Arrival Of Deanna Voshell Propels Architecture + Design Company Upwards
Voshell Architecture + Design team members
KELOWNA – Architect Todd Voshell was doing just fine with Voshell Architecture + Design (VOSH), but the company soared to another level once his wife and business partner DeAnna Voshell fulfilled their dream and decided to come on board. And boy did she ever. After 28 years in the health care industry, DeAnna joined VOSH to take over the day to day business and allow Todd the time to focus on expanding the business with new and existing clients.
“I can say our revenue has grown by over 60 per cent since I joined the firm,” says DeAnna, the firms’ Managing Partner. “When I arrived, it allowed Todd, our Principal, to focus on growth, client relation and Architecture.
“I focus on the everyday management, marketing, promotion, advertising, finances and human resources,” she states. “When I came over and took over the things that bogged Todd down, that has been a big part of our success.”
VOSH has three offices and a dozen employees, at 106-460 Doyle Avenue in Kelowna, in Edmonton, and their head office in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta.
DeAnna is also busy outside the office, noting “I want to build relationships in the community that gives us more exposure and drive business.” To that end, she is currently President of the local Chamber of Commerce.
The VOSH team works together to create ideas for their clients
DeAnna is proud of the fact the firm has women in key positions, including two architects currently on maternity leave, technologist Erin Ashton and interior designer Sofiya Tsevona.
“When I go to hire students who are studying to be architects, they are almost all women,” she says. “The industry is changing that way, but women still seem to have to work harder to prove themselves. It can be tough to be a woman in the construction industry.”
She summarized her own experience.
“As an example, I have a 28 year health care background and I retired from that and came to work for the architectural firm that my husband started 14 years ago,” she recalls. “We wondered what my title should be, and I think because I didn’t want to rock the boat we decided to go with Administrator. However, I found that some people wouldn’t take me seriously. They thought I was just doing invoicing or office work, and I had trouble getting people responding to me in a way I needed. It’s unfortunate, but when we changed my title to Managing Partner it was like a door opened and I was somehow respected.”
VOSH works on projects throughout Alberta and BC, and one of their highest profile designs was the Nisku Arena near Edmonton International Airport.
The Nisku Arena is one of the firm’s high profile projects
“This is a two-sheet ice arena with a restaurant, training facility and office space, and it’s privately owned,” DeAnn says. “Erin and Sofiya were very involved in the design of the project and incredibly talented problem solvers – Sofiya is the interior designer and Erin one of the technologists.
The Nisku rink project has driven other work in that realm, including a rink renovation in Gibsons, BC. Other BC work includes a Kal Tire building in Port Coquitlam and a lot of small cabin-type buildings. Other than recreation, their focus is on seniors care facilities and affordable housing options, they have five seniors developments in Alberta, an affordable housing complex and staff accommodations, and want to continue their focused housing work in BC.
“We are interested in anywhere where there is a housing issue, and people living and working in areas of BC have trouble finding housing,” she notes.