Hartman + Majewski Design Group Names New CEO and COO
The architecture firm promotes two long-tenured leaders to executive roles as part of a formal succession plan.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in People
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Hartman + Majewski Design Group transitioned leadership to long-tenured employees as of October 1, 2026, naming Jeff Zellner as CEO and Kirstin Kalberg as COO. The promotions are part of a multi-year succession plan designed to shift oversight from the firm’s founders to staff who have grown within the company.
Why it matters
The transition demonstrates a common operational strategy among mid-sized professional service firms to retain institutional knowledge while providing career paths for long-term employees. This structured approach helps ensure operational continuity for ongoing work, such as the firm’s master plan for the State Fairgrounds redevelopment.
Hartman + Majewski Design Group now manages over 40 employees, scaling from its two-person foundation in 2002. The firm continues to lead significant regional projects, including the master plan for the State Fairgrounds redevelopment.
The players
Jeff Zellner
The new CEO of Hartman + Majewski Design Group who has been with the architecture firm since 2003.
Kirstin Kalberg
The new COO of Hartman + Majewski Design Group who joined the company in 2002.
Doug Majewski
A co-founder of the firm who transitioned to the role of founding principal.
Gregory Hartman
Co-founder of the firm who established the business in 2002.
Hartman + Majewski Design Group
An Albuquerque-based architecture firm with over 40 employees that focuses on historic preservation and urban planning.
The details
The firm, founded by Gregory Hartman and Doug Majewski, executed a pre-planned transition that elevates existing leadership to senior roles. Jeff Zellner, who joined the firm in 2003, and Kirstin Kalberg, a member since 2002, have assumed top-level responsibilities to lead the company's future focus on sustainability, historic preservation, and multifamily housing projects.
Timeline
2002: Gregory Hartman and Doug Majewski founded the firm.
2003: Jeff Zellner joined the firm as an intern architect.
October 1, 2026: Zellner and Kalberg officially assumed their new leadership roles.
Market Landscape
This leadership transition marks a departure from the firm's 2002 founding partnership model by centralizing executive decision-making within the existing employee base. It follows a deliberate strategy to shift ownership and operational control to long-term staff as the firm scales.
Small-business owners should evaluate their own succession timelines and the bench strength of current employees to ensure long-term stability. Formalizing leadership transition plans can mitigate operational risks and support future expansion objectives.
The takeaway
Effective succession planning relies on long-term development of internal talent rather than external executive recruitment. Owners should document and communicate their transition frameworks early to maintain project momentum and preserve institutional expertise.
Further reading
For more on local leadership changes, visit People.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Abqjournal.
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