Industry veteran brings over 15 years of sales and marketing experience – much of it in the hospitality sector – to the role
BKV Group, a holistic, multidisciplinary design firm, today announced Nick Ramirez has joined the firm as director of business development in the company’s Chicago practice site. In this role, he will lead the firm’s business cultivation and growth strategies in Chicago, the surrounding region and broader Midwest, working across BKV Group’s market sectors including hospitality, commercial office, multifamily, student, senior and affordable housing.
“Nick is a welcome addition to our Chicago team as we continue to expand our footprint in the Midwest,” said Rob Muller, senior design leader and managing partner of BKV Group’s Chicago studio. “His wealth of experience in the hospitality industry will be invaluable as we take on higher-profile hotel projects – including standalone properties and mixed-use developments – while exploring how those design principles can inform our work in other property sectors, including housing and commercial office.”
Prior to joining BKV Group, Ramirez was director of business development for WTS International/Lifestart Wellness Network, where he managed a portfolio of over 200 existing client accounts within the company’s hospitality, residential and commercial real estate divisions. He previously worked for nearly 14 years in Chicago and San Diego for some of the hospitality industry’s leading hotel companies including Pivot, Starwood and Hyatt. He was recognized multiple times with Hyatt’s top sales distinction of Elite Performer and nominated in 2018 by HSMAI Illinois as Chicago’s Best New Director of Sales.
Ramirez first became familiar with BKV Group through the firm’s design work on the City Club Apartments projects in his Midwest hometown of Detroit.
“I recall the buzz that the architectural design of CCA CBD Detroit generated throughout the city, and it opened my eyes to the great work that BKV was doing across the country,” said Ramirez. “I am excited to join the BKV team and collaborate across sectors to bring more projects like this to fruition. There are endless possibilities in Chicago and other Midwest markets to work with developers who share our passion and vision for design and creating great spaces, and I look forward to the opportunity to further build upon those relationships.”
Ramirez holds a B.A. in hospitality business from Michigan State University.
About BKV Group:
For more than 40 years, BKV Group has designed and delivered community-enhancing, award-winning projects across a multitude of sectors including market-rate multifamily, student living, senior housing, affordable housing, government and federal, education and library, corporate and commercial, hospitality and mixed-use. Throughout BKV’s history, the firm has grown from a sole proprietorship into a diverse partnership with practice sites in Chicago, Dallas, Minneapolis, Washington, D.C., and Hanoi, Vietnam. The firm’s holistic approach encompasses a variety of services including architecture; interior design; landscape architecture; mechanical, electrical, and structural engineering; construction administration; and planning and pre-development. This integrated methodology ensures streamlined communication between disciplines to find the best design solutions under budget and time constraints while removing redundancies in the process and enhancing the design and function of each project. For more information, visit bkvgroup.com.
