AIA Northeast Texas Credit Carnival: Hospitality

Lee Kirby is the Southwest Regional Sales Manager for LIVERS BRONZE, LLC via. Lee is a seasoned veteran with over 30 years of experience in specification product sales to architects and designers. He holds a bachelor’s degree from West Texas A&M with a Major in Technical Theater and a Minor in Industrial Technology. His acting background has played well in his sales career!

Throughout his career he has been recognized for his technical expertise and problem-solving skills. He has a passion for teamwork, and he prides himself on being seen as a collaborative source and not just a “salesman.”

Outside of work, Lee enjoys spending time with his wife and family, and especially his grandchildren. He enjoys working in his flowerbeds and derives pleasure in watching things grow.

Looking forward, he is fascinated by AI and looks forward to seeing where new technologies take us in the future!

Clay Sturdivant

Architectural Sales & Marketing Manager

Johnson Architectural Systems

Clay Sturdivant is the Sales & Marketing Manager for architectural projects at Johnson Architectural Systems, based in Dallas, TX. Since 2015, Clay has assisted architects design openings in the rated passive wall systems and ICC 500 rated shelters.

About the speaker
For almost 20 years Jeff McLaughlin has served the design industry by guiding his clients through the tangles of insurance and risk management, providing protection for firms of all sizes.

He provides expert advice, education and training, and the most appropriate pairing of risk and insurance, saving his clients money and time! Before founding McLaughlin Insurance, Jeff was a Partner in a large Dallas Insurance Agency proudly representing hundreds of architects and engineers in Texas and Oklahoma.

He worked side by side for nearly 13 years with Pat McLaughlin, the insurance industry nationally recognized leader in education and insurance programs for Architects, Engineers, etc.

With the experience, knowledge and skills he developed, he is able to assist his clients with the very best insurance guidance, contract assistance, and claims navigation.

Steven is Managing Director of Gensler’s Dallas office and an accomplished hospitality and entertainment practice area leader. He serves on Gensler’s Management Committee with a focus on client relationships and long-term, global market strategies.

With more than three decades of design, planning, management, and real estate development experience, he has been recognized as one of Dallas’ most influential business leaders by D CEO magazine in 2025. Steven is known for his leadership on several signature mixed-use, sciences, entertainment, and hospitality projects, including the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Beverly Hills, The Grand Hyatt at Seoul’s Incheon Airport, American Airlines Headquarters, Universal Studios Kids Resort in Texas, the Loews Hollywood Hotel, and the award-winning restoration of the Belmond El Encanto Resort in Santa Barbara. He applies his knowledge of local and international markets to deliver innovative design solutions and memorable experiences.

Steven earned his Bachelor of Architecture from Kansas State University and founded a scholarship with the KSU Foundation awarded annually to students enrolled in the Department of Architecture. He serves on the 2025 AIA Dallas Board of Directors, ULI’s DFW Hospitality and Entertainment Development Council, Downtown Dallas, Inc.’s Board of Governors, the Board of Directors for Bryan’s House, the Advisory Council for Kind Traveler, and the Texas Trees Foundation’s UT Southwestern Best Practices Advisory Council.

“Eric Langmaack serves as the Southwest Sales Manager for McNICHOLS CO., where he brings years of industry experience, leadership, and expertise in helping customers find the perfect Specialty Metals and Gratings solutions for projects across architectural industries from residential to hospitality and beyond.

Eric’s presentation will explore the performance and design benefits of Perforated Metal, Expanded Metal, and Wire Mesh, with real-world applications that spark inspiration. He looks forward to connecting with you and sharing how McNICHOLS can support your next great design.”

Bob Bullis, FAIA, serves on JHP’s leadership team as Director of Hospitality/Highrise Design. With thirty-five years of place-making experience featuring a diverse design portfolio—including mid/high-rise hospitality, residential of all densities, and urban mixed-use developments—Bob’s expertise is in creating destinations that are market-driven development solutions. His projects are dynamic, visionary, unique to the place, and informed by the client’s DNA.

Bob has served as Design Director or designer on landmark projects in the United States, the UAE, and Mexico throughout his career. More recent work includes the Loews Hotel in Arlington, Texas, the co-located Live! by Loews Hotel and PwC Pennant (office) Building in St. Louis, and multiple concept masterplans for The Cordish Companies in collaboration with sports franchise partners. Under construction are UAE and Mexico resort properties designed by Bob and his previous design team.

In addition to his design work and leadership, Bob is committed to giving back to the profession. He has a long history of professional leadership, including multiple AIA Dallas Board of Director and committee positions, serving as the 2015 President of AIA Dallas, and providing ongoing support to the Texas Society of Architects. Rounding out his professional accomplishments, he is an award-winning watercolorist and an adjunct professor at UTA’s School of Architecture

Nathan Seaman is the National Sales Manager at Form Metal Systems, a U.S.-based manufacturer specializing in rainscreens, garage screens, and architectural façade systems. With over 15 years of experience in the architectural metals industry, Nathan brings a unique blend of technical knowledge and creative problem-solving to the intersection of design and fabrication.

Throughout his career, he has collaborated with architects, contractors, and glaziers across the country to deliver high-performance exterior systems that balance aesthetics, function, and constructability. His expertise spans product fabrication and system design—always with a focus on elevating metal as a transformative design material.

At Form Metal Systems, Nathan is leading national growth initiatives and working to expand the brand’s presence in projects that demand precision, customization, and out of the box thinking.