RICK is ringing in 2024 with an exciting new hire in our Planning + Design Division! We are more than thrilled to welcome Jeff Hosea, LEED AP in his role as Creative Director of Design. Jeff is based in our Tucson office and will support planning and urban design efforts across the company’s 11 offices.
“I’m really excited about joining such an established firm with 70 years of projects. It’s a unique opportunity to help grow the Planning and Design team and clientele, both locally and regionally.”
—Jeff Hosea, LEED AP | RICK Creative Director of Design
Jeff has over 27 years of broad urban planning, design, and advisory experience, specializing in the coordination of large, complex projects and multidisciplinary strategy teams. In the coming year and beyond, he will play a key role in further infusing RICK’s mission to build resilient communities into our planning and urban design work. Jeff’s vision for the future of urban planning centers around positively impacting the community’s experience and building critical relationships with community members and clients while working toward creating and maintaining responsibly designed public spaces.
“I’m driven to help create great places, and I believe now is a critical time to make them more resilient—ecologically, economically, and socially—while also adding moments of joy and beauty where possible.” —Jeff Hosea
After graduating from the University of Arizona with a bachelor’s degree in Regional Planning and Economic Development, Jeff started his early career as a surveyor and quickly moved into planning roles as his interest in design developed. His experience in Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming led him to work for SERA Architects in Portland, Oregon as a Senior Urban Designer. Jeff’s career at SERA offered project experience in Oregon and Washington but primarily involved work as the Senior Client Advocate and Project Manager for Google’s North Bayshore Campus in Mountain View, California.
Jeff’s work for Google opened new doors for his career. He eventually took on a full-time role with the leading tech company as Urban Planning Lead, taking on two additional districts. During his five years there, Jeff’s responsibilities included managing master plans for the Mountain View and Sunnyvale California Headquarters, and he played a key part in developing over 2,400 acres of Silicon Valley.
“Each year I worked for Google felt like taking a crash course in a new subject. I learned about ecology one year, mobility and transportation the next year, and then finance the year after that.” —Jeff Hosea
Throughout his decades-long planning career, Jeff’s work in several environments in the Intermountain West gives him an understanding of the ethos of several communities RICK currently serves. Additionally, Jeff’s breadth of experience with projects of all sizes provides him with a unique perspective, allowing him to see projects from multiple angles; he has the ability to lead highly technical and policy discussions all while fostering connections with city leaders and community members.
Having tackled the most pressing issues facing our communities, including climate change, autonomous mobility, rising inequality, and the impacts of the recent pandemic, his work presents him with challenges he continues to address with a proven community-minded and caring approach.
As Creative Director of Design, Jeff will immerse himself in understanding RICK’s vision, our clients, and our project portfolio. He is looking forward to learning as much as he can to present an authentic version of RICK to clients and to the community. Jeff is also excited to leverage RICK’s suite of in-house services to create more transformative and innovative plans.
“Enabling creative thinking and integrating disciplines together will be at the forefront of my mind. Creativity comes from everybody, and in my role, I want to take in ideas from everywhere.” —Jeff Hosea
For this reason and many more, we are ecstatic about our newest RICK family member. Welcome to the team, Jeff! We can’t wait to see your creativity in action.