Meet the experts

Backed by success stories from colleges and universities across the Midwest, our experienced experts have seen it all and will serve as your resource and advocate from start to finish. 
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John Whitlock, Principal
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John Whitlock, AIA, LEED AP

Principal
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Director of the Higher Education Design Group
John epitomizes one of BLDD's Core Values, passion and fun. It is this zest for life that John brings to his position as BLDD's Director of Higher Education Design Group. John infuses his enthusiasm into his work and his attitude will bring life to your projects. He also has extensive experience in the fitness and recreation market. John's unique personality and ability to develop creative solutions for the most difficult of projects has made him an indispensable resource to his clients.

​When John isn't developing 21st century learning environments for his clients, he is busy practicing what he preaches...reading a good book, watching his kids play a plethora of sports, water skiing, playing guitar, or singing in the office band. You can be sure that John is always seeking solutions that will benefit and advance the education environment.
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Bruce Maxey, Principal
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Bruce Maxey, AIA, LEED AP

Principal
Bruce started working for BLDD after graduate school and thanks to his strong affinity for numbers and spreadsheets he now serves as the Treasurer for the firm as well as the Principal overseeing Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Information Technology (IT). This passion, along with his educational background in structural design, makes him the perfect person to manage many of the firm’s largest projects.

​When he’s not at work it’s pretty common to see Bruce with his two daughters or spending time with his wife, Jill, at an Illinois basketball game – they are season ticket holders. He also enjoys designing and building furniture or kicking back with a glass of wine and some sushi. 
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Mark Ritz, Principal
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Mark Ritz, AIA, LEED AP

Principal
Mark is most inspired about the way architecture serves as a vehicle to help people achieve their dreams and aspirations. He believes that architecture is not about the physical structures; it's about what happens inside them. He enjoys getting involved in the in-depth problem solving required to develop solutions for clients that bring about high-quality outcomes, but more than anything he loves the excitement on our clients’ faces in early phases of design when BLDD helps them envision what the project could be. His commitment to our clients doesn’t end there;  he feels equally rewarded to experience their reactions as the building takes shape and comes to life, exceeding their expectations.

​Mark enjoys spending time with his wife, Raquel, and his children; Stefan, Isabella, Beckham, and Cohen. He especially enjoys sharing his passion for sports with Stefan and playing golf with Isabella. He admits that he isn’t a great golfer, but that occasional beautiful shot makes him forever optimistic that he will get better. Lately, he spends most of his time with Raquel and their two young sons Beckham and Cohen, traveling, eating well, listening to live music, and spending time with friends and family. Mark’s community is important to him, and he contributes through his service to Rotary or by fundraising for the Boys and Girls Club.

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Innovations that make your project rock, every step of the way.
They listened to clients and modified plans and designs quickly and with pleasure. Customer satisfaction was always paramount. 
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- Steven M. Bragg, Vice President for Finance & Planning, Illinois State University

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