September 1, 2022
Ben Perry to join K-State as executive planning director-university architect
Following a national search, the Division of Facilities welcomes Ben Perry to lead the department of campus planning and project management, a role which he is enthusiastic to begin on Sept. 12.
"My family and I are very excited about coming to K-State and joining the Wildcat family and the Manhattan community," Perry said. "K-State is an excellent university, and it is a blessing to be part of a growing and dynamic team."
In his new role, Perry will serve as university architect and oversee the department of campus planning and project management, managing planning and design, architectural and engineering review, project management and space utilization on the Manhattan, Salina and Olathe campuses and K-State Research and Extension offices across the state. He will also use his strategic planning skills to lead conversations with key university stakeholders to incorporate feedback/perspectives into workable action plans that align with overarching university strategic plans and master planning efforts.
"Having a dynamic leader in this role to help strategically guide and lead planning decisions for the direction of the university is critical," said Casey Lauer, associate vice president for Facilities. "Ben brings the ideal blend of industry and higher ed experience that positions him as a service-focused, solutions-minded leader. I'm truly excited to welcome Ben and his family to the collective Manhattan/KSU community."
Perry holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln and a Master of Architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Perry brings 25 years of historic and modern architecture, engineering and construction experience. He joins K-State from the University of Texas at San Antonio where he has served as the university architect since 2016. During his time at the UTSA, he led the Office of University Architect, which includes master planning, interior design, CAD archives, architectural programming, landscape design, ADA design, design and construction standards and campus wayfinding. He also led space planning sustainability and the UTSA Art Collection. A highlight of his work there was spearheading the master plan effort in 2019 that won the 2020 APPA merit award for master planning.
Before joining UTSA, Perry spent time with the University of Kansas Medical Center. He also brings an extensive background with consulting firms in the Kansas City, Omaha and Chicago areas.