From Local Roots To Nationwide Reach
By KIM GRONNIGER | Photos by JOHN BURNS
“I always knew I would build a career in Topeka because my family is here,” said Greg Schwerdt, founder and owner of SDG Architecture + Interiors. “I never had that aspiration to seek a different environment. My work took me nationwide, but I’m rooted here.”
Much has changed in the nearly 35 years since SDG’s founding. In addition to a new name, the firm is now licensed to practice in 47 states with at least one project in each. They’ve also implemented the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) approach to help them better cater to their clients.
SDG’s rebrand began a few years ago when Schwerdt Contract Interiors, launched in 1996 and led by Megan Schwerdt Williams since 2017, began collaborating with SDG on nearly all of their projects.
“Our names, paperwork and a half-wall have been the only things separating our businesses, so joining the two companies removes any element of confusion,” she said. “I think it’s great to operate as one official unit under one name, providing one remarkable client experience.”
During the transition, Williams’ role changed to director of employee experience while Sherri Hartter joined the team as its new director of business development and communication.
“We spent a lot of time the past couple of years refining our mission, vision and core values, which then drove us to redefine our corporate identity and rebrand the company,” Schwerdt said. “The driver had to be creating a collective integration shaped by how our clients and our community base perceive us and not just the adoption of a new logo and tagline.”
Schwerdt said SDG’s new name better reflects its full-service capabilities, which are attractive to many clients looking for a single partner to execute their vision.
“The refresh will ultimately help us produce additional revenue while retaining our current and extremely loyal client base,” he said.
Although some firms specialize in certain markets, SDG has found its niche as a generalist. They design everything from restaurants and retail businesses to corporate offices and sports facilities.
Notable SDG designs in Topeka include the FHLBank of Topeka building, the Washburn University Recital Hall, the Washburn University Indoor Athletic Training Facility, the Wheatfield Village complex, numerous projects at Hill’s Global Pet Nutrition Center’s research facility, Topeka Collegiate School enhancements, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas lobby renovations and outdoor amenities and the Sunflower Foundation campus created from repurposed historic structures.
SDG has many more local projects in process, from a Native American interpretive museum in Arkansas City, Kansas to a Vaerus Aviation hangar expansion. They’re also developing an addition for the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center, a sanctuary for the Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church and a master plan for the former Security Benefit Association/Menninger Hill property, which includes the city’s iconic Security Benefit Association clock tower modeled after Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
In the firm’s early days, Schwerdt said he and Mike Hampton, SDG’s director of operations and Schwerdt’s first hire, were “specialists by necessity.” They designed restaurants on the East Coast and multi-family housing from Minnesota to Texas.
“We just needed to eat,” Schwerdt said, laughing.
But over time as the construction industry improved and their confidence and curiosity grew, Schwerdt and Hampton broadened their scope. Doing so has helped them recruit talent and expand their footprint. They added an office in Oklahoma City in 1996 and will open a Kansas City office this summer.
“The diversity of projects architects can work on helps us with recruiting and also keeps our approaches fresh,” Schwerdt said. “Firms that specialize in certain areas like K-12 education often create cookie-cutter designs. Many of the things we do are different each time, which keeps our team engaged and energized.”
CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS AND EXPERIENCES
SDG has always focused on customer relationships, but wanted their recent rebranding to prioritize clients, community partners and employees.
For employees, this means weekly meetings to discuss issues, current events and pop culture. The goal is to spark creativity and “feed their passion,” Williams said.
“Now that we’ve gone through the rebranding process and EOS training with our staff, everyone has ownership for managing relationships,” Hampton said. “It’s emphasized and expressed throughout the company.”
“We go into projects looking to build long-term relationships,” Schwerdt said. “We want our clients to be our friends and spend time with us. We’re not in the business to just complete a project and move on. That’s partly why 85% of our clients do repeat business with us.”
Pro bono work is also important to the firm and the group has worked on numerous projects for organizations like Let’s Help, the Topeka Rescue Mission.
“We serve on boards and committees and use our time, talent and money to make Topeka better,” Schwerdt said. “We’re all different ages and belong to different groups, churches and social circles, so that’s often where we first hear of things that might be happening that we can help with. We use our networks to facilitate contacts, whether someone approaches us directly or on someone else’s behalf.”
The company’s philosophy of caring is what drew Hartter to the team.
“I loved the community commitment aspect and the desire to grow the business, and I wanted to be part of the changes taking place,” she said. “The entrepreneurial component is part of the daily language now. We’re all marketers, even our younger graduates. We get them involved in Forge [the Greater Topeka Partnership’s young professionals initiative] and other activities to acclimate them to the community.”
Immersing employees in volunteer roles for community projects helps them develop skills, Hampton said.
“Architects are problem-solvers, which is something nonprofits need on their boards,” he said. “Our employees benefit, too, because they become more confident staff members through those interactions.”
Hampton said clients often give SDG “a blank canvas but not a blank check” for their projects, which means satisfying client expectations in ways that don’t add more costs.
“Ideas are unlimited, but we have to have honest communication with clients to keep things in check and still deliver what they need while ensuring that what we create resonates with their surroundings,” Schwerdt said.
POST-PANDEMIC DESIGN EVOLUTION
Hartter and Williams share an office and collaborate extensively in their complementary roles.
Williams, who has a background in journalism, said her employee engagement role fits well with her questioning nature. She now oversees SDG’s new business operations system, EOS. Williams first became familiar with the EOS program when working for the Australian company Five Senses Coffee.
“Coming out of COVID-19 and assessing the complexity of SDG’s business and our desire to continue to grow, we knew that we had to become more agile and respond more quickly to industry changes and customer preferences,” she said. “Five Senses Coffee adopted the EOS philosophy while I was there and within just a few years we had operations in every Australian state.”
Architects often seek inspiration from patterns, forms and systems found in nature, including how light interacts with natural objects.
Williams said biophilia, a tendency for people to seek connections in nature, has influenced how the firm creates attractive spaces while enhancing the customer experience and employee productivity.
“It’s not just about coordinating colors and carpet but a fully holistic approach to creating welcoming environments,” she said. “Studies show that incorporating nature has a positive impact on mental health and often helps people generate more energy and better ideas at work.”
Hampton said the firm has become more flexible when addressing shifting conditions and client needs. This includes extensive staff research on various industry sectors, which not only keeps employees excited about the field but also gives clients peace of mind that they’re getting innovative solutions for their projects.
Being nimble is how SDG helped motel and hotel owners who bought struggling properties after the pandemic. The firm worked with them to repurpose rooms into studio apartments and collaborative spaces for workforce housing.
Williams said another post-pandemic industry change is clients’ desire for more outdoor, recreational and entertainment amenities — both for retail and restaurant establishments as well as companies striving to entice employees back to the office.
“The pandemic changed the way we do business and has especially impacted what corporate clients want,” Schwerdt said. “We’re working harder to create spaces that make employees feel safer and motivated to use so they enjoy their jobs and are more receptive to being onsite.”
TRANSFORMING TOPEKA
Topeka’s appearance has undergone a noticeable transformation in recent years, and SDG has played a significant role in the changes. Downtown has been reinvigorated and blighted areas have been revitalized. This is largely because of private investment by entrepreneurs like Jim Klausman and Cody Foster.
Schwerdt credited Klausman, Foster, Greater Topeka Partnership’s CEO Matt Pivarnik and other visionary leaders for not only changing the mindset in Topeka, but also committing to quality-of-life enhancements like riverfront development to help recruit and retain residents.
SDG is a major player in the capital city’s conversion. Their branded banners are visible on businesses like First Watch and the new corporate headquarters for Jones Advisory Group, both currently undergoing construction with the firm’s blueprints.
As SDG settles into its new operating philosophy and rebranding, Hartter said she is eager to see what unfolds both for the firm and the community.
“Our story’s still being told,” she said. “It’s still being written. It’s exciting to be here now to make our experiences with clients and the community even better and stronger.”
TK
