Our Firm
Meet Our Architectural Project Management Team
Swaim Associates is led by a team of distinguished principals with decades of combined experience in architectural project management. Additionally, we have nine registered architects at our firm. We invite you to get to know the talented, creative members of our team by reading their bios on this page.
Through the years, our team has grown from Bob Swaim and a small staff working out of a small office to a team of nearly two dozen talented professionals who work collaboratively to fulfill every unique project vision.
Meet Our Principals
Phil Swaim, AIA
Principal
Edward Marley, FAIA, NCARB, LEEDap
Principal
Mark Bollard, AIA
Principal
Kevin Barber, AIA, LEEDap
Principal
Mike Culbert, AIA
Principal
Tim Smith, AIA
Principal
Laura Vertes, AIA, NCARB, LEEDap
Principal
Michael Becherer, AIA
Principal
Meet Our Studio
Amy joined Swaim in the fall of 2023, bringing her experience in architectural design, interior architecture, and facility planning to the studio. Born and raised in the Chicago suburbs, she knew at an early age that she wanted to be an architect. She learned perspective drawing in grade school and never looked back. Amy received her Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan and has worked in Ann Arbor, MI, Chicago, IL, and Tucson, AZ. She is also an AutoDesk Certified User for Revit and has a Revit Technician Certificate from Pima Community College.
When not at work, Amy can be found reading late every evening, cheering for the Michigan Wolverines every Saturday in the fall (Go Blue!), and hoping her Chicago Cubs win on any given day in the summer.
Tricia is an administrative assistant and marketing guru with 21 years experience in the construction industry. She graduated from Pima College with an Associate Degree in Graphic Design and Illustration. When she isn’t busy with the website and RFPs at Swaim she likes to get creative with paper, stamps, ink and paint. Let’s just say her cards are way better than Hallmark.
Bio coming soon.
Eric is a project coordinator. He graduated from Pima College with an Associate Degree in architectural drafting and technology. He has worked on various multi-story commercial, medical, education and athletic projects. In his spare time he likes to race and tinker with radio controlled cars. Originally from Oklahoma, but has been in Tucson since 1978 so he considers himself a transplanted native.
Mark was born and raised in Tucson, AZ. He graduated from ITT Technical Institute with an Associates Degree in Specialized Technology. He started out with hand drafting, moved to AutoCAD and is now using Revit, a BIM program for the last 11 years. He has worked on the Biosphere II project, Desert Diamond Casino II on Pima Mine Road, various commercial projects and various medical facilities and medical tenant improvements. He has worked on various commercial and medical projects around Arizona and Texas – Phoenix, Payson, Safford, Bullhead City, Lubbock and Amarillo to name a few. He is a project coordinator who uses Revit to its fullest potential. On his off time, he likes camping, zip lines, and aerial adventure parks. His favorite zip line is in Ruidoso, NM. It is nearly a mile long.
Becky graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Architecture in 2006. Since that time, she has been involved in a wide range of project types including schools, retail, and senior living facilities. In addition, Becky is skilled in both graphic design and 3D design programs and is a valued member of our BIM team. Having grown up in the Tucson construction industry, Becky possesses a well-rounded perspective of the field of architecture and design. That, and she can give us the inside scoop on the contractors that we work with!
Jason received his Bachelor of Architecture in 2011 from the University of Arizona. Since then, his expertise in BIM programming has caused Revit to slowly morph into the appendage formerly known as his right hand. Lucky for us this, and his diagnosis of “car crazy”, has not landed him in an institution (yet); he is still surviving through the support of his wife and son. He has worked on school additions and improvements, medical facilities, various tenant improvements, and the 9-story Unisource building. He became a licensed architect in the state of Arizona in 2019.
Nathanial comes to us from the great frozen tundra of the north, Wisconsin (not technically a tundra), where he mastered the art of LEGO construction at an abnormally young age. It naturally followed that he would begin working in carpentry, home remodeling, and building custom homes before completing high school. After suffering frostbite more times than he can count, he decided to migrate south permanently in 2011, where he attended the University of Arizona College of Architecture on an athletic scholarship for wheelchair rugby. After graduating in 2016 Nathanial worked independently in residential design. He is in pursuit of becoming a licensed architect and is involved with many different project types at Swaim Associates. During his free time, he can be found telling bad jokes, listening to live music, flying and/or jumping out of airplanes and catching monster fish with his nephew.
Valerie, a native Tucsonan, began her journey with Swaim Associates as an intern while completing her degree at the University of Arizona. She graduated in 2023 with a Bachelor of Architecture and a minor in Landscape Architecture. Valerie approaches her work as a designer with a deep sense of responsibility and strives to embrace every design challenge with the joy, curiosity, and sensitivity needed to create meaningful and impactful spaces.
Hilary graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1997 with a BA in English putting herself through school working as a stagehand for the Cal Poly Theatre. She has a knack for computers and reverse engineering documents. Always up for an adventure, her career background is a creative mix from tech support to designing décor to teaching at-risk students to office manager in an electrical engineering office. She transplanted to Arizona to be near her nephews, and while wearing her Deadpool socks, she skips along in search of new things to learn.
Emanuel graduated in 1995 from the University of Sinaloa with a Bachelor of Architecture and in 2001 from the University of Arizona with a Master in Landscape Architecture. Since joining our team in 2010, Emanuel has worked on schools, commercial, higher education, athletics and multi-family projects, taking our BIM software to the edge. An avid reader and coffee geek, he can direct you to the best local coffee shops around town.