Paul Jacob takes over as managing principal; Jessica Statz joins as director of Interiors.
Paul Jacob, AIA, LEED AP, will serve as managing principal of HOK’s Chicago office, overseeing its strategic direction and operations. He joins Design Principal Peter Ruggiero, AIA, Technical Principal Lou Oswald, AIA, LEED BD+C, Marketing Principal Rana Lee, LEED AP BD+C, and Director of Operations Paul Maute, AIA on the office’s leadership team.
Jessica Statz, IIDA, LEED AP, joins the office as director of Interiors, partnering with Neil Schneider, IIDA, director of design, Interiors, to lead the Interiors group.
“Paul and Jessica are the right leaders for what’s next in our Chicago office,” said Eli Hoisington, AIA, LEED AP, HOK’s co-CEO. “Paul has led studios, delivered landmark projects and built strong teams along the way. Jessica knows how to grow an interiors practice and deliver for clients at every scale. Together they’ll build on the strong growth we’ve seen in Chicago.”
Jacob has been a senior leader at HOK for nearly a decade. He most recently served as managing principal in Kansas City and before that was a project executive in St. Louis, where he led the team that designed the $458 million Energizer Park, home of St. Louis CITY SC. He has more than 40 years of experience in the design and construction industry.
Statz has spent more than 20 years in commercial interiors. She joins HOK from a national design firm, where she co-led a 50-person practice across five offices. Her project experience ranges from 5,000 to 450,000 square feet and includes multinational headquarters and large-scale workplace repositioning.
“Neil has built real momentum with our Interiors group in Chicago, and Jessica’s arrival allows him to focus on design leadership while she drives practice growth and client delivery,” said Tom Polucci, FIIDA, AIA, LEED GA, HOK’s firmwide director of Interiors. “They’re well-positioned to take the group even further.”