Team Member Spotlight: Jesus Urciaga

Jesus Urciaga joined the Pickett Design Associates team as its AutoCAD and Revit renderer in February 2014…and in fact began work the same day as his employment interview, but had to cut short his first day in order to pick up his marriage license!  Shortly thereafter Jesus was a newlywed on his honeymoon.

Before marriage and career, Jesus obtained his Bachelor of Architecture from Woodbury University.  A Southern California native, his first job out of school involved creating proposal videos for a company that provided airplane sets for Hollywood movies.  It was there that he learned Lumion (3D Architectural Visualization Software), which would prove to be an unexpected and valuable asset to Pickett Design Associates years later!

Jesus went on to fine-tune his AutoCAD skills as part of a large team at the headquarters of a major theme park, but waved “goodbye” to the entertainment world when an opportunity arose at Pickett Design Associates, an interior design firm in Culver City that has close partnerships with its project architects.

Jesus brings many valued skills to PDA, but his “fly-through” videos of project renderings provide a unique service, as they help the entire team – as well as the client and partnering consultants – envision each new job.

Take a peek at this talented team member’s work on PDA’s recent Northbay Medical Center Pavilion project!

Recognition

On July 22nd the City Council meeting in Culver City recognized the service of outgoing board and commission members.  Christine served on the Culver City Cultural Affairs Foundation Board for two terms and received a Certificate of Recognition from the City Council which includes; Mayor Jeffrey Cooper, Vice Mayor, Meghan Sahli-Wells, and Councilmembers – Jim B. Clark, Michael O’leary, Andrew Weissman.

 The Culver City Cultural Affairs Foundation is a nonprofit organization which promotes and supports historic preservation, public art, and cultural programming in Culver City by seeking out and securing private and public sector funding.

New Walnut Creek Office

Kaiser Anaheim Hospital Grand Opening

On Friday, August 24, 2012, Kaiser Permanente invited its colleagues and distinguished guests to attend the VIP Grand Opening of the new Anaheim Medical Center and the Kraemer Medical Office Building 2. Among the attendees were members of our own team – Christine, Monica and Angie who worked so diligently on this project. During the ceremony, various speakers addressed Kaiser’s contribution to the community and healthy environment with the new medical center. After a catered sit-down lunch, everyone was given a generous gift basket filled with gardening tools and seeds as well as a tour of the new facilities. Congratulations to our team for contributing to such a successful project!

The Holiday Gift of Charity

As is the annual tradition, Pickett Design Associates made a holiday donation to Heifer International with the following gifts from their catalog. Thank you to our colleagues, family and friends for allowing us the chance to give back to others. Happy Holidays!

Cheeses of the World Gift Basket

Many Heifer partner families turn milk from their animals into cheese that they can then store for food or sell for income.

This special holiday gift basket includes the gift of a heifer, a goat, a sheep and a water buffalo – four animals that families around the world will use to make mozzarella, feta and hundreds of local and traditional cheese varieties.

The Buzz About Bees

From Uganda to El Salvador, bees from Heifer International help struggling families earn income through the sale of honey, beeswax and pollen.

Beehives require almost no space and once established, are inexpensive to maintain.

As bees search for nectar, they pollinate plants. Placed strategically, beehives can as much as double some fruit and vegetable yields. In this way, a beehive can be a boost to a whole village.

Although most Heifer partners keep bees as a supplement to family income, beekeeping can be a family’s livelihood. Our gift will help Heifer provide a family with a package of bees, the box and hive, plus training in beekeeping – and this unique gift will be passed on to another family in need.