Cynthia Fishman – Mountain States’ 2018 Top Young Professionals
Engineering News Record
February 12, 2018
Winners of the ENR Mountain States Top Young Professionals competition are company presidents, architects, engineers, constructors, virtual design experts and project managers, but also people deeply committed to improving the industry and their communities.
Some began their careers with larger companies and then broke away and started their own firms; others have been promoted as promising leaders. All have demonstrated a mastery of new technologies and a willingness to teach their colleagues about better design and construction practices.
As in past years, the annual contest was rigorous. Companies or individuals were allowed to nominate more than one person, and individuals could nominate themselves. Nominees must be working full time in some aspect of the commercial construction industry in the Mountain States region, which includes Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Montana and North and South Dakota.
Other key criteria included achievement of or progress toward industry certifications, success in creating more efficient systems, designing new processes or managing landmark projects and volunteer work across the industry and within the community.
This year’s judges also are a diverse group. They are: Ryan Balakas, vice president of operations, Saunders Construction, Englewood, Colo.; Enrique Elizondo, superintendent, GH Phipps Construction Cos., Greenwood Village, Colo.; Laurie Huff, senior specialist, public affairs, Regional Transportation District, Denver; Ibi Guevara, vice president, business development and marketing, Hunt Electric Inc., Salt Lake City; and Jeannette Torrents, senior project manager, JVA Inc., Boulder.
The following pages contain profiles of the winners, describing their achievements and goals.
Congratulations to the winners.
Cynthia Fishman
Architect takes her cues from nature in designing livable spaces
35, Architect, Project Manager
KTGY Architecture + Planning
Denver
Fishman is passionate about sustainability. She is completing her master’s degree at Arizona State University in biomimicry, the study of natural systems, with an eye toward applying their lessons to human problems, including design. That knowledge has helped her boost not only the sustainability of KTGY’s projects but also their diversity. The firm is designing buildings like a six-story, 190,000-sq-ft, mixed-use office development in Denver. The project is expected to receive both LEED and Fitwel certifications.
With bachelor’s degrees in both architecture and art history from Rice University, Fishman worked for design firms from New York to New Mexico before settling in Denver seven years ago. She has designed multiple fire stations and public safety complexes, the transit center addition at Denver International Airport, several single-family residences, a luxury apartment building and two forensic labs for the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
Fishman is active in the American Institute of Architects, and in 2013 created an industry networking event called “Meet the Dark Side,” which connects professionals from various design fields. The event attracted more than 425 participants last year.
