Wrapping Up a Year of Celebration: Highlights from Our 60th Anniversary

BIG CELEBRATIONS

2024 has been a truly incredible year! We had the pleasure of celebrating OCBA’s 60th year in business with parties in both Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo in July. It was wonderful to see so many new and old friends, colleagues, and co-workers, especially Bob O’Boyle, Bob “CR” Cowell, and Ken Peregon! It was so much fun scrolling through the slideshow of old party photos, reminiscing about the good old days, and looking ahead to the future and all the possibilities the past 60 years have given us.

A GROWING TEAM

Molly Page, 2024 graduate of Ball State University with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree, joined OCBA as a full-time entry level staff member in September. But the job is not new to Molly as they worked as an intern from March through August 2023, with a focus on the construction side of our practice. We are very pleased to have Molly back on the team and look forward to all they will bring to our talented group of designers.

FUN AND GAMES

The entire OCBA staff participated in the 2024 Oddlympics, a fundraiser for Kalamazoo Friends of Recreation put on by the Rotary Club of Kalamazoo and Kalamazoo Parks Department. A few of our fiercely competitive staff managed to get us placed among the top five teams and we are all determined to win the trophy next year.

A NEW LOCATION

Opening an office in Downtown Petoskey was not originally on the docket for this year, but when the opportunity presented itself it was too good to pass up! We are so excited to have opened a branch at the ‘tip o’ the mitt’ where OCBA’s Samantha Fee settled and has worked remotely since 2022. And we are thrilled to be kicking off master planning projects for three parks in Petoskey in 2025 – what a great way to start the new year!

I want to send a heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who has had a hand in our success this year and for the last 60 years. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!