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A SKETCH_PAD © Press Release

Date:

Nov. 10, 2009

Release Date:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Title:

Architect/Designer Matthew "Budd" Conn & Two CAD Specialists Join CATALYST Team

Media Contact:

Deb Weissman

Phone:

(928) 778-3508

eMail:

deb@catalystarchitecture.com

Architect/Designer Matthew "Budd" Conn & Two CAD Specialists Join CATALYST Team

CORRECTION: Budd is a licensed architect and designer, who will be perfoming various design
and project management duties at CATALYST

PRESCOTT, AZ- With significant new projects coming on line or already on the drafting boards, CATALYST ARCHITECTURE has expanded its downtown Prescott office space to accommodate new staff and production area. Two CAD Specialists and a Design Architect have recently joined the CATALYST staff, adding fresh expertise and enthusiasm to the team.

Budd

Past colleague and Arcosanti alumni of CATALYST Principal Jeff Zucker, Architect Matthew "Budd" Conn brings a rare blend of skill, passion, and committment-to-detail to his profession. Budd will be assuming the Project Manager role on CATALYST's 16,000 sq.ft. LEED-Platinum seeking San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Visiitors Center project.

Budd has a Bachelor of Architecture from Kent State University in Ohio. After moving to Phoenix in 1979 Budd apprenticed with Bernie Gonzales. During his career, Budd spent two years with Will Bruder + Partners Architects, nine years as Senior Project Architect with Jones Studio, and was an Architectural Design Partner for S.E.A.D. Architecture + Construction, a firm he helped to found in 2002. While consulting for Ellerbe/Becket Sports Architecture, Budd served as the Senior Project Architect for the Milwaukee Brewer's Spring Training Facility, the Maryvale Baseball Park. Budd was also responsible for the renovation of the Veteran's Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix with Jones Studio.

Since 1981, Budd has lived in the historic midtown-Phoenix neighborhood in a 1929 bungalow that he has thoroughly remodeled over the years. An engaged community member and long time volunteer 'Big Brother', Budd has served for the past two years as Vice President of his Coronado Historic Neighborhood Association.

Thoko

Architect-in-Training Thokozani Mabena was born in Zimbabwe in 1983 to parents of Bushman and Zulu heritage. An exuberant student of his craft, Thoko's name appropriately means 'joy'. Thoko's architectural aspirations began when he was just three years old, and he was able to take full advantage of the opportunity to attend a high school that specialized in art and design. While there, Thoko (pronounced To-ko) was exposed to drawing, automotive design, metal work, and music.

His academic success allowed him to secure a two year scholarship to Cape Town University in South Africa, where his achievements grew to include a side job creating architectural models for a firm in Dubai. A forced hiatus brought him to the United States on a refugee visa, where he traveled for more than two years across seven states, backpacking, selling educational materials, while learning about the art, architecture and the people of America. After earning enough money to pay for his final two years of university, Thoko completed his degree and then returned to the U.S. permanently.

For the past three years he has worked for Orcutt-Winslow in Phoenix, participating on such projects as MacArthy on Monroe- a 66 person, low-income senior cohousing community; tenant improvements to the John C. Lincoln Hospital; and master planning for the Roosevelt School District in Laveen, Arizona.

Josh

With over eight years experience and 150 projects as a CAD specialist, Josh Buschbacher brings a high level of precision and technical skill to his position. Former instructor, and now fellow employee, Laurel Collins, comments on Josh's proficiency with architectural detailing, saying, "During his first CAD class, Josh mastered the material so quickly, he spent his spare class time creating an entire ArchiCAD castle for his Dungeons & Dragons game, complete with an underground dungeon which included a lake."

Josh completed his Associates Degree in Architectural Graphics at Yavapai College in 2002. For the last five years, Josh has specialized in 3D Presentation and CAD production, working extensively with ArchiCAD's 3D modeling and rendering capabilities and specializing in custom homes.

Other Resources:
African Student Architecture Organization
Lessons from the Bushmen

CATALYST ARCHITECTURE is an award winning, full-service sustainable design firm with offices in Prescott, and Flagstaff Arizona. The firm specializes in master planning, public/tribal, commercial, and custom residential work, with an emphasis on high-performance, resource-efficient design and construction practices. With both principals Jeffrey L. Zucker and Matthew B. Ackerman LEED accredited, Catalyst is committed to the thoughtful integration of our natural and built environments.