Management

When Don Burr established our company over 50 years ago his vision was an architectural firm that would withstand the test of time. After Mr. Burr's death in 1982, the two remaining principals, Jerry Lawrence and Paul Rising, carried on his commitment.

Jerry Lawrence, FAIA, became President and CEO of the then Burr Lawrence Rising Architects. A talented architect in his own right, Jerry led the firm with impeccable style and grace for over 20 years. Under his guidance the firm evolved into leaders in school design on both the national and international level. Jerry was responsible for presenting BLRB's work in numerous foreign countries and managing our international projects in China and Brazil. It was no surprise that Jerry Lawrence was advanced to "Fellow" in the American Institute of Architects, one of the highest awards given an architect.

Though Jerry retired in 2004, his tradition of professional excellence continues. We have expanded the depth and breadth of our leadership team to insure that, like the schools we design, BLRB Architects will serve the educational community far into the future.

BLRB is led by a management team strongly committed to building schools that inspire students to learn. Principal involvement on every project is a hallmark of BLRB, and our management team regularly engages with educational groups about the intersection of architecture and education and how facilities can encourage learning.

Meet the team:

	Paul Rising—A leader in the research, education, and design strategies utilizing concepts of energy-conscious and sustainable architecture, Paul is often asked to present workshops at educational conferences to share BLRB’s experience regarding state-of-the-art energy systems and techniques.
	Tom Bates—Tom is an innovator in the development of a unique collaborative planning and design process involving parents, students, school administrators and community members. “Understanding and integrating the diverse needs of all key stakeholders leads to the creation of high quality learning environments that are more meaningful for students and ultimately more valuable for the community beyond.”
	Lee Fenton—Lee’s innovative designs have won numerous regional, national and local awards. His designs marry the imaginative with the practical, resulting in facilities that answer the need for both outstanding form and function.
	Dennis Kabba— A licensed architect in both Washington and Oregon with a master’s degree in Construction Management, Dennis brings deep technical expertise to BLRB’s educational projects, including specialized organizational skills that keep projects running smoothly and finishing on time and on budget.
	John Wegener— John brings a unique perspective to his work at BLRB. He has been involved in the development and design of educational facilities for over 25 years, both as a practicing architect and as a Director of Facilities/District Architect for a public school district in Washington.