Staff Post by Wayne Visbeen

I have had the privilege of playing some of the most revered golf courses in the world in the past 15 years. Many of these classics have been in the East Coast, which has a wonderful tradition of great courses, and for me, even better, great clubhouses. In the East I have played, Oakmont, Oakhill, Baltusrol, Winged Foot, Merion, and most recently Ridgewood Country Club. These courses have all hosted PGA events and have a long tradition of golfing excellence. Several of these courses have two things in common that I want to refer to today: golf course Architect, A.W. Tillinghast and Architect Clifford C. Wendehack. Wendehack worked most prolifically in the 20’s and was responsible for some of my favorite clubhouse designs.

Winged Foot’s Clubhouse is considered by many the quintessential clubhouse and is one of the most beautiful I have visited.

Winged Foot

Mamaroneck, NY

Pennhills Country Club

Bradford, PA

Visbeen Associates has been selected to begin a process of master planning and designing several elements of the Ridgewood Country Club prior to their hosting the Barclays Event the summer of 2014. We are developing a practice facility and doing an addition and pro shop renovation. The future plans include a new pool, pool house, exercise facility and updated kitchen and dining areas. During this time, I have had the luxury of playing the course a few times and enjoying the beauty of this world-class facility. It is a great opportunity to become a part of architectural history.

Rendering of Ridgewood Country Club

Ridgewood Country Club

Paramus, NJ

Sketches done for Ridgewood Country Club

We are also working on another Wendehack Club, Hackensack Country Club in Ordell, N.J. to look at a new pool house and pool facility.

Hackensack Golf Club

Oradell, NJ

Staff Post by Jennifer Quillan

I am the controller here at Visbeen Associates. One of the many job duties that fall under that umbrella is human resources. Since we have a large number of employers who read our blog, I thought I’d devote my blog to what makes a good employer-employee relationship.

1. Communication. Proper communication is critical to any interpersonal relationship & the employer-employee one is no exception. Do your employees know what’s expected of them? If they have questions or concerns do they know whom they can talk to?

2. Respect. Tina Turner sang about it, we all need it. Respect their personal space & time, respect their opinions, respect that they might have insight that you don’t – that they can see things that you as the boss can’t. Treat all employees with the same amount of respect – whether they are the CFO or the janitor. “If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals” (Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. New York: Levine-Scholastic, 2000.Print.)

3. Integrity/trust. This is a biggie. Do you mean what you say? All the rest of the points can be in place, but if your employees doubt your integrity, if they don’t trust you, you’ve got a big problem. If a situation arises, do you give your employees the benefit of the doubt (at least the first time)? Do you trust your employees enough not to micro-manage them? “What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

4. Fairness. Pay them a fair wage. Give them time off (and make sure they take it!). Don’t tell them at 4:30 on a Friday that they’re going to need to work until 8:30. Give them tasks that they enjoy (when possible). Are they expected to answer e-mail or phone calls off hours? If so, are they compensated them for that?

5. Flexibility. Today’s work is much less geographically dependent. Do all of your employees need to work a “typical work week” of M-F, 8-5? Can employees choose to work noon-8? Or from 6 to 2? Work from home? Can they work 30 hours a week instead of 40? With remote access, conference calls & smart phones consider if there is room to offer some flexibility to your employees. This doesn’t work for all jobs obviously – but is generally highly valued by employees.

6. Providing them with the proper tools & support. Have you trained your management staff? Do people have the proper computer software, computer hardware, printers, etc. to complete their tasks effectively?

But really, why do we care? The economy is starting to make a comeback. Shouldn’t employees still just be happy they have a job? Shouldn’t their continued paycheck be enough of a thank-you? Obviously no. In short, the difference in your workforce will be the difference between employees who are engaged & invested with your company versus employees who are merely “phoning it in” and waiting for the weekend. Of course every relationship is a two-way street. Employees need to communicate, respect, have integrity and be flexible as well. But as the employer, you set the tone for the relationship and hold the most power as to how this relationship will play out.

Staff Post by Ryan La Haie

As I made my way into work this morning, I quickly realized the warm summer weather has faded fast. Today, the frost on the windshield was heavy and I could see my breath for the first few miles of my drive. As my vehicle and being began to warm up, I quickly realized we are beginning to enter into what I believe is the greatest time of year - “FALL”. The leaves are starting to change and all of nature’s beauty is beginning to shift.

My blog entry is for all the Visbeen blog outdoorsmen out there. This is a season of harvest, a season of outdoor beauty, a season of male comradery, and a time where the “Man Cave” is open! Yes I said it. “Man Cave”. This is the place to showcase our prized possessions and our life’s work, no matter how insignificant the lady of the home feels about these items. Hey, we're proud of this stuff!

Here at Visbeen Associates, we have found many creative ways to handle this eclectic space. What if we could design a space that even the lady of the home could be proud of? Is this possible? We believe it is. So let me show you a few examples of what I think are great Visbeen designed “Man caves”.

Staff Post by Lori Potter

My Dream Home

I grew up in a small 70's ranch. I'm sure you've all seen them. A basic rectangle with a center front door and a picture window on one side and several bedroom windows on the other side. My sister and I shared a room and we all shared a single bathroom. I remember many fights and screaming matches that always ended in tears. I also remember sitting up way past bedtime sharing dreams and secrets with my sister. She was my playmate, conspirator, fellow dreamer, and best friend. I remember dreaming of living in one of those large houses where every child has their own room. Especially their own bathroom.

I went on to college and internships. I started working for Visbeen Associates, Inc. in 2000 One of the benefits and downfalls of my job is that you are constantly "building your dream home" in your mind. At that time I was engaged and dreaming up the house I would like to raise our future children in. I dreamed of a large home with a bedroom for each child, at least three bathrooms, plenty of room (out of sight) for their toys, an office for myself where I could work from home while they quietly played. Similar to these plans -




During the last eleven years, I have gotten married, had several children, and lost several loved ones. My values have changed dramatically. I want to be a presence in my children's lives not just present. I want to hear them playing, laughing, telling secrets, and sometimes fighting. I want to trip over the toys at three am when I am walking them back to bed. I want them to learn to be courteous, forgiving, loving, and God fearing. I want to know without a doubt that whatever life throws at them, their family and faith will always be there. They don't need their own bedroom or bathroom. They need a roof over their head and a pillow underneath it. More square footage doesn't make a better house. It is the quality of that square footage that makes a home. Now my dream home looks more like this -



I wonder what my dream home will look like in another 10 years.

Staff Post by Paul Fikse

Barns serve numerous functions and their design often reflects their intended use. Whether used to store agricultural produce, livestock or equipment - a good barn comes in handy.

The historic two-barn combination barn shown below 150 foot in length and was the main building for a dairy creamery business.

Image provided by the Eaton Rapids Area Historical Society

This image shows that the most important part of a barn is the roof.


One of the finest example of architecturally spectacular barns is right here in Michigan. Many of you may have seen this barn near Sleeping Bear Dunes:

photo of the D.H. Day Barn - Glen Harbor, MI

by John H. Bowman

I’ve had an appreciation for barns, but as a horse owner and rider, I have a special appreciation of a good horse barn. The image below is one of the barns at the Michigan State facility. In spring they hold a horse expo.

This illustration once again exhibits the talents of Visbeen Associates, Inc. and casts a wonderful vision of an elegant equestrian facility.

The image below is of our family on a recent trail ride. The month of October is my favorite - as the cooler temperatures and autumn colors provide the backdrop for some wonder rides and time with my wife and children.

Although not about barns in particular - the quote below is one of my favorites on a somewhat related subject.

Staff Post by Jonathan Lorenz

For the next couple of weeks, we will be featuring blog posts from the rest of the Visbeen Associates staff. Let's get started with a post from Jonathan and his idea to beautify Eastown:

My attempt at blog contribution is to take notice of the unremarkable but highly trafficked areas of our city and produce a quick concept sketch that will hopefully show a way architecture can improve the location. So here is my first one, the location is found in Eastown on the corner of Giddings and Wealthy, which is currently home to a do-it-yourself car wash. Car washes are incredibly bad for the environment, our Grand River, and all else down stream. The other fault of this type of commercial application is that one business with only one employee is using all the potential space that three or four businesses could easily occupy and employ a handful of neighborhood denizens. There are many more nuances for first selecting this site (e.g. unsightliness, night crime, environmental concerns as I mentioned earlier, etc.), but I think the economic benefit is truly primary here the others are an amazing benefit to creating truly sustainable buildings.

Keep in mind this is just sketching for fun. This building is not the start of a real project in any shape or form, but just for fun I would love to hear some comments and thoughts on what businesses could occupy the building. It could be anything; the sky is the limit. Personally, I would like to see a Jack-of-All-Trades take the corner unit and a classy P.I. above! Also what could happen with the streetscape that will tie this idea to the westerly residences and the rest of the commercial corridor to the east? Could a similar building be mirrored across the street in the vacant lot? Don't forget that Grand Rapids doesn't have a parking problem; what we have is a walking problem, so next we should fill in the parking lot with a real building! Let's get our DENSITY ON!

Before: The current view of Wealthy St with the car wash

After: Sans car wash, but a beautiful building in its place

Keep checking back to see more posts from the rest of the staff!

Vote for Paul Fikse!

Our Vice President, Paul Fikse, is currently running for Byron Center Public School Board in the upcoming election on May 3, 2011. Paul is involved in the community through his three children currently attending Byron Center schools. You may have seen him at one of many equestrian, swimming, volleyball, baseball and other sporting events that he has been involved with and attended over the years. Fikse has most recently added participation in the Watch Dog Dads program to his contribution to the school district. According to Fikse, "it is undeniable how important the education of our children is. The knowledge and skills they learn in the classroom and in extra curricular activities will serve each student in developing the framework for the rest of their life. This is noteworthy both as a parent and for the community at large." He has always been a big proponent for public education after growing up in a large school district in the suburbs of Chicago. Fikse says, "I've always worked towards excellence, and given the opportunity to join the school board, I will work with that same goal in mind while also being a positive influence on the education system in Byron Center." Vote for Paul Fikse on May 3, 2011!

Introducing...Visbeen Homes & Ryan La Haie

Visbeen Associates has expanded again! We now have a sister company called Visbeen Homes, which will be creating entirely new spec home plans. Angela Mulder's role with Visbeen Associates has expanded to include sales and marketing for this new company - congratulations, Angela! We have also added a new staff member, Ryan La Haie.

Originally from Northern Michigan, Ryan La Haie received his Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Lawrence Technological University. For the past ten years, he has worked in Computer Aided design and drafting of construction drawings for firms in Eastern Michigan. Ryan will continue his expertise in this area as a designer for Visbeen Homes and will soon be able to add “licensed architect” to his title.

Ryan recently relocated from Bloomfield Hills to make Grand Rapids his permanent home. Outside of work, he enjoys playing sports and is an avid outdoorsman, taking part in activities like snowmobiling and hunting.

Job Opening at Visbeen Associates, Inc.

We currently have a position available here at Visbeen Associates. Our Controller, Marcy Stellin, will unfortunately be leaving our company for another job opportunity, so we have an opening for a part-time controller to manage the financial activities of our firm. The successful candidate will have experience handling the following responsibilities:

• financial reporting: financial statement preparation and analysis (monthly, quarterly and annually) - various entities and formations (C Corp, S Corp, LLC, etc); budget and variance analysis and explanations; planning implementing and developing accounting system improvements; cash management; strategic planning and develop initiatives for improving performance; monitor compliance with financial institution loan terms; client billing and collections; contract preparation and management.

• business development and management: research technical issues involving potential business and investment opportunities; analyze business acquisitions for profitability and returns; research and apply corporate and personal tax strategies; summarize data for income tax filings; manage copyright infringement litigation; business insurance review and placement; manage relationship with professional service providers including accountants, attorneys, financial advisors, insurance agents, and investment advisors.

• human resources: payroll calculation and administration; benefit plan administration and management - medical, dental, vision, life disability; 401K plan administration.

Qualified applicants who wish to join our dynamic team should submit a cover letter and resume to info@visbeen.biz.

Congratulations, David!

We are proud to announce that our Senior Designer, David Lorenz' responsibilities have expanded into managing his own projects. He will continue to use his gifts in designing, drafting and illustrating a variety of both residential and commercial projects.

Congratulations, David!

Here are a few examples of David's watercolor masterpieces...

Introducing...Megan TerVeen

Over the past month, you have met Visbeen Associates' staff members Wayne, Paul, Marcy, Lori, David, Angela, Jonathan and last, but not least, I would like to introduce myself! Here is a short bio about me:

Megan TerVeen is the Creative and Office Manager for Visbeen Associates. Her duties range from photography and social media to hospitality and web development. TerVeen, age 26, grew up in Grand Rapids and graduated with a degree in Business Communications from Calvin College. Along with organizational and management skills, she has a creative bent, allowing her to handle graphic design projects, photo editing and web layout for the firm. Her warm personality provides a friendly first impression of VAI.

Megan and her husband Chris have one child, a new baby named Aiden. Aside from working, she likes to bike, rollerblade, and run. Megan enjoys photography as a hobby, and plays the piano at her church.

Now you have met the entire Visbeen Associates team, with each talented member being an integral part of the success of our firm as a whole!

Introducing...Angela Mulder

Indianapolis-born Angela Mulder juggles a diverse range of responsibilities at Visbeen Associates. Her titles include Sales and Marketing Manager, along with Executive Assistant to the President. After studying Communications at Calvin College and graduating in 2001, Angela worked in hospitality, event planning, and office management for two years before accepting a position with VAI in 2003. For the past seven years she has managed scheduling and client relations for the firm. As her job has evolved, she has taken on sales and marketing, award entry management, and all that comes with organizing the life of the leading architect and company president. Angela’s strong organizational skills and energetic personality make her a vital part of the team.

Angela is 31 years old, and married with two children. Her husband Jonathan and their children Isaac and Charlotte live in Grand Rapids. Angela is an avid runner, and loves to travel and shop.

Introducing...David Lorenz

Senior Designer David Lorenz has been part of the VAI team since September of 2000. Originally from Union, Missouri, Lorenz went on to study at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. He graduated with Bachelor of Architecture, and is now in charge of design, drafting, drawing, and rendering in watercolor for Visbeen Associates. His world-class illustrations beautifully depict projects completed by the firm, and have transformed the office into an art gallery.

Lorenz, age 39, has been married to his wife Emily for six years. They have three children, Eli, Elena and Anastasia. David is a gardener, and also collects industrial furniture. He enjoys painting in his free time.

Introducing...Wayne Visbeen

Tuesday's post this week was all about our Visbeen Associates Staff Christmas party, but have you met all of our stellar staff? If not, stay tuned to this blog! Over the next month or so I will introduce you to each of our talented staff members. Although most of you may know him, our introductions will start with our fearless leader - Wayne Visbeen:

Architect Wayne Visbeen attributes his passion for design to a childhood spent on construction sites. Visbeen’s father owned a construction company in his hometown of Wyckoff, New Jersey, and his grandfather was a self-taught architect and builder. It’s no surprise that Visbeen loves to design. His natural abilities to understand space and structure have taken him on quite a journey since receiving his graduate degree from Lawrence Technological University in 1986. After working in retail design for companies like Taubman Centers and The Gantos Group, Visbeen decided to start his own firm in the early 1990’s.

Since the creation of VAI, he has independently designed commercial and residential projects all over the world, and garnered many awards. As a licensed architect and registered interior designer, Visbeen has the ability to fit plans together inside and out. One of his strengths is a “live design” approach. Visbeen is an artist, and can sketch floor plans from scratch. The client expresses a vision, and he puts it on paper. Due to his unique ability to “design on-the-go,” Visbeen is able to travel, work and draw anywhere.

Wayne has been married to his wife Marcia for 29 years. Their three daughters, Jaclyn, Julia and Elise, are out of the house, so the Visbeens spend much of their free time traveling as a couple. Wayne also enjoys playing golf, riding his bike and spending time with friends.