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Global Director of Architecture, Design & Brand Standards
Jason Welker
Los Angeles, CA
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About
I have over twenty years working experience on projects specializing in retail, fast casual, qsr and high-end residential. I am an NCARB certified licensed architect, currently with a license in Ohio, but can be extended to all contiguous states as needed.
Currently I am an executive at Taco Bell as the Global Design Director of Architecture and Brand Standards, responsible for all rollout needs for franchisees and company owned locations in North America. I also cross over into procurement development and management, vendor contracts, construction management and estimating, and global consistency projects.
A full list of my executive level accomplishments from Taco Bell, CAVA and Abercrombie & Fitch available upon request. -
Education
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Masters ArchitectureUniversity of Michigan2002 - 2004
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Bachelor of Science ArchitectureThe Ohio State University1997 - 2002
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Experience
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Global Design Director, Architecture & Brand StandardsTaco BellLos Angeles, CAFeb 2023 - Present (3 years 4 months)• Responsible for design standard adherence for all North America franchisee new builds, remodels, and special initiatives
• Current projects include three new restaurant prototypes and their value engineering, sourcing coordination, playbooks, and sunset strategies for replacing current prototypes within the system.
• Current global lead on developing consistencies between all four YUM brands global portfolios, templates and playbooks to leverage global economies of scale.
• Responsible for all Equity design and pipeline management.
• Team size ten (10) direct reports while maintaining project lead on several ELT initiatives such as walk-up windows, technology rollouts and kitchen innovations. -
Director of DesignCAVANew York, NYFeb 2021 - Feb 2023 (2 years)• Responsible for design direction on all CAVA locations, including current design evolutions and owned new prototype development.
• Built and trained a new team while also creating all internal and external process documents to support expansive growth targets.
• Onboarded and trained new architect and engineer consultants with prototype documents and change management processes I created. -
Manager, Global Store DesignAbercrombie & FitchColumbus, OHJan 2015 - Jan 2021 (6 years)• Delivered the first A&F store prototype under $1.2m.
• Developed and delivered the first A&F fragrance kiosks for 5 Westfield Europe locations.
• Managed, directed and value engineered the new A&F, abercrombie kids, and Gilly Hicks global concepts.
• Partnered with Real Estate on the global downsizing and reduction of store formats throughout the entirety fo the global fleet and A&F flagship downsizing.
• Managed the UAE Franchise teams.
• Created the first temp freestanding pop-up for Gilly Hicks Shanghai, and developed the future pop-up fabrication program and rollout.
• Created the sunrise to sunset Hollister Westfield UK storefront concept in conjunction with the lighting team. -
Studio ManagerColumbus, OHDec 2010 - Dec 2014 (4 years)• Developed, created and implemented all process documents for the Chipotle studio, taking the client account from store #008 to #500 within 4 years.
• Specialized in mentorship of new college graduates and took them from no experience to independent Project Manager within 6 months.
• Led a team of 10-12 employees that focused on Chipotle rollout, prototyping, one off designs and new client concepting.
• Created all AOR process documents used by Chipotle for onboarding new consultants. -
Architectural DesignSelf-EmployedChicago, ILMar 2009 - Oct 2010 (1 year 7 months)While living in Chicago I fulfilled multiple freelance contracts ranging from residential, offices and warehouse projects. Clients included Raymond Lewick & Associates, Partners by Design, Song and Associates.
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Project ManagerReno, NVMar 2007 - Mar 2009 (2 years)At Worth Group Architects I worked as a Project Manager and Designer on several hotel and university projects. My day to day activities included drafting, answering RFIs, attending client meetings, and overseeing projects from design through project closeout. It was here that I spent two years becoming fluent in Revit.
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Project ManagerNew York, NYMay 2006 - Mar 2007 (10 months)MR Architecture + Decor specializes in high-end residential design and retail spaces. Here I worked as a Project Manager on several various high-end residential projects. My daily duties included putting together color stories for clients, acting as construction administrator through construction, and putting together construction documents.
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Junior DesignerNew York, NYMay 2004 - May 2006 (2 years)During my two years at Richard H. Lewis I worked on high-end residential, restaurants and retail. Within a year I was running my own projects, attending client meetings solo, and running my own work. Projects carried from Keith McNally Restaurants, celebrity apartments, and Dolce Gabbana and Armani stores and shop-in-shops.
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Awards
MR Architecture publication credit.
Various international Abercrombie & Fitch publications. -
Affiliations
NCARB Licensed Architect
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Industries
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Skills
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On Coroflot@jasonlwelker, member since 2009
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