RIM Architects Joins Global Services Firm
Photo Credit: Carter Damaska | Alaska Business
An architecture firm with deep roots in Anchorage is joining a global services company. RIM Architects has partnered before with Australia-based GHD, and that partnership becomes more permanent with a formal acquisition.
Under Employee Ownership
Founded in Anchorage almost forty years ago, RIM will transition to the GHD Design brand, the umbrella for GHD’s architecture branch.
GHD is an employee-owned professional services company operating in the global markets of water, energy and resources, environment, property and buildings, and transportation. Established in 1928 as Gutteridge Haskins & Davey, GHD delivers advisory, digital, engineering, architecture, environmental, and construction solutions to public and private sector clients with a staff of more than 11,000 professionals at 160 offices around the world.
RIM has more than 75 employees across offices in Alaska, California, Hawai’i, Guam, Idaho, Florida, and Washington, DC. GHD and RIM have enjoyed a long-standing partnership for more than three decades, working together on various projects in the western US.
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“Our business revolves around our people,” says David McVeigh, GHD Design Studio director and, until recently, CEO of RIM. “Years of collaboration have shown that our organizations’ cultures, aspirations, and visions align. This union allows us to integrate the best of both firms while delivering differentiated solutions to our clients.”
RIM founder Larry Cash adds, “For thirty-eight years, RIM Architects has been committed to excellence and innovation in design. Joining GHD is a natural next step that honors our legacy while opening exciting new opportunities. I’m confident this partnership will amplify our impact and bring even greater value to our partners, employees, clients, and communities.”
Thanks to shared corporate values and culture, the companies anticipate the acquisition will significantly enhance GHD’s architectural capabilities in the US, supporting its strategic vision for growth in the US federal sector in the Pacific region.
“RIM’s extensive experience, especially within the US federal sector, is a valuable addition to our portfolio and will be instrumental in achieving our ambitious growth objectives,” says Sri Sadasivan, general manager for GHD US West. “RIM provides GHD with strong leadership to grow our design studio and architectural practice in the US. Our long-standing partnership with RIM is built on shared values and a common vision for a sustainable future. This strong foundation sets the stage for a seamless integration and positions us for accelerated growth in key markets.”
The transaction price was not disclosed. RIM’s previous structure distributed ownership among a dozen senior personnel.
While transitioning to the GHD Design brand, the companies agreed that RIM will operate as “RIM | A GHD Company” in the interim.
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