Respected industry veteran and facilities planning expert will position company for next phase of growth

HPM announced today the hiring of facilities planning expert Tracy Richter to lead its new Planning Services division, a move that will bolster and expand the company’s service offerings while extending relationships with clients representing more than a dozen industries including aerospace and aviation, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, education, and professional sports.

Richter assumes the role of Vice President of Planning Services and leads a team of specialists focused on providing a comprehensive approach to capital and operational building programs. Planning Services expands HPM’s reach through a variety of new talents and resources, including demographic analysis, standards and specifications development, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement and client facilitation, and facility master planning. That holistic scope will enable the company to both deepen and widen new and existing client engagements by offering a true life cycle of services that start with planning and carry all the way through implementation, creating a continual chain of client interaction centered around the growth and success of future facilities and operations.

Richter brings more than 25 years of experience as an educator and planner, and has coordinated and directed facility planning campaigns totaling $11 billion for more than 1,000 school districts of all sizes across 23 states. He is among a small and elite group of private contractors invited to join the National Council of School Facilities (NCSF), a coalition of state K-12 public school facility directors that advocates for the delivery of buildings that support 21^st-century learning which are sustainable and fiscally sound.

“It’s a great honor to join the team of talented professionals at HPM,” said Richter. “Our industry is at a key crossroads right now as higher costs and significant disruptions to the supply chain are pushing owners to find new avenues for more efficient long-term planning strategies that are equipped to meet the present challenges of our time. HPM has provided facility planning services to more than a dozen industries, and the know-how the firm has acquired in sectors like education or manufacturing can just as easily be applied for a client who needs innovative solutions for a new corporate headquarters or aviation facility they’re planning. That diversity of experience and breadth of best practices are true differentiators, and will position Planning Services for future growth and success.”

Richter’s proven track record of generating results through new technologies like Geographic Info Systems (GIS) and cost estimating software transfers well across HPM’s broad portfolio of clients. While these industries serve a variety of different interests, they are united by a shared need for highly functional facilities that will effectively serve key stakeholders while maximizing value over the long-haul.

“We are proud to welcome Tracy to our team and are confident in his ability to further develop and execute HPM’s long-term growth strategy,” said Mike Lanier, President at HPM. “We have always been a client-focused company rather than project-focused and have found that our clients are most fulfilled when we can provide a multi-phased approach to facility planning that helps safeguard their investments through a process that incorporates thoughtful counsel and sound deliberation. The addition of our Planning Services division significantly enhances these capabilities and will allow HPM to cultivate more opportunities for long-term relationships and repeat business, adding value for our clients at every step.”

A graduate of Purdue University, Richter is a certified Recognized Educational Facility Planner (REFP) and has also been recognized for his impressive education facility portfolio including projects for major school systems such as Cincinnati Public Schools, Broward County Public Schools, Arlington Independent School District, Virginia Beach City Public Schools, and Norfolk Public Schools.

With a presence throughout the U.S. and a total management portfolio value annually of $1+ billion, HPM has established itself as one of the industry’s leading program managers and owner’s representative companies. The firm ranked number 22 on Engineering News Record’s (ENR) list of top program management firms in 2020. HPM’s recent notable clients and accounts include a program management contract for Airbus’ campus including the A320 and A220 assembly lines in Mobile, Alabama; an assignment to lead the site selection process, planning, design and construction of Boom Supersonic’s first manufacturing facility; project management services for several new minor league baseball ballparks and major league spring training facilities in Florida; staff augmentation and construction administration contracts with Regions and FedEx; and program management services for multiple K-12 school districts and higher education institutions throughout the South.

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About HPM

HPM provides comprehensive planning, design and construction-related experience to offer clients a one-stop approach to complete program management and owner’s representation. From real estate acquisition analysis and facilities assessments to construction auditing and move management, HPM services clients in aerospace, automotive, sports and entertainment venues, higher education, K-12 and state and local government. With a footprint of accounts, projects and offices spanning throughout the U.S., the HPM team manages its work for national and international clients while providing a flexible, scalable team of experts at just the right time in the life of your facilities. For more information, please visit www.hpmleadership.com.