School jobs give small firm big revenue growth; Cyclotron project accelerated biz for architects.(Lord, Aeck and Sargent Inc.)

Crain's Detroit Business, February, 2006 by Smith, Jennette

Byline: Jennette Smith Atlanta-based Lord, Aeck & Sargent first made the grade in the metro Detroit architectural industry by securing a $5 million project - an addition to the University of Michigan medical school's cyclotron building. That led to more educational projects at UM, Michigan State University, Wayne State University and other institutions.

The local office, in downtown Ann Arbor, has increased its staff from one to 15 since 2001 and its revenue from $340,000 in 2002 to $2.9 million in 2005. Lord, Aeck & Sargent opened locally with principal Terry Sargent, who is from metro Detroit. Sargent first secured the cyclotron building addition. That project put the firm on the map locally, along with its portfolio of work from the Atlanta office....