-
About
Tricia Esser is the Chief Executive Officer of KTGY, one of the nation’s leading full-service architecture, branding, interior design and planning firms. KTGY currently has more than 400 professional team members working in six offices: Chicago, Denver, Irvine, Los Angeles, Oakland and Tysons.
Ms. Esser has been CEO since 2006 and has navigated KTGY through the highs and lows of the real estate cycle since that time. In 2021, KTGY was ranked as the 19th largest architecture firm in the United States by the Building Design and Construction Magazine Giants 400 Survey. The firm ranks as the 4th largest multifamily architecture firm by the same survey.
Ms. Esser steers the firm with a practice of taking on no debt and has never reported a loss. Her strategic insight, direction and leadership have grown the firm’s strength, stability, depth of resources and dedication to continually searching for better.
The evolving firm is attracting and retaining some of the industry’s leading architects and planners. Listening and working collaboratively with likeminded national developers and local innovators on new construction and revitalization projects that seek to create a sense of place, KTGY’s 400 staff members are located in six offices in growing metropolitan markets in the
United States. She created and spearheads the firm’s proprietary executive training program, ELEVATE Leadership.The firm has grown in stature and evolved significant practice areas under her tenure with award-winning client work ranging from city streets to master-planned destinations. KTGY is designing the neighborhoods of the future, innovating the places that people call “home.” KTGY established an R+D Studio dedicated to exploring the future of residential and mixed-use architecture. The firm created a Construction Innovation Group to explore new and future ideas in the changing world of construction technology.
She continues the firm’s dedication to giving back and mentoring young professionals through an annual summer internship program, as well as providing structure for staff volunteerism and company sponsorship of HomeAid, The Oakland Public Schools, ACE Mentor Program, and the National Association of Minority Architects (NOMA), and KTGY’s scholarship endowment at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
-
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Communications
California State University, Fullerton
Fullerton, CAChapman University, Orange, CA
Stanford Executive Leadership Certificate,
Stanford Graduate School of Business -
Affiliations
American Institute of Architects, AIA
Urban Land Institute (ULI)
-
Professional Involvement
AIA Large Firm Roundtable
AIA LFRT Executive Committee
Urban Land Institute, ULI
Vistage CEO Leadership Development
-
In The News
-
KTGY Names Bryan Sevy as Principal
IN THE NEWS - Archinect - December 20, 2022
-
KTGY Names Seager Principal, Adds Simeone to Board
IN THE NEWS - Mann Report - March 11, 2022
-
Leading Design Firms Merge to Become a One-Stop Shop for Builders
IN THE NEWS - ProBuilder - May 14, 2021
-
Why this architecture giant decided to bring interior design in-house
IN THE NEWS - Business of Home - March 26, 2021
-
Design firms KTGY, Simeone Deary Design Group unite to shape future of architectural design through experiential environments
NEWS - Building Design + Construction - March 23, 2021
-
KTGY Architecture + Planning Announces New 2021 Appointments
IN THE NEWS - The Registry SF - February 26, 2021
-
KTGY Wishes Summer Interns Best of Luck as the Firm’s Inaugural Virtual Summer Internship Program Wraps-Up
IN THE NEWS - Archinect - September 16, 2020
-
KTGY’s Virtual Summer Internship Cohort Sets Sail
IN THE NEWS - Archinect - July 20, 2020
-
Ben Seager, AIA, Named KTGY’s New 75+ Service-Enriched National Practice Area Leader
IN THE NEWS - Building Design + Construction - October 22, 2019
-
KTGY LA – Spring Street’s revival spreads to a downtown landmark: the Trust Building
IN THE NEWS - Los Angeles Times - September 20, 2019
-
Multifamily visionaries: KTGY’s extraordinary expectations
IN THE NEWS - Building Design + Construction - June 13, 2018
-
International Award-Winning KTGY Architecture + Planning Celebrates 25th Anniversary with 25 Acts of Gratitude
IN THE NEWS - The Registry San Francisco - November 22, 2016
-
Tricia Esser – Bisnow Honors Los Angeles Power Women
IN THE NEWS - Bisnow - July 18, 2016
-
KTGY Irvine – Architects say their new office space design pays off
IN THE NEWS - The Orange County Register - April 17, 2016
-
Jill Williams – How A Diversity Of Voices Helps Architecture And CRE
IN THE NEWS - GlobeSt.com - March 14, 2016
-
KTGY Group Taps Williams as Board Chair
IN THE NEWS - CoStar - February 25, 2016
-
KTGY Names Jill D. Williams to the Position of Chairman of the Board
NEWS - The Registry - February 24, 2016
-
Trends That Could Spook The Economy: Will Ghosts Of The Great Recession Scare Consumers And CEOs Alike?
IN THE NEWS - The Orange County Register - October 25, 2015
-
KTGY Group Expands National Architecture Reach, Opens First Chicago Office
NEWS - Chicago Tribune - September 20, 2015
-
KTGY Group Merges With PPK Architects, Expanding National Reach with Chicago Office
IN THE NEWS - Chicago Construction - September 3, 2015
-
KTGY Architecture Opens New Chicago Office
IN THE NEWS - GlobeSt.com - August 27, 2015
-
KTGY Group Expands National Presence
IN THE NEWS - Multi-Housing News - August 26, 2015
-
Tricia Esser – Senior Housing Can’t Keep Up
IN THE NEWS - The Orange County Register - January 18, 2015
-
Tricia Esser – Lansner: Be Thankful For These Trends
IN THE NEWS - The Orange County Register - November 26, 2014
-
Building Industry Association of Southern California (BIASC) Honors KTGY Executive Director Nick Lehnert with Lifetime Achievement Award
IN THE NEWS - Real Estate Rama - November 14, 2014
-
From the desk of … Tricia Esser, CEO of KTGY Group Inc.
NEWS - The Orange County Register - August 18, 2013
-
Real Estate 2013 Requires Stepped-Up Skills
NEWS - The Orange County Register - January 6, 2013
-
What Top Execs Vow For New Year
NEWS - The Orange County Register - January 2, 2013
-
Tricia Esser, CEO
NEWS - OC Metro - November 1, 2011
-
KTGY Celebrates 20th Anniversary By Volunteering
NEWS - MultifamilyBiz.com - October 10, 2011
-
Tricia Esser – Economic Recovery Built to Last?
NEWS - The Orange County Register - February 7, 2011
-
Tricia Esser – Hear Why Architects Feel Real Estate Rebound
NEWS - The Orange County Register - November 30, 2010
-
CAX Joins KTGY Group
NEWS - Professional Builder - October 29, 2010
-
East Coast Firm CAX Merges with California-Based KTGY
NEWS - Residential Architect - October 27, 2010
-
CAX Architects joins KTGY Group
NEWS - Chain Store Age - October 24, 2010
-
KTGY Designs Honored By Habitat For Humanity Orange County
NEWS - Design Taxi - May 13, 2009
-
-
Press Releases
-
A Key Regional Hire and Expansion of Interiors Practice Puts KTGY on the Path for New Growth
PRESS RELEASES - March 19, 2024
-
KTGY Welcomes New Member to Board of Directors, Appoints Two New Shareholders and Celebrates Recent Promotions
PRESS RELEASES - April 11, 2023
-
KTGY Announces Retirement of Principal Ken Ryan, Industry Leader in Community Planning and Urban Design
PRESS RELEASES - March 15, 2023
-
KTGY Names Bryan Sevy as Principal
PRESS RELEASES - December 20, 2022
-
KTGY Appoints New Principal + Shareholder and Welcomes New Member to Board of Directors
PRESS RELEASES - March 11, 2022
-
Design Firms KTGY, Simeone Deary Design Group Unite to Shape Future Of Architectural Design Through Experiential Environments
PRESS RELEASES - March 22, 2021
-
KTGY Architecture + Planning Announces New Appointments
PRESS RELEASES - February 25, 2021
-
KTGY Wishes Summer Interns Best of Luck as the Firm’s Inaugural Virtual Summer Internship Program Wraps-Up
PRESS RELEASES - September 16, 2020
-
KTGY 55+ National Practice Area Leader, Manny Gonzalez, Announces Firm’s New 75+ Service-Enriched National Practice Area Leader, Ben Seager
PRESS RELEASES - October 21, 2019
-
KTGY Congratulates its Inaugural Class of ELEVATE leadership Graduates
PRESS RELEASES - June 1, 2017
-
-
Speaking Engagements
-
Tricia Esser – Firm Leaders Luncheon: Leading With Purpose
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS - AIA Women's Leadership Summit - September 13, 2023
-
Tricia Esser – Mini MBA: Mastering the Business of Architecture
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS - AIA Conference on Architecture 2023 - June 10, 2023
-
Tricia Esser – Mini MBA: Mastering the Business of Architecture
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS - AIA Conference on Architecture 2022 - June 23, 2022
-
Tricia Esser – Women in Multifamily: Design and Development
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS - NMHC - March 17, 2021
-
Tricia Esser – Housing CEO Panel: Rental, Resale, and Design Insights from the Biggest Companies in the Business
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS - 2020 Housing Market Outlook - November 21, 2019
-
Tricia Esser – Don’t Fear, They Won’t Remember You Anyway
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS - Women in Residential Construction - Building Together - September 14, 2017
-
Tricia Esser – Top Women Leaders: Investing in Career and Community
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS - ULI Orange County/Inland Empire - December 6, 2016
-
Tricia Esser – Cage-Free Talent: How to make your Company a destination for Multiple Generations
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS - 2016 PCBC - June 23, 2016
-
About
Tricia Esser is the Chief Executive Officer of KTGY, one of the nation’s leading full-service architecture, branding, interior design and planning firms. KTGY currently has more than 400 professional team members working in six offices: Chicago, Denver, Irvine, Los Angeles, Oakland and Tysons.
Ms. Esser has been CEO since 2006 and has navigated KTGY through the highs and lows of the real estate cycle since that time. In 2021, KTGY was ranked as the 19th largest architecture firm in the United States by the Building Design and Construction Magazine Giants 400 Survey. The firm ranks as the 4th largest multifamily architecture firm by the same survey.
Ms. Esser steers the firm with a practice of taking on no debt and has never reported a loss. Her strategic insight, direction and leadership have grown the firm’s strength, stability, depth of resources and dedication to continually searching for better.
The evolving firm is attracting and retaining some of the industry’s leading architects and planners. Listening and working collaboratively with likeminded national developers and local innovators on new construction and revitalization projects that seek to create a sense of place, KTGY’s 400 staff members are located in six offices in growing metropolitan markets in the
United States. She created and spearheads the firm’s proprietary executive training program, ELEVATE Leadership.
The firm has grown in stature and evolved significant practice areas under her tenure with award-winning client work ranging from city streets to master-planned destinations. KTGY is designing the neighborhoods of the future, innovating the places that people call “home.” KTGY established an R+D Studio dedicated to exploring the future of residential and mixed-use architecture. The firm created a Construction Innovation Group to explore new and future ideas in the changing world of construction technology.
She continues the firm’s dedication to giving back and mentoring young professionals through an annual summer internship program, as well as providing structure for staff volunteerism and company sponsorship of HomeAid, The Oakland Public Schools, ACE Mentor Program, and the National Association of Minority Architects (NOMA), and KTGY’s scholarship endowment at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Communications
California State University, Fullerton
Fullerton, CA
Chapman University, Orange, CA
Stanford Executive Leadership Certificate,
Stanford Graduate School of Business
Affiliations
American Institute of Architects, AIA
Urban Land Institute (ULI)
Professional Involvement
AIA Large Firm Roundtable
AIA LFRT Executive Committee
Urban Land Institute, ULI
Vistage CEO Leadership Development