The architecture, engineering and construction, industries play a vital role in the development and growth of the modern world. It encompasses a wide range of activities, from the design and planning of buildings and infrastructure to the actual construction and maintenance of these structures.
Cuhaci Peterson is a company that operates within this industry, offering a range of services related to architecture, construction, and engineering. With a team of experienced professionals and a strong track record of successful projects, Cuhaci Peterson is a leader in the field.
The work of architecture, construction, and engineering firms like Cuhaci Peterson directly impacts the quality of our daily lives, shaping the places where we live, work, and play. Greg Simpson CEO of Cuhaci Peterson, was with the CEOViews team to share details on how they are creating an impact with their services.
CEOViews: Cuhaci Peterson is a Central Florida-based commercial design firm offering end-to-end solutions that offer nationwide architectural, design, engineering, and other services. What inspired you to develop this idea? What was the mission at the outset?
Greg Simpson: What started in 1978 as a one-person operation providing the architecture for a grocery client has become a multidisciplinary business offering numerous services to various industries nationwide with employees from coast-to-coast and support resources in India. Cuhaci Peterson was built on service, trust, and a commitment to meaningful relationships. We continue these ideals to help our clients succeed. The firm knew early on that as it evolved its business model, it would also have to expand to meet the needs of its clients and consumer demands. Through our services, we integrate technology, design, and expertise to deliver value, scalable solutions, and frictionless experiences for our customers. Our mission is to exceed expectations by transforming ideas into value.
CEOViews: Cuhaci Peterson has been recognized as the Innovator of the Year. How was your journey of innovation so far?
Cuhaci Peterson is a company that operates within this industry, offering a range of services related to architecture, construction, and engineering.
Greg Simpson: Prior to 2020, Cuhaci Peterson had discussions regarding moving its computing systems to a totally virtual space. When the pandemic hit in 2020, those conversations turned into action plans as the company was forced to adjust and innovate with velocity to introduce flexibility and mobility for staff. We traded in being tethered to offices with adaptability to work from anywhere. That’s influenced how we’ve hired people, our presence in new markets, our relationships with current and potential new clients, and how we’re positioning ourselves as an office leader. For us, that also means leveraging digital services and practices to continue growing our digital offerings, automation, conflict resolution, and artificial intelligence. What are the ways where it works and where doesn’t it work? We continue looking for ways to have those expert systems in place to help our staff and provide efficiencies for our clients.
CEOViews: What type of priorities does your company set for your clients nationwide?
Greg Simpson: Our clients are at the heart of what we do. Their success is our primary focus. We understand. We listen. We aspire to give them the knowledge to be prosperous, and our personalized experiences give our clients what they want when they want it with collaboration and expertise in a way that sets them up for success. It’s not necessarily about us and what we do as a business, but more about how we can help alleviate a pain point or bring a transformation for our clients. They have a problem, and we’re here to help them solve it. Regardless of where they’re located, our clients can always depend on us to bring the right-sized solutions, value, and a relationship-focused partner. We are passionate about what we do, our clients, and the trends in the industries we cover. We’re in it for the long haul, and that means building relationships where we go from new, known, and liked to trusted – trusted partners who genuinely care about our customer’s success.
CEOViews: Cuhaci Peterson is a company with a team of subject matter experts in multiple sectors and areas of practice. How do you manage to provide the best outcomes for every project?
Greg Simpson: From the initial conversation of a project to its completion, our program and project teams are in lockstep with our clients to ensure its success. That includes conversations about trends that may meet customer demand and big-picture views that will impact design and functionality. That’s where our expertise comes into play. From permitting services to micro fulfillment, we’re always looking for ways to help our clients meet their business goals and stay on track with what is driving consumer habits.
CEOViews: How does your team maintain innovation while providing different services to its clients nationwide?
Greg Simpson: As architects, engineers and designers, we must stay on top of innovation, industry regulations, and trends in addressing the needs of our clients and evolving communities. It’s not just about creating a building and making sure the lights come on. There’s so much to consider, like accessibility, convenience, technology, automation, technical processes, and the overall end-user experience. That means we stay committed and invested in digital practices and services that advance our work and its output and sustain our completed projects in the years to come. With the ability to serve our clients nationwide, our teams keep their fingers on the pulse of innovation through continuing education, staying abreast of movements in the industries we serve, and fostering our client relationships to support business goals and consumer needs.
CEOViews: What challenges have you faced and overcome throughout your journey?
Greg Simpson: Our innovation in providing our teams the ability to work on any project from anywhere to meet the global needs of our clients meant having to look at our legacy on-premise systems that, truthfully, weren’t good for security and being able to access large files remotely. It wasn’t good for collaboration, either. At the beginning of the pandemic, we did what we had to do with Microsoft Teams and email, but we needed to determine how to take multiple platforms, make it less confusing, and take the place of in-person collaboration. That meant continuing to evolve our technology and keep up with the speed of information. There are accelerators, and the constant quest for 24-hour work and information has prompted us to stand up an India team, which positions us to operate on a global scale to support our client’s business plans. When they want to take their product worldwide, we’re right there to strategize, engage and execute.
CEOViews: What role does technology play while carrying out the innovation process in your firm?
Greg Simpson: We want to push the boundaries of what’s possible, and we know technology is a conduit to make that happen. We know these are dominant forces in our business and industry, whether through innovation, technology, or design. We are invested in these cornerstones and our staff, who will use their talents to help us continue bringing communities to life. We always strive to improve the tangible and intangible, and technology – coupled with what we do and how we do it – sets us apart from the competition, benefitting our clients and our firm.
CEOViews: What type of insight do you use while connecting technologies to influence decisions throughout your process?
Greg Simpson: We help our clients solve a problem or a need, serve their customers and meet their business goals. Providing that solution means relying on technology to eliminate bottlenecks in processes and procedures, providing accurate data for decision-making, and eliminating manual and redundant tasks to provide better customer experiences. By integrating digital solutions, tools, and technologies, we have streamlined processes, accelerated production cycles, and offered an enhanced client experience while increasing profitability.
CEOViews: Can you tell us about the core values of your firm that have helped you reach where you are today?
Greg Simpson: Our North Star is to make others successful by bringing ideas to life. We do this through our core values of accountability, balance, charity, courage, curiosity, focus, humility, integrity, and urgency. Those values have transformed into the cultural norms of acting boldly and taking risks; being hungry and pursuing the unknown; focusing on progression and not perfection; working together to solve problems and provide solutions; raising the standard and expecting a better outcome. We believe in questioning the “why” or “what if,” embodying change and trying something new. These guiding values have been key to the firm’s success and our operating boldly.
CEOViews: According to your vision, what will be the industry’s upcoming technology and market trends?
Greg Simpson: Automation is changing the way we construct the built environment. Replacing manual work with automated processes is opening new doors in design. 3-D printing is now more widely accessible, economical and practical within the built environment. Advances in robotic technology are also changing how architects design, build and deliver solutions. And new materials are changing the way buildings perform and function, expanding our options beyond standard brick-and-mortar designs and using more eco-friendly materials. Whatever the future holds, Cuhaci Peterson is positioned to face the changes of tomorrow together with our clients and staff. The doors are open to new possibilities in design, and it’s an exciting time.
As architects, engineers and designers, we must stay on top of innovation, industry regulations, and trends in addressing the needs of our clients and evolving communities.
