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What’s New at Ecos

Staff News

Matt Wilder, ASLA, who recently earned LEED AP accreditation, served as a panelist at the City of Atlanta’s 2007 Developers’ Day.  This yearly event promotes green development with the Atlanta area by bringing together private professionals and government leaders.  Mr. Wilder fielded questions about stormwater and green solutions in site development as part of a panel discussion and roundtable break-out session. 

Mr. Wilder’s contributions to a “greener” Atlanta continue with his selection as a judge for the U.S. Green Builder Council’s Emerging Green Builders 2007 Natural Talent Design Competition. The competition encourages young designers to take an active role in the profession.  This year, designs focus on the proposed Nature Center for the Georgia Wildlife Federation, to be located adjacent to the Mall of Georgia.  Mr. Wilder, along with three other judges, selected the top design team to represent Atlanta at the national level of the USGBC competition.

Élise Cormier and Jay Wansley, ASLA, LEED AP, are volunteering their expertise at the Ashview Community Garden in southwest Atlanta to design and construct a rainwater harvesting system.  The project is part of Organic Gardening Magazine’s ‘WaterWorks Project,’ which will provide rainwater harvesting systems to 20 community gardens nationwide and seeks to educate the public about the importance of water conservation.  The Ashview Community Garden’s system will provide reliable crop irrigation and will help to lessen demand on Atlanta’s water resources. Ms. Cormier is working with community members to blend the project with the garden’s unique aesthetics.  Opening day for the new system is slated for late July.

Ecos Expands Its Staff

Ecos continues to grow, thanks to recommendations from satisfied clients. New work calls for more talent, and Ecos is pleased to announce the addition of five landscape architects and a new receptionist to our team. Jon Cauthen, Guyton Powell, and David Simpson now contribute their expertise to the Design and Construction studio, assisting with hospital and institutional campus projects. Élise Cormier and Greta deMayo joined the Greenspace and Planning studio, working on multi-use trail projects and community master planning designs. In addition to our new designers, Judy Harris has joined Ecos as the office receptionist and general clerical assistant.

A native of Atlanta, Jon Cauthen earned his BLA from the University of Georgia. Prior to joining Ecos, he gained experience in the Atlanta-Metro area in multi-family residential master planning and site design. At Ecos, he contributes to conceptual master planning, design development, and, his specialty, construction document coordination and production. As a landscape architect, Jon draws inspiration from being directly involved in shaping the human environment. 

Élise Cormier, an Augusta, Georgia native, joined Ecos after working as a geologist in the environmental consulting industry and earning dual master’s degrees in Landscape Architecture and Natural Resources from North Carolina State University. At Ecos, Élise is committed to being responsive to client needs, and contributes to the office with her skills in site planning and contextually-based design. As a landscape architect, she enjoys being involved in the healthy growth of urban areas, with particular interest in urban stormwater challenges and multi-modal transportation planning.

Originally from Atlanta, Guyton Powell received his BLA from the University of Oregon, where he discovered his passion for connecting people with their environments through landscape architecture. With his commitment to team goals and adaptability to project needs, Mr. Powell provides valuable support for Ecos’ institutional campus projects. His professional interests focus on environmental education and community involvement in the design process.

David Simpson, most recently a resident of San Francisco, joined the Ecos office in November. A graduate of the University of Georgia with an MLA, Mr. Simpson enjoys creating tangible environments that improve people’s every day lives. At Ecos, he contributes his skills in planting design, with attention to detail, and a willingness to work wherever needed. Formerly a college history professor, Mr. Simpson maintains a strong interest in the historical styles of landscape architecture.

Greta deMayo, originally from Tennessee, brings to Ecos her diverse work experience as a landscape architect in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Her training in landscape architecture began with a BLA at University of Georgia and continued with an MLA from University of Guelph (Canada). Since joining Ecos, Greta has focused on urban trail planning and design. Greta enjoys the combination of office and field work that urban trail planning requires, and she draws professional inspiration from the creative staff at the Ecos office.

Judy Harris, a native Atlantan, recently joined the Ecos office. As receptionist, she enjoys the high level of staff interaction and appreciates our congenial office atmosphere. Her background as a flight attendant and real estate agent and her experience in the U.S. Army’s Drug Enforcement Agency trained her in customer service and effective communication. Ms. Harris’ professionalism and cheerfulness contribute to better organization and more efficient production at the office, and we are pleased to welcome her to the team.

This summer, we are pleased to have Sarah Artuso, a student at NC State, and Patrick Tillman, a student at Auburn, working with us as interns. They have quickly assimilated into Team Ecos. We welcome them!