Our People

Our People

Self-Renewing Leadership

The organization of Gruen Associates has been developed to best fulfill two purposes:

• The rendering of imaginative and effective professional services for projects of any size or complexity.
• The maintaining of an alert, creative, constantly-expanding and self-renewing leadership group.

At the heart of the leadership group are the “Associates”.  This professional core has been developed over many years and contributes significantly to the strength and capability of Gruen Associates.  Its members have generally been advanced from within the organization, and their average seniority with Gruen Associates is in excess of 10 years.  Traditionally, the partners are “graduates” from the Associates. The five partners of today were all promoted from the Associates Group and they represent the 4th, 5th and 6th generation of partners here at Gruen.

In maintaining this system, we develop loyalty, identification and dedication that have endowed the organization with exceptional stability at the level of professional direction. The success of this methodology is demonstrated in the fact that we did not suffer from staff reduction; rather, we remained committed, stronger and resolved in supporting each other through unforeseen times.

Gruen Associates is the Training Ground for Future Stars

Starting with the legendary Victor Gruen, Gruen Associates has built an internal community of talented design visionaries, and from its beginning has always attracted many notable and future notable architects to join our ranks. Highly-regarded as an early supporter of young, talented architects, we continue to provide a nurturing place where they can hone their skills, express their design talents and grow their architectural vision.  Among the renowned architects, planners and designers who have learned their craft here at Gruen Associates are four AIA Gold Medalists, two who have also received the coveted Pritzker Prize – Frank Gehry, Thom Mayne, Cesar Pelli as a Design Partner and Michael A. Enomoto, FAIA as the Managing Partner.

“I went to Gruen, the intellectual watering hole in LA. I really thrived there. They gave young people huge responsibility and that had enormous impact on my own office. I literally set my practice up with huge parallels to Gruen in terms of how I treat young people, the openness of the office and the atelier model. It’s very egalitarian. The youngest person is treated with the same respect as the oldest.”  

Thom Mayne, FAIA 2013
Architect Daily

Others who have matriculated through Gruen Associates include Edward Feiner, GSA Architect, John Melcher, AIA California President, and Fred Clarke, Partner of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects.

Today, Gruen Associates is led by five partners – Michael A. Enomoto, FAIA; Larry Schlossberg, AIA, AICP, LEED AP BD+C; Debra Gerod, FAIA, LEED AP; Ashok Vanmali, AIA; Jill Wagner, AIA, LEED AP – and one Associate Partner, Elaine Carbrey, AIA, AICP.