Susan Gushe has been named the new chief operating officer at Perkins & Will, succeeding Tyson Curcio, who has transitioned full-time into his role as chief practice officer.
Gushe was managing director of the firm’s Vancouver and Calgary studios for 12 years and 10 years, respectively. Under her leadership, the combined practices have grown their collective staff from 75 to 160 people, and increased their annual combined revenue by 268 per cent.
Having joined Perkins & Will in 1993, Gushe has served in numerous roles over the years, from project architect to director of operations to managing director. During her tenure as managing director, her commitment to championing sustainability as a key feature of design excellence has helped the studios earn more than 200 awards, as well as recognition as one of the most environmentally progressive practices in North America.
“Over the last decade, it’s been so rewarding to see our teams thrive in pursuit of Living Design,” said Gushe. “As I embark on this next chapter of my career, I’m looking forward to bringing the lessons I’ve learned at the local and regional leadership levels to the entire firm. My goal is to ensure our global operations run optimally for the benefit of our clients, and for the betterment of our practice, communities, and planet.”
Gushe succeeds Curcio, who held the chief operations officer position since 2015. After spending the last year and a half serving as both COO and chief practice officer, he now turns his attention full-time to the latter role.
“I look forward to partnering with Susan in the new year and know she will make a great addition to the executive leadership team,” said Curcio. “She’s already contributed so much to the success of our firm.”
Former principal Derek Newby takes over as managing director in Vancouver and Calgary. He joined the firm in 2011. Since then, he has led some of the studio’s most ambitious projects, advancing an innovative and environmentally-focused practice exploring mass timber, prefabrication, modular design, and comprehensive strategies to reduce carbon emissions. He intends to continue to advocate for innovation and environmentalism in his new role.
“Design is our business and that’s where we bring value to the world, that’s how we enrich people’s lives. I believe in the power of design to do those things. My goal is to continue to cultivate design solutions that can really allow clients to fulfill their aspirations,” said Newby.
