News release prepared by: Diane Potts, 785-532-1090, potts@k-state.edu

Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010

COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE, PLANNING AND DESIGN NAMES 2010 ALUMNI HONOREES

MANHATTAN -- Three alums of the Kansas State University College of Architecture, Planning and Design who completed professional studies at K-State in 2000 are the college's 2010 alumni honorees.

The honorees include Eric Taylor, Denver, Colo.; Christopher Fein, Kansas City, Mo.; and Ryan Fronick, St. Louis, Mo.

The three alums will visit Manhattan Nov. 4-5 to meet with students and faculty, as well as participate in class and studio visits. An exhibition of their professional work will be on display Nov. 1-19 in Seaton Hall's Chang Gallery.

Taylor grew up in Olathe and knew that he wanted to create fun and inviting outdoor environments after designing a small, planned community for an elementary school project. His interest in arts and architecture led him to K-State, where he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and was president of the College of Architecture, Planning and Design Dean's Student Advisory Council.

After graduating, Taylor began his career in Kansas City, Mo., with Theis Doolittle Associates, now Bowman Bowman Novick. His projects included parks and recreational facilities, streetscapes and campus master plans. He also was involved with three award-winning projects while at the firm.

Taylor is currently a senior associate at Norris Design in Denver, Colo. His work ranges from small, one-acre pad sites to large, master-planned communities. He also serves with the Highlands Ranch Development Review Committee, and has participated in several student design critiques.

Fein became interested in architecture as a child while visiting a friend's home, which happened to be next door to the Marcel Breuer House in Mission Hills. While a K-State architecture student, Fein spent a semester abroad at Castiglion Fiorentino in the Italian studies program. He also was a co-editor of Oz, the college's journal.

Following graduation, Fein accepted a design position with Tigerman McCurry Architects in Chicago. After more than four years with the firm, he left to attend graduate school at Yale University. He completed his master's degree in 2005 and returned to Chicago to work for Hammond Beeby Rupert Ainge. Fein worked on a diverse range of projects, including residential and commercial; institutional projects for Yale University, the University of Michigan and K-State; as well as cultural institutions, such as the Field Museum in Chicago and The Hole in The Wall Gang Camp Fund founded by Paul Newman.

Now in Kansas City, Fein is a founding principal of Fein and Wineinger Architecture. He is currently a visiting assistant professor in the K-State department of architecture, teaching second-year design studio and a graduate seminar. He also continues to stay active with the university and the College of Architecture, Planning and Design, serving on the college's Dean's Advisory Council.

Fronick's passion for developing proactive solutions began at a young age as his parents inspired him to apply imagination to toys such as Legos, Tonka trucks and Lincoln Logs. Pursuing a degree in interior architecture was a natural fit for Fronick because it allowed him to apply and develop his skills of finding solutions to challenging scenarios.

Fronick graduated from K-State magna cum laude and was awarded the Tau Sigma Delta Bronze Medal by his peers. He then began working full time for ANSWERS Inc., St. Louis, in a project problem-solving capacity. Now the vice president of design at ANSWERS Inc., Fronick focuses on building client relationships, developing people and designing environments that make a positive contribution to society.

Fronick also founded Hyphen LLC, a company that responds to and celebrates the evolutionary nature of decision-making. The medium for these projects has no limits and currently ranges from concrete to community building. When Fronick served on a launch team for a new church in St. Louis, Hyphen LLC provided design leadership and fabrication for the sanctuary renovation and building of the chancel furniture.

The 2010 alumni honorees pursue their careers in diverse professional settings and capacities for which their education from the College of Architecture, Planning, and Design helped them prepare. Through these honorees, the college celebrates the vital contributions its alumni make to environmental, social and economic preservation and enhancement.