As the H.P.I.C., head principal-in-charge of SmithGroupJJR’s Workplace Interiors Studio, Mark Adams brings nearly 30 years of experience to his work with companies in developing and monitoring the overall performance of projects including schedule, scope and budget.

He joined SmithGroupJJR in 2008 and has since made a name for himself as an award-winning designer recognized for his ability to listen and understand complex issues, distill a wide range of input and lead consensus on the best solutions for the overall project.

Back in the day before he started pursuing architecture as a career, Adams played drums for his high school band and performed in clubs across Chicago.

Despite never making it big as a rockstar, Adams says his favorite career accomplishment has been taking what was a small interior architecture group that supported the efforts of the architectural practice at SmithGroupJJR’s Phoenix office and developing it into a studio of its own.

He explains, “It’s been like growing a business within a business, which is something that has always been a goal of mine.” That goal has also proven to be his greatest challenge too, which consists of creating a work environment that allows for the staff to grow in their careers. “I believe we’ve been able to do it very successfully and it has shown in loyalty, commitment and staying power,” he adds.

Currently, Adams is in charge of a series of projects for web domain registrar giant GoDaddy, spanning Arizona locations in Tempe, Scottsdale and Gilbert, as well as Sunnyvale, Calif. and Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Under his direction, SmithGroupJJR designed GoDaddy Global Technology Center in Tempe, recognized for design excellence by numerous industry organizations as an innovative new model that the client is leveraging as a powerful workforce recruiting and retention tool.

Adams earned his BFA in Interior Design from the Harrington College of Design and Architectural Studies at Iowa State University and is currently active in many industry associations such as IIDA, IFMA, BOMA, NAIOP and CoreNet Global.