The adventure of life is amazing and varies for everyone. However, for a few fortunate souls the adventure can be traced back to their early roots as well as shared goals and dreams.
Mark and Paul’s shared adventure began early in their lives as their parents and grandparents were friends before their births. They grew up together, went to college together (Go Hokies!) and subsequently worked together at Williams Tazewell. They continued to be friends outside of work and were in each other’s weddings. When Williams Tazewell was acquired by the TAF Group, Mark and Paul continued to market and design as a team and both actively participated in the hiring of new staff. It was during this time that their duo became a trio.
Mark and Paul hired Kelly as a college graduate (Go Hoos!) and the three became forever a team when a TAF Group fire forced them to work out of Mark’s house for several weeks. If only they’d known then what lay ahead.
Those early days working out of Mark’s house were a brief glimpse into the greatest journey the three would share. After working for another firm for 9 ½ years where they each spent their respective time growing, learning and challenging themselves to never settle for ‘that’s good enough’, the desire for the next adventure grew as well.
INNOVATE Architecture & Interiors became a reality when Mark, Paul and Kelly, peering into an empty storefront, began to realize that this was their ultimate dream and above all else the adventure of a lifetime. Soon, the three found themselves back in Mark’s house working on folding tables and working with a ‘zip drive’ network. The server arrived and so did the opportunity for their first office. It was small, ‘quaint’ (meaning it needed work) and came to be known as the BBT (Big Brown Turd). The three were able to hire Jenn, their first employee while at the BBT and often wonder how they were able to secure such great talent with only their enthusiasm and passion to create great work. The move to Olde Towne Portsmouth, and the upgrade to a renovated 1891 schoolhouse, allowed for growth and development of integral staff and the opportunity to find Britney and Dan to help push the reality of INNOVATE forward.
In 2018, the Ghent area of Norfolk became home to the team and has allowed us to assemble the most talented staff in our history. From their humble beginnings to today, from the smallest single room renovation to the design and management of a ground-up hospital, INNOVATE has transformed into a company with an incredible staff, an amazing portfolio of work and dedicated clients. The dream of adventure for three individuals has grown into a shared vision for the entire staff who continue to bring their exceptional talents to every project no matter the size.
The story continues…