Burt Hill Launches New Phoenix Office with Progressive Projects.

A/E Firm's 11(th) U.S. Office Location led by Regional Design Experts

PHOENIX -- Burt Hill, an international design firm, announces today the opening of its Phoenix, Arizona office - the 11th in the U.S. The office, Burt Hill's first in the region, positions the Firm to reach new clients, markets, and to better service its existing clients in the West. The Phoenix office is working with Education Management Corporation (EDMC), an existing client from the Company's Pittsburgh office. Projects with EDMC in the West are currently projected through 2012, allowing the Phoenix office to launch with a strong foundation built on the success of Burt Hill's EDMC team in Pittsburgh. In addition, since the Firm has a large office in Dubai and has designed numerous desert environments, it is a corporate member of Phoenix's Global Trade Initiative to build economic, social and educational ties with Dubai.

In addition to its work with EDMC, the Phoenix team is active in the institutional markets in Arizona, recently completing a master plan for Benson Hospital and a second master plan for a UPH Hospital in Tucson. While the current project focus of the new office is healthcare and education, it will expand to include significant business within the corporate and commercial markets as well.

"Arizona is the second fastest growing state in the U.S., with projected growth of 1.6 million through the year 2020 - that's momentum you just can't ignore," said Peter Moriarty, AIA, President and CEO of Burt Hill. "As population soars in the state, the huge potential for institutional projects provides Burt Hill the opportunity to establish itself as an expert innovator in healthcare and higher ed architecture and design," added John Brock, AIA, member of the Firm's Board of Directors and principal in charge of the Phoenix office.

The Phoenix team will be led by two of the region's most innovative designers, Annette M. Zacherson, AIA, and senior interior designer and project manager Timothy Benson, NCIDQ Certified. Zacherson brings 15 years of diverse experience working across a number of architectural markets, including healthcare, hospitality, commercial, educational, and governmental. Zacherson was a key project architect for local projects with the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix and Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa.

With over 30 years of experience in a wide variety of commercial, healthcare and institutional design projects, including local projects for REM Medical Sleep Centers and Crossroads Clinic in Scottsdale, Benson will establish Burt Hill as a leader in progressive design in this new market. His work in higher education and library design has been published in American School & University and in Library Journal. In addition, Benson's custom furniture and lighting have been shown in art galleries in four states.

ABOUT BURT HILL

Burt Hill is an architecture and engineering firm with offices in Phoenix, Arizona; Philadelphia, Butler, State College, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; New York, New York; Boston, Massachusetts; Washington, DC; Charlotte, North Carolina, Cleveland, Ohio; Miami, Florida; Abu Dhabi and Dubai, UAE; and Ahmedabad, India. The firm's clients represent nearly every facet of the economy, including multinational corporations, real estate developers, nonprofit institutions, healthcare providers, colleges and universities, technology and biotechnology companies, government institutions, and individuals. The firm provides a wide range of services including architecture, engineering, interior design, landscape, and research, with particular expertise in sustainable design, technology integration, and energy management.

For more information, visit the firm's web site at www.burthill.com.