchronized Swimming

Teams of two competed in miniature pool synchronized swimming competition. Routines were judged on overall performance (Wow), costume and music (Flare) and the completion of required moves (Skill).

Rowing

Teams built their own rowboats for the race down the length of the TAXI Community pool. All team members crossed safely. We cannot say the same for the boats.

The competition was fierce, with drama and emotion to rival any Olympic stage.

Following the awards ceremony, spirits were raised at a pool party to honor the spirit of the games.

Some of us even swam. 

With only two short years until the BRS Winter Games of 2018, it’s time for us to start building our luge!

Today was an important day for the current and future members of The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in Omaha.Kroc Center Senior Officer Major Todd Thielke was beaming when he said, “Today we are here to celebrate another life changing possibility in the form of an 18,000 square foot addition. The new addition will house our new walking track, new fitness deck, and it will allow other existing areas of the center to be revitalized and repurposed as fun areas for kids to play, and areas for families to be together and socialize.”

The expansion and renovation has been designed to enhance the current programming and enable Kroc Center staff to greater serve the Omaha community.

City of Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert exclaimed, “I’ve seen the construction plans, the changes that the center will undergo are nothing short of amazing. And even the construction process itself will benefit the community through new jobs and economic development. That’s why the Kroc Center is so important, it helps to foster great minds, provides opportunities, and expands horizons.”

There are 4 pillars that hold up truly remarkable and successful community recreation centers, and the expanded Kroc Center has all four. They are:

1. Fitness: The expansion will more than double the size of the cardio vascular, circuit resistance, weight training and group exercise areas.
2. Wellness: Areas which give members opportunities like nutrition classes to thrive in not only getting well, but also staying well.
3. Aquatics: The new 2 ½ story tall slide will create the WOW factor on the Northwest corner of the Center as the riders will start the wet and wild journey indie the building, exit the building in the slide flume, wind their way down and around curves, then re-enter the natatorium into a deceleration flume.
4. Multi-Generational: I cannot think of another project in the state of Nebraska which will offer as many social, recreational, fitness, performing arts, visual arts and spiritual programs for people ages 9 months to 90 years old than Kroc Omaha.

In addition to Major Thielke, Mayor Stothert and myself, approximately 75 people joined in the celebration to witness the dirt being turned by Nebraska Senator Heath Mello, Omaha Councilman Gary Gernandt, former Omaha Mayor Haul Daub, Salvation Army Divisional Commanders Major Greg Thompson and Major Lee Ann Thompson, Kroc Center Officer Major Cathy Thielke, HGM Associates Architecture Department Manager Dean Fajen, and President of MCL Construction Bob Carlisle.



In conclusion, I want to personally thank the BRS team: Design Principal Ken Berendt, Principal Keith Hayes, Interior Design Principal Marcia Hocevar, Project Manager and Associate Andy Stein, Designer Kristin Sealey and Interior Designer Ellie Lokken for their steadfast work, great design, project management and production skills on this important work. Thanks also to our great support team at BRS: Senior Associate and Accountant Carol Snydal, Accounting & Project Administrator Christen Snydal, Associate, Office & Benefits Administrator Debra Ellis, Director of Marketing Rebecca Lavezzary, and Marketing Coordinator Sue Maguire. You all are pros and I am proud to work with all of you!

I want to acknowledge and thank our consultant team of Dean Fajen, Todd Maiellaro and Bill Glismann of HGM Associates Inc., Pierre Metellus and Van Le of 3PM Design, Tim Harris, John Blair and Bert Baiotto at The Ballard Group, Mark Layfield and Kristin Dietrich of Reese Engineering, Sue Reilly and Josh Hathaway of Group 14 Engineering, Lisa Gallun, Christine Nicolyasen and Ashley  Gavaldon of Gallun Snow Associates, Doug Whiteaker and Bill Bornick of Water Technology, Inc., Jonathan Reid and Linda Peters of KL&A Structural Engineers, Greg Markling at Ibim Solutions and Ken Greenberg of Commercial Fitness Solutions.



I thank the Owner team mentioned above plus Territorial Commissioner Carol Seiler, Territorial Assistant Property Secretary Scott Thomas, Majors Curtiss and Sandy Hartley, Major Randy Heljstrom, Divisional Property Manager Greg Kadrlik, Jonathan Kuebler, Carl Larson, Madelaine Moyer. And thanks to the City of Omaha team of Mayor Jean Stothert, Councilman Gary Gernandt, Greg Hauptman, Tom Phipps, Steven Thornburg and Michael Carter. You all have been instrumental in our 4-year labor of love to expand the Omaha Kroc Center and I commend you. Great job team!

Last, and certainly not least, I thank MCL Construction and their sub-contractors. To MCL President Bob Carlisle and MCL staff Paul Beller, Chris Leapley, Dennis Parr, Mike Procopio, and Tim Ratliff, I say, let’s build this thing!

BRS has a rich history of mentoring and giving back to the architectural community. We have provided scholarships to the University of Colorado Denver’s architecture students as well as paid internships. Several BRSers have taught at CU Denver, been jurors on architectural studio critiques and provided feedback for students at the architecture school’s Portfolio Night. In addition to CU Denver students, we’ve hosted interns from Ball State, Rice, University of Kansas, Kansas State and the University of Nebraska. 

More recently, we have developed the student internship program to include two interns at a time to encourage broader learning, collaboration and support of one another. Two of our Senior Associates, Zach Bisek and Jason Ringdahl, have created a BRS Student Intern Syllabus. 

The intent is to provide students with a more comprehensive awareness of the various goings-on in an architectural firm and begin to understand how their unique skills and talents fit within the professional world. 

Students gain experience in the creation of documents in the SD through CD Phases, visit projects under construction, begin to understand new project procurement processes, as well as firm graphics and marketing.

Most recently, we are seeking to diversify the schools represented by our interns. To this end, Chuck Musgrave and I recently met with the Director of Career Services for the School of Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin, Garrett Loontjer, and attended their Career Fair in February. Full disclosure – UT Austin is my graduate school alma mater so I am slightly biased. Regardless, both Chuck and I found the creativity, passion and talent of the students to be inspiring and their work impressive. And we look forward to visiting many other schools!

If you are interested in our firm checking out your school or would like a student internship opportunity please contact us!

To simplify the complex process of design and documentation, Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture (BRS) has developed an innovative, proprietary system of architectural design services for guiding Owners through the decision-making process.

Our design teams use the three steps of CONSIDER. CONFIRM. COMMIT. ™ throughout the process to identify challenges and opportunities, evaluate options, and build consensus. In collaboration with project stakeholders and consultants, we guide Owners through these stages to make important decisions at key milestones in the project schedule.

At the end of February, a group of us headed up the hills to Devil’s Thumb Ranch near Tabernash for a sunny day of snow adventures.  BRS designed many of the Devil’s Thumb facilities and throughout my years with BRS, I have heard great stories about how much fun it was to get to be part of realizing the client’s vision on this unique collection of luxury cabin buildings in a beautiful mountain valley.  Stories about hunting for the perfect historic barn all over the country and working with some of the eclectic craftsman during the building of some of the first few structures made me want to visit with colleagues who would also enjoy the legends behind the architecture.  So, an opportunity to go visit some unique BRS buildings and enjoy some snowy adventures was hard to pass up!

We snowshoed, cross country skied and tried skate skiing; and Avery, one of our office puppies, tired herself out by running alongside.  Ellie was a great skate skiing coach since she grew up competing with Nordic ski teams in Fairbanks, Alaska.  For those of us who grew up downhill skiing, skate skiing was a lot of work, but a fun challenge.  It’s hard to beat a warm, sunny day playing in the snow.  Afterwards, we enjoyed lunch in Heck’s Tavern and explored some of the unique nooks and crannies in the lodge.

If you haven’t visited Devil’s Thumb, it’s worth a visit!

http://www.devilsthumbranch.com/

Learn more about our work at Devil's Thumb Ranch.