Behind the Design: Gene Kolstad, 60 Years of Tenure Built on Honesty, Positivity, and Care
Pull back the curtain and get to know the people behind the design. The solutions we develop for clients and communities are brought to you by passionate individuals devoted to delivering better built environments — places that support healthy, productive, sustainable ways of living.Â
Our next #PeoplePassions blog post features Gene Kolstad, an architect, principal, and former Cushing Terrell president and CEO who’s celebrating 60 years with Cushing Terrell and a storied career with memories that go way back to the very people who founded our firm.
You knew the founders, Ralph Cushing and Everett Terrell. What were they like?
Pretty cool! I had a strong relationship with both of them.
A story that shows their character goes as follows: About 10 years after the founding of the firm, things were going quite well, and Cush (Ralph Cushing) bought a new Cadillac. Cush and Everett were going to an interview with a client, and they were very thoughtful about whether they should drive this new car to the client meeting. They didn’t want to appear ostentatious or pretentious, but, at the same time, they were proud of what they’d built.
In the end, they decided to drive the Cadillac, but they parked behind the building where the interview was being held. And wouldn’t you know it? Members of the client’s board showed up early and sat in the library, at the rear of the building, and they watched Cush and Everett arrive. They were mortified and certain they’d lost the job. On the contrary, the board picked Cushing Terrell. They wanted the best of the best as their designers and were impressed by both their moral fiber and success.
I can also say Cush was fantastic with marketing. He was social, belonged to many organizations in town, and was overall just a fine man. Everett was incredibly hands-on at the firm, ran the financials, and was wonderful to talk to. We’d have coffee together and would get to talking, and I was enamored with whatever he spoke about.
Gene (standing, left middle) collaborates with a design team around a hand-built model. In the second photo, Gene (standing, second from left) poses with then-principal owners, including cofounder Everett Terrell seated at bottom left.
What do you think Ralph and Everett might feel if they could see the firm today?Â
They’d be absolutely blown away. I think they’d be honored that we changed the name of the firm back to Cushing Terrell [from CTA Architects Engineers back in 2019] to commemorate them. And they’d be proud to see how successful the firm has been.
Over the years, you compiled a list of values you feel are important to live by. How would you say those have guided you, and do they still fit today?
They’ve guided me a great deal. Perhaps the fact that they’re hanging on my wall means they’re still of great value to me. Here are some of the top items listed:
- Never compromise with honesty.
- Care for [Cushing Terrell] as an overall organization.
- Give quality attention to family.
- Keep, cherish, enjoy, and stand behind our friends.
- Maintain a positive attitude over what is done.
- Sincerely focus on what is best for the client.
I put this list together in 1992. I’ve always been inspired to improve, but there must have been something happening at that time that made me need to write these actions down. Whatever the case, it’s a great beacon for remembering to do the right thing.
Gene at his desk in Billings, Montana, 2017.
Do you have a project that feels like a favorite, or a particularly memorable one?Â
A time comes to mind when we were hired to do work for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. A strong political figure in town asked me to go see the governor of Georgia and discuss the relocation of a parking lot for the venue we were designing. However, I had signed a confidentiality agreement with the Olympic Committee. So, on my way to the governor’s mansion, I said to this official, “Sir, I can’t do this. I believe in what we’re doing and what needs to be changed, but I’m under a confidentiality agreement and this isn’t the right thing to do.”
The man told his driver to take me back to where he picked me up, and I imagined that was the end of our relationship. He later called me and said he respected my choice to stay loyal to my agreement and not discuss the details of the design. I ended up becoming great friends with him and his son.
That project was paramount to me because it was the Olympics, of course! But also, because of what I learned as a professional, architect, and person.
These choices, no matter how small, change how the environment is experienced. [Our work] affects people’s well-being. What a wonderful, varied life it is.
Gene — holding a picture of the founders, Ralph Cushing and Everett Terrell — makes a presentation during the 50th anniversary celebration of the firm in 1988.
How would you say your personal and professional passions have aligned over the span of your career?Â
I’m really lucky there! When you have a grandfather who was a carpenter from Belgium, a father who was a furniture maker in Billings, Montana (and who built the log cabin you grew up in), an uncle who was a plumber, a friend who was an electrician, and a brother who said, “Let’s build our houses together!,” then, frankly, you’re going to go and study to become an architect. We did build our houses together and became capable on the construction side as well.
Even in high school and college, I worked as a bricklayer and hod carrier (construction laborer who carries building materials) for a fairly large organization. I was always in the field doing this kind of stuff throughout my life. I didn’t think about it when I was doing it, it was simply second nature. To this day, one of my passions is masonry work. I’ve done it for free for folks over the years due to my love for it, and any funding was instead donated to various organizations. I bet I’ve done at least 30 fireplaces, entire houses, stone bridges, and more.
What excites you most in your work?
It’s the solving of a problem for someone. I enjoy helping a client with directions for what they need — not just aesthetically, but functionally. I’m excited by making a difference in the built environment for my clients.
Furthermore, this kind of work is so varied and that’s exciting. One day I’ll be working on a sprinkler system or determining the location of a speaker in a waiting room, and the next day, I’ll be designing an emergency room bay, an airport, or a wetlands research center. These choices, no matter how small, change how the environment is experienced. It affects people’s well-being. What a wonderful, varied life it is.
Gene works with the team on a model (left) and answers questions during a career fair alongside longtime (now-retired) Cushing Terrell principal and architect Keith Rupert (right).
Do you have any hopes or dreams for the future of the firm?
My hope is that we can keep growing at a reasonable level. I happen to be a believer that growth creates opportunities for people who dedicate their time to the firm. I believe that growth is very healthy.
I also want us to continue the trust and integrity we have for and in one another. I hope our culture remains what it is. And, if we continue to improve and support one another, that is very, very important.
What do you enjoy most at home and in your personal life?Â
When you have eight grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren, one of the rewards you have in life is those very people. My family has been great to me.Â
I continue to enjoy masonry work and some electrical and plumbing projects. It’s just harder to do the same volume of work as before. Also supporting Cushing Terrell remains a priority. Those are my focuses.Â
Gene holding the handwritten, founding document of Cushing Terrell.
Do you have any other words of wisdom you’d like to pass on to the firm and beyond?
Here’s a little anecdote to leave you with. When I was working on the Olympics in Atlanta, they found space for me to work out of another firm’s office. There were wonderful people working there, but, at the same time, I noticed there were a couple people sitting on the floor in the hallway because they couldn’t get into the office early. Neither could I. This went on for two or three days. It turned out that only one person was trusted with the office key.
I went to the owner of the firm and said, “I like to come to work early and I’d sure like to get in.” And they said, “Gene, we’ll get you a key.” I thought about the cultural implications and impact of that. If you’re working for an organization and you’re not allowed to have a key to the front door, but this guy from Montana who’s visiting for a month or two, he can get in. That sure says a lot about what type of culture is being fostered, doesn’t it?
There was also a similar thing that occurred with tablets, pens, and pencils. They were all locked up and only the secretary had a key. So, you had to go to her and check out a tablet to write on during the day. And, I don’t like to be negative, but I do think about this situation a lot and the type of mistrust that can be created from dynamics like that. It makes me so grateful for what we have. And it’s a great lesson to keep in mind, always.
A little more about Gene…
Gene was born and raised in Billings, Montana. He completed the architectural program at Montana State College (now Montana State University) in Bozeman, Montana, then went on to Army service for roughly three years and was stationed at Fort Benning in Georgia, where he met his wife, Dot. After that, he worked in Georgia for about a year before returning to Billings and starting at Cushing Terrell in 1966, making 2026 his sexagenary (60th!) anniversary with the firm.
