At Neumann Monson, our collective experiences strengthen our common sense of purpose.
I knew I wanted to be an architect when I was in 8th grade and discovered the power of play; playing for no other reason but enjoyment and emotional well-being. At every opportunity get out and play, learn something new, and fill your heart. It will provide a foundation to tackle the rest of what life brings. Play is an essential component of learning through reflection on experience. At Neumann Monson, our collective experiences strengthen our common sense of purpose. We mean what we say, and we deliver the proof to back it up. Our partnerships are authentic and valued connections, and they provide the energy that fuels thoughtful and relevant solutions. Better partnerships = better design.
Name one challenge you've set for yourself.
I hope to visit every national park in the United States. So far I’ve been to 17 of the 58…so I have a ways to go. I would love to conquer at least one famous hike in every national park. My favorite thus far is Angels Landing in Zion NP (my favorite non-NP hiking expedition was the Mountaineer route of Mount Whitney – the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states). The challenge is fulfilling, and the connection to the wilderness is breathtaking and refills my heart and soul every time.
Why Iowa?
I am a Minnesota transplant. Someone who never even put thought to living in Iowa, until it happened. Since 2008 my connectedness to Iowa has grown deeper. I don’t find the culture of the two states to be too dissimilar. One difference is Minnesota has a lot of actual lakes that I spend a lot of time on, and IA has a few reservoirs that Iowans believe are actual lakes.
What does NM do well?
At Neumann Monson, we raise the bar to where we want to go, not merely to what we can achieve. We believe it is our responsibility to elevate expectations. We value the integrity, rigor, and discipline that it takes to get there. We do what we love, we love what we do.
Education
North Dakota State University (BArch)
Recent Experience
The Stanley Center for Peace and Security
Career Academy of Pella
HNI Headquarters
Contact
sobernolte@neumannmonson.com
(319) 248-4778
