JDG Associates Seeking Architect of the Capitol
January 9, 2019 – Rockville, MD-headquartered executive search firm JDG Associates has been retained to conduct a highly unusual search: seeking a new architect of the U.S. Capitol – just the 12th in its long history. President Darren DeGioia is leading the assignment.
The architect of the Capitol, appointed for a 10-year term by the President, is responsible to the U.S. Congress for the maintenance, operation, development and preservation of the U.S. Capitol complex, which includes the Capitol, the House and Senate office buildings, the Library of Congress buildings, the Supreme Court building, the U.S Botanic Garden, the Capitol Power Plant, the Capitol Grounds and other facilities. In total, the architect oversees about 18.5 million square feet of space across 570 acres of land covering 36 structures.
The first architect of the Capitol was appointed in 1793 by President George Washington. Until 1989, the position was filled by presidential appointment for an indefinite term. Legislation enacted that year provided that the architect is to be appointed for a term of 10 years by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate.
Reporting to the Senate committee on rules and administration and the committee on House administration, and also to House and Senate leadership offices and the committees on appropriations, the architect is responsible for leading a large, complex organization with a $720 million annual budget and 2,200 employees, in all matters from daily operations to multi-year strategic planning.
Desired Qualifications
Candidates should be a strategic visionaries and transformative leaders with a minimum of 20 years of experience in facilities operation and construction management, said JDG Associates. They must have demonstrated success in driving significant measurable improvement in organizations with major capital infrastructures, broad unionized workforces and significant government regulation and oversight.
Broad experience leading and managing large-scale daily operations within a complex organization in a political and media-saturated environment is highly desirable for this position, the search firm said. The right individual must have the ability to build strong relationships with Congressional leaders, unions, employees and the broader Capitol complex community. An undergraduate degree with a concentration in architecture, engineering, urban planning, business administration or a related field is required and a graduate degree is preferred.
Performance Driven and Accountable
JDG Associates has been providing executive recruitment services to Fortune 1000 corporations, associations and non-profits, federal, state and local governments, research and consulting firms and defense contractors since 1973.
Mr. DeGioia has spent 16 years conducting senior-level search assignments for research and consulting organizations as well as the public sector. His areas of expertise include information technology, accounting and finance, the quantitative sciences, operations / general management, marketing and communications.
JDG Associates recently celebrated 45 years in business. The firm’s research-intensive process and personal approach have resulted in more than 4,000 senior-level searches across a broad spectrum of industries and disciplines in the Washington, D.C. region and nationally.
“While we have diversified our practice areas throughout the years, we have never lost sight of the fact that we are accountable for each search engagement,” said Mr. DeGioia. “We are performance-driven and never waver on our promise to build long-term, mutually rewarding partnerships. Although much has changed in the executive search industry, one thing remains constant: our mission to deliver the best candidates to our clients.”
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Andrew W. Mitchell, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
