Page 128 - 2022 Annual Report 2022 01.18 0528

PK-12 PRACTICE REPORT

INTRODUCTION

The unified vision for FGMA’s PK-12 practice is thus: We will enhance our practice by maintaining deep
relationships, striving to become an “extension” of our clients’ teams. We will give clients the comfort
and confidence that motivates them to seek our help at all stages, including thinking through ideas
before specific needs emerge. As a practice, we will especially emphasize being stronger together
through well-organized teams, skilled leaders/mentors, and knowledge-sharing processes that bring
our individual expertise together for clients.

Overall, 2022 was a successful year for the PK-12 team. Here are some highlights followed by detailed
reports from each region.

• Nationwide, the PK-12 construction market remains strong, and is overheated in some places.
Supply chain challenges continue to complicate building projects. School districts are bracing
for a possible recession as well as the expiration of federal ESSER funds. That said, there will
likely be an infusion of new money through the federal Inflation Reduction Act and voters
continue to approve many school district construction referendums.
• The Chicago and St. Louis regions experienced revenue growth due to continued demand
from the Illinois school market.
• In the Chicago region, the PK-12 team continues to work on a mix of small and large projects.
New school district clients hold the promise of significant future work.
• Chicago PK-12 staff promoted FGMA’s capabilities at numerous conferences detailed further
in this report.
• The Chicago PK-12 team continues to promote the significance of the Prairie Trails Early
Learning Center net zero energy project at both state and national conferences.
• Because of the ways that school districts procure professional services, growth in the Missouri
and Wisconsin PK-12 is an ongoing challenge. We continue to look for ways to win new and
profitable work in these states.
• The St. Louis PK-12 team promotes the FGMA PK-12 brand by attending conferences including
the MO Association of Rural Educators and the MO School Board Association. FGMA is a new
member of the MO Association of School Administrators and will lead a roundtable at its
March 2023 Women in Leadership conference.
• The St. Louis PK-12 team is reaping the benefits of FGMA’s long-standing relationships with
local school districts. For example, we’re now designing an addition to a Highland SD school
that FGMA originally built in 2002. We’re also working on completing a 28,000-sf of shelled
space that we designed 10 years ago for Mascoutah High School.
• In Texas, our PK-12 team has taken a leap forward with the appointment of Steve Hafer, AIA, as
Texas Education Leader and Ashley Wells as Interior Designer. With the ongoing expertise of
Rebecca Richter and Rich DePalma as well as the opening of our new office in Fort Worth, we’ll
continue to build inroads in the North and Central TX PK-12 marketplace. The strategic focus
is on building relationships with public decision makers, consultants, contractors and school
district leaders. We’re seeing promising progress in how FGMA’s proposals are being ranked
against competitors that are long-established in the TX market.

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