An effective and engaging design process has the power to uplift communities, preserve our natural resources, and strengthen organizational cultures.
As an architect and a community member, Tim draws on values, which he conveys both by example and through the ideals, policies, and practices he has instilled at Neumann Monson. As a leader, he strives to maintain a graceful balance of compassion and a tenacious drive toward excellence.
In 1991, Tim first joined Neumann Monson’s team of seven as a summer intern. After graduating from Iowa State in 1994, he continued full-time and was soon leading community-shaping projects and some of the first LEED projects in the state. Tim became a principal and a studio leader in 2000 and a broad portfolio of work emerged as he served civic, higher education, and entrepreneurial clients. Most notable were numerous projects with developer Marc Moen which introduced urban living and renewed vibrancy to downtown Iowa City and earned the firm’s first recognitions for design excellence. The cumulative impact of Tim’s early career earned national recognition with the 2008 AIA Young Architect Award.
Tim moved to a firmwide leadership role in 2012 and soon rallied a growing firm through a period of transformation focused on holistic success including consistent design excellence, team engagement and empowerment, and a strong focus on delivering a high-quality client experience. In 2018, Tim became Neumann Monson’s 3rd President.
Neumann Monson continues a focus on constant evolution toward meaning and purpose. In 2020, Tim facilitated the process of becoming a Just Organization, a third-party certification process measures organizational equity, diversity, inclusion, employee health and well-being, employee benefits, and stewardship.
Tim’s balance of compassion and drive toward excellence is echoed in Neumann Monson’s policies and practices which build empathy and alignment. With Tim’s guidance, Neumann Monson has emerged as: a leader in design and environmental stewardship; as a national leader in both client and employee experience; and as a community leader with expanding positive impact.
What do you do in your spare time?
Doing what I can to stay fit and spend quality time with my wife and our adult children. We love going out to eat and traveling when we can – favoring beaches or urban vacations.
What drew you to Neumann Monson?
Growing up in Muscatine, Iowa, I had never met an architect – until my friend Scott arranged an interview with his father, Roy Neumann, president of Neumann Monson. It was spring 1991, the recession was in full swing, and Roy arrived for my interview late in the day, tie loosened, clearly exhausted. He sat down and asked, “Why on earth do you want to be an architect?” I remember the question vividly; I have no idea what I said in return. Whatever I managed, it worked: Roy offered me a summer internship at five dollars an hour. That opened the door to a wonderfully fulfilling career.
What excites you most about Neumann Monson?
What excites me about Neumann Monson is our team and their stewardship of our clients’ vision while guiding and challenging them to pursue excellence and preserve our natural resources. They are committed to questioning the status quo and continuously evolving our processes to bring clients along on a journey to improve lives, communities, and organizational cultures. Our team is filled with purpose. They are a fun group of people to be around, and I am honored to be part of the team.
What makes Iowa unique?
At the center of the United States, we are as down to earth as they come. We have modest budgets and a harsh climate. When we leverage Iowa values toward design, the result can draw engaging and meaningful experiences from the common and diligent materials and forms.
Education
Iowa State University (BArch)
Recent Experience
Harrison & Sabin
Park@201
Goschke Family Wrestling Training Center
Service
Board of Directors, Plaza Towers Condominium Association
Executive Committee Board Member, Think Iowa City (convention and visitors bureau)
City Council Member and Mayor Pro Tem, City of University Heights
Board Member, Society for College and University Planning, North Central Region
Contact
tschroeder@neumannmonson.com
(319) 331-7874
