McAdams had a vision for the future, and it included a huge leap: joining with a firm in another part of the Country. President and CEO, Mike Munn, along with Founder and Chairman, John McAdams, embarked on this journey in 2017, searching the U.S. for a firm that was “just the right fit” – the metaphorical glass slipper of a design firm. After many months of research and phone calls, Mike and John reached out to Von Beougher and Bobby Dollak, of G&A Consulting, based in Lewisville, Texas. They were intrigued by the well-established and highly respected firm in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area. G&A’s client base was loyal, and their projects were varied and substantial.

A bond quickly formed over the course of the next several months as Von, Bobby, Mike and John continued conversations about this potential merger. A meeting was set for Mike, John and Donna Scott, Chief Human Resources Officer for McAdams, to fly to Dallas to personally meet with Von and Bobby. Mike had his agenda thoughtfully laid out, in the hopes of ensuring a smooth and effective meeting. But as Von later recalls, “As introductions started going around the room, it quickly turned into a very emotional and heartfelt sharing of souls from both firms. There was a very raw and authentic display of emotion that released all the tension.” Consequently, the agenda went right out the window and the beginning of a true and meaningful relationship began between the two firms.

Regardless of the immediate bond between these five individuals, this merger was much bigger than them. It was about the 250+ employees who have dedicated their careers to growing these two firms and creating experiences for the communities they serve.

How does one know that a decision this big is the right decision? For Bobby, it was as simple as having his fellow leaders of G&A on board. Before anything became final, several key members of the G&A team came to visit McAdams’ headquarters in Durham, North Carolina. Knowing that this team of individuals were on board was vital to Von and Bobby. This merger wasn’t about Von or Bobby, it was about the future of the employees of G&A and their ability to grow together. Having the core team be just as excited as they were, was a critical moment in knowing this was the right direction for G&A.

The growth G&A | McAdams has experienced together is incredible, both as a whole, and as individuals within the firm.

As of January 1, 2020 the union was completed. G&A | McAdams officially became McAdams and the two firms are fully united, to which all could not be more excited about!

“Being able to give back to the communities we work and live in and do it on a larger scale with the union of these two firms, is what is most exciting,” Bobby states. “You can’t make a difference in the world unless you touch people’s lives. We need more people to do that, and now, with the larger firm, we can have a greater impact on the community.”

The new year means a unified front for all of the McAdams offices in Texas and North Carolina, and a stronger team to continue to create experiences across the Country.