George Kacan, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, NCARB, REFP
Regional Director, Royal Oak
Leadership Lead
George brings more than 30 years of architectural experience, coupled with extensive management expertise, to his role on the company’s leadership team as regional director for Wightman’s southeast Michigan office. To his credit in the architectural realm are projects with a collective construction value of more than $1 billion. He has also been instrumental in leading a successful $500 million bond proposal for one of the largest public school districts in the United States. George has a passion for building trust with clients through commitment to service excellence, one-on-one face time, and accountability.
Areas of Focus
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Office Director
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Educational Planner
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Architecture Project Management
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Recruiter
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Marketing
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Business Development
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Community Engagement
Services
- Architecture
- Planning
- Leadership
Expertise
Education
Bachelors Degree in Architectural Science, Architecture
Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada
Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada
Certificate of Design Studies, Architecture
University of Copenhagen, Denmark
University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Master of Architecture, Architecture
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Professional Training & Registrations
Registered Architect in the following States: Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Washington, Wyoming, District of Columbia
Awards
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LEED Silver Certification: Phelps Architecture, Construction, and Engineering High School
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2011 CEFPI Midwest Great Lakes Planner of the Year
Articles
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"The Four Energy Zones of Schools"
Educational Facility Planner, CEFPI, July 2012 -
"A Call for Preservation American"
School & University, November 2002 -
The Four Energy Zones of Schools Presentations: “Creating a Road Map for Creating Inspiring Spaces for Learning”
West Liberty University, Center for the Arts and Education, September 2015 -
“The Four Energy Zones of Schools: Energizing Learning through Planning and Design”
School and College Building Expo, January 2012 -
“Energize: Operational Cost Savings” Illinois Association of School Boards; Illinois Association of School Administrators; Illinois Association of School Business Officials Joint Annual Conference, November 2011 Illinois Association of School Business Officials, January 2011
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“LEED for Schools: How to Achieve Certification in an Existing Building”
Virginia Educational Facility Planners Annual Conference, February 2008 -
“Performance Contracting: Investing and Payback”
Virginia Educational Facility Planners Annual Conference, February 2007
Affiliations & Memberships
Professional
- American Institute of Architect (AIA)
- Committee on Architecture for Education Michigan Architectural Foundation (MAF)
- National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB)
- U. S. Green Building Council - LEED Accredited Professional BD+C
- Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) formerly known as the Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI)
- Registered Educational Facility Professional (REFP)
- Association for Learning Environments (A4LE)
- Michigan School Business Officials (MSBO)
- Michigan Association of School Administrators (MASA)
- National Business Aviation Association (NBAA)
- Society of Marketing Professional Services (SMPS)
- Juror for National Marketing Communications Awards Member of AIST (American Insitute of Steel Technology)
Personal
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St. James Catholic Church Usher for ten years (former)
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Michigan Architectural Foundation Annual Conference Planning Committee (served for over ten years)
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Association for Learning: Midwest Great Lakes, Treasurer, serving my 6th Year
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Novi Educational Foundation, Trusteer, sat on numerous committees, including Finance, Scholarship, Fund Raising, Liason, etc. (served for over ten years)
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Assistant Soccer Coach, Novi Parks, and Recreation, numerous teams and years
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A4LE Conference Planning Committee Member, various conferences
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Personal Note
George enjoys people and conversation. Meeting new people has always been one of the things he looks forward to when traveling, going to church, attending events, and just walking in his neighborhood.
