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Ray Kogan is the president of Kogan & Company, specializing
in strategy and management consulting for design and
construction firms. He brings more than 30 years of experience
in the practice, marketing, and management of architecture,
engineering, and construction services, including his work with
many leading firms in the industry. Ray has worked with more
than 100 architecture and engineering firms in the development
of their strategic plans.
Ray co-authored the book, Strategic Planning for Design Firms, published by Kaplan AEC. Ray and Cara Bobchek are also co-authoring the section on strategic planning in the upcoming edition of the Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice being published jointly by the AIA and John Wiley & Sons, Inc. His other
major publications include the ZweigWhite Insider’s Guide to
Strategic Planning, for which he was the primary author, and the
SMPS Core Series Marketing Information Report, “Market
Research: Intelligence For Your Firm’s Future.” He has also
written articles on management and marketing issues which have
appeared in professional and trade publications, including those
of ACEC, PSMA, and SMPS.
Ray is a co-founder and charter member of A|E Advisors, a
national network of industry-leading consultants providing
specialized and complementary business skills and services to
architecture, engineering, environmental, and construction firms.
At ZweigWhite, Ray served as a Vice President and senior
management consultant where he led the firm’s Strategic Business
Planning Group and also edited ZweigWhite’s Strategic Planning
Advisor, a bi-monthly publication dealing with issues, trends,
and tips for design firms engaging in strategic planning.
Previously, Ray was a partner in Flynn Heapes Kogan, a pioneering
A/E management consulting practice. Before founding Kogan & Company,
Ray also served as Corporate Director of Strategic Planning and
Marketing for Dewberry, an ENR top-50 firm based in the Washington,
DC area with 1,600 employees and 27 eastern U.S. offices.
Ray is the 2011 chair of the five-person national Advisory Group for the
AIA’s Practice Management Knowledge Community.
He has been a top-rated speaker at many American Institute of Architects (AIA) and American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) national conventions and has also addressed other national professional organizations. He has presented numerous seminars on strategic
planning, management, and leadership development in many cities across
the country as well as online.
A registered architect since 1979, Ray received his B.S. in Architecture
from The Ohio State University.
Cara Bobchek is a senior consultant with Kogan & Company. For 25 years, Cara has specialized exclusively in the architectural, engineering, and construction fields. She advises design and construction firms on strategy, marketing, and communications.
As a strategic planning advisor, Cara studies the management, operational, organizational, marketing, and performance issues facing a design firm and recommends strategies to address them. She facilitates planning sessions and helps firms to define and articulate their near-term goals and long-term vision.
Additional expertise includes comprehensive market research into demographic, financial, political, and economic information and industry trends in market sectors to analyze the business climate in various regions. She also designs customized employee, special population, and client perception surveys. The results of these studies help firms to make good decisions about growth strategies, human resources, target marketing, service lines, and acquisitions.
Cara also designs marketing and communications programs for A/E/C firms, including corporate identity programs, publications, website content, and presentations. In addition, she supports client contract goals by writing and editing management and technical reports, articles, and white papers.
With Ray Kogan, Cara co-authored Strategic Planning for Design Firms, published by Kaplan AEC. Cara and Ray are also co-authoring the section on strategic planning in the upcoming edition of the Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice being published jointly by the AIA and John Wiley & Sons, Inc. She has also researched generational issues facing architecture and engineering companies. The published study, Future Leaders Focus, involves a survey of the interests and motivations of the Millennial generation of architects, engineers, planners, and environmental specialists at firms of all sizes across the nation.
Cara has presented accredited programs to national professional associations including the American Council of Engineering Companies, American Institute of Architects, and the National Society of Professional Engineers.
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