No Limits Here – IA Opens its Newest Office in Austin, TX

By David Bourke | Co-President/CEO | November 28, 2017

With its third office in Texas, IA is excited to expand into this digitally-savvy and diverse city.

Earlier this month, IA broadened its global design reach by inaugurating a new office—the firm’s 20th—in Austin, Texas. We are thrilled to deepen our roots in this dynamic and creative city, which boasts one of the nation’s fastest-growing economies as well as a deep and diverse talent pool. Not to mention a rather high quality of life: U.S. News & World Report just ranked it the Best Place to Live in America.

The launch allows us to support existing clients who are headquartered in (or actively expanding into) Austin,  and to cultivate new business in IA’s markets that are regionally robust, such as professional services, insurance, higher education, and health care. Of course, Austin is also a burgeoning tech hub, home to digital giants and startups alike—both of which IA has abundant experience with. (IA has even participated in the city’s annual SXSW festival, most recently presenting our pioneering use of virtual and augmented reality.)

Texas is already a strong market for IA, courtesy of our well-established offices in Houston and Dallas and broad portfolio of projects across the state. Firm leadership has been eyeing the capitol city for some time, and the timing was finally right to commit. To compete for the most prestigious projects, we needed to have a permanent, physical presence there. We also observed a growing opportunity to support, through the broader IA platform and our signature integrated approach, Austin-based companies that are poised for national or international expansion. We are excited to partner with and grow alongside them.

But, at the end of the day, IA is all about the people—and finding the right leader to spearhead the new office was a key catalyst: Stephanie Long, IIDA, RID. Based in Austin since 2009, Stephanie has become a respected and integral part of its vibrant design and real-estate community. An award-winning professional with wide industry knowledge ranging from retail to workplace, she has expertise in both new business development and maintaining successful, long-term client relationships. She also had the ineffable quality of feeling like an “IAer” the very first time Tom and I met her.

Stephanie is currently focused on securing a permanent workspace in a prime downtown location, as well as staffing up the office with the best regional talent alongside current IA’ers transferring from other cities—ensuring that Austin, like all IA offices, exhibits the right balance of local cultural knowledge and global experience.

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