Cornell’s Baker Program in Real Estate’s Distinguished Speaker Series will receive a jumpstart from Thomas Vecchione as its initial featured guest for the 2016-2017 school year. Known as a dynamic design professional and orator, Tom will bring his vast experience and perspective, enlightening the graduate students. With a progressive approach to real estate strategy, Tom currently serves as the Principal and Director of Design and Workplace Strategy at Gensler. Having a background in urban design, mixed-use planning, and architecture, Tom has developed an international portfolio of workplaces and corporate campuses for clients ranging from IBM and Addidas to Blackstone and British Airways. These and other organizations have sought him out to promote business innovation, recruit superior talent, and usher in sustainability.
Tom’s process leverages research, best practices, and emerging trends to create user-centric environments, and aligning a business’ organizational needs with design. His vision and creativity have been featured on HGTV’s Design Star Season 5. Additionally, he has been interviewed for his expertize on innovative design by the following: Fast Company, MSNBC, The New York Times, and National Public Radio.
Tom continues to pay it forward through numerous philanthropic causes. Recently, he forged the collaboration with the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution, spearheading their Design Directions architectural program, which offers NYC high school students an alternative resource for learning. Working with Tom and his dedicated group of Gensler teammates, students have the opportunity to learn how design impacts their daily lives, analyze complex issues involved in designing environments, and learn to work collaboratively to offer creative solutions. The outreach has expanded to include developing corporate partnerships, raising the design awareness of teachers, and helping the NYC Board of Education develop design-based curriculum.
Tom’s leadership and influence will undoubtedly inject the necessary adrenaline to kickoff the school year.
