Firm Hires Todd Meyer as Urban Design Practice Leader

Over the past four years, Progressive Companies has strategically grown its Urban Design and Planning practice to help meet the needs of clients and communities. Suzanne Schulz, FAICP, has built a strong team of experts in urban planning, community engagement, transportation planning, financial feasibility & modeling, housing, zoning, and more—in addition to the firm’s growing team of landscape architects and urban designers. As Progressive Companies continues to expand nationally and complete projects of larger scale and complexity, the firm has hired Todd Meyer, AICP, PLA, as Urban Design Practice leader to help guide the practice.

Along with Schulz, Meyer will be responsible for leading growth, design, and collaborating on projects and engaging clients across the organization. He will also drive business development, provide project oversight, enhance client relations, and support talent and team development.

“We are thrilled to welcome Todd to the Urban Design and Planning Practice,” said Schulz. “His national urban design experience, at a variety of different scales, is significant and exciting. Our shared focus on implementation and creating great places is a win-win for our clients and the communities we serve.”

As an urban planner and a landscape architect, Meyer has extensive experience in community development, placemaking, and implementation strategies for public and private sector clients across the U.S. and globally. His portfolio of award-winning projects includes long-range master plans for new and existing communities, development standards and design guidelines, as well as detailed design for a wide range of project types.

Utilizing the principles of the Charter of the New Urbanism, Meyer seeks to curb suburban sprawl, protect our wild and natural open spaces, and promote authentic, walkable and vibrant urban neighborhoods. This includes an interesting mix of land & building uses, densities and price points, while promoting a strong sense of identity and community for residents and visitors. He actively promotes the concept of “cultural urbanism” in his projects, working to celebrate regional differences and create unique places that celebrate natural environments and encourage social interaction.

One of Meyer’s professional interests is to promote healthy communities through providing equitable access to recreation, exercise, nutrition, and entertainment venues. He is excited by the firm’s recent growth in sports and entertainment, from the Acrisure Amphitheater and Grand Rapids Soccer Stadium in Michigan, to the Sullenberger Aviation Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina. Meyer was drawn to the firm’s commitment to Performance-Based Design, and he is committed to creating beautiful, functional, and high-quality environments for people of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy.

“Great places and communities are the result of challenging the status quo, strategic planning and creative placemaking," he said. "As an integrated practice, Progressive Companies understands and employs this thinking in the planning and design process. I am delighted to join a highly competent team of professionals and be part of expanding the footprint of the company in terms of geography, markets, service types and new business ventures.”

Prior to joining Progressive Companies, Meyer was a principal and community development studio director based in Chicago. His planning and design experience includes education and healthcare environments, hospitality, parks, residential and mixed-use development and urban districts. He is an active member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and a speaker on topics around urban design, planning, cultural urbanism, and resiliency.